Crane Beach

Crane Beach sits below a coral cliff on the southeast corner of the island, a curve of sand with a distinct pink cast from crushed coral, reached by a long flight of steps down from the clifftop or by a lift from the hotel above. The southeast faces into the trade winds, so there is swell here where the west coast has none, enough to body surf and to make the beach genuinely lively rather than flat. The Crane Hotel on the cliff opened in 1887 and claims to be the oldest continuously operating resort in the Caribbean, built around a colonial house on the point.

What you actually see

• The pink sand - a distinct cast from crushed coral in the beach.
• The clifftop view - the beach from above before the descent.
• Body-surfable swell - the southeast wind bringing waves the west lacks.
• The 1887 hotel - claimed as the Caribbean's oldest still operating.

When to go

December to April is the dry season, with the biggest swell in the winter months. Mornings are quieter and the light on the sand best. All Barbadian beaches are public, but the easy access runs through the hotel, which charges non-guests.

Honest expectations

The convenient access is through the hotel and costs a fee for non-guests, though public access by the steps exists and is legally guaranteed; it is not well signposted. The shore break is strong and there are no lifeguards. The steps down and back are steep in the heat.

Nearby

Sam Lord's Castle site is nearby; Bottom Bay is along the same coast.