The Platinum Coast

The west coast faces the Caribbean rather than the Atlantic, which means no swell, no wind and water that is flat almost every day of the year, and that has made it the expensive side of the island since the 1950s. The strip from Paynes Bay north through Holetown to Speightstown is lined with villas and hotels, but every beach in Barbados is public to the high water mark and access paths are marked at intervals. Hawksbill and green turtles feed in the shallows the length of it, and snorkelling from the sand off Paynes Bay or Folkestone finds them without a boat.

What you actually see

• The flat water - almost no swell on this coast at any time.
• Turtles from the beach - feeding in the shallows within swimming distance.
• Folkestone marine park - a snorkel trail and a sunken barge.
• The public access paths - marked routes to the sand between properties.

When to go

December to April is the high season and the driest. The water is calm year-round on this side. Mornings are best for turtles and for finding space on the narrower stretches.

Honest expectations

Beach erosion on this coast is a real and worsening problem, with several stretches noticeably narrower than they were and sea walls appearing. Access is legally public but finding the paths between properties takes effort and signage is poor. Turtle-feeding boat trips crowd certain spots. It is the expensive side of the island in every sense.

Nearby

Holetown and Speightstown are on the coast; Bridgetown is south.