Is Paradise Beach good for children?

Yes. Paradise Beach is noted as calm enough for children, and our guide rates its water as usually calm. Conditions change with the weather, so watch children in the water at all times.

Can you snorkel at Paradise Beach?

Yes. Paradise Beach is known for snorkelling.

What facilities are there at Paradise Beach?

Our guide lists shade at Paradise Beach (as of October 2026).

What time is sunset at Paradise Beach?

Today the sun sets at about 17:39 Barbados time at Paradise Beach, on the west coast.

Which villas are near Paradise Beach?

12 villas on Luxury Rental Retreats are within about 10 minutes' drive (an estimate from distance), including Ocean Heights, Calico and Summerland 103.

St. Michael · West coast

Paradise Beach

Quiet, calm west-coast beach just north of Bridgetown, good for swimming and easy snorkelling

Calm water(usually calm)Sunset today about 17:39ShadeSnorkellingCalm for children

Just north of Bridgetown on the St Michael coast, Paradise Beach is a calm, often near-empty stretch of soft white sand, used more by Bajans than visitors and with very few vendors. It was once the grounds of the Cunard Paradise Hotel, now closed. A patch of woodland separates it from the beaches to the south and makes a shady spot for a picnic. Cars can't get in directly: park at the Batts Rock entrance next door, which has parking under the trees, showers and changing rooms, picnic benches, a playground and a beach bar.

The water is clear and gentle with no undertow, so it's a good swim all year round. Snorkellers can explore the shallow rock formations close to shore for small reef fish. Further out lie the wrecks of the Lord Combermere and Lord Willoughby, dive sites with coral, sponges and fish, best visited with a dive operator.

Best for

Calm swimming
Snorkelling
Quiet beach
Picnics

On our lists: Calm for children · Snorkelling

Where to stay

Villas within 10 minutes of Paradise Beach

Drive times are estimates from distance, not live traffic.

Prospect, St. JamesRequest to bookfrom $1,800 / night

Ocean Heights

Seven-bedroom cliff-front villa on Barbados' Platinum Coast, every floor with a balcony and sea view.

7 bed 5 bath 12 guests

About 2 min drive (estimate) · 0.8 km

Prospect, St. JamesRequest to bookfrom $3,750 / night

Calico

A new beachfront house in Prospect with six ensuite bedrooms and a penthouse rooftop pool

6 bed 6 bath 12 guests

About 3 min drive (estimate) · 1.1 km

St. JamesRequest to bookfrom $385 / night

Summerland 103

A 3-bedroom apartment above Summerland's communal pool, 5 minutes from the beach in St. James

3 bed 2 bath 6 guests

About 3 min drive (estimate) · 1.3 km

Fitts Village, St. JamesRequest to bookfrom $825 / night

Kai Villa

A quiet 3-bedroom retreat behind Kaiso with its own plunge pool and reef-protected beach access.

3 bed 3 bath 6 guests

About 4 min drive (estimate) · 1.5 km

Fitts Village, St. JamesRequest to bookfrom $2,700 / night

Kaiso & Kai Beachfront Villa

7 bed 7.5 bath 14 guests

About 4 min drive (estimate) · 1.5 km

St. JamesRequest to bookfrom $1,950 / night

Kaiso Beachfront Villa

A four-bedroom beachfront villa in St. James with a heated pool, jacuzzi and direct reef-protected swimming

4 bed 4.5 bath 8 guests

About 4 min drive (estimate) · 1.5 km

Fitts Village, St. JamesRequest to bookfrom $900 / night

Radwood Beach House 2

Beachfront in Fitts Village: three ensuite bedrooms, a plunge pool, and a housekeeper and cook included.

3 bed 3.5 bath 6 guests

About 4 min drive (estimate) · 1.5 km

Fitts Village, St. JamesRequest to bookfrom $3,100 / night

Dolphin Beach House

A brand-new 6-bedroom beachfront villa in Fitts Village with direct sand access and a full villa team

6 bed 6.5 bath 12 guests

About 4 min drive (estimate) · 1.7 km

Fitts Village, St. JamesRequest to bookfrom $900 / night

Radwood Beach House 1

An oceanfront house in Fitts Village with a private plunge pool and the beach a few steps away

3 bed 3.5 bath 6 guests

About 5 min drive (estimate) · 1.8 km

St. JamesRequest to bookfrom $425 / night

Waterside 101

Beachfront ground floor living in St. James, steps from the communal pool and the sea

2 bed 2 bath 4 guests

About 9 min drive (estimate) · 3.4 km

St. JamesRequest to bookfrom $425 / night

Waterside 303

A sea-view 2-bedroom apartment in Paynes Bay, with ensuite bedrooms, a 30m pool and Holetown 5 minutes away

2 bed 2 bath 4 guests

About 9 min drive (estimate) · 3.4 km

St. JamesRequest to bookfrom $550 / night

Waterside 301

Beachfront apartment in St. James with sea views over Paynes Bay and round-the-clock security

3 bed 2 bath 6 guests

About 9 min drive (estimate) · 3.4 km

Good to know

Paradise Beach: questions

Is Paradise Beach good for children?: Yes. Paradise Beach is noted as calm enough for children, and our guide rates its water as usually calm. Conditions change with the weather, so watch children in the water at all times.
Can you snorkel at Paradise Beach?: Yes. Paradise Beach is known for snorkelling.
What facilities are there at Paradise Beach?: Our guide lists shade at Paradise Beach (as of October 2026).
What time is sunset at Paradise Beach?: Today the sun sets at about 17:39 Barbados time at Paradise Beach, on the west coast.
Which villas are near Paradise Beach?: 12 villas on Luxury Rental Retreats are within about 10 minutes' drive (an estimate from distance), including Ocean Heights, Calico and Summerland 103.

Sources: barbadospocketguide.com, barbados.org, visitbarbados.org. Lifeguard information is checked against the National Conservation Commission and barbados.org lifeguard lists. Facts as of October 2026; conditions change, so check on the day.