Surf Tourism on the Rise

Friday, November 04, 2016 | By Terra Caribbean

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Barbados is a special place for surf, and we have seen an increase in surf tourism and the demand for holiday rental properties that are close to surf breaks. Even the most recent WSL World Champion Jon Florence, and surfing legend Kelly Slater have visited and spoken highly of surfing in Barbados. So, there is no better month than Barbados’ independence month to embrace the Independence Pro.

This attention is thanks to two main factors: the growing presence of Barbadian top surfers such as Chelsea Tuach and Josh Burke on the world stage, as well as exciting surf spots that resonate well with local and visiting surfers alike. The south coast of the island has South Point, Brandons, Freights Bay and Accra, where low tide is the best time for good waves. On the east is the legendary Soup Bowl in Bathsheba, which is comparable to the waves at the popular Oahu in Hawaii during certain times of the year. Surprisingly, there are also some excellent surfing spots along the west coast of Barbados, thanks to occasional swells coming from the north. These include Maycocks, Tropicana and Batts Rock. Thanks to these great spots, surfing continues to grow in popularity in Barbados as both a recreational activity and professional sport.

The golden independence celebrations will take to the water with the biggest surfing event on the island in 2016 - the Barbados Independence Pro Surf Fest! Set to take place at surfing headquarters of Bathsheba, the event will run from Thursday, November 10 through to Sunday, November 13 and starting at 8:00AM daily. Over the four days, there will be two major competitions - the November PRO as well as the Caribbean Junior Championships.

At these two international competitions, the crowd will witness world-class competitive surfing. But the fun doesn’t stop there. There will be exciting demonstrations from local and regional skaters as well as the famous bikini contest. Live music, arts and craft displays and local food will also set the tone for the event. Also during this event, the venue will host the final North America Junior qualifying event, where surfers from Belgium, Canada, Costa Rica, Guadeloupe, Hawaii, Jamaica, Peru, Puerto Rico, Trinidad & Tobago, United States and Venezuela will compete.

Below is a sample of our selection of properties that offers prime locations for surfing enthusiasts.

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