Paradise Beach

Located just 5.2 kilometres north of the Bajan capital of Bridgetown, Paradise Beach and neighbouring Batts Rock Beach are the destination of choice on the island for any diving enthusiast worth their salt. With myriad opportunities for swimming, snorkelling and scuba diving, this is the place to go for everyone from first-timers to old hands.

Beginners could start with a snorkel in the area's shallower waters, keeping an eye out for the glimmering tropical fish and coral that populate the rock formations here. There are also a wealth of sunken vessels and shipwrecks off the coast that make for fascinating underwater explorations. Those just starting out as divers could try the Lord Combermere or Lord Willoughby wrecks. The former is located by Batts Rock and is sunk in 12 metres of water. The latter is located about 1 kilometre away at a depth of about 18 metres. Divers at these wrecks will encounter a variety of coral, sponges and small fish.

The jewel in the diving crown, however, for most visitors to Barbados is the SS Stavronikita. This 111-metre cargo ship caught fire in 1976 and was towed to Barbados where it remained at port until it was eventually purchased by the Barbados Parks and Beach Commission. Having been stripped of all salvageable materials and potential pollutants, the ship was then taken out to sea and deliberately sunk about 366 metres off the shore of Paradise Beach to form a diving site. The eerie, shadowy bulk of the substantial freighter offers an adventurous dive amid coral-encrusted surfaces, huge sponges and a vast variety of marine life.

Barbados is home to several respected diving companies. It's best to book your dives in advance of your trip in order to ensure that you get the times and locations you want.

If all that underwater adventure has worn you out, follow your dive with a picnic along the shady coastline between the two beaches, or venture a little further to visit the little fishing village in Freshwater Bay.

Visitors coming to Paradise Beach by car should enter through the Batts Rock entrance and park there. It's also very straightforward to get a bus or taxi here direct from Bridgetown.