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Sam Lord's BeachSam Lord's Beach is located on the South East coast of Barbados, in the parish of St. Philip, between Shark's Head, Beachy Head and Crane Beach to the south, and Long Bay, Cave Bay and Bottom Bay to the north.
Sam Lord's Beach in Barbados is perhaps now more of a historical landmark than a beach destination, the shell of the formerly glorious Sam Lord's Castle resort occupying the land directly behind the beach. After falling into a state of disrepair several years ago this magnificent Regency mansion, built in 1820 by the famous buccaneer Samuel Hall Lord and the former holiday choice of many discerning overseas tourists, was finally gutted by fire on October 20th 2010. Whilst diverse opinions have been voiced regarding the circumstances surrounding this devastating blaze at Sam Lord's Castle in Barbados, the overall sentiment of the majority of Bajans was the loss of a piece of Barbadian history. To read one Bajan's dismayed response to the deterioration and ultimate downfall of Sam Lord's Castle in Barbados, click here for reflections of Nation News' online editor Carol Martindale.
The demise of Sam Lord's Castle resort in Barbados has impacted enormously on visitors' ability to access the beach areas near the ruined buildings, and newcomers to Barbados are guarded against out of date tourist information that still advocates Sam Lord's Castle in Barbados as an 'attraction' or a 'place to visit'. This is not to say the area does not merit a visit - but you do need to have realistic expectations of what you expect to see, and the beach area is still definitely worth an outing.
The breathtaking white sandy Sam Lord's Beach in Barbados is divided into two distinct areas by rocks, the first part of the beach bearing nostalgic reminders of bygone days when guests from Sam Lord's Castle resort in Barbados would gather for regular beach parties. Benches are scattered around the sand and under the swaying palms, and the remains of a beach bar and concrete dance floor are still visible. The beach is over half a mile long of soft powdery sand and, once you’ve accessed it, makes an ideal spot for a picnic, with plenty of shady trees under which you can eat and relax.
The Atlantic waves at Sam Lord's Beach in Barbados can be rough and unpredictable, with strong undercurrents and rip tides so the area is not recommended for recreational swimming, though there are several rock pools where bathing is safe. Although once alive with holidaymakers and vitality, this beach is now incredibly quiet and isolated, and as there is also no lifeguard on duty here, a visit to Sam Lord's Beach in Barbados would be best undertaken accompanied.
At the end of this first part of Sam Lord's Beach in Barbados is a large rock you need to climb over to access the second section of Sam Lord's Beach in Barbados. There are some wooden steps to assist you, but this enterprise is definitely not recommended for visitors with fitness or mobility difficulties. Once in this second section of Sam Lord's Beach in Barbados you will see a walled area, originally the location of a captive shark and fittingly named 'Shark's Hole'.
This part of the beach tends to only be occupied these days by a handful of local fishermen. Although the sea is also rough and potentially dangerous at this part of Sam Lord's Beach in Barbados, there are once again sheltered areas and pools where swimming can be possible, but please be careful as again there is no lifeguard on duty here.
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