Bus to Accra Beach

[2morrow]

Is it possible to take a local but to Accra Beach from the cruise ship area?

[waterbugohio]

Hoping we get a reply to this. I would also like to know.

 

Also, how far is St John cathedral from Accra?? or from the ship docks??

 

What is all within walking distance of the docks??

[tourismmonkey246]

First, 2morrow, to answer your question, it is possible to take a bus to Accra Beach. You would have to walk from the cruise terminal right across Bridgetown to the Fairchild Street Bus Terminal or the River Bus Terminal. The Fairchild Street Terminal operates the government-run bus service (predominantly blue with yellow stripes) whilst the River Terminal operates privately-owned "minibuses" (yellow with blue stripes) and "ZRs" or Zed-Rs (small whit vans with maroon stripes).

 

The ZRs are your fastest option. The vans on the Route 11 stretch (on which Accra lies) leave quite frequently. Just let the driver know that you are heading to Accra and they'll take care of you. The fare is BDS$1.50 and US$ are roughly BDS$2 to US$1.

 

waterbugohio, unfortunately St. John's Parish Church is quite far away from Accra and also on another bus route. To reach the church you would have to return to Bridgetown and take another bus from the Fairchild Street Bus Terminal. Also, please note that buses that go into the further areas within the country do not run as frequently and hence you may have a bit of a wait within the terminal.

 

To ensure that you are able to enjoy the sights with time to spare, it may be best to use a taxi for this trip.

[waterbugohio]

Thanks for the info. We just want to use Barbados as our "nothing scheduled" "play it by ear" stop. We may decide we want to do quite a bit, but then we may decide we are toured out and not want to do much of anything. We have tours planned for the other four islands we stop at.

 

I have heard that Barbados is not very "cruiser friendly" and I am really hoping that is not the case. My husband and I are very easy going and rarely upset by people. So maybe I just heard this from people that are to uptight!! The photos of the island look beautiful and would like to see a few things.

 

So just to make sure. How far is the walk from the docks to where the bus terminals are? And are the bus terminals easy to find. If we would do the beach in the morning,, would a couple of hours in the afternoon be enough time to do St John's Parish??

Or what about going out to Harrison Cave in the afternoon?? How far and how would we get there??

 

thanks for all your help.

[tourismmonkey246]

Thanks for the info. We just want to use Barbados as our "nothing scheduled" "play it by ear" stop. We may decide we want to do quite a bit, but then we may decide we are toured out and not want to do much of anything. We have tours planned for the other four islands we stop at.

 

I have heard that Barbados is not very "cruiser friendly" and I am really hoping that is not the case. My husband and I are very easy going and rarely upset by people. So maybe I just heard this from people that are to uptight!! The photos of the island look beautiful and would like to see a few things.

 

To be honest, that may be somewhat far-fetched as the island's main source of income is presently tourism and as such, most people here come into contact with tourists on a regular basis. Maybe it was just someone with a bad experience.

 

So just to make sure. How far is the walk from the docks to where the bus terminals are? And are the bus terminals easy to find.

The walk is relative. Some people may find it to be nothing whilst others may see it as a challenge. From the photo above, the Cruise Terminal is the one located by the red arrow. The Fairchild Street Terminal has a yellow arrow and the River Terminal a blue one. Looking at the scale of it, maybe you can decide which it is to you.

 

If we would do the beach in the morning,, would a couple of hours in the afternoon be enough time to do St John's Parish??

Or what about going out to Harrison Cave in the afternoon?? How far and how would we get there??

 

thanks for all your help.

 

Getting to either Harrison's Cave or St. John's Parish Church by taxi is easy. Getting back in time might be the difficult part. I'm not 100% sure on the transit times dependent on the time of day but it may be a gamble if you are trying to get back into Bridgetown during rush hour. If anything, I'd do St. John's Parish Church or Harrison's Cave in the morning, head back to Bridgetown and then, if you have the time, you can do Accra or Carlisle Bay.

[waterbugohio]

thanks for all your help. If we decide we want to go any further than the beach that is what we will do, go in the morning. I am just collecting info so we can decide as we go.

 

I also agree that someone probably just had a bad experience.

[2morrow]

Hi

Thanks for the information and overhead map. How long would it take an average walker to go from the cruise ship terminal to the Fairchild Street Terminal. Would you spend a day at Accra Beach or a day at Paynes Bay?

Thanks

[tourismmonkey246]

Hi

Thanks for the information and overhead map. How long would it take an average walker to go from the cruise ship terminal to the Fairchild Street Terminal.

 

My guess is approximately 20 minutes to half hour (dependent on how many pics you want to stop and take ;) )

 

Would you spend a day at Accra Beach or a day at Paynes Bay?

Thanks

 

I'd do Accra because there are more amenities (shopping, bars, fast food restaurant) in the immediate area. Just remember that if you are doing Accra, the ZRs may be the fastest way there.

[Aplmac]

Would you spend a day at Accra Beach or a day at Paynes Bay?

Hands down it's Accra/Rockley! ;)

 

 

 

-if only for the 1.2 km. coastal boardwalk

that starts at the Western end of the beach! :)

 

 

 

 

-and makes the connection with Hastings Beach

 

..where you can then walk as far as HILTON, at Needham's Point

if you want to go that far West along the South Coast beaches!

.

[GTJ]

From the photo above, the Cruise Terminal is the one located by the red arrow. The Fairchild Street Terminal has a yellow arrow and the River Terminal a blue one. Looking at the scale of it, maybe you can decide which it is to you.

 

Excellent photo and annotations.

 

I was in Barbados a short while back and used the Transport Board buses to sightsee. By profession I am a transportation planner and have a great deal of specific knowledge and experience in planning and mapping bus routes. And while the Transport Board website does have much information--more than many other Caribbean islands have for their transit systems--it is severely lacking in maps and other useful information. Only with substantial advance study in advance of the trip was I able to plan out a tour that involved taking one bus from the Fairchild Street terminal to Oistens, then the by-pass bus to Speightstown, and then return to the Princess Anne terminal.

 

One of the problems in understanding the Transport Board routes is that many of the roads are not named on maps, and so the Transport Board describes the routes, in part, by using the names of the communities through which they pass. Yet this is ambiguous to many potential users. Furthermore, the schedules provided only indicate the time leaving the terminal, not when the buses return from the outer end of the routes. Finally, there is no information whatsoever regarding the ZR services.

 

The Transport Board should invest more in its route information. A system map should show where all the bus routes travel, something that is critical in a place with many roads but few road names. A detail map should be provided for central Bridgetown (especially with the Bridgetown Shuttle having been recently re-introduced). To the extent that ZR routes are reliable they, too, should be shown. The timetables should show information useful to passengers, including times for return trips (and preferably intermediate timepoints as well).

 

I have worked on many transit system maps and route timetables, and I see many opportunities here in Barbados. I would so much like to get a contract to do this work for the Transport Board (I wonder if there would be an interest by the Transport Board or other entity in Barbados, and if proposals to do the work from outside Barbados would be entertained?).

[macaroni]

If we want to walk the Coastal Boardwalk, what part of the beach should we ask to be dropped off at, or what is the nicest part of the beach and then could we just leave our stuff and walk without worrying about our towels and such? Or should we walk after our beach outing and then just get a taxi at the end of the walk?

[MrSidewayz]

Hands down it's Accra/Rockley! ;)

 

 

 

-if only for the 1.2 km. coastal boardwalk

that starts at the Western end of the beach! :)

 

 

 

 

-and makes the connection with Hastings Beach

 

..where you can then walk as far as HILTON, at Needham's Point

if you want to go that far West along the South Coast beaches!

.

 

Mr.aplmac, what is your obsession with Accra beach? :cool:

 

Yes it's nice but.....anyhow

 

Nice pics btw.

[Aplmac]

Mr.aplmac, what is your obsession with Accra beach? :cool:

I have no particular obsession with Accra Beach.

I have no commercial or economic interest either.

It simply is the best beach on the South coast.

 

West coast beaches are hot and humid

South coast beaches are breezy, if a little surfy some days.

That factor alone trends me (a local) towards South coast beaches generally.

 

If you like being hot and all humid sticky sweaty, West coast beaches are for you.

Press on regardless! ;)

 

You'll also discover that Paynes Bay has something of a reputation for touts and pestering beach vendors :)

something that just about never happens on Accra/Rockley Beach

for what reason I don't know, but I reckon that too is a huge plus in Accra's favour.

 

 

Don't let local advice stop you from going to Paynes Bay, Sandy Lane, Holetown or Mullins.

You go right ahead and do those beaches.

 

Next cruise you come back to the island

maybe you'll try something different.

.

[patseacruiser]

So are you saying that Accra/Rockley is the best beach to go to? A few years ago when the Jolly Roger tour was operational it took you to a beach which I didn't get the name of. It was the most beautiful beach I have ever been to. The sand was like silk and the water so crystal clear. I have tried to find out what beach it was but never get a clear answer. Once I ended up at Monkey Beach and that was the biggest tourist trap you could find. So far no luck finding that beach again. I emailed Jolly Roger but there were new owners and it wasn't operational so they said they didn't know.

[Aplmac]

So are you saying that Accra/Rockley is the best beach to go to? ===> Depends! There are so many!

 

A few years ago when the Jolly Roger tour was operational

it took you to a beach which I didn't get the name of. ===> West Coast somewhere..

It was the most beautiful beach I have ever been to.

The sand was like silk and the water so crystal clear. ===> Sounds like all of them?

 

Once I ended up at "Monkey Beach"

and that was the biggest tourist trap you could find. ===> Oh dear...that's PAYNES BAY. :cool:

 

So far no luck finding that beach again.

Jolly Roger (and Harbour Master,also theirs) stop at a number of West Coast beaches

so unless you have photos with identifiable landmarks

it could have been Sandy Lane, or Reid's Bay(St.Albans) or any one of several

all of them with nice sand and great water colour.

 

.

[MrSidewayz]

I have no particular obsession with Accra Beach.

I have no commercial or economic interest either.

It simply is the best beach on the South coast.

 

West coast beaches are hot and humid

South coast beaches are breezy, if a little surfy some days.

That factor alone trends me (a local) towards South coast beaches generally.

 

If you like being hot and all humid sticky sweaty, West coast beaches are for you.

Press on regardless! ;)

 

You'll also discover that Paynes Bay has something of a reputation for touts and pestering beach vendors :)

something that just about never happens on Accra/Rockley Beach

for what reason I don't know, but I reckon that too is a huge plus in Accra's favour.

 

 

Don't let local advice stop you from going to Paynes Bay, Sandy Lane, Holetown or Mullins.

You go right ahead and do those beaches.

 

Next cruise you come back to the island

maybe you'll try something different.

.

 

Should have mentioned...I am Bajan, living in Barbados. I just think that Accra is rough. Some West Coast beaches are nice with like the trees etc. (just have to look good, and not at the popular Mullins, Paynes Bay etc spots), but the very little beach access is my upset. But atleast the waters are calm :) peaceful..jetskis!!!

[perlgirlnj]

If you had a choice of a day pass at the Hilton or Rockley beach, which would it be?

 

Two years ago, we were on the Thriller Turtle excursion and we pulled up to a beach which was gorgeous, although I don't think there were any concessions of any kind. But I could see the Hilton off to the right when I was in the water facing the beach, so I figure the Hilton beach should be nearly as nice as the one we had visited. (Obviously not deserted though!)

 

Opinions?

[Aplmac]

If you had a choice of a day pass at the Hilton or Rockley beach, which would it be?

 

Hilton

 

 

Accra

 

.

[perlgirlnj]

Hilton

 

 

Accra

 

.

 

The beach part (looking past the cement) on both looks gorgeous. Is there something else I should be seeing on these two pictures? I still couldn't decide!

[HAULNTA]

I want to go back to "Blue Monkey Beach" and swim with the sea turtles again. What is this beach called now? Are the turtles still there? What bus do I take?

[Aplmac]

I want to go back to "Blue Monkey Beach" and swim with the sea turtles again.

What is this beach called now?

Are the turtles still there?

What bus do I take?

The beach has always been called PAYNES BAY.

The silly "Blue Monkey Beach" handle got stuck to it due to a bar operating there.

The real name is Paynes Bay, and yes the turtles are still there

they haven't gone anywhere.

 

Any bus going to Holetown or Speightstown goes right past there.

Get off at COACH-HOUSE.

.

[Bwanna]

Should have mentioned...I am Bajan, living in Barbados. I just think that Accra is rough. Some West Coast beaches are nice with like the trees etc. (just have to look good, and not at the popular Mullins, Paynes Bay etc spots), but the very little beach access is my upset. But atleast the waters are calm :) peaceful..jetskis!!!

 

Ok; between you Aplmac I get confused. Jet skis caught my attention.... is Accra like this? Lots of rentals, noiise, tc???? Just looking for a relaxing, laid back, not too pesky vendor-type beach.... and of course I'll need a libation sooner than later. Snorkel is a plus......

[perlgirlnj]

Should have mentioned...I am Bajan, living in Barbados. I just think that Accra is rough. Some West Coast beaches are nice with like the trees etc. (just have to look good, and not at the popular Mullins, Paynes Bay etc spots), but the very little beach access is my upset. But atleast the waters are calm :) peaceful..jetskis!!!

 

Accra is rough in what way? The waves, etc. or a rough crowd hangs out there?

 

If you mean the waves, is it too rough to swim/splash in?

[Aplmac]

Accra is rough in what way? The waves, etc.

- or a rough crowd hangs out there?

 

If you mean the waves, is it too rough to swim/splash in?

I too am awaiting an explanation from the mysterious Mr.Sidewayz who

-to date- remains a two-post wonder. :D

.

[MrSidewayz]

I too am awaiting an explanation from the mysterious Mr.Sidewayz who

-to date- remains a two-post wonder. :D

.

 

My apologies, I try to start checking the forum more often.

 

Bye yes, Accra is roughish in the sense that the water isn't as nice as you would find in Carlise Bay and along the West Coast. There's nothing wrong with Accra - parking, restaurants, stalls etc, I just don't fancy it personally.