The sea temperature at Barbados (Crane Beach) today is 29.1 °C (84 °F) – water as warm as a bath. The usual October average is 29.5 °C. Over the last 30 days the sea temperature has held at around 29.1 °C. Swimmable all year – the sea averages 26 °C or more in every month. Source: Sea Temp Map (seatempmap.com) – NASA MUR satellite data and the Copernicus Marine sea forecast.
| Month | Min | Avg | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 26.8°C / 80.2°F | 27.4°C / 81.3°F | 28.1°C / 82.5°F |
| February | 26.5°C / 79.6°F | 26.9°C / 80.5°F | 27.6°C / 81.6°F |
| March | 26.6°C / 79.8°F | 27.0°C / 80.7°F | 27.8°C / 82.0°F |
| April | 27.0°C / 80.5°F | 27.4°C / 81.3°F | 28.3°C / 82.9°F |
| May | 27.3°C / 81.2°F | 27.9°C / 82.3°F | 28.7°C / 83.6°F |
| June | 27.7°C / 81.8°F | 28.2°C / 82.7°F | 28.9°C / 84.0°F |
| July | 27.9°C / 82.2°F | 28.4°C / 83.2°F | 29.0°C / 84.3°F |
| August | 28.7°C / 83.7°F | 29.2°C / 84.6°F | 29.7°C / 85.4°F |
| September | 29.3°C / 84.8°F | 29.8°C / 85.6°F | 30.3°C / 86.5°F |
| October | 28.9°C / 84.0°F | 29.5°C / 85.2°F | 30.2°C / 86.3°F |
| November | 28.3°C / 82.9°F | 28.8°C / 83.9°F | 29.6°C / 85.2°F |
| December | 27.5°C / 81.6°F | 28.0°C / 82.4°F | 28.5°C / 83.3°F |
| Month | Min | Avg | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 25.5°C / 78.0°F | 25.9°C / 78.6°F | 26.0°C / 78.7°F |
| February | 25.3°C / 77.6°F | 25.7°C / 78.2°F | 25.9°C / 78.5°F |
| March | 25.5°C / 77.9°F | 25.9°C / 78.5°F | 26.1°C / 78.9°F |
| April | 25.9°C / 78.6°F | 26.3°C / 79.3°F | 26.5°C / 79.8°F |
| May | 26.6°C / 79.9°F | 27.0°C / 80.7°F | 27.3°C / 81.1°F |
| June | 26.9°C / 80.3°F | 27.2°C / 80.9°F | 27.3°C / 81.2°F |
| July | 26.8°C / 80.2°F | 27.2°C / 80.9°F | 27.3°C / 81.2°F |
| August | 27.1°C / 80.9°F | 27.5°C / 81.5°F | 27.7°C / 81.8°F |
| September | 27.6°C / 81.6°F | 27.9°C / 82.2°F | 28.1°C / 82.5°F |
| October | 27.5°C / 81.4°F | 27.8°C / 82.1°F | 28.0°C / 82.3°F |
| November | 26.9°C / 80.3°F | 27.1°C / 80.9°F | 27.3°C / 81.1°F |
| December | 26.1°C / 79.0°F | 26.5°C / 79.7°F | 26.6°C / 79.9°F |
5-year averages (2021–2025). Min/Max are typical daily lows and highs, not record extremes. (Copernicus ERA5)
Crane Beach holidays
Crane Beach is a cove of pink-tinged sand below the cliffs of St Philip, on the south-east coast of Barbados, where the Atlantic rolls in against the island's windward side. Its name recalls the crane once used to load and unload ships at a small harbour in the bay in the 18th and 19th centuries, and The Crane hotel, which opened on the clifftop in 1887, still overlooks the bay.
Beaches
Crane Beach has fine sand and lively surf, which suits bodyboarding and wave-jumping more than calm swimming; watch the flags, as currents can be strong. Public access to Crane Beach includes steps and a rocky coastal section; check local access and sea conditions before setting out. Bottom Bay, a few kilometres north-east, is a quieter cove framed by cliffs and palms, and Foul Bay is a long, often empty stretch of sand. For calm water, the west coast of Barbados has sheltered Caribbean beaches around Holetown and Mullins, and Carlisle Bay near Bridgetown is known for snorkelling over shallow shipwrecks.
Things to do
Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison, the capital of Barbados with its 17th-century street plan and British military buildings, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Harrison's Cave, in central Barbados, is toured by tram through limestone chambers with streams and pools. On the east coast, Bathsheba is known for its huge rock formations and the surf break called the Soup Bowl, although the sea at Bathsheba is too rough for swimming. Friday evenings at the Oistins fish fry, on the south coast, bring grilled fish, music and dancing, and the Crop Over festival reaches its peak with Grand Kadooment on the first Monday of August.
Weather and best time to visit
At Crane Beach the sea stays above 26 °C / 79 °F all year, even in the coolest month.
Barbados is warm all year, cooled by the north-east trade winds that blow most steadily across the east and south-east coasts. The dry season runs from about December to May, and the wetter months from June to November coincide with the Atlantic hurricane season; rain often falls in showers, but prolonged heavy rain and tropical storms can also occur. December to April is a popular travel period, when accommodation is in high demand.
Hotels and where to stay
Around Crane Beach there are a resort, villas and guesthouses spread across the quiet south-east parishes. The south coast between Oistins and Hastings, including St Lawrence Gap, has most mid-range hotels and nightlife, and the west coast has many of Barbados's luxury resorts.
Signature hotels: The Crane Resort (Crane, St Philip) · Coral Reef Club (Holetown, St James)
Airport and getting there
Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI) lies about 10 km west of Crane Beach, roughly 15 to 20 minutes by taxi. Direct flights to Barbados from the UK, the US and Canada vary by season, so check current routes; cars drive on the left, and buses and minibuses link the south-east with Bridgetown.