On the eighth day, God created vacation, rum and beach chairs – and behold: it was all good. In Barbados, one of the foremost places to mull over that heavenly combination is Mullins Beach Bar, located seaside on the leeward coast near Speightstown. Ingeniously named for the golden beauty beckoning a few feet beneath its wooden deck, this breezy establishment slings more than a mean cocktail: catch of the day with mango-and-black-bean-salsa, shrimp linguine, and pan-fried flying-fish sandwiches anchor the lunch menu; blue and red umbrellas and chairs for rent anchor the beach below. Hawksbill and leatherback turtles frequent this spot, too – laying eggs as they do, up and down the coast. Thanks to their frequent presence and the calm, clear water, snorkeling here is reliably rewarding. To pass the time at higher speed, if you must, water toys are available for rent all along the strand. Come late afternoon, you can't go wrong ordering up a Wytini Sunset and staring at the unbroken horizon. But keep an eye on the foreground, too – just in case a posse of baby turtles decides to make an early break for the surf.
Mullins Beach Bar
St. James, Barbados 246-422-2044
Open daily, 10 AM to 6:30 PM Lunch service only
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