Achilles Bay Beach
Achilles Bay Beach
4.5
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Beach shaped like a heel, offering calm blue waters for swimming, snorkeling or sailing.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
33 reviews
Excellent
21
Very good
6
Average
6
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GCruiser
Pottsville, PA.38 contributions
Achilles Bay is a relatively small public beach located near Fort St. Catherines just outside of St. Georges. What it lacks in size, it totally makes up for in beauty. The lovely azure water is inviting, relatively calm "surf", and is an excellent venue for taking a soothing dip on that hot Bermuda day. Best for swimming, not sunbathing, as the beach is small. A great choice for a relaxing afternoon, away from the crowd. We've been to Bermuda four times, and never miss the opportunity to visit Achilles Bay.
Written 18 August 2006
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dctrip96
Woodbury, CT87 contributions
Jul 2011
After visiting Fort St. Catherine and taking lunch at the little restaurant near the Fort (Blackbeard's Hideout...which was casual and had tasty lunch food), we walked the quick path down to Achiiles Bay Beach. I had heard that Tobacco Bay next door was fantastic....But I like to go where perhaps less people have tread.
My teen daughter and I had changed into our swimsuits in the restaurant bathroom. We left our bag on the beach feeling it would be safe. No need to "get used to" the water temperature, you are bathed in rejuvenating "spa" water from the get go. You can walk out relatively far, before needing to swim.
The "James Bond" like discovery is the amazing volcanic / coral formations jutting out of the water (to the left) that you can lose yourself in. We swam into little caves and were completely alone. Just us and a parrot fish, lots of little colorful other fish, little crabs and snails to look at on the coral rocks. AMAZING! We wanted to stay all day. Our belongings were completely safe left on the beach. Unlike the USA northeast beaches, we didn't feel sticky or sandy at all after getting out of the sea, so it was easy to throw our clothes back on after our dream swim. This would be a great place to snorkel, but we saw plenty with just our eyes looking down into the water. There's a little beach shack that looks like it rents snorkel equipment, umbrellas, etc. ENJOY!!!!! I hesitate to send this review out.....the extra charm, I believe, is in its "lesser known" status.
My teen daughter and I had changed into our swimsuits in the restaurant bathroom. We left our bag on the beach feeling it would be safe. No need to "get used to" the water temperature, you are bathed in rejuvenating "spa" water from the get go. You can walk out relatively far, before needing to swim.
The "James Bond" like discovery is the amazing volcanic / coral formations jutting out of the water (to the left) that you can lose yourself in. We swam into little caves and were completely alone. Just us and a parrot fish, lots of little colorful other fish, little crabs and snails to look at on the coral rocks. AMAZING! We wanted to stay all day. Our belongings were completely safe left on the beach. Unlike the USA northeast beaches, we didn't feel sticky or sandy at all after getting out of the sea, so it was easy to throw our clothes back on after our dream swim. This would be a great place to snorkel, but we saw plenty with just our eyes looking down into the water. There's a little beach shack that looks like it rents snorkel equipment, umbrellas, etc. ENJOY!!!!! I hesitate to send this review out.....the extra charm, I believe, is in its "lesser known" status.
Written 1 August 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kimberly B
Grove City, OH7,475 contributions
Jun 2015 • Family
This beach is very small and at first site, I couldn't even imagine staying here for a few hours.
However, after going down the steps and talking to the wonderful staff, we knew that it was going to be a good day.
Not very many people here and we basically had the place to ourselves.
The snorkeling was pretty good with plenty of nooks and crannies to explore and lot's of fish, sea fans, and soft coral to see. It made for an excellent few hours.
The staff was very friendly and accommodating and served us quickly.
The food was a little expensive ($16 for a meal), but this is normal for Bermuda and we found it well worth it. The hamburgers were some of the biggest I have seen and loaded. The fries were amazing and crispy, just like I like them.
The drinks (we had a Bushwacker) and it was yummy and only cost $5 each.
This is definitely a little hidden gem to spend a few hours at while hitting up all the beaches while in St George.
There is a little restaurant main building (beach house), which has food, drinks and bathroom facilities.
However, after going down the steps and talking to the wonderful staff, we knew that it was going to be a good day.
Not very many people here and we basically had the place to ourselves.
The snorkeling was pretty good with plenty of nooks and crannies to explore and lot's of fish, sea fans, and soft coral to see. It made for an excellent few hours.
The staff was very friendly and accommodating and served us quickly.
The food was a little expensive ($16 for a meal), but this is normal for Bermuda and we found it well worth it. The hamburgers were some of the biggest I have seen and loaded. The fries were amazing and crispy, just like I like them.
The drinks (we had a Bushwacker) and it was yummy and only cost $5 each.
This is definitely a little hidden gem to spend a few hours at while hitting up all the beaches while in St George.
There is a little restaurant main building (beach house), which has food, drinks and bathroom facilities.
Written 28 June 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
William D
Charleston, SC50 contributions
Jan 2020
We spent New Year's holiday on the islands and traveled to many bays. This one was very popular in the early 1900's, so it is historic, but it has suffered storm damage in recent years. It is between Ft St Catherine, Gates Bay, and Tobacco Bay.
Written 12 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Scott B
228 contributions
Jul 2023 • Family
We used to come here a lot when Blackbeards restaurant just above the beach was open. You could get food there, or get drinks and use the bathrooms. now however, all you have is a decent beach, although not as good as the very close by tobacco bay.
Written 9 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
taftdev
Oak Bluffs, MA573 contributions
Aug 2017 • Friends
Tobacco Bay is getting crowded and we needed someplace else to go. Headed to St Catherine Beach and was reminded of this hidden gem right next door. To the left of the fort as you turn off the main drag you will see the Beach House Restaurant. Take the small road between it and the fort. There is a small parking area at the end and steps down to the beach. Small beach hut at end of beach will rent you a lounge chair if you need one. If they are open you can climb the stairs up to the Beach House for food and/or drinks. I have only snorkeled the coast at the hut end and found it to bee very good for fish and fauna. If the waves are bad at Tobacco Bay try here or Alexandra Battery down towards Gates Fort.
Written 22 August 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
waterbabywater
New York City, NY15 contributions
Sept 2013 • Couples
We stumbled upon this beach when visiting the Fort. If you are atop hill at the fort looking down you'll see 2 beaches. The beach on the right while looks more open (and I think has rentals and a cute little shack to change in (literally a curtain) which we used but opted for this beach because it looked way more interesting for snorkeling. The other reviewers are right. The timeshare does use this beach but it's a public beach nonetheless. We happened to have perfect timing all around here. It was the day after Labor Day, a weekday AND after 3pm in the afternoon. So there were only a handful of people here. We thoroughly enjoyed the snorkeling here. We saw huge schools of fish probably 30 feet or so from shore! We floated over the reefs to the right and saw amazing colors. Pretty much all areas that you see you can snorkel here out to the rocks as well. We had a teeny bit of wind this time of day but it was as good as it gets for good snorkeling. We rinsed off next to the restaurant (there is a hose) and then went inside and changed so we could sit at the bar and have a drink before heading back to St. George. (Don't be the kind of folks who assume you can use things like restrooms etc. if you do not plan on spending some $ in the restaurant or bar)
Also, make sure you know what time buses run unless your doing a cab. We took the free bus up to the Fort (as it's apart of the national museum) so that's one way to get here from St. George. If this beach is full of guests from the resort, I'd recommend going over to the other beach across the street (a short walk) so either way, you'll be able to have some beach time while you visit the fort. Again, make sure you can either rent cover or bring it with you when you go to any of the beaches in Bermuda. Do your research on what beaches offer what (if any in terms of amenities) some do offer rentals and some don't. You don't want to be without some type of cover regardless.
Also, make sure you know what time buses run unless your doing a cab. We took the free bus up to the Fort (as it's apart of the national museum) so that's one way to get here from St. George. If this beach is full of guests from the resort, I'd recommend going over to the other beach across the street (a short walk) so either way, you'll be able to have some beach time while you visit the fort. Again, make sure you can either rent cover or bring it with you when you go to any of the beaches in Bermuda. Do your research on what beaches offer what (if any in terms of amenities) some do offer rentals and some don't. You don't want to be without some type of cover regardless.
Written 11 September 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
flevine
Maryland50 contributions
Aug 2011 • Friends
Achilles Bay is between Tobacco Bay and Fort St. Catherine, so if you have a day to spend in St. George, you can easily see two or even all three of these attractions. It's a nice spot that isn't as dramatic as Tobacco Bay, but is more secluded and potentially less crowded. There are no facilities here, so you might want to visit the fort before the beach.
To access Achilles Bay, you need to walk past Tobacco Bay, up the road toward the golf course and Fort St. Catherine. Before you get there you'll pass a bay full of docked boats--that isn't Achilles. With the fort in sight, take a left and head up the long driveway toward the restaurant on the hill. You then take a steep flight of steps down to the beach. The chairs and so on are for beach club members, but the beach itself is public. The beach–soft pink sand with easy entry into the water–is even smaller than Tobacco Bay's.
Looking out toward the ocean, the walls of Fort St. Catherine rise out of the water to the right. To the left, around a bend, is a large cluster of rocks rising from the water, which is an interesting place to explore. In the center area, underwater you'll find a rocky landscape, coral, and fish--including parrotfish, porgies, damselfish, trunkfish, sergeant majors, and bluehead wrasse.
(Note: We actually visited in June 2011, but I'm pretty late getting to this and Tripadvisor wouldn't let me select that date.)
To access Achilles Bay, you need to walk past Tobacco Bay, up the road toward the golf course and Fort St. Catherine. Before you get there you'll pass a bay full of docked boats--that isn't Achilles. With the fort in sight, take a left and head up the long driveway toward the restaurant on the hill. You then take a steep flight of steps down to the beach. The chairs and so on are for beach club members, but the beach itself is public. The beach–soft pink sand with easy entry into the water–is even smaller than Tobacco Bay's.
Looking out toward the ocean, the walls of Fort St. Catherine rise out of the water to the right. To the left, around a bend, is a large cluster of rocks rising from the water, which is an interesting place to explore. In the center area, underwater you'll find a rocky landscape, coral, and fish--including parrotfish, porgies, damselfish, trunkfish, sergeant majors, and bluehead wrasse.
(Note: We actually visited in June 2011, but I'm pretty late getting to this and Tripadvisor wouldn't let me select that date.)
Written 7 July 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
GRZ
Chicago, IL12,350 contributions
Jul 2018 • Couples
We were hoping to stay around longer as this was supposed to be our 2nd break after Tobacco Bay (which we passed on as while literally passing it while driving it looked super crowded, not what I expected from a remote beach it is) but due to the fact that Blackbeard's Hideout was closed (they are indeed closed on Monday - some sources say they are open and some say they are not... so now you know) we only stopped here for a few minutes.
TIP: Secluded, outstandingly beautiful and peaceful - make sure to stop by while Blackbeard's is open so you have food/drinks on the spot as there is nothing within fairly decent walking distance
TIP: it's literally next to Fort St. Catherine which is truly a gem! Make sure to stop by here before they build the St. Regis on the other side of the fort as I would imagine it will attract the crowds and this will affect the tranquility of this beach
TIP: Secluded, outstandingly beautiful and peaceful - make sure to stop by while Blackbeard's is open so you have food/drinks on the spot as there is nothing within fairly decent walking distance
TIP: it's literally next to Fort St. Catherine which is truly a gem! Make sure to stop by here before they build the St. Regis on the other side of the fort as I would imagine it will attract the crowds and this will affect the tranquility of this beach
Written 5 August 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ANTravelers
Richmond Hill, NY225 contributions
Oct 2017 • Couples
This beach was our first beach we set foot on in Bermuda. We arrived around noon and it was empty. I took one of my favorite pictures of all time here. We had lunch at the Beach House and then had the beach to ourselves for a few hours before people started showing up. There was a little shack to rent chairs and other beach items. The water was crystal clear and calm. There are rocks all over the water so bring your snorkel gear. The beach did not disappoint and it was a point of comparison for the other beaches we visited on our trip.
Written 13 October 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Looking forward to visiting Bermuda twice this summer. I have been to Horseshoe Bay and Tobacco Bay in the past, and want to check out a few different beaches this year. Is there an entry fee to Achilles Bay Beach? What are the prices for the chair rentals? I know there is a bar/restaurant at the top, is there any place to get cold water or soft drinks at beach level?
Written 16 July 2018
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