Thunder, Barbados
Also within 20 km of Bridgetown
- Pamir Wreck Dive site · 0.4 km from Bridgetown
- Barbados Kite spot · 0.9 km from Bridgetown
- Bajan Queen Dive site · 1.4 km from Bridgetown
- Eillon Dive site · 1.4 km from Bridgetown
- Carlisle Bay - Berwyn Dive site · 1.5 km from Bridgetown
- Carlisle Bay - Ce-Trek Dive site · 1.5 km from Bridgetown
- Bell Buoy Reef Dive site · 1.6 km from Bridgetown
- Barbados Cruising Club Sailing spot · 2 km from Bridgetown
Watch this spot We email you when Thunder is worth the trip.
About Thunder
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces W (249°), so it takes swell from the W. The wind blows offshore from the E (69°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits beginners and up. It works in 5–20 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves moderately: 10 m deep about 200 m out (1 in 21). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would break hollow. The sea is about 27°C in January, its coldest month (no wetsuit), and 30°C in September, its warmest (no wetsuit). The town to stay in is Bridgetown, 2.2 km away (about 5 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 5 surf spots, 2 wind sports spots and 8 dive sites.
Water about 29°C: no wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
Save this trip A link to come back to, or to send to the group.
Book the trip
From Chicago: about 12 h 35 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to UVF, direct.
See flights ORD → UVF · Skyscanner from about £280 returnAdGetting there. 3 h 05 from the airport to Thunder.
Accommodation.
Stay in BridgetownAd
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.
Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).
See all places to stay in Bridgetown (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Bridgetown 4 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 9 places to stay · where Thunder stays
Places to stay in Bridgetown · Booking.com AdOistins 13 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 39 places to stay
Places to stay in Oistins · Booking.com AdSilver Sands 18 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 27 places to stay
Places to stay in Silver Sands · Booking.com AdHoletown 21 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 46 places to stay
Places to stay in Holetown · Booking.com AdBathsheba 31 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 9 places to stay
Places to stay in Bathsheba · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Bridgetown · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Bridgetown · GetYourGuideAd
Where it is
Thunder on Google Maps · Directions
The map needs JavaScript. Every place on it is listed on this page, and each place's page links to Google Maps.
One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Forecast
The score for experts, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Score for experts | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 14, too small | 3 ft7 smushy | 73kJ | offshorewind from the east-south-east, 9 knots, offshore | 31°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 15, too small | 3 ft5 smushy | 41kJ | offshorewind from the east-south-east, 10 knots, offshore | 30°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 13, too small | 3 ft5 smushy | 39kJ | offshorewind from the east, 9 knots, offshore | 30°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 8, too small | 2 ft10 shollow | 58kJ | offshorewind from the east-south-east, 8 knots, offshore | 31°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 9, too small | 2 ft8 shollow | 52kJ | offshorewind from the east, 7 knots, offshore | 31°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 9, too small | 2 ft8 shollow | 39kJ | offshorewind from the east-north-east, 8 knots, offshore | 32°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 11, too small | 2 ft5 smushy | 27kJ | offshorewind from the east, 10 knots, offshore | 30°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 14, too small | 3 ft5 smushy | 36kJ | offshorewind from the east, 9 knots, offshore | 31°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 7, too small | 2 ft7 shollow | 23kJ | offshorewind from the east-north-east, 11 knots, offshore | 31°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 8, too small | 2 ft7 shollow | 27kJ | offshorewind from the east, 10 knots, offshore | 30°C |
Day scores here are the conditions out of 80; a trip's score on the results is the same conditions out of 100. The journey never scores. The forecast reaches about 10 days. Energy is the swell's power in kJ per metre of wave, from its height and interval: it grows with the square of each, so a long-period swell hits far harder than a short one the same size. The word under the swell is the wave's shape, our estimate from the sea floor. Wind is in knots: 10 kn is about 19 km/h. The arrow points where the wind blows to; offshore wind, blowing from the land out to sea, is green and says so.
Your trip, day by day
6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for expert surfers. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Direct flight ORD to UVF, then 3h 05 by road. About 12h 35 door to door
- Tue 20 OctRest day
Too small: 3 ft at best.
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
- Thu 22 OctRest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Too small: 3 ft at best.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Direct flight ORD to UVF, then 3h 05 by road. About 12h 35 door to door
The plan picks the best of 5 spots near Bridgetown each day: Accra Beach - Rockley Beach, Brandon, Caccra Bank, Carib, Thunder.
Rough cost
About £770–£1,435 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return ORD to UVF, estimated from distance and season, 1 airline on the route, with a hold bag | £280–£580 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | £70–£115 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £165–£280 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £155–£290 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £65–£105 |
| Total | £770–£1,435 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Bridgetown
- Organic Earth KitchenVegetarian · 0.3 km from the centre
- RB'S RotisserieChicken · 0.3 km from the centre
- Waterfront CafeCaribbean · 0.5 km from the centre
- Boatyard BarbadosCaribbean · 0.8 km from the centre
- Lobster AliveSeafood · 0.9 km from the centre
- Lighthouse Restaurant0.1 km from the centre
Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation. Credits
Book the trip
Where to stayAd
Places to stay · Booking.com (ad)Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.