Bachelor’s Beach

It sits at the foot of a three-metre cliff and you reach the sand down a stone staircase, which keeps the crowds away and makes it awkward with heavy gear.

The beach itself is barely twenty metres wide, but the reef begins almost immediately and the water is usually glass-calm. That combination — quick entry, no swim out, no current — makes it one of the better first snorkels on the island.

Late afternoon is the reason to come: this is a west-facing cove and the sunset lands squarely in it. It is easy to drive past — the sign is small and there is room for only a handful of cars along the road. Bring what you need, because there is nothing here at all. Free. An hour in the water, or two if you stay for the light.