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USABarbados offers everything from beachside chills to underwater thrills. In our travel guide, we reveal the very best of this popular Caribbean island.
Barbados offers everything from beachside chills to underwater thrills. In our travel guide, we reveal the very best of this popular Caribbean island.
While west coast beaches are calm and postcard-perfect, the beaches on the east coast are wild and unspoilt with very few tourists.
Located on the Atlantic coast, the expansive sands and rocky landscape of Bathsheba create a dramatic, untouched feel. But the highlight for many are the big waves, which make this beach a natural choice for surfing; it’s even host to an annual surfing competition.
Want an intimate encounter with placid marine animals? Barbados offers lots of opportunities to spot sea turtles and even swim with them.
Barbados is home to the hawksbill turtle, the green turtle and the leatherback turtle – all three are now endangered.
The best place to see and swim with them is the south and west coasts, in particular Carlisle Bay and Freights Bay. You could also join a catamaran snorkelling cruise which stops for sea turtle swims.
Fine dining it ain’t, but make sure you keep Friday night free to enjoy a casual dinner at the Fish Fry at Oistins fishing town.
The food is the main draw here, and you’ll find all kinds of local fish to sample including kingfish, marlin and swordfish, served up with rice and peas and coleslaw. The atmosphere is lively with both visitors and locals enjoying themselves.
If mixing with A-listers is your vibe, head to The Monkey Bar at Sandy Lane Hotel on the west coast, the sleepover of choice for the rich and famous, including Gwyneth Paltrow (whose great-grandmother was Barbadian) and Simon Cowell.
Located on the hotel’s lower level, you’ll sip expertly crafted cocktails in an environment featuring monkey murals, high ceilings and charming artefacts.
Want to avoid diving or snorkelling for fear of ruining your blow-dry? Then try the 48-passenger Atlantis submarine dive, which will transport you to the depths of the ocean for effortless underwater exploration.
The sub can dive down to around 150 feet, so you get to witness tropical fish, colorful reefs and even old shipwrecks in comfort.
