Why Visit Barbados?

There are plenty of darned good reasons to visit Barbados, but here are just a few:

• Idyllic Caribbean climate
  Barbados is sunnier and drier than the other islands with a balmy, tropical climate cooled by regular sea breezes.
• Exceptionally beautiful beaches
  Some of the Caribbean's finest beaches lie along Barbados' Gold Coast, site of some of the most luxurious hotels in the northern hemisphere.
• Diving & water sports
  Spectacular diving locations abound in Barbados—there are more than two dozen ringing the island's coasts.
• Music & arts
  Barbados, with its diverse musical landscape is considered by many to be the music capital of the Caribbean.
• History
  Travelers can explore Barbados' unique history, whether they're interested in the culture of the original inhabitants (the Arawak Indians), the story of the invading Carib Indians from Venezuela (who abandoned Barbados around the time the first Europeans sailed into the region) or the island's first European settlement, Jamestown.

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Barbados was under British rule from its first settlement in 1627 to its independence in 1966, and these unbroken centuries of dominion left a legacy of proper British heritage. In many ways, the island seems like a tropical England with cottages sitting neatly in well-tended gardens, parish churches gracing every neighborhood, and a hilly area in the northeast called the Scotland District. The English are still present in a small but thriving community of settler's descendants, but England certainly isn't the only nation to have influenced Barbados. More than 70% of the islanders are of African descent, and the more flamboyant, rich African heritage also pervades local life. Even the language is affected, with the Queen's English as the official tongue, but the colorful local patois as the common language.

The people, known as Bajans, are quick-witted and fun-loving with a gift for double entendre that's immortalized in their literature and calypso music. Sugar was the primary industry from the 1600s until the 1980s, and it remains a powerful influence today, though the fishing industry and tourism have become major players.

Approximate Air Travel Time

New York City: 4.25 hours
Boston: 6 hours
Miami: 3.5 hours
Philadelphia: 6.25 hours
Los Angeles: 9 hours
Chicago: 6.75 hours
Dallas-Fort Worth: 6.75 hours
San Francisco: 9.5 hours

Areas Within Barbados

Bridgetown

This city of 7,500 is the Barbadian capital and home to the University of West Indies. Interesting historic sights include Trafalgar Square, a ship repair yard, and an 18th-century cathedral. The small but bustling city is one of the liveliest capitals in the Caribbean. Southwest Coast

Christ Church

At the southernmost tip of Christ Church is Silver Sands, extremely popular for windsurfing. This resort region is also where you find the charming and historic town of Oistins, the fishing center of the island. South Coast

Holetown

This is the oldest British settlement in Barbados, dating from 1625. It has many resorts, good shopping, and radiant beaches. It was originally named Jamestown after its benefactor, King James I of England, but later acquired the name "Holetown" due to the off-loading and cleaning of ships in the very small channel near town. West Coast

St. Peter

This parish spans Barbados to meet the Atlantic on the east and the Caribbean on the west, where there are many resorts and an active waterfront. Two of the most popular spots in St Peter are the Barbados Wildlife Reserve, where the green monkeys of Barbados thrive in a protected environment, and Farley Hill Park's ruins of a grand plantation house. Northwest to Northeast Coasts

Topography

Barbados is the most easterly of the Lesser Antilles. The island is small (only 14 miles wide by 21 miles long), made of limestone and relatively flat. The highest point, Mount Hillaby, is 1,100 above sea level. It has a fair share of hills and gullies, thriving with plants and animals. The island is almost entirely surrounded by reefs. To the west are coral beaches made of fine white sand and, to the east, a robust surf pounds a rockier shoreline. The coral structure of the island acts as a natural filter and the water is among the purest in the world.

Climate

It is warm and sunny all year with an average daytime temperature of 75°-85°, and slightly cooler nights. The northeast trade winds blow steadily so although the sun is bright, it is not unbearably hot. There are 8-10 hours of sunshine every day and summer's frequent showers are short, quickly followed by more sunshine. The heart of hurricane season lasts from late August to early November, though strikes are rare.

What To Do & See on Barbados

The Barbados Wildlife Reserve

This reserve is located in natural mahogany woods, where you have a unique opportunity to stroll freely through what is primarily a Green Monkey sanctuary. The green monkeys originally came from West Africa about 350 years ago, and today's population is the 75th generation! St. Peter

Harrison's Cave

A unique phenomenon of nature, this cave is an amazing gallery of stalactites hanging from the roof of the cave, and stalagmites emerging from the ground, with waterfalls that form deep emerald pools. The stalactites and stalagmites take thousands of years to grow and, in some places, the two meet in the middle to form a "pillar of time." Expert tour guides provide historical and geological information. St. Thomas

Day Cruises

Cruise through the translucent waters of the west coast to a secluded bay, where you'll spend the day relaxingin a hammock on the beach, snorkeling over coral reefs, and exploring the tropical scenery like a carefree castaway. You might even find yourself on a festive pirate ship that adds calypso music and pirate punch to the mix.

Scuba Diving

The diving in Barbados has everything you dream of--healthy sponges, thriving corals and plant life, and a kaleidoscope of colorful fish. The barrier reefs, ½ to 2 miles offshore, contain large coral head habitats that lure big animals like the Hawksbill Turtle; fringes and patching reefs are found closer to shore with smaller corals and abundant plant life, as well as a sea horses, frog fish, giant sand eels, and more. There is also an excellent collection of wrecks, with over 200 reported wrecks in Carlisle Bay alone! Most of the popular sites are found along the west and southwest coasts.

The Baobab Tree

The Baobab tree (also known as the "monkey-bread" tree) was brought to Barbados around 1738 from Guinea. Two of these magnificent trees--with possibly the widest trunks in the Caribbean--grow in Barbados, the largest is found in Queen's Park. It takes 15 adults joining outstretched arms to cover the circumference of its base! Bridgetown

St. Nicholas Abbey

Barbados is home to 2 of the 3 Jacobean Mansions left in the Western Hemisphere. St Nicholas Abbey was built in 1660. Distinguishing features of this elegant and well-preserved mansion include curved Dutch gables, chimney stacks, coral stone finials, and a Chinese Chippendale staircase. St. Nicholas Abbey even has with a wistful tale of romantic tragedy you will learn from your guide! St. Peter

Drax Hall

Built in the 1650s by the Drax brothers, this is one of the earliest and biggest sugar properties in Barbados. Its classic Jacobean architecture features steep gable roofs, corner finials, casement gable windows, and a carved staircase archway. St. George

Morgan Lewis Mill

This is one of the only 2 intact and restored sugar mills in the Caribbean. It includes an exhibit of the processing equipment from a time when the industry was run by wind power. The most surprising architectural feature is the rubble walls comprised of boulders held together with a mixture of egg-white and coral dust (there was no cement when this plantation house was built)! St. Andrew

Jewish Synagogue

Bridgetown's only synagogue was built in the 1660s by 300 Brazilian Jews escaping persecution by the Dutch. They are the ones who introduced sugar to Barbados, and with their help Barbados became one of the world's major sugar producers. It is now a Barbados National Trust building and an active synagogue. Bridgetown

Cannons Galore

The Caribbean is still full of secrets, and one recently revealed is Barbados' collection of 17th-century English iron cannons. To date, more than 400 have been unearthed from gardens, cellars, beaches, buildings, and forts! The gem of the collection is the rarest cannon of its kind, a Cromwell Commonwealth Cannon. Only one other is known to exist and it is held in the Tower of London. St. Michael

Grapefruit Trees at Citrus Paradise

An old Barbadian legend says the grapefruit was created on this island in beautiful Welchman Hall Gully, first recorded in the 18th century. It is a hybrid of the Shaddock and Sweet Orange, and originally named the "Forbidden Fruit." The name was changed to "grapefruit" because it grows in large grape-like clusters. St. Thomas

Dining on Barbados

Barbados has a battalion of European, North American, and local first-class chefs who prepare some of the tastiest meals in the Caribbean. The island is now a prime dining destination, with its recent sweep of the Caribbean Culinary Awards! Chefs use local and imported ingredients to create variations on local delicacies and devise entirely new delights. Together the blend makes for a distinctive Caribbean flavor. In addition, Barbados has a legion of "authentic cuisine" restaurants, where you can enjoy Italian, French, Far Eastern, and other ethnic cooking. The national dish is flying fish and cou-cou, which is like mashed potatoes made from cornmeal and okra covered with an au jus. Roti, a folded pastry filled with spicy potato and meat in a curry sauce, is the Caribbean fast food. Fresh and tasty Seafood is the prime menu item.

Nightlife on Barbados

Barbados has a vivacious nightlife, with everything from discos, to sports bars, to flashy cabarets and dinner shows. Bajan calypso is one of the best and there are plenty of places to find a local band playing it. Don't miss a moonlight cruise with local musicians/DJs pumping the party!

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