With over 70 square miles of palm fringed beaches and turquoise waters, Barbados is an exotic holiday paradise. Recognised across the globe for its natural beauty, cultural richness and the warmest of welcomes from the locals, Barbados ensures an all round rewarding holiday destination of choice.
Barbados is a cosmopolitan country it is divided into 11 parishes, each with their own distinct character. Barbados is also known as "Little England" from place names, driving on the left, roundabouts and afternoon tea. Barbados is prosperous and progressive and still full of natural charm. The people are friendly, fun loving and warm.
The gentle waters of the Caribbean caress its shores. Take things slowly on the small and relaxed island of Barbados and enjoy the larger than life personalities of the friendly Bajan people. Lap up the tropical sunshine on a pristine beach or take a dip in the warm Caribbean waters to feel refreshed. Watch the sun set in the evening while you enjoy the local rum, such a wonderful way to relax .
Discover an island of dreams, an intimate respite from the day to day you'll always remember. Barbados is a limestone Island which is 21miles by 14miles wide. Those seeking sandy white beaches and crystal clear tropical waters should stick to the west side of the island.
Over on the east side of the island the deep blue seas of the Atlantic
crash into the island creating the ultimate surfers paradise.
The rugged coastline to the north, with grassy sugar cane fields
surrounding historic Great House Plantations. You'll also find villages and
cosmopolitan Bridgetown, museums & landmarks, & unparalleled sights amidst
wildlife reserves, flower forests and fields with gullies.
The history of the island will tempt you further. Enjoy the ocean views from the manicured lawns of our plantation houses, shop for souvenirs in the centuries-old, brightly painted chattel homes. Take a break from the sun, and step into our cool parks and forests for an afternoon. The Barbadian green monkey lives here, as do tortoises, agoutis and many more animals. Barbados has it all.
Barbados is known for having some of the best nightlife of the Caribbean no matter what your tastes, your evening is sure to be a great time on this little island. From, savouring the delights of Oistins fish fry and dancing in the street. Rum tasting at one of the Islands many distilleries to romantic moonlit cruises for two - there is a range of entertainment to suit everyone's needs. St Lawrence is the nightlife capital. Harbour Lights open-air beachfront club is popular with the party crowd and the Plantation Theatre's Roots and Rythm music show is a must.
The biggest annual event in Barbados is the Crop Over Festival,
celebrating the harvest of sugar cane, formerly the island's main industry.
The five-week summer celebration is a fiesta of colourful floats, parades
and people in costume dancing and enjoying themselves to the background of
music and fireworks. It also offers the opportunity to taste the finest
island cuisine, including the national dish of Flyingfish and Cou-cou.
Everyone is encouraged to join in. The Annual Jazz Festival is also another
celebration where Music lovers can hear the world's best artists play. Other
events include
Jan - Jazz Festival
Feb - Holetown Festival
Mar - Holder's Opera Season
Apr - Oistin's Fish Festival
Jul/Aug - 'Crop Over' Festival
30 Nov - Independence Day
If you are passionate about sport then Barbados is the place for you.
Whether you like to actively take part or you just want to be a spectator
there is a lot to choose from on this small island .
Watersports, spectacular Championship Surfing during the winter months
, and the South coast beaches are wide with waters perfect for boogie
boarding. SCUBA diving is easily arranged and wreck divers will appreciate
so many submerged hulks to explore. There are plenty of reefs for divers.
If water is not your thing then why not tee off in the sun at one of a number of excellent championship standard golf courses.
Spectators will delight in watching international cricket at the Kensington Oval or horse racing at the Garrison Savannah. With races running throughout the year this makes a great day out for all the family. The Kensington Oval is a great venue for international cricket. The Bajan spirit adds a unique twist to the cricket with a loud and active crowd and the rhythm of steel pan bands flowing through the stands.
Enjoy cricket at the Oval or horse racing at Garrison Savannah. Plantation houses give you an insight into Barbados' history. Along with the stunning views along the east coast, you can see the island inside out. A Swim with the Turtles is a favourite with many returning visitor .
Most hotels offers guests a FREE duty-free shopping shuttle to Bridgetown. Broad Street is the main shopping area, where you'll find diamonds, jewellery and so much more at prices cheaper than the UK high street.
Local fresh fish is excellent and Flying Fish is the island's speciality - and you can try it at Oistins famous fish fry. For something hot, try the excellent Bajan Pepper Pot and then cool down with an ice cold Banks beer. For more sophisticated cuisine try some of the wonderful West Coast restaurants which offer internationally-rated food using the freshest local produce. Bajan rum is probably the best in the Caribbean, and you can even tour the Malibu or Mount Gay distilleries. If staying over Christmas and New Year, try the specially produced Sorrel. Go local and visit a rum shop - Baxters Road and Oistins are probably the best places to explore - although they only sell drinks by the bottle. Barbados is also home to many First class restaurants ,on our links page you will find a link to a Barbados Gourmet Card giving you discounts at many restaurants across the Island.
The population is a very friendly one, and with tourism being a major contribution to the economy, most Barbadians are keen to ensure that you have a good time while visiting. Barbadians are very proud of their country and love to tell visitors about their heritage and history.
Barbados airport is located approximately 16km away from Bridgetown. On arrival in Barbados, if you have not got airport transfer as part of your holiday package, you will find it easy to get to to the city using public transport as there is a city bound bus every 10 minutes.
If you plan to use a taxi, then it is worth pointing out that fares are set by the government and that taxis here are un-metered As a result it is advisable to agree on a fare in advance. If you are hiring a car and have already arranged this back in the UK, then all of the usual rental companies have desks at the airport. You can also arrange to hire a car when you land at any of the many rental desks. Please note that to drive in Barbados you will need to obtain a driving permit; these can be arranged with your car hire company in advance or on arrival. For Maps of Barbados go to http://barbados.org/maps.htm
Small beer - £0.80
Small bottle of coke - £0.30
Loaf of bread - £0.60
Sandwich - £1.50
Bottle of wine - £5.00
The above are approx local supermarket costs.
The Barbados weather usually consists of glorious sunshine, but being
tropical as it is, it can be prone to some tempestuous rainstorms. The
average daytime temperature is around 26°C-30°C, however with the prevailing
cool trade winds you will often find that the temperature is more than
manageable.
The dry season runs from January to June, with hurricane season running from
June to October. However, hurricanes are fairly rare,( last Hurricane was in 1955),
and instead are fantastic tropical rainstorms that often finish as quickly as they
start; being as they are, usually a short duration that dry up very
quickly.
For more information on Barbados including maps, guides and local
information visit: www.visitbarbados.org
Flight Details - You fly direct from Gatwick or Manchester to Barbados with
Virgin Atlantic / British Airways
Flight Time - Approx 8 hours
Time Difference - GMT -4 hours in Winter/GMT -5hours in Summer
Language - English.
Currency - Barbados Dollars B$.
Peak Season December- May