Introduction
If you are looking for the perfect beach holiday, somewhere you can really relax, look no further – with pristine beaches, crystal clear water and vibrant flora, Barbados has it all. This laid-back English colony combines beach life with great music, a hopping night scene, delicious food and a strong sense of history and culture.
The handsome colonial buildings of the capital, Bridgetown, date mainly from the 18th century, while the later buildings of the suburbs sprawl inland. Many of the island’s mixed race population are descendants of the African slaves, brought over to work the colonial sugar plantations. Back at the beach, warm Caribbean waters are teeming with colourful fish swimming in vibrant coral reefs. Sailing, water-skiing, windsurfing, snorkelling and scuba diving are just some of the watersports available. Hire a car, scooter, bicycle or moke (open-air jeep) to venture further afield, and visit underwater caves, lush tropical gardens, sugar-cane factories, rum distilleries or plantation houses.
The island has a lively nightlife with floorshows of limbo dancers and pulsing reggae music – a perfect accompaniment to the Bajan cuisine of spicy seafood, tropical fruits and vegetables, washed down with rum cocktails and fresh fruit juices. It may all sound too good to be true – but this is Barbados.
Facts for Travellers
Full country name: Barbados
Area: 430 sq km
Population: 264,000
Capital City: Bridgetown
People: African (90%), English, Scottish & East Indians
Language: English
Religion: Protestant (67%), Roman Catholic (4%), none (17%), other (12%)
Government: independent state within the British Commonwealth
Time Zone: GMT/UTC -4
Dialling Code: 246
Electricity: 115V ,50Hz
Currency: Barbados Dollar (tied to the US Dollar)
Vacation Deals
We constantly update vacation deals and flights + hotel packages for Barbados and the Caribbean. You can also check out some of the
best hotels and resorts in Barbados with exciting attractions and sightseeing like golf, casino, scuba diving and other water sports.
Popular hotels & resorts in Barbados are
Almond Beach Village
and Savannah Hotel.
Passport & Visas
Passport valid for duration of intended stay required by all.
As of 1 March 2004, nationals of Canada and the USA require a valid passport to enter Barbados.
Nationals of EU countries for stays of up to six months do not need a visa.
More Information About Visa Requirements
Getting There & Around
Barbados is easiest to get to from the North American mainland. American Airlines, Air Canada and BWIA (based in Trinidad) operate services that connect Barbados to New York, Miami, Toronto and Montreal. BWIA also has flights to London, Frankfurt and Zurich, while British Airways just has flights to London. Within the Caribbean, LIAT operates daily flights between Barbados and Antigua, St Lucia, Grenada and St Vincent. BWIA also has flights between Barbados and several nearby islands.
Barbados' Grantley Adams International Airport is on the island's southern coast, 16km (10mi) southeast of Bridgetown. Few car rental agencies have booths at the airport, but most will pick customers up. Otherwise travellers have a choice of catching a taxi to their destination or simply walking out onto the road and catching a local bus.
Renting a car is another good way of getting around. None of the island's many car rental agencies is affiliated with a major international rental chain.
Taxis are also available and fares are fixed by the government. However, vehicles are unmetered so establish a fare in advance, especially if you hire a taxi for a sightseeing tour.
When to Go
The best time to go to Barbados is during the cooler, drier months of late winter and early spring (February to May). Keep in mind that this is also the peak tourist season when prices are higher and places most crowded.
Best Beaches
The island's beaches are all open to the public-even those in front of the big resort hotels and private homes-and the government requires that there be access to all beaches, via roads along the property line or through hotel entrances. The beaches on the west coast, the Gold Coast, are the most popular.
Accra Beach (Rockley, South Coast),
Bottom Beach (North of Sam Lord's Castle),
Brighton Beach (North of Bridgetown, Barbados),
Crane Beach (Southeast Coast, One of the best in the world),
Mullins Beach (Mullins Bay, South of Speightstown),
Sandy Beach (Worthing).
Best Scuba Diving & Snorkeling
The barrier reefs, located 1/2 - 2 miles from shore contain large coral heads which form the habitat for thousands of beautiful fish. Larger organisms are also found on these reefs, feeding on the smaller fish. The Hawksbill turtle can also be found on these reefs.
Fringes and patching reefs are found closer to shore and have smaller coral formations and more abundant plant life then the barrier reefs. These reefs are home to Sea Horses, Frog Fish, Giant Sand Eels and many other marine creatures.
Wrecks form fascinating habitats for marine life and Barbados has several excellent sites for wreck diving. Carlisle Bay, with 200 reported wrecks, and the Stavronikita, located at Folkestone Marine Park, are two of the most popular sites.
Barbados is ideal for year-round diving but is probably best in the summer months. The visibility ranges from 40 to 70ft and the water temperature is a consistent 80 degrees F.
Attractions
The western coast of Barbados has reef dives with soft corals, gorgonians and colorful sponges. There are about a dozen accessible shipwrecks, some - such as the Berwyn in Carlisle Bay - lie at good snorkeling depths. The island has excellent windsurfing conditions from November to June at Maxwell and Silver Sands, and good surfing at the Soup Bowl, South Point and Rockley Beach.
You can also arrange horseback riding along the beach at Mullins Bay.
Golf - Open to all is the Tom Fazio 18-hole championship golf course of the Sandy Lane Hotel, St. James, on the west coast.
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