Posted on 27 November 2020

Barbados is more than pearly beaches and cheery locals: check out this top 10 must-dos while on this Caribbean island paradise!

Barbados - it's a word that conjures up images of palm-fringed beaches, ruined colonial fortresses and affable locals. Barbados is all these and more - including a beautiful interior dotted with gardens, a wild east coast that is perfect for surfing, and a history-steeped capital with UNESCO certification.

Here are 10 items to put on your Barbados itinerary.

Note on Coronavirus: With a British passport entry is possible with a recent Covid-19 negative certificate. Read the latest restrictions on entry from the FCDO.

Explore the capital, Bridgetown

Soak up the Bajan atmosphere of Bridgetown, loved by tourists and locals alike for its buzzing shopping area, Broad Street, and a host of historic sites like the ornate Chamberlain Bridge and the stunning neo-Gothic Parliament Buildings. Saunter around the large sunny squares and discover statutes of heroes like Lord Nelson, then hop between the effervescent rum bars of Bridgetown Harbour and rub shoulders with the very welcoming population.

Bathsheba Beach

Bathsheba is famed for its strange rock formations and for its surf. It's particularly popular with photographers, keen to snap its dramatic rock forms and rolling waves. Surfers meanwhile will love the Soup Bowl area, named after the frothing surf, where numerous surf competitions take place each year. Don't be tempted, however, to swim here; jagged rocks under the surface make it too dangerous.

Hunte's Gardens

Owned by local Anthony Hunte, this sprawling garden demonstrates the vast biodiversity of the Caribbean. Explore this horticultural wonderland and see blooming orchids, yellow-tipped crabo trees, and explosions of ferns in vivid green. A fantastic place to relax while giving your eye a kaleidoscopic feast.

Have a flutter at the Garrison Savannah Historic Area

Not far from Bridgetown is the sprawling Garrison Savannah Historic Area, where regular horse race days are held from January through April. If you happen to be here off-season, there's still lots to enjoy - including George Washington House, where the erstwhile president took refuge in the 1750s, and a number of barracks and fort structures once used by the British.

St. Nicholas Abbey

One of only three such Jacobean houses in the Western hemisphere, St. Nicholas Abbey is the centrepiece of a sugarcane plantation, whose roots go back hundreds of years. The house itself has been transformed into an absorbing museum, but a ticket to St. Nicholas also affords access to Cherry Tree Hill, offering fantastic east coast views. Oh yes, and you get a free rum punch cocktail to send you on your way!

Barbados Boardwalk

Running for nearly 2km, the Barbados Boardwalk is a flat and well-kept walkway popular with runners and saunterers. It connects the powdery sand of Rockley Beach in Hastings in the east with the lovely coconut groves of Coconut Court Beach in the west. And if you need to stop for a breather, you can pop into one of the many rum bars that line the walk.

The fattest tree in the Caribbean: the Baobab of Queen's Park

Located in the heart of Bridgetown, Queens Park is a must-visit. Its centerpiece is a huge baobab tree, which, if you can find 15 people, can be communally hugged. The park also features a charming bandstand and an art gallery.

Speightstown

Away from the 'bright lights' of Bridgetown, Speightstown presents an insight into authentic island life. Stroll along the rows of old fishing shacks and soak up the history, then visit the absorbing Arlington House Museum, where the exhibits recount the days of high seas pirates and slave trading. On the shore you'll discover a host of fruit and seafood sellers, vying for business in the typically colourful Bajan way. End your visit with a stroll along Speightstown esplanade and take in a number of pearly beaches - punctuated with the odd rum bar pitstop!

Oistin's Fish Fry

Friday night is party night, and most folks head down to Oistin's for a fish fry. Located on the streets between Welches Beach and Miami Beach on the south coast, here you can enjoy freshly caught swordfish, marlin, mahi mahi and lobster. But more exciting than this, perhaps, is the social element: locals and tourists merge to create a sea of smiling, happy faces, where you're sure to make some new friends. It also takes place on Saturdays, but Fridays are the most lively!

Harrison's Cave

Nurse your Friday night hangover in Harrison's Cave, a network of underground caverns packed with stalactites and stalagmites. The most popular way to enjoy it is via an underground tram (that's right!) although walk-in tours are available too. A highlight is the 50-metre high Great Hall, a truly majestic subterranean echochamber.

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