Few islands do the Caribbean dream quite as well as Barbados. After all, this is the island where you can combine sandy white beaches with adventures exploring its lush interior. It is studded with historic monuments, and life moves to those catchy calypso rhythms. Barbados may be about the size of the Isle of Wight, but it has a little something for everyone, whether you crave adventure or serenity, cultural immersion or natural connection.
Even with just a week, you’ll be able to find a favourite beach, step back in time and soak up diverse landscapes, and there is so much to inspire you when planning your trip. Simply book with Virgin Atlantic Holidays and your inflight experience means you’ll be relaxed on arrival (see boxout).
The Barbados coastline is a major draw. Photograph: Haydon Perrior
Start with the beach
The island’s sparkling coastline is its biggest draw. Washed by both the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, you’ll find everything from picture-postcard beaches and wild, untouched coves to protected bays and rugged cliffs. Go west for Caribbean charm, with sugar sands and calm waters. The Platinum Coast is fringed with family-friendly shores. Mullins beach is all turquoise waters and swaying palms, with glass-bottom boats taking you out to spot colourful marine life, and great snorkelling and diving among the reefs. You may even see a turtle swimming by.
There’s great snorkelling. Photograph: Haydon Perrior
The forested cove of Batts Rock beach is renowned for its green monkeys, while Brandon’s beach offers calm waters and stunning sunsets. Then, on the southern coast, you’ll find popular Miami beach, perfect for swimming and shaded by pines and almond trees, while Accra beach combines calm spots for families with waves for boogie boarding.
The east coast is a wilder affair. Atlantic rollers crash against empty sands and carve out otherworldly rock formations. Go surfing at beach, horse riding along remote Morgan Lewis beach or swimming at Bath beach, where coral reefs ensure calm waters. And look out for sands tinged pink by crushed coral at Crane beach.
___________________________________________________
Hiking at Coco Hill Forest
Head inland for adventure
If you can tear yourself away from the dreamy coast, adventures await inland. The landscape of rolling hills, emerald forests and sandstone peaks is laced with hiking and cycle paths to suit every fitness level. Discover the subterranean intrigue of Harrison’s cave in the centre of the island. You’ll hike, swim and crawl through a network of limestone caves, spiked with stalagmites and stalactites and dotted with crystal-clear pools.
A little farther north, you’ll find Turner’s Hall Wood, a national forest with hiking trails. It’s the last remaining tropical forest on the island and offers native flora, opportunities to spot green monkeys and migrating birds, and breathtaking views across the interior out towards the coast. For more lush scenery, Andromeda Botanic Gardens is a serene space with some 600 species of plants to explore.
___________________________________________________
Head for a run shop to sip liquid gold
Taste the real Barbados
Bajan cuisine has a long list of influences, from Africa and Britain to Ireland and India, and this sheer diversity has seen Barbados often named the “culinary capital of the Caribbean”.
You’ll find fresh fish and tropical fruits in abundance, while traditional dishes often feature meat or seafood, flavoured with herbs and spices, and accompanied by hot and spicy sides. Don’t miss the national dish of cou-cou and flying fish, where the richly flavoured and stewed flying fish is accompanied by fresh okra and cornmeal grain.
Many Barbados eateries are casual and homely in style, offering soul food and a dazzling array of fish and seafood dishes. Head to Oistins fish fry on a Friday, an open- air market where the catch of the day is grilled over an open flame as you enjoy the live music.
Looking for something a little more refined? Barbados isn’t short of fine-dining options, either, where chefs fuse tradition with innovation. And as the birthplace of rum, you’ll find the perfect accompaniment to your meal. Visit the Mount Gay distillery, founded in 1703, to sample the island’s most famous export, or simply head to a local rum shop to sip liquid gold surrounded by the buzz of the locals.
___________________________________________________
Calm waters are ideal for boating. Photograph: Haydon Perrior
Soak up Bajan culture
In July, Barbados bursts into life with the Crop Over festival, a celebration of music, parades and parties rooted in the history of the sugar cane harvest. It’s the perfect demonstration of how this vibrant island celebrates its rich heritage and endless creativity. But there are so many ways to explore culture in Barbados year-round, from its incredible music scene – think soca, calypso, Barbadian folk and reggae, to name just a few – through to art and handicrafts.
The island is brimming with colourful buildings. Photograph: Haydon Perrior
Historic sites also mark the tempestuous story of Barbados and are dotted across the island, so there is always something nearby to visit. The capital, Bridgetown, and its garrison are Unesco-listed for their colonial buildings dating back to the 17th century. The Barbados Museum & Historic Society is set in an old military prison and traces the island’s heritage and culture.
You’ll also find colourful villages and historic churches, along with the house where former US president George Washington stayed in 1751. Look out for gun stations that were set up to combat slave rebellions, and grand plantation houses, such as St Nicholas Abbey, now a museum and rum distillery.
The Crane Resort at St Philip. Photograph: William Chan Photography
With so much packed into a single emerald island, Barbados promises the perfect blend of coast, culture and cuisine, all in one holiday.
___________________________________________________
