There’s
just 166 square miles of Barbados. No mountains to conquer. No
rivers to cruise. No shrines to explore. So there’s not much to see or do then?
Wrong! In Barbados you can be just as lazy or
as active as you please.
WHAT TO SEE
Beaches
Explore
the reef-protected west coast, lined with a ribbon of inviting beaches and coves
– and the exhilarating waters of the southern shore, where surfers can come into
their own.
Bathsheba & the Atlantic Coast
Barbados’
Atlantic coast is simply stunning. Travel the little hill roads for the best
views of Bathsheba, the famous surfers' 'soup bowl' and then make your way up
the East Coast Road. After the east coast run, the scenic drive up the winding
roads into Chalky Mount is a must.
Codrington
College
A
theological college built in the 1700s, with a lovely sweeping view of the east
coast and one of the most tranquil settings on the island.
Andromeda Botanic Gardens
Run by the Barbados National Trust and contain a superb orchid and
exotica collection.
Harrison's
Cave
Harrison’s
Cave is one of the world’s finest cave systems where you can explore the
limestone cavern with its streams, pools, stalactites, stalagmites and 40-foot
waterfall.
Sunbury Plantation House
Sunbury
Plantation House is a restored 300-years-old sugar estate with collections of
antiques, china and machinery once used on the plantation.
Barbados
Wildlife Reserve
Here
you can walk in a mahogany forest among green monkeys, mongoose, peacocks, deer,
tortoises and a variety of tropical birds.
Tyrol
Cot Heritage Village
Tyrol
Cot Heritage Villages features a collection of chattel houses (the old
plantation workers’ homes) where you can watch traditional craftsmen at
work.
Holetown & Bridgetown History
Looking to learn about Barbados fascinating history? Then
pop over to Holetown, where the first European settlers lived. Don’t miss the
Sugar
Museum. And housed in a
19th century British military prison in Bridgetown is Barbados Museum, with works of art and stories of
everyday island life.
WHAT TO DO
Sports
Windsurfing, banana boat rides, jet skiing, diving, snorkelling and
fishing. Name any sport on or under water and you can probably do it here on
Barbados. Windsurfing is especially
good on the south and south-east coasts and parasailing is available along the
west coast. The wide south coast beaches are perfect for boogie boarding. There
are plenty of reefs for divers and swimming with turtles is something very
special (see At a Glance section for
more information on scuba-diving and golf).
Spectator Sports
Cricket is the national sport of Barbados and the West
Indies. Thousands of Barbadians, other West Indians and visitors
flock to world-class matches at Kensington Oval. Barbados is one of the international capitals of
cricket and always contributes a large contingent to the West Indies team.
You can catch a good game of cricket almost any time in
Barbados. It could be an
international Test Match or One-Day at Kensington Oval, an exciting local First
Division match, or a friendly game on the beach, an open pasture or village
field. Whichever it is, prepare to
cheer as the batsman drives through the covers for four, or as the middle stump
gets rocked back by a fast delivery.
And at the end of the match join in the joyous celebrations that
follow!
For an afternoon of fun and excitement, join the sport of kings at
the Garrison Savannah! It is a day for all the family. Street food, vendors,
parades, picnics and mingling are as important to many as the races and the
bets! The racing season runs for almost the entire year and a number of
thoroughbred horses and creoles run for handsome prize money. The main event of
the Barbados horse racing
season is the Sandy Lane Gold Cup (formerly the Cockspur Gold Cup), which
attracts entrants from across the Caribbean and jockeys from the
United Kingdom and
Canada.
Mini-Submarine Voyages
See wrecks and reefs as deep as 150 feet below the surface.
Night-time dives use highpower searchlights!
Shopping
Mix your sightseeing in Bridgetown with some duty-free shopping at
stores along Broad
Street. In the capital and throughout the island are
many outlets selling Barbados handicrafts like pottery,
wall hangings, straw and leather work.
Nightlife
Come nightfall you’ll find some of the best Caribbean bands working
the Barbados hotel and club circuit -
steel bands, reggae groups and calypso singers among them – in premier resorts,
bars and dance clubs (see At a Glance
section for more information).