The island of Barbados is blessed with great year-round weather, some of the world’s most beautiful beaches, incredible shopping, some of the best five-star hotels and vacation rentals as well as some of the most wonderful beach and ocean front restaurants. On top of that, the island is stunningly beautiful and has a real authentic Caribbean culture and fascination history. A visit to Barbados is not only about spending time on the beach although this is a must, there are also so many things to do and see including a variety of sports such as golf, polo, cricket, tennis and watersports of all kinds. Also, Barbados has a many great historic sites and museums to visit. If you are a nature lover, you will be enthralled with the island of Barbados due to the very interesting and beautiful flora and fauna. If you are a first-time visitor to the island of Barbados, here are some of the six great things to do on the island of Barbados.
1. Spend time on the beautiful beaches. Barbados has over 80 beaches. The west coast of the island is where you will find the calmest and often most beautiful beaches. The west coast is also where you will find some of Barbados best villas and vacation rentals. Click here for some more information. If you only have time to visit a few beaches, then we recommend you go to Payne’s Bay Beach, Mullins Beach, Sandy Lane Beach, Alleyne’s Bay and Gibbs Beach. They are all equally beautiful. You can spend the time enjoying the crystal-clear waters and snow-white sands, or you can be active and enjoy a variety of watersports which are available on most of the beaches. If you prefer, wilder more rugged beaches with big waves, head to the east coast of the island. The scenery here is raw and rugged, and you will be able to enjoy some great kite surfing and normal surfing.
2. Swimming with Turtles is a wonderful thing to do while on Barbados. You can do this in two ways. You can take a boat or catamaran cruise, or if you are a strong swimmer, you can swim from the shores of some of the beaches including Payne’s Bay Beach. There is nothing quite like swimming with these beautiful creatures in their natural habitat.
3. Barbados has some great shopping so if you enjoy a bit of retail therapy, head to either Bridgetown or Holetown. Holetown is small and compact with some lovely small boutiques located in the chattel village as well as a good selection of designer shops located at the Limegrove shopping Centre. Barbados also has many duty-free shops, so it is a great shopping destination if you are looking for a bargain.
4. Barbados has some amazing restaurants. If you love food, then definitely take some time to book some of the island incredible beach and ocean front restaurants. It is wise to use a concierge service for this like the ones that are available at Exceptional Villas and Villas Barbados. Some of the most popular restaurants on the island include The Cliff, The Lone Star, Tides, Cin Cin, The Fish Pot and Daphne’s. It is wise to book them in advance even in low season as they can be very popular. Also, make sure to request tables at the front for the best views and sounds of the ocean as you are eating some exquisite Bajan food.
5. If you like history and culture, make sure to take some time to take a history tour of the island. Barbados has an interesting colonial history. One of the most popular historical buildings is St Nicholas Abbey. It was originally built during the mid-17th Century and is a former sugar plantation. It is of particular interest as it is one of only three remaining Jacobean mansions in the western hemisphere. It is also interesting because it still operates today as a sugar plantation and the owners, The Warren Family, have created a sustainable sugar related business. One of its products is the St Nicholas Abbey Rum. As you tour the estate, you will get to see how the rum is produced and even get to taste it! Other historical places worth a visit on the island of Barbados include Arlington House, The Bridgetown Jewish Synagogue, Codrington College, Grenade Hall and The George Washington House.
6. Last but not least, Barbados is a wonderful destination for Nature lovers. One of the most popular visitor attractions is the Barbados Wildlife Reserve. The Barbados Wildlife Reserve is where you will be able to see and observe the local Barbados wildlife in its neutral habitat. The reserve was originally set up to protect the islands Green Monkeys, but today you can expect to see iguanas, agoutis, deer, red-footed tortoises and armadillos. Other places of interest include the animal flower cave and The Andromeda Botanic Garden.