Barbados doles out dreamlike beaches, culture and rich history without pause. You’ll fall in love with the exclusively white-sand beaches, iconic cliffs and friendly locals, not to mention the rum distilleries and unique blend of British-Caribbean culture. Explore this easternmost Windward Island for natural wonder complete with mongooses and Green Monkeys running wild. Whether your beach vacation is for pampering, relaxation or adventure, Barbados has a corner for you.
Barbados Beaches: Places to Stay and Things To Do
For an island with a population of only 300,000, they sure have built a reputation for themselves. And we’re not talking about Rihanna’s birthplace or Tiger Woods’ destination wedding. Barbados is known as the most British island in the Caribbean, with afternoon tea and love for cricket, polo and horse racing the norm. But the Caribbean influence still runs strong, especially evidenced by Crop Over Festival every July. Originally, Crop Over marked the end of sugar cane harvest—back when Barbados was the world’s largest exporter of sugar. Today, Crop Over is a festival running from May through August that consists of food stalls, live music (including calypso, tuk and soca), parades, contests and, of course, elaborate costumes.
If food and libations are your favorite part of travel, Barbados’ national dish Flying Fish and multi-million-dollar rum industry won’t disappoint. Mount Gay Rum is the oldest rum distillery in the world and with over 300 years to perfect the recipe, you’ll be picking up more than one bottle in the duty-free section before flying home.
During your trip, it’s likely a few mongooses will cross your path (which is good luck according to Bajans), but they weren’t always on the island. Back in the 1870s, Barbados had a terrible rat problem, which prompted them to import mongooses from India—a feat that severely backfired since mongooses are diurnal and rats are nocturnal. On a vacation to Barbados, you’ll rest easy knowing you’re tourist dollars are going to a place that takes action to protect their home—as of April 2019, all single-use plastic sale and use will be banned in the island nation.
When to Visit
In past times, Barbados was covered with sugar plantations and windmills, but as of late you’ll see it’s an ideal vacation destination for both luxury and laidback travelers. December through May tends to be high season for tourism, however from July through November, you’ll find lower rates on hotels and resorts, as well as popular Crop Over festival. With trade winds keeping a steady breeze and year-round sunshine, Barbados weather is just one of the many factors that gives this island the highest repeat visitor rate in the region.