Barbados is known for white sand seashores, crystal clear waters, countless blue skies, beautiful sunsets, soca music, Rihanna and naturally, it’s rum. What higher technique to bear in mind your journey (though you’re not too prone to neglect this paradise island) than with this record of the greatest souvenirs from Barbados.
Barbados is likely one of the most well-known Caribbean islands, the place a whole bunch of hundreds go to yearly. It’s fairly clear to see the draw, because it actually does reside as much as these idyllic seashore postcard perceptions. However Barbados isn’t simply seashores, the place a lot of folks like to indulge within the native tradition, historical past and actions.
From water sports activities, visiting traditionally and socially vital former plantations, sampling on the world’s oldest rum distillery, there’s a lot to see and do in Barbados you’ll have a tough time saying goodbye. I at all times prefer to carry a bit memento from any journey as I believe it sweetens the journey again each so barely.
With so many native artisans, produce and iconic emblems, there’s truly loads of concepts to select from for a souvenir. A few of the greatest souvenirs from Barbados will little doubt be from locations you’ve visited when you’re there. However should you’re caught on concepts, my record of prime issues to purchase in Barbados may also help.
11 greatest souvenirs from Barbados
If you happen to’re searching for a technique to carry again a bit of Barbados, then these memento concepts may also help. From cooking spices to crafts to a bottle of rum, there are tons so that you can select from.
1. Bajan rum
Barbadian rum, or Bajan rum for brief, is known internationally. You’ll most likely have heard of, or possibly even tried, Mount Homosexual Rum which is a type of Bajan rum produced proper right here in Barbados. It dates again to the seventeenth century, the place the primary Mount Homosexual rum was made and offered.
With sugarcane rising in all places in Barbados, it’s little doubt rum is likely one of the greatest souvenirs to purchase from the island. If you happen to go to the north facet of the island, you’ll be able to go to the Mount Homosexual distillery in St Lucy, which is the oldest rum distillery on the planet. Right here you’ll be able to see the ageing and mixing methods after which seize a bottle to take again dwelling with you.
From white rums and gold rums to darkish rums and spiced rums there’s tons to strive (and purchase) from Barbados that will help you slip again into vacation mode at dwelling.
2. Bajan scorching sauce
Recognized for its intense warmth and fiery flavour, Bajan scorching sauce is a culinary souvenir to proceed your vacation from inside your personal kitchen. Its distinctive mix of Scotch bonnet peppers, mustard, garlic and vinegar imply it’s a novel style.
Bajan scorching sauce is broadly accessible all around the island and is available in a wide range of totally different bottles, sufficiently small to not take over your packed suitcase in your approach again however large enough to maintain your style buds glad till your subsequent vacation.
The bottles additionally are available in a lot of totally different designs, which make for good ornamental items when you’ve completed too. And you should utilize it with just about the whole lot – you’ll little doubt have tried it in most of the dishes at eating places round.
Talking of locations to eat, be sure you try these 11 eating places in Barbados when you’re there!
3. Mahogany souvenirs
Mahogany timber are a pure function of Barbados so it’s no shock that this glorious native useful resource is incessantly used to make lovely items of furnishings, utensils, collectible figurines and keepsakes. The timber have come to be one of many symbols of Barbados, which make them nice souvenirs from the island.
The well-known deep reddish-brown silky easy wooden is reworked into large-scale items (maybe too huge for that one suitcase) to homeware and trinkets that are completely packable! Fortunately now sustainably sourced and infrequently reforested, shopping for mahogany from Barbados is a good reward that celebrates native artisan and craftsmanship with out depleting the pure useful resource.
While it’s accessible all around the island, try Bridgetown’s craft gala’s to purchase instantly from the artisans themselves!
4. Native arts and crafts
Each the Pelican Craft Centre in Bridgetown and the Chattel Village in Holetown are nice locations to purchase some native artwork and crafts as souvenirs.
The island’s wealthy cultural heritage offers an enormous vary of merchandise, that are impressed by African, British and West Indian influences. They’re actually vibrant and vibrant, which displays the Bajan’s multi-cultural lifestyle.
Pottery, jewelry, sculpture and textiles are simply a few of the delights accessible so that you can purchase to take dwelling with you as a memento from Barbados.
5. Bay leaves
If scorching sauce and spices are a bit an excessive amount of for you then how about some Bay leaves? They’re recurrently used all through Bajan cooking, and will be purchased dried, which makes it actually simpler to pack in your suitcase.
They can be utilized in stews and soups and even teas, which may fill your house with the aroma of conventional Caribbean cooking.
6. Bajan rum cake
In case you have a candy tooth then you definitely’ll most likely love Bajan rum cake. It’s typically used to have fun weddings, birthdays and particular occasions, however it’s also possible to have fun your vacation there by indulging in some it.
Only a phrase of warning – it’s very moreish.
Bajan rum cake is usually comprised of fruits like prunes, raisins, cherries in addition to rum, clearly, or brandy. One other phrase of warning – it’s attainable to get a bit tipsy of rum cake, relying on how a lot has been put in it, and the way a lot you eat.
Not solely will cake appeal your style buds however the desserts are sometimes offered in inventive and ornate tins which in itself are a long-lasting memento from Barbados.
7. Soca music from Barbados
Soca music is the celebratory, life-affirming, scorching music which originated within the Caribbean and you’ll have heard all around the island. Infectious melodies and beats run all through the music and little doubt by your vacation!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=videoseries
You’ll be capable of purchase soca music simply to take again dwelling from native markets or road distributors. There’s CDs, vinyls and totally different codecs to allow you to take heed to the sounds of Barbados again dwelling. It’s additionally top-of-the-line souvenirs from Barbados because it helps native artists too.
Don’t simply let the music be a reminiscence although, buy a CD or vinyl report of your favorite sounds to have with you at dwelling and share along with your family and friends while additionally supporting the native artists!
8. Bajan seasoning
A number of one of the best souvenirs from Barbados are nice for meals lovers. However maybe some of the easy methods to take it again is thru seasoning. That approach you can also make any dish at dwelling resemble Bajan cooking, and it sometimes lasts longer than shopping for one thing freshly made.
The smells of Bajan seasoning are very intoxicating. They simply scream ‘good meals is being made right here’, due to the mixture of thyme, marjoram, chives, onion, garlic, and parsley. If you happen to’re looking for a technique to exhibit how good your journey to Barbados was to pals again dwelling, throw them a feast soaked in Bajan seasoning.
9. Work of Barbados
It ought to come as no shock that with such beautiful surroundings similar to the proper seashores, superb sunsets and tranquil waters, that Barbados has a thriving native artist group. There are a lot of artwork galleries on the island which proudly show and promote works by native artists on canvas.
I do know all of us have telephones in our pockets as of late to have the ability to take a photograph however how a couple of hand-painted canvas produced by somebody born and raised on the island to take dwelling with you as a substitute? You’ll be capable of bear in mind the gorgeous views by the eyes of a painter with Barbados of their veins!
Chances are you’ll wish to go to one of many galleries for your self, two of essentially the most outstanding being the Gallery of Caribbean artwork and the Zemicon Gallery and seize your self an genuine piece of the island’s character.
10. Conch shells
The point out of conch at all times brings me again to highschool studying about ‘Lord of the Flies’. Luckily, Barbados is much from an island the place a bunch of younger boys battle over energy. However there are nonetheless a lot of conches.
The big spirally coral-coloured shell is a factor of magnificence and would make a prime memento from Barbados. Because of their differing sizes, they’ll make a beautiful little pocket-sized memento or a statement-making ornamental decoration in your dwelling.
Lots of the native markets will promote them for cheap costs relying upon measurement and situation (and your personal bartering abilities). While you may maybe decide up a conch shell from an area seashore your self please be conscious that some areas are protected and subsequently you might not be allowed to take them. We would like you to have a wonderful memento from Barbados however not a customs nightmare (anybody bear in mind Bridget Jones 2?). So, bought conch shells are positively a safer wager!
11. Chocolate
While different Caribbean islands are extra well-known for producing their very own chocolate, do you know that Barbados has an rising chocolate manufacturing scene? Up within the north and east components of the island are the place the Cacao timber develop and the beans are infused with the island’s local weather.
You may as well go to the Agapey Chocolate Manufacturing unit & Store in Bridgetown. Right here they’ve vintage classic equipment in addition to tastings after all. It’s a very nice concept should you love chocolate and wish to see the way it’s made and has been made on the island for years.
Goodies are at all times good reward concepts, which is why they make for a few of the greatest memento concepts from Barbados. However be sure you purchase some for your self too.
What souvenirs must you purchase from Barbados?
It will be not possible to not have had a tremendous time holidaying within the paradise of Barbados. The Bajan good seashores, the startlingly blue seas, the tropical local weather and great tradition…how terrible!
However it may be tough to think about issues to carry again, particularly when a number of the issues that make Barbados so well-known aren’t actually issues you’ll be able to take dwelling with you. However this record of souvenirs from Barbados covers a lot of objects than you’ll be able to placed on a airplane.
There’s a spread of meals and culinary objects, rum-based souvenirs, and humanities and crafts. You may at all times head to memento retailers and purchase one thing extra touristy after all, similar to flags, keyrings, postcards and so forth. Nevertheless it’s good to search out one thing that actually embodies the tradition of Barbados, or helps native craftsmen.
Shopping for a memento from Barbados doesn’t should be costly both, with a lot of low-cost choices on provide. In reality, my article on how to economize in Barbados is helpful for preserving the entire prices of the journey down too.
Quicklist of one of the best souvenirs from Barbados
- Rum
- Bajan scorching sauce
- Mahogany souvenirs
- Native arts and crafts
- Bay leaves
- Bajan rum cake
- Soca music from Barbados
- Bajan seasoning
- Work of Barbados
- Conch shells
- Chocolate
What merchandise is Barbados recognized for?
Maybe essentially the most emblematic product of Barbados is rum, claiming to be its birthplace. The island boasts a number of distilleries producing a few of the world’s most interesting rums, such because the acclaimed Mount Homosexual (which can be the oldest).
Moreover, Barbados has a vibrant craft scene, which sees artisans creating distinctive objects from supplies like clay, straw, leather-based, and shells. On the culinary entrance, the recent sauces, Bajan seasoning and rum cake are iconic to the island and wider Caribbean neighborhood.
What items can you purchase in Barbados?
Barbados has so many reward choices to select from. You may go iconic with a bottle of Barbadian rum or a rum-infused cake. Or for these appreciative of artwork, there’s native artwork items, starting from serene panorama work to mahogany-based souvenirs.
Is Barbados good for procuring?
From high-end luxurious boutiques in areas like Holetown and Bridgetown, to native crafts markets like Pelican Village, there’s a lot of choices for procuring in Barbados. There’s additionally Broad Avenue in Bridgetown, which is the first procuring road, housing numerous retailers, duty-free shops, and malls. The island is especially nice for these thinking about shopping for native artwork, crafts, jewelry, and naturally, rum. Moreover, Barbados has a VAT (Worth Added Tax) refund for vacationers on eligible purchases, making procuring even higher.
