The identify Barbados robotically conjures up tantalizing pictures of white sand seashores, crystal clear water, palm timber and rum punches. Whereas the island has all of these wonderful issues, it additionally has rather more to supply!
In your journey to Barbados, attempt to peel your self away from the idyllic seashores to discover a few of the island’s lesser-known areas and likewise benefit from the nation because the native Bajans do.
15 Distinctive Issues to Do in Barbados
After dwelling on the island for two months, and returning to journey there for every week, I do know the place nicely. We truly discovered many distinctive issues to do in Barbados throughout our keep and I’m right here to share the perfect Barbados excursions with you.
Listed here are 10 stuff you gained’t wish to miss in your journey to Barbados.
1. Hit Up a Barbecue
Bajans love their grills and the smokey aroma of grilled meats and spicy sauces could be smelled wafting all around the island, particularly on weekends. Simply observe your nostril to one of many many roadside or beachside barbecues and style a few of the nation’s greatest meals.
This is likely one of the issues to do in Barbados that you just gained’t probably discover on different lists, nevertheless it’s one of the simplest ways to satisfy locals and revel in some conventional barbecued meats. Once we had been in Barbados, we at all times hit up the roadside locations, and the meals was at all times scrumptious.
A few barbecues to attempt embody the Sunday Lunch at Crystal Waters, the place you’ll be able to be a part of the older crowd and revel in reside music and a wholesome portion of barbecued lamb, hen or fish with numerous sides.
Additionally, when you don’t thoughts travelling a bit method to your meal, head to St. George and simply up the hill from the Cheffette Restaurant, you’ll discover Stomach Full Barbecue, arguably probably the most pleasant and flavourful meals stand on the island. We ate right here quite a few occasions and beloved it.
Aspect of the street BBQs are one of many prime locations to go to in Barbados — don’t miss out!
2. Eat a Flying Fish Cutter
You actually haven’t been to Barbados till you’ve eaten the well-known Flying Fish Cutter. Whereas this tasty sandwich could be discovered with swordfish, marlin and mahi-mahi, the unique (and probably the perfect) is with flying fish.
The sandwich is made with a freshly baked salt roll. This scrumptious bread isn’t salty in any respect and it’s usually crunchy on the surface, and gentle and fluffy on the within. The roll is lower in half and stuffed with scrumptious grilled fish, lettuce, tomatoes and your alternative of sauce (don’t cross on the spicy Bajan Pepper Sauce).
My favorite Flying Fish Cutter could be discovered at Cuz’s Fish Shack proper off of the parking zone on the beautiful Carlisle Bay Seashore close to Bridgetown. For those who’re a fish fan, consuming a cutter is one thing you don’t wish to miss in your journey to Barbados.
3. Go On a Rum Tour
I feel I’ve listed sufficient consuming in Barbados to date! Now it’s time to speak about drinks. The island as soon as earned a lot of its fortune from scrumptious rums, and you’ll be a part of a rum tour to see how this cane sugar liquor is made.
Mount Homosexual Rum is the nation’s delight and pleasure and the Mount Homosexual Distillery places on glorious rum excursions the place you’ll be able to study concerning the historical past of rum manufacturing in Barbados whereas making an attempt a couple of samples alongside the best way.
The Signature Tour presents a tasting of three rums and a historical past lesson for $25, and so they additionally supply many different excursions and workshops. Test their web site for particulars.
For those who’d like a wider sampling of rum than simply Mount Homosexual, then take a look at this Barbados Rum Distillery Tour. It takes place on the Foursquare Rum Distillery, positioned on a former sugar plantation that dates again to 1720. The tour ends on the Mount Homosexual customer heart. Click on right here for extra particulars.
4. Go to Harrison’s Cave (one of many prime locations to go to in Barbados)
Harrison’s Cave is really one of many pure wonders of Barbados. Situated within the central uplands, the inside of this cave boasts breathtaking, crystallized limestone that drips water into impossibly clear swimming pools.
The cave is much away from many of the vacationer lodges, however there are lots of excursions that may take you to the cave, or you’ll be able to lease a automobile and head there by yourself.
A visit to Harrison’s Cave is likely one of the prime Barbados excursions, and for good cause. Click on right here to study a enjoyable tour to the cave, which additionally makes a cease at Hunte’s Gardens.
For those who’re on a finances, contemplate taking the native bus for simply B$1.50. The bus system in Barbados is de facto environment friendly, with buses leaving Bridgetown each half-hour. You may take the Route 4, Shorey Village bus or the Route 4, Chalky Mount bus which runs at 8:15 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m. The journey is about 1 hour.
5. Discover St. Nicholas Abbey
At St. Nicholas Abbey you’ll be able to study a bit about Barbados’s 350+ years of historical past at a splendidly preserved plantation dwelling. This kind of architectural heritage is a superb method for guests to know what Barbados seemed like a couple of centuries in the past.
The outdated plantation dwelling is about on a phenomenal property of tranquil gardens, gullies and orchards with the adjoining Cherry Tree Hill. The house itself has some beautiful vintage furnishings and decorations.
You can even go to the boiling home and rum distillery, which remains to be working day-after-day to supply the well-known St. Nicholas Abbey Rum.
A enjoyable solution to go to St. Nicholas Abbey is to affix a tour that takes you there and to different Barbados points of interest. On this 5-Hour Island Tour, you’ll additionally discover the northern tip of the island and Speightstown, the second-oldest city on the island. It contains lunch and drinks. Click on right here for more information.
6. Chill out on Carlisle Bay Seashore
Up subsequent is Carlisle Seashore. I needed to put one seaside on the record of issues to do in Barbados!
There are many blissfully excellent seashores on the island of Barbados, however my private favorite is the powder stretch of white sand at Carlisle Bay — this is likely one of the greatest seashores within the Caribbean.
The water right here is at all times calm, and there are a couple of locations on the seaside (and close by) the place you’ll be able to choose up snacks and low cost beer. Cuz’s is a superb place to attempt cutters and the Boatyard Seashore Membership serves up tasty meals as nicely.
*Insider tip: when you’re staying on the island, fairly than simply visiting for the day, you should purchase a day cross ($35) to the Seashore Membership which incorporates $22.50 in restaurant credit score, and use of their facilities — SUP, kayaks, seaside chairs and umbrellas, volleyball, snorkelling and WiFi.
For those who stick round Carlisle Seashore lengthy sufficient, you’ll be able to get pleasure from sundown from right here as nicely. Take a look at our full evaluate of Carlisle Bay Seashore on Virgin Holidays’ Trending Journey Information.
7. Stroll the Boardwalk
The boardwalk stretches for 1.6 km between Camelot and Accra seaside. This stunning wood walkway wanders alongside the ocean and previous many bars and eating places. It’s nicely lit in some components, however there are stretches of darkish areas at night time and it’s not really useful to stroll late within the night.
Nevertheless, throughout the day this makes for the proper place for a stroll alongside the water.
I like to recommend beginning in Camelot within the late afternoon and arriving at Accra Seashore for sundown. That is additionally a improbable place to go swimming and you’ll both deliver your personal drinks and sit on the sand, or head into Tiki Bar (for $15 you get use of their umbrellas and chairs, and that $15 goes in the direction of bar credit score). Click on right here for instructions to the boardwalk.
8. Test Out Fish Fry Fridays
Oistins Fish Fry Friday is an absolute should when visiting Barbados. This weekly social gathering and fish competition is held on a serene seaside on Barbados’ southwest coast and it’s the proper place to satisfy new mates, each international and native.
You gained’t discover a higher plate of fish wherever on the island. The meals is scrumptious, the environment is nice, and there’s a lot of dancing and music. Everyone appears to be in a very good temper — it is Friday in spite of everything! Going to the Oistins Fish Fry is likely one of the greatest issues to do in Barbados at night time.
To get to Oistins, you’ll want to take an Oistins, Airport, Silver Sands, Sam Lords Citadel, Fairy Valley or St. Christopher bus, relying on the place you might be staying. Both method, the fee is $2 BBD per individual per trip.
9. Caribbean Crop Over
The Crop Over Summer season Competition takes place on the finish of every sugarcane season. It’s the island’s hottest and vibrant get collectively and its origins could be traced all the best way again to the 1700s when Barbados was the world’s largest sugar producer.
When the sugar trade on the island declined within the Forties, this well-known competition adopted swimsuit, however fortunately it was revived together with different components of Barbadian tradition in 1974. As we speak it’s a culture-infused extravaganza that draws tons of of social gathering lovers from world wide.
The competition occurs yearly from Could to August, with the most important celebrations occurring on the finish with carnival celebrations. For those who plan your journey to Barbados at the moment, it’s possible you’ll not solely get to social gathering like loopy, however it’s possible you’ll share the streets with world-famous Bajan pop & hip hop star Rihanna!
10. BH3Â Barbados
You probably have learn our articles about Hashing in Grenada, you’ll know that we love these worldwide social mountain climbing teams. BH3 Barbados is owned and run by Hash Home Harriers and it’s one other nice solution to meet native folks, get some train and revel in some native rum shack tradition on both finish of the stroll!
Click on right here to search out out about upcoming hikes and runs in several areas across the island. Going hashing is unquestionably one of many extra adventurous issues you are able to do in Barbados.
11. Go Kayaking
Going kayaking is likely one of the most enjoyable Barbados excursions, and there’s tons to see when you’re out on the water.
On this tour from Carlisle Bay, you’ll paddle over three shipwrecks, getting excellent views by crystal-clear water. Your information will inform you the historical past of the wrecks, and the tour ends with a complimentary rum punch. Click on right here for extra data.
For those who’re extra into pure magnificence, then take a look at this Sundown Turtle Recognizing Clear Kayak Tour, additionally from Carlisle Bay. Because the solar goes down, you’ll paddle out to Reeds Bay whereas recognizing an abundance of sea turtles and different marine life by your see-through kayak. Click on right here to study extra about this journey.
12. Sail in a Catamaran
Crusing is likely one of the most iconic actions in Barbados. The historical past of the Caribbean is intently linked to the historical past of the sailboat, and Barbados is a superb place to affix in on this basic journey.
And the way might you make it much more enjoyable? How about together with limitless drinks? There are a number of excursions to select from that take you on a cruise in a catamaran, a two-hulled sailboat.
Apart from your limitless drinks, this tour contains lunch and stops for snorkeling with turtles and over shipwrecks. Click on right here to study extra.
For those who’d like one thing a bit extra romantic, this tour takes locations at sundown. You may swim with sea turtles and revel in an open bar.
13. Journey in a Submarine
One of many extra uncommon actions in Barbados is to take a trip in a submarine. If by now you’ve had sufficient pleasure on the water, why not attempt getting beneath it?
After a scenic boat trip, this submarine tour spends 40 minutes underwater and goes to depths of 120-150 ft. You’ll see coral reefs and a shocking quantity of marine life. Click on right here to search out out extra about this once-in-a-lifetime expertise.
14. Immerse Your self in Nature
As a tropical island, Barbados has a number of lush botanical gardens and wildlife reserves which might be nicely price exploring.
Flower Forest Botanical Gardens has 53 acres, and flowers bloom there 12 months spherical. It’s stuffed with walkways and paths, and it’s a bird-watcher’s dream.
Another choice is the Andromeda Botanic Gardens, which has 8 acres of cultivated gardens with many distinctive species.
For those who’d wish to see the native Barbados inexperienced monkeys, then the Barbados Wildlife Reserve is the place for you. Different animals to identify are deer, agouti, caiman, and all kinds of birds.
With a view to go to a number of of those locations in sooner or later, take a look at this 4-Hour Non-public Custom-made Island Tour. You may select from the above locations and lots of the different fantastic locations to see in Barbados. Click on right here to study extra.
15. Wander Round Bridgetown
The capital and largest metropolis, Bridgetown is likely one of the greatest locations to go to in Barbados to get an thought of the island’s trendy tradition and colonial historical past.
Locations of curiosity within the colourful city embody the stately Parliament buildings, a number of outdated church buildings, and (after all) bridges.
You’ll see these and plenty of extra on this highly-rated strolling tour. It lasts two hours and features a information in addition to audio gear. There’s little question that the historic sights of the capital are a few of the most fascinating issues to see in Barbados, and also you’ll take a look at lots of them on this tour.
FAQs About Actions and Sights in Barbados
Nonetheless questioning what to do in Barbados? Take a look at the next FAQs.
A few of the most well-known locations to see in Barbados are its seashores, particularly Carlisle Seashore. And naturally, Barbados is well-known the world over for its rum.
Apart from its seashores, well-known locations to go to in Barbados embody St. Nicholas Abbey, Harrison’s Cave, the Mount Homosexual Distillery, and the boardwalk. Some well-known Barbados excursions are to discover the encircling sea by sailboat, kayak, and even submarine.
Sure, it’s. Bridgetown is likely one of the greatest locations to see in Barbados due to its stunning seaside views, colonial structure, and interesting historical past.
Cou cou (corn meal and okra, much like grits) served with fried flying fish is the nationwide dish of Barbados. One other solution to get pleasure from flying fish is in a Flying Fish Cutter sandwich.
Head to Carlisle Bay for a few of the greatest seashores in Barbados with the clearest water. My favourite is Carlisle Seashore, probably the greatest locations in Barbados to calm down within the sand.
Now You Know What to Do in Barbados
This 430 km² island has dozens of seashores and mile after mile of pristine shoreline, however there’s extra to Barbados than solar loungers and seaside bars. When you get away from the sand, you’ll begin to perceive the island a bit higher and also you’ll have a possibility to satisfy extra of the nation’s beautiful folks and discover its numerous landscapes.
With quite a few excursions in Barbados, improbable delicacies, and simple transportation choices, a visit to Barbados ought to positively be in your record!
Have you ever ever been to Barbados? What had been your favorite issues to see and do? Please share with us within the feedback under so we might help different travellers to raised get pleasure from this stunning Caribbean island. For extra about Barbados, take a look at VisitBarbados.org.
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