The title Barbados robotically conjures up tantalizing photos of white sand seashores, crystal clear water, palm timber and rum punches. Whereas the island has all of these superb issues, it additionally has far more to supply!
In your journey to Barbados, attempt to peel your self away from the idyllic seashores to discover a number 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 residing on the island for two months, and returning to journey there for per week, I do know the place effectively. We really discovered many distinctive issues to do in Barbados throughout our keep and I’m right here to share one of the best Barbados excursions with you.
Listed below are 10 belongings 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 might be smelled wafting everywhere in the island, particularly on weekends. Simply observe your nostril to one of many many roadside or beachside barbecues and style a number of the nation’s greatest meals.
This is among the issues to do in Barbados that you simply gained’t seemingly discover on different lists, but it surely’s one of the simplest ways to satisfy locals and revel in some conventional barbecued meats. Once we have been in Barbados, we all the time hit up the roadside locations, and the meals was all the time scrumptious.
A few barbecues to attempt embrace the Sunday Lunch at Crystal Waters, the place you’ll be able to be a part of the older crowd and revel in dwell music and a wholesome portion of barbecued lamb, rooster or fish with a lot of sides.
Additionally, in the event you don’t thoughts travelling slightly approach in your meal, head to St. George and simply up the hill from the Cheffette Restaurant, you’ll discover Stomach Full Barbecue, arguably essentially the most pleasant and flavourful meals stand on the island. We ate right here quite a few occasions and liked it.
Facet 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 might be discovered with swordfish, marlin and mahi-mahi, the unique (and presumably one of the best) is with flying fish.
The sandwich is made with a freshly baked salt roll. This scrumptious bread shouldn’t be salty in any respect and it’s usually crunchy on the surface, and mushy and fluffy on the within. The roll is reduce in half and crammed with scrumptious grilled fish, lettuce, tomatoes and your alternative of sauce (don’t move on the spicy Bajan Pepper Sauce).
My favorite Flying Fish Cutter might be discovered at Cuz’s Fish Shack proper off of the car parking zone on the beautiful Carlisle Bay Seashore close to Bridgetown. In case you’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 believe I’ve listed sufficient consuming in Barbados to this point! 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 pleasure 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 attempting a number of samples alongside the best way.
The Signature Tour affords a tasting of three rums and a historical past lesson for $25, and so they additionally provide many different excursions and workshops. Verify their web site for particulars.
In case you’d like a wider sampling of rum than simply Mount Homosexual, then try this Barbados Rum Distillery Tour. It takes place on the Foursquare Rum Distillery, situated on a former sugar plantation that dates again to 1720. The tour ends on the Mount Homosexual customer middle. 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 actually 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 way away from a lot of the vacationer motels, however there are numerous excursions that may take you to the cave, or you’ll be able to hire a automotive and head there by yourself.
A visit to Harrison’s Cave is among the prime Barbados excursions, and for good motive. Click on right here to study a enjoyable tour to the cave, which additionally makes a cease at Hunte’s Gardens.
In case you’re on a finances, take into account taking the native bus for simply B$1.50. The bus system in Barbados is absolutely environment friendly, with buses leaving Bridgetown each half-hour. You possibly can 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 sort of architectural heritage is a superb approach for guests to know what Barbados appeared like a number of centuries in the past.
The previous plantation dwelling is about on a good looking 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 too go to the boiling home and rum distillery, which continues to be working every single day to supply the well-known St. Nicholas Abbey Rum.
A enjoyable option 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. Calm down on Carlisle Bay Seashore
Up subsequent is Carlisle Seashore. I needed to put one seashore 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 among the greatest seashores within the Caribbean.
The water right here is all the time calm, and there are a number of locations on the seashore (and close by) the place you’ll be able to decide 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 effectively.
*Insider tip: in the event you’re staying on the island, slightly than simply visiting for the day, you should buy a day move ($35) to the Seashore Membership which incorporates $22.50 in restaurant credit score, and use of their facilities — SUP, kayaks, seashore chairs and umbrellas, volleyball, snorkelling and WiFi.
In case you stick round Carlisle Seashore lengthy sufficient, you’ll be able to take pleasure in sundown from right here as effectively. Take a look at our full evaluation 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 seashore. This stunning picket walkway wanders alongside the ocean and previous many bars and eating places. It’s effectively lit in some elements, however there are stretches of darkish areas at evening 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 unbelievable place to go swimming and you’ll both carry 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. Verify Out Fish Fry Fridays
Oistins Fish Fry Friday is an absolute should when visiting Barbados. This weekly celebration and fish pageant is held on a serene seashore on Barbados’ southwest coast and it’s the proper place to satisfy new pals, each overseas and native.
You gained’t discover a higher plate of fish anyplace on the island. The meals is scrumptious, the ambiance is nice, and there’s a lot of dancing and music. Everyone appears to be in a great temper — it is Friday in any case! Going to the Oistins Fish Fry is among the greatest issues to do in Barbados at evening.
To get to Oistins, it is advisable take an Oistins, Airport, Silver Sands, Sam Lords Citadel, Fairy Valley or St. Christopher bus, relying on the place you’re staying. Both approach, the associated fee is $2 BBD per particular person per trip.
9. Caribbean Crop Over
The Crop Over Summer time Competition takes place on the finish of every sugarcane season. It’s the island’s hottest and vibrant get collectively and its origins might 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 pageant adopted go well with, however fortunately it was revived together with different parts of Barbadian tradition in 1974. Immediately it’s a culture-infused extravaganza that pulls tons of of celebration lovers from world wide.
The pageant occurs yearly from Could to August, with the most important celebrations occurring on the finish with carnival celebrations. In case you plan your journey to Barbados at the moment, you might not solely get to celebration like loopy, however you might share the streets with world-famous Bajan pop & hip hop star Rihanna!
10. BH3 Barbados
If in case you 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 option to meet native individuals, 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 among 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 via crystal-clear water. Your information will let you know the historical past of the wrecks, and the tour ends with a complimentary rum punch. Click on right here for extra info.
In case you’re extra into pure magnificence, then try 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 via your see-through kayak. Click on right here to study extra about this journey.
12. Sail in a Catamaran
Crusing is among the most iconic actions in Barbados. The historical past of the Caribbean is carefully linked to the historical past of the sailboat, and Barbados is a superb place to affix in on this basic journey.
And the way may 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.
Moreover your limitless drinks, this tour contains lunch and stops for snorkeling with turtles and over shipwrecks. Click on right here to study extra.
In case you’d like one thing slightly extra romantic, this tour takes locations at sundown. You possibly can swim with sea turtles and revel in an open bar.
13. Experience 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 below 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 surprising 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 can be effectively price exploring.
Flower Forest Botanical Gardens has 53 acres, and flowers bloom there yr 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.
In case you’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 someday, try this 4-Hour Non-public Custom-made Island Tour. You possibly can 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 among the greatest locations to go to in Barbados to get an thought of the island’s fashionable tradition and colonial historical past.
Locations of curiosity within the colourful city embrace the stately Parliament buildings, a number of previous church buildings, and (in fact) 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 tools. There’s little doubt that the historic sights of the capital are a number of the most attention-grabbing issues to see in Barbados, and also you’ll try a lot 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.
Among 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.
Moreover its seashores, well-known locations to go to in Barbados embrace St. Nicholas Abbey, Harrison’s Cave, the Mount Homosexual Distillery, and the boardwalk. Some well-known Barbados excursions are to discover the encompassing sea by sailboat, kayak, and even submarine.
Sure, it’s. Bridgetown is among the greatest locations to see in Barbados due to its stunning seaside views, colonial structure, and engaging historical past.
Cou cou (corn meal and okra, much like grits) served with fried flying fish is the nationwide dish of Barbados. One other option to take pleasure in flying fish is in a Flying Fish Cutter sandwich.
Head to Carlisle Bay for a number of the greatest seashores in Barbados with the clearest water. My favourite is Carlisle Seashore, probably the greatest locations in Barbados to loosen up 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 seashore bars. When you get away from the sand, you’ll begin to perceive the island slightly higher and also you’ll have a chance to satisfy extra of the nation’s beautiful individuals and discover its numerous landscapes.
With quite a few excursions in Barbados, unbelievable delicacies, and straightforward transportation choices, a visit to Barbados ought to undoubtedly be in your record!
Have you ever ever been to Barbados? What have been your favorite issues to see and do? Please share with us within the feedback under so we may help different travellers to raised take pleasure in this stunning Caribbean island. For extra about Barbados, try VisitBarbados.org.
Like This Article? Pin It!
