Barbados, Caribbean

Barbados, known as the 'pearl of the Caribbean', is the eastern-most Caribbean island, and is actually an enormous and ancient coral reef that was formed approximately one million years ago. It has been dubbed 'the real fantasy island', an appellation that points to its exotic resorts and glorious beaches. Enjoying 340 days of sunshine a year, numerous well-developed amenities, a throbbing nightlife and friendly inhabitants, it is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the Caribbean.

Barbados islanders, calling themselves 'Bajans', are West Indian by descent, although largely shaped by English customs and culture. These influences pervade much of the island, most evident in the Anglican stone churches (the island is divided into numerous parishes) and in the many cricket games played on the village greens. The 'Little England' legacy dates back to colonial days when the sugar industry reigned supreme. Barbados gained self-government in 1966, and now tourism, rather than sugar, is the mainstay of the local economy.

The island is a pear-shaped, 20-mile (32km) stretch of soft coral, which is permeated by water and over time has formed fascinating underground caverns. The coral reefs enveloping most of the island entice tourists to its picturesque shores for activities like snorkelling, scuba diving, and watersports.

Regions & Cities

Bridgetown

Bridgetown, originally called 'Indian Bridge', is the capital and commercial centre of Barbados, with about 80,000 inhabitants. It is a busy port with a natural harbour inlet, known as the Careenage, and is well utilised by pleasure craft and fishing boats.

Bridgetown has a long and colourful history as a British settlement from the 17th century. A bustling city with many attractions for travellers, its mix of modern and historic buildings are interspersed with markets, monuments, and a number of lush gardens.

The main street, Broad Street, is where one finds banks, department stores and duty-free shops. At the top of Broad Street is the Parliament Building (the Barbados Parliament is the third oldest in the Commonwealth, dating from 1639), facing National Heroes Square. Bridgetown is home to a number of historical buildings that will interest visitors, including the Garrison Historic Area, which is a must-visit for military history buffs.

Another attraction in Bridgetown is a massive Baobab tree (said to have been brought to the island from Guinea, Africa around 1738). It takes 15 adults with outstretched arms to encircle the trunk.

Tourists in Bridgetown will find much to see and do: cricket games at Kensington Oval, which hosted the 2007 Cricket World Cup; the Barbados Derby at the racetrack in the Garrison area; and many other events and activities. A range of duty-free shops near the harbour sell staples like Mount Gay Rum, while more colourful shopping options include the Cheapside Market and the Swan Street pedestrian mall. Local restaurants in the Careenage serve up fresh lobster and fish with Caribbean flair.

Attractions Barbados Garrison Barbados' colonial military history is well represented at the Barbados Garrison, the 18th-century base of the British Windward and Leeward Islands Command. This elegant Georgian building, dating from 1802, is the headquarters of the Garrison Committee who are unearthing the numerous old cannons scattered around the island; about 400 have so far been found in gardens, cellars, beaches or buried beneath fortifications. The most important pieces from this collection are mounted in front of the Main Guard House and make a fine photographic display for visitors. The Garrison complex also features the Barbados Museum, which is housed in the old military detention barracks - the display galleries were once prison cells. The museum houses exhibits chronicling the natural history and arts and crafts of Barbados. The Garrison Historic Area is also home to a racetrack that hosts the Barbados Derby, and other prestigious events on the Barbados horseracing calendar. Bathsheba This little fishing village on the east coast is a favourite spot for photographers because of its picturesque rocky terrain. It also boasts one of the island's most spectacular beaches, Bath Beach. It is situated about 14 miles (23km) from Bridgetown in the St Joseph parish, and is known locally as 'the Soup Bowl' because of its foaming surf. Bathsheba is a favourite surfing spot and the venue of Barbados' annual surfing contest. Gardens Barbados offers the tranquillity of several beautifully landscaped tropical gardens. Just outside Bridgetown, in the parish of St Michael, is the Lazaretto Garden with its magnificent waterfall cascading over a rock face. A little further inland are the Ayshford Ratite Gardens, with their breathtaking selection of tropical plants and fine restaurants attended by international executive chefs. The gardens are illuminated every night and are open from 9am to midnight for meals. Exotic birds, ostriches, pheasants and fancy pigeons roam the gardens to the delight of visitors. In the heart of the countryside, surrounded by sugar plantations is a six-acre former chicken and pig farm that has been transformed into the Orchid World, a floral paradise where more than 20,000 orchids are grown and displayed. Visitors can take self-guided tours past a waterfall, through a coral grotto and onto five orchid houses. Further towards the East Coast, in the Scotland District of Barbados, is the magnificent Flower Forest. The variety of plants and species here is awesome, with the brilliant colours of flowers like begonias and heliconia reflected against the lush jungle greenery. The Flower Forest is open seven days a week from 9am to 5pm and admission is US$7 per person. In the parish of St Joseph is yet another spectacular garden, the Andromeda Botanical Garden. The garden covers six acres and contains several varieties of orchids, palms, ferns, hibiscus, bougainvillea and other exotic flowers and trees. Turners Hall Woods span 50 acres in the Parish of St Andrew. The woods survive as one of the last remnants of the indigenous tropical forest that covered Barbados before the first settlement in 1627. It contains examples of indigenous trees like the Sand Box, Silk Cotton, Cabbage Palm, Trumpet Tree and Macaw Palm. In the Parish of St Thomas is a long gully, known as Welshman Hall Gully after its original owner. It contains some impressive tropical trees. Here also is the world's largest pillar that has been formed by the joining of a stalactite and stalagmite. Graeme Hall Swamp Not far from Bridgetown, in the parish of Christ Church, is the largest expanse of inland water on Barbados. The expansive Graeme Hall Swamp, with red and white mangrove trees, is a natural habitat for more than 40 species of birds. Government plans to develop much of the area have unfortunately forced the Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary to close most of the park to visitors, but the Lakeside Lawns is still open and a pleasant place for a picnic. Harrison’s Cave This huge underground cavern is one of the most popular attractions on the island with its amazing gallery of stalactites and stalagmites, streams of crystal clear water, breathtaking waterfalls and deep emerald pools. Tour guides conduct visitors from the attractive Visitor's Centre on a drive in electrically operated trams down through an extensive system of caves. At the bottom level of the cave visitors alight to gasp at a spectacular waterfall. Jacobean Mansions St Nicholas' Abbey in St Peter and Drax Hall in St George are two of the oldest buildings in Barbados. Both are world-renowned examples of Jacobean architecture that features curved Dutch gables and coral-stone finials, each furnished with antiques. Both buildings were constructed in the 1650s. Drax Hall was one of the earliest and largest sugar plantations in Barbados, built by James and William Drax. They were a wealthy family like many other plantation owners who prospered by growing sugarcane and established considerable influence at home and abroad. Visitors to the Jacobean sugar mansions can enjoy a film about life on the sugar plantations. Another relic from the plantation days is the Morgan Lewis Mill at St Andrew, one of only two restored sugar mills in the Caribbean. It is maintained by the Barbados National Trust and provides an insight into how sugar was produced through windpower. West Coast Beaches Barbados' beaches are known around the world as vacation hotspots, and the west coast is known as the 'Platinum Coast'. Running north from the capital Bridgetown, are numerous luxury beach resorts resting along the shore of the clear warm Caribbean waters that lap gently onto golden sands. Some of the most popular beaches for swimming and sunbathing are Batts Rock and Paynes Bay in the St James parish, or Mullins Bay and Heywoods in St Peter. Hotels here bear exotic names like Treasure Beach, Smugglers Cove, Mango Bay and Discovery Bay. Treasure Beach at Paynes Bay, St James, for example is a tranquil luxury hideaway famous for its Bajan cuisine and freshwater swimming pool surrounded by tropical gardens beside the turquoise sea. Wildlife The waters around Barbados are a treasure trove of marine life. In the far north of the island is the Animal Flower Cave (in the parish of St Lucy) where sea anemones abound in cave pools deep enough to swim in. Scuba divers flock to the Folkestone Marine Park, which has an artificial reef created by the deliberate sinking of the ship Stavronikita in 1976. Less adventurous snorkellers enjoy swimming in the Recreational Zone of the park on a reef that is home to numerous fish and marine species, corals and sponges. The Park also has a museum and an aquarium. It is situated in St James, near Holetown. The Barbados Wildlife Reserve is mainly a monkey sanctuary set in a natural mahogany wood in the parish of St Peter. Green monkeys provide entertainment for visitors as they play in a natural environment. There are also ducks, turtles, tortoises, birds, peacocks, otters, raccoons and deer roaming the woods. Events Holetown Festival Holetown, located on the west coast north of Bridgetown, was the first settlement on the island of Barbados. It was initially named Jamestown by the first English settlers who landed in the small channel in 1625 when King James I was on the throne in England. Today the town is famous for its colourful annual festival of crafts, music and historical parades held in commemoration of these first settlers. The festival takes place mid-February every year and runs over a one-week period. Events at the Holetown Festival include historical lectures, fashion shows, beauty contests, street parades, tattoo shows, exhibitions, concerts, theatrical presentations, sporting events and an antique car parade. National Independence Festival of Creative Arts The National Independence Festival of Creative Arts (NIFCA) is held in Barbados annually throughout the month of November. Islanders of all ages are invited to exhibit their dance, drama, music, literary, culinary and artistic talents. The festival month is packed with numerous performances, art exhibitions and presentations, as well as a grand finale with a gala function where the finalists are featured.