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BARBADOS – combine warm Caribbean sunshine, incredibly blue skies, miles of soft white sandy beaches backed by coconut palms swaying in cooling trade winds and sparkling clear aquamarine seas, and you have the perfect melange to entice you to the island of Barbados. The Bajan lifestyle is one of total relaxation and the locals are some of the friendliest people you will meet. They are genuinely interested in talking to you and are very proud of their island and heritage. You will be in awe of their brilliantly coloured traditional chattels that line the wayside. These traditional local houses are lovingly depicted by the local artist Jill Walker and her work is readily available as a memento of your holiday.
Beaches
Barbados beaches are truly some of the most beautiful in the Caribbean, in fact the beach at the Crane was rated "one of the ten best beaches in the world The coastlines dramatically contrast each other with the Atlantic seas crashing impressively on the east coast and then calm crystal clear bathing on the exclusive West coast which is home to many distinctive villas and hotels. Barbados is a haven for diving enthusiasts and lucky snorkellers are often able to swim with the turtles and take in the magical coral gardens. There are no nude beaches and all beaches are open to the public. Nudism is actually illegal. Barbados has a history of conservative British tradition and Barbadians are not comfortable undressing or seeing other undress on public beaches
Restaurants
There is an abundance of quality restaurants and brightly coloured bars with excellent classical menus which are inspired by local and contemporary cuisine, all of which an be enjoyed with the local Banks Beer and finished off with a tot or two of Mount Gay Rum. Most of the restaurants on the island are of gourmet standard. Some of these are in the luxury hotels such as Sandy Lane or Vila Nova, but you don’t have to go to a hotel for cordon bleu cuisine. Restaurants will charge around US$12-40 for a main course and standards are high with the settings often special, maybe even a table on the beach. The majority of places to eat are clustered around Holetown on the west coast and St Lawrence Gap on the south coast, where there is a wide variety, allowing you to indulge in Italian, Mexican, Indian, French, Japanese or whatever takes your fancy!
Sight seeing
Visit the Mount Gay Rum factory, established in 1703, A tour of this Rum distillery is a must or if you prefer visit the Malibu factory. In the evenings a visit to Bridgetown, the capital, or further south at St Lawrence you will find lively entertainment where hot rhythms can be enjoyed until the early hours and you can await the sun slowly creeping over the horizon for another balmy, lazy day. Atlantis Submarine experience – Journey to a spectacular underwater world 150 ft below the crystal Caribbean sea in one of the most advanced passenger submarines on earth and explore the fascinating marine life. Bajan Roots and Rhythm Dinner Show, this is a “must see” and held at The Plantation Theatre every Weds and Fri, it is a dinner and cabaret style stage show representing Barbadian culture and influences. |
