An expert travel guide to Barbados
Over on the west coast, where the soft-sand beaches are overseen by some of the Caribbean's most luxurious hotels, over-the-top villas and snazziest restaurants, Barbados lives up to its glamorous reputation. But this is only one aspect of the island, and just one element of its appeal.
First colonised by English settlers in 1627 but proudly independent since 1966, Barbados is a culturally and historically rich nation that rewards exploration. Parts of Bridgetown, the busy capital, are on Unesco's World Heritage List, along with the nearby Garrison district. In the rolling interior you'll find handsome Anglican churches, colonial-era plantation homes and glorious botanical gardens hidden away in swathes of sugar cane fields.
You can have a lot of fun on Barbados, whether that be partying the night away at the large-scale, foodie street party that takes place at Oistins every Friday evening, or at the raucous summer carnival of Crop Over, or simply shooting the breeze with Bajans over a drink or two in rum shops, the hybrid bars-corner shops that are dotted all over the island.
For further Barbados inspiration, see our guides to the island's best restaurants, beaches, nightlife and things to do.
In this guide
How to spend your weekend
Day one: morning
Today you're focusing on the western side of the island (and this itinerary is based around having a rental car). Start your explorations in the suburbs of Bridgetown just north of the harbour, at Rihanna Drive (clearly signed off the coastal highway). The world-famous Barbadian pop star grew up in a modest bungalow on the street – a plaque on the forecourt identifies it.
A 40-minute drive via Highway 2A to the rural north of the island will bring you to a rather grander home – the 17th-century, gabled plantation house of St Nicholas Abbey. The owners have turned the estate into a multi-faceted heritage attraction that among other things produces its own rum. In winter a highlight is seeing the 19th-century, steam-driven, cane-crushing mill in action.
Afternoon
It's a 15-minute drive across to Speightstown on the west coast. Have a brief wander around the slow-paced little town, taking in the fish market and fruit and veg stands set up along the high street. Learn more about the town in the engaging Arlington House Museum. Then have an inexpensive lunch of traditional Bajan dishes – perhaps fish cakes, conch fritters, macaroni pie – at the down-to-earth Fisherman's Pub on the waterfront.
Time for a swim. Hop back in the car and drive five minutes down the coastal road just past Mullins, park up and walk down an unmarked track by Dudley Wood villa to Gibbes Beach. If you're lucky, you may have this hidden, tree-shaded curve of golden sand all to yourself.
Late
Splash out on dinner in one of the west coast's fancier restaurants. The Tides, an elegant waterfront establishment in Holetown with an art gallery for a bar, specialises in seafood.
After your meal, if you're not ready for bed you'll find a smattering of late-night bars on Holetown’s First and Second Streets and in the Limegrove Lifestyle Centre, an overblown, open-air mall.
Day two: morning
Head off into the maze of back lanes criss-crossing Barbados' rural interior. You will get lost at some point, but worry not; it will provide a good excuse to stop at a rum shop and ask the way.
Most of the interior is farmed, but there are still little pockets of tropical forest, including at Welchman Hall Gully, a high-sided ravine where green monkeys often can be seen. It's a 10-minute drive on to the man-made beauty spot of Hunte's Gardens. Set in a sink hole, it is the stand-out botanical garden on Barbados, amongst stiff competition.
Bathsheba, the most beautiful spot on the east coast, lies 10 minutes' drive away. Make for the beach and soak up the views of rolling Atlantic breakers, maybe a few daredevil surfers and eroded, mushroom-shaped rocks.
Afternoon
Lunch could be a simple snack in one of the cafés behind Bathsheba beach. Dina’s, at the southern end, is the best located. Or for something more substantial, drive just along the coast to the colonial-chic Atlantis Hotel, which does good food any day of the week but is known for its impressive Bajan buffet lunches on Sundays.
The east coast is not safe for a swim, so head down across the island to the south coast for your daily dip. En route you could pass by Gun Hill Signal Station, built in 1818 after a slave revolt as part of a chain of lookout stations to warn of future uprisings. Your seaside destination is busy Accra Beach, a long arc of wide sand with shade from casuarinas and sea grapes and often a bit of gentle surf.
Late
From the western end of Accra Beach, a wooden boardwalk zigzags along the shore for a mile to Hastings. Follow it some of the way to Tapas, a buzzy, long-established restaurant right by the walkway serving moreish Asian and Mediterranean small plates such as smoked marlin, calamari, meatballs and shark fritters.
Afterwards, if the night is still young you could hop in the car and drive five minutes down the coast to the strip of restaurants, bars and clubs that make up St Lawrence Gap. For a nightcap or two make a beeline for the Cocktail Kitchen, a civilised joint with innovative cocktails, many made with local rum, and, if you haven't had your fill earlier at Tapas, creative food to match.
Insider tips
Maps
Barbados in a Nutshell, a free booklet available in hotels, has an excellent road map of the island that includes locations of pretty much all hotels, restaurants, bars, sights and beaches – do not set off without it. Barbados has one of the densest networks of roads of any country in the world, and signposting is erratic.
Buses
Bus services – whether in the form of blue and yellow full-scale buses or jam-packed white mini-vans that stop pretty anywhere on their set routes – are very frequent on the main west and south coast highways. On any journey the fare is BDS$3.50 (around £1.40).
Attractions
At the Barbados Garrison, the colourful Changing of the Sentry ceremony takes place every Thursday at noon outside the Main Guard building.
Wildlife
An estimated 15,000 green monkeys reside on Barbados – you may spot them by the roadside, in your hotel's grounds or at rural attractions. Though the monkeys seem cute, they destroy crops so are a major headache for farmers.
Where to stay
Luxury Living
Think a tropical version of an English country-house hotel. Stylistically, Cobblers Cove takes its lead from the main building, a 1940s crenellated mansion that was once the seaside getaway of a plantation owner. Compact but pristine, bird-rich, palm-festooned gardens complete the setting.
Doubles from US$367 (£281). Road View, Speightstown; 00 1 246 422 2291
Boutique Beauty
The intimate, salmon-pink, hacienda-style Little Arches is popular with young-ish couples looking for romance and a chilled-out atmosphere – a lot of lounging around on sofas and hammocks goes on here. Located in a peaceful spot in the lively fishing village of Oistins, it is ideally located for integrating with local life.
Doubles from US$286 (£225). Enterprise Beach Road; 00 1 246 420 4689
Budget Bolthole
Bayfield House is an attractive plantation-style home. It sits in an expansive, well-kept garden, dotted with mango, fig, avocado and pear trees, and palms, with a cannon on the front lawn and a pretty oval swimming pool and sun loungers for guests at the rear. Green monkeys often pass through the garden early in the morning or late in the afternoon.
Doubles from US$165 (£126). Mullins, St Peter; 00 1 246 419 0497
What to bring home
Earthworks Pottery, 15 minutes' drive inland from the west coast, has a large showroom of desirable hand-decorated bowls, pots, jugs and plates, and you can watch the ladies at work making and decorating the pottery.
The Best of Barbados stores are the best one-stop shops for tasteful, affordable souvenirs, such as prints of Barbadian scenes, table mats, trays, local literature and so forth. One of the five stores is in the airport's departure lounge.
When to go
In terms of the weather, the best months are January through to April, as they are the driest and least humid, and usually a couple of degrees Centigrade cooler than other times of year. The official hurricane season for the region runs from June to November, with most major storms occurring August to October. However, Barbados' easterly position in the Caribbean means that it normally escapes direct hits. Nonetheless, if you travel in the late summer or autumn, you would be very unlucky to be hit by a big storm, but be prepared for some heavy downpours.
In terms of price, winter is, unfortunately, the worst time to go, with hotel and villa rates much higher from mid-December to April than at other times of year (especially over Christmas/New Year and Easter, when additional premiums are often charged).
Taking into account both the weather and price, May is a great month to travel – accommodation rates are much lower than January-April, but the weather is almost as good as in the preceding months. Failing that, go in early December. If you're tied to school holidays, the May half term usually works out cheaper than the Christmas, Easter or summer holidays.
Lastly, bear in mind that in the peak winter months, everywhere is pretty busy, while in the quietest months of September and October, some hotels, restaurants and bars are shut.
Essential information
Tourist information: visitbarbados.org is the website for the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc.
Emergency numbers: The British High Commission - 001 246 430 7800; police - 211; fire - 311; ambulance - 511.
The basics
Flight time: Around eight hours.
Currency: With the exception of hotel rates, most things on the island are priced in Barbados dollars (usually written BDS$). However, you can usually pay in US dollars, though you'll be given change in Barbados dollars. The exchange rate is fixed at BDS$2 to US$1. ATMs – which are commonplace – issue Barbados dollars.
Safety: Barbados is one of the safer Caribbean islands for tourists, and with sensible precautions it's fine to explore independently. That said, incidents of violent crime, including against tourists, have occurred. Do be particularly wary on isolated beaches. More advice on gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/barbados/safety-and-security.
Costs: If you're booking a hotel direct, the price you'll end up paying may well be significantly higher than what is first quoted. Some hotels quote rates that initially exclude the 10 percent VAT levied on accommodation, and a 10 percent service charge. There's also a room rate levy, ranging from US$4.38 per night in modest accommodation to US$17.50 in a luxury hotel.
Tap water: Safe to drink.
Local laws and etiquette
Topless sunbathing is against the law on Barbados.
About our expert
Fred Mawer is Telegraph Travel's Barbados expert. He has visited the island many times over the past 25 years, with the tough job of having to sample ritzy hotels, gourmet restaurants and rum shops on research trips and family holidays.
