In the Atlantic Ocean, a little away from the Caribbean arc, the island of Barbados lives peaceful days, while being cricket champion and addicted to tea-time. A marked character that makes it an original destination. 36 kilometers long and 24 wide, it is the English Caribbean of the Lesser Antilles. Romantic, too! Coconut palms, fine white sand and turquoise waters: the picture is idyllic. Not to mention, inland, a dense nature hiding old colonial residences and caves connected by underground rivers. One thinks in particular of the site of Harrison’s cave, whose underground rooms can be explored by electric tram.
Barbados is also a famous destination for partying! Its nightlife is one of the strengths of an island dotted with bars and restaurants right on the beach. Barbados by night is all over the island, but even more so on the south coast. Bajan orchestras, jazzy rhythms, frenzied Caribbean dances and a beach party at the Reggae Lounge open-air disco to dance the night away on the beach under the stars, there’s something for everyone!
The city of Bridgetown is home to charming colonial houses, while its center and its garrison are classified as World Heritage by Unesco. But it’s not just the capital to visit in Barbados: the village of Holetown, Saint-Peter, Saint-James, where several luxury and charming hotels are located, the fishing village of Oistins, Saint- Joseph, Crane, Sainte-Lucy and Saint-Philip deserve more than a detour! Do you have a green thumb? Head to the Andromeda Botanical Gardens. There is nothing less than the most prestigious collection of tropical flowers and plants in all of the Caribbean! And that’s not all: Flower Forest and Orchid World are Botanic Gardens, as they say, of high class!
Unthinkable to visit Barbados without attending a cricket match at the Kensington Oval stadium, even if you don’t understand the rules of the game! For those who are really passionate, complete with a visit to the “Crickets Legend of Barbados” museum to learn all about the history of cricket in the Caribbean. To get to know Barbados better, you can go to the Barbados museum in Bridgetown. It traces the history of the island from the Amerindians to colonization and allows you to learn more about the Bajan culture.
Caribbean obliges, you will not miss the visit of a rum distillery with tasting at the key, also history to bring back a good bottle! During your wanderings on the island of Barbados, through mahogany forests and cane fields, you will have the opportunity to visit mansions, planters’ residences or even a Dutch mill.
These are not the activities that are lacking in Barbados. Scuba diving to admire the coral reef and its aquatic fauna evolving among shipwrecks, surfing on the beaches of Bathsheba and Cattlewash, or simply swimming and lazing on the beautiful beaches of Bottom Bay, Crane Beach and Paynes Bay . Some wild beaches have not been invaded by tourism.
