12 best things to do in Barbados, from snorkelling to exploring rum distilleries

Independent

3 days ago

Barbados, the easternmost island in the Caribbean, is blessed by geographical luck. Its position means it is home to magnificent beaches, low-lying hills and enviable tropical climate, perfect for a getaway.
The laid-back attitude of its locals, who seem to have perfected the art of balancing partying and relaxing, make it a particularly welcoming country.
Add to this a range of natural and historic sites, plus atmospheric towns, and you have a multi-faceted holiday destination that offers more than just paradisiacal beaches (although these are a good place to start).
Here's our pick of the best things to do on this intriguing island, from lazing on dreamy white sands to exploring buzzy food festivals.
Best things to do in Barbados
Explore the capital
The island's capital, Bridgetown, is full of character, from its colourful facades to the buzz of activity on its main boulevards. Broad Street and Swan Street are the two main thoroughfares – good shopping destinations filled with gift shops, outlet stores and street food shacks. Alternatively, Baxter Road, locally known as 'the street that never sleeps', is an unassuming avenue of single-room rum shops and small restaurants by day, and giant street party by night.
The historic part of Bridgetown and its garrison are a Unesco World Heritage site, a still-standing reminder of Barbados 's past links to both colonial and modern Britain. You can learn more about the history of the island through the Barbados Museum and Historical Society, or head to Carlisle Bay and Pebbles Beach for the opportunity to scuba dive across a series of shipwrecks.
When choosing a place to stay near the capital's centre, the family-owned Coconut Court Beach Hotel enjoys a plum position on a pristine white-sand beach while being only a stone's throw from the action. With 111 air-conditioned rooms, some with sea views, and an outdoor pool, this is an excellent mid-range option for visitors to Bridgetown.
Hit the beach
Barbados is perhaps best known for its plethora of megawatt beaches. Its western shores, known as the Platinum Coast, are home to a range of glitzy hotels and some of the finest beaches on the island, including Batts Rock Beach, Paynes Bay and Pebbles Beach.
On the eastern coast, Bath Beach and the bay around the town of Bathsheba offer some of the island's wilder coastline, with wide expanses of sand and several more secluded spots (Bath Beach is good for swimming, while Bathsheba is famed for its surf-friendly waves). Other options include the family-friendly Miami Beach near Oistins in the south, and the wilderness of Bottom Bay in the southeast of the island.
If staying near a beach is also a priority, Tamarind offers an informal yet high-quality all-inclusive stay on the Platinum Coast, backing onto the famed Paynes Bay. This contemporary, well-furnished hotel has a distinctive Caribbean style throughout, from the interiors to the beach huts that surround its three outdoor swimming pools.
Go snorkelling or surfing
There's more to this picturesque island than white sands, with a whole host of offshore attractions to be discovered. Surfing, snorkelling and scuba diving are all popular activities, with some of the region's biggest waves mere miles away from colourful coral reefs and marine reserves.
The aforementioned Bathsheba is home to the island's prime surf spot, Soup Bowl, where waves break in seven feet of water not far from the rugged sands. Those who don't fancy taking on the biggest waves should opt for the gentler Freights Bay, Surfers Point, Long Beach and Sand Bank, not far from Bathsheba.
For would-be snorkellers, the southwest coast is littered with shipwrecks, notably around the Carlisle Bay Marine Park, where five coral-covered wrecks act as a home to turtles and several species of fish. There is another marine park at Folkestone which features an undercover trail of buoys leading to points of interest, while the seas around Dover Beach and Holetown are known for their vibrant coral reefs.
For great value close to the surf spots on the island's wild east coast, opt for a stay at the Eco Lifestyle and Lodge near Bathsheba. Less than a mile from the Soup Bowl – and under 10 minutes from the town's beach – this intimate hotel offers great value across its beach house-themed rooms. There's a strong focus on sustainability, from the eco toiletries to the plant-based restaurant dishes.
Oistins Fish Fry
Every Friday, thousands of locals and tourists descend on the small southern fishing village of Oistins for its famous 'fish fry', a hybrid between a market and a street party, brimming with various street food vendors. Crafts stalls line the street, while visitors can watch performances by local musicians; the party atmosphere is electric.
Expect a warm welcome from locals, while the fish fry itself is a casual affair catering to all in terms of both food and music. Try local dishes like macaroni pie and fried fish 'cutters' (essentially fish sandwiches), made with a variety of fish including swordfish and mahi-mahi.
Near Oistins is Little Arches, a charming, hacienda-style boutique hotel centred around its outdoor pool.
Visit a rum distillery
Barbados is the birthplace of rum, which was first distilled on the island's sugarcane plantations around the 1650s. It is also home to the world's oldest commercial rum distillery, Mount Gay Distillery, in the St Lucy area on the north of the island. Operating since 1703, the distillery offers guided tours in which visitors can watch parts of the rum-making process, learn about the history of the facility and, of course, sample the goods themselves.
Other notable distilleries on the island include the West Indies Rum Distillery – which produces well-known rums like Malibu and Cockspur – and St Nicholas Abbey, part of which is a still-functioning sugar plantation.
For a northern hotel close to both Mount Gay and St Nicholas Abbey, choose Cobblers Cove. Dating from the 1940s, this charming beachfront hotel combines top-class service with modern elegance, and includes watersports and afternoon tea in its rates.
Visit the other main towns
Away from Bridgetown, there are several other towns on the island that are worth visiting. First among them is Speightstown, sometimes called Little Bristol due to its historic ties with the UK city. This is Barbados's 'second city', mainly known for its wide-ranging food scene and expansive promenade. Wander its streets to discover a range of colourful facades and colonial architecture, with an array of casual pubs, gourmet restaurants and traditional cafes hidden among them.
Visit Holetown to find great shopping, lively nightlife and the picturesque beaches of the Platinum Coast. This is Barbados's home of understated luxury, where the upmarket Limegrove shopping centre sits alongside independent shops and a range of restaurants serving everything from Asian street food to local grilled platters. Head to the beach for the vibrant nightlife area, and journey further down the coast to find a slew of high-end resort hotels sitting on bone-white sands.
If looking for a luxury stay less than a 20-minute walk away from the the town centre, The Sandpiper is a great option. This opulent beachfront property is a family-run affair, though it has a room and grounds more in keeping with those of a luxury chain. The interiors are an ultra-modern version of Caribbean style, with a pool and sun terrace surrounded by tropical flora and fauna.
Plan a hike
Dramatic cliffs and lush forest provide amazing views and some slightly more strenuous exercise for those who want it. The northern and eastern coasts are the more wild, rugged parts of the island, with routes like Bath-Bathsheba, Barclays Park-Chalky Mount and the Northern Cliffs Hike featuring trails along sheer cliffs, up tall mountain peaks and through shaded rainforest. There's the added bonus of sweeping views across the Atlantic and the odd stop off in a quaint Barbadian village, too.
After a day of traversing the cliffs, The Crane Resort is an extensive beachfront resort on the south coast offering five swimming pools and its own village-like shopping complex. Food options include informal cuisine, seafood specialities and Asian fusion across five on-site restaurants.
Explore the caves
Harrison's Cave opened in 1981 as a tourist attraction. Guests can explore it on a one-hour tram journey or, for a longer day out, via four-hour walking tour. The cave itself is a natural marvel, running for over a mile. It features thousands of years worth of stalactites and stalagmites, the 50-foot high Great Hall cavern, and a dramatically-lit waterfall leading to a deep pool below.
Animal Flower is an altogether different type of cave, carved into the rock by the waters of the Caribbean and Atlantic. Located on the northern tip of the island, some parts of it date back 600,000 years, and today it is home to a pool of emerald waters accessible via a set of stairs. You get striking views over the surrounding cliffs, both in the pool and from the on-site restaurant for those who don't fancy a swim.
For a family-friendly, all-inclusive hotel close to Harrison's Cave, book Turtle Beach, located near St Lawrence Gap in the south of the island. A large hotel sitting on a wide expanse of golden shores, it offers spacious, minimalistic rooms, varied water sports and other activities, plus a range of cuisine – including buffet options – across its six restaurants.
Visit during Crop Over
Early August is the time to visit if you want to experience Barbados's most important cultural event: the Crop Over festival. This period commemorates the end of a successful sugarcane harvest, fusing celebrations of contemporary Barbadian culture and the historic influence of the sugarcane industry. The festival itself is three months long, but the final week often the most fun.
The main event falls on the first Monday in August, a day called the Grand Kadooment day. Kadooment is a Bajan phrase meaning 'large party' – visitors will see a 15,000-strong parade alongside parties and performances on this country-wide public holiday, though there's plenty of partying on each day of the previous week too, fuelled by a generally celebratory atmosphere and a slew of affordable mobile bars and food stalls.
Choose Sweetfield Manor for a comfortable boutique hotel stay near the capital. Located in an early 20th-century historic home, it sits just six minutes away from the city centre by car. It features an attractive lagoon-style pool, its own fusion restaurant, all at an affordable price.
Stroll around the botanical gardens
Barbados's tropical climate allows for a variety of plants, flowers and vegetation to thrive on the island. The Andromeda Botanic Gardens is home to more than 600 plant species, including more than 100 tree species in its arboretum, attracting bees, birds and butterflies that dance among the greenery.
As the only Royal Horticultural Society partner garden in the West Indies, the eight-acre gardens was founded by Barbadian horticulturist Iris Bannochie in the 1950s, aimed at enhancing Barbados's biodiversity at a time when much of the country's land was being exploited. Wander around the flora displays and relax by the pond before heading to Eastside Kitchen for a delicious lunch.
For another botanical experience, visit Hunte's Gardens. It's only a short drive away in Coffee Gully and visitors can saunter along the easy-to-walk path through 'mini-gardens', home to rare plants and other wildlife.
Just a short drive away from both botanical gardens is The Atlantis Historic Inn, a beachfront hotel showcasing panoramic views of the sea. The hotel has historical significance, being one of the first hotels to exist on the east coast, and now offers coastal-view rooms with four poster beds or a two-bedroom cottage ideal for families, friends or couples travelling together.
Buy and create pottery
Don't leave the island's windswept east coast without exploring the Scotland District. The area is known for its distinctive red clay earth and is home to many artisans, whose work is available to purchase in pottery workshops and studios.
In the parish of St Thomas, Earthworks Pottery is one of Barbados's most popular studios, with an abundance of vibrant hand-decorated pieces available to purchase.
But if you're keen to have a spin on the wheel, book a pottery class to make your own unique souvenir. Among experiences available, classes at Hamilton's Pottery, also in St Thomas, are guided by a family of experts, including a former contestant on Channel 4's The Great Pottery Throw Down, Ronaldo Wiltshire.
Opt to stay at The Palms Resort for beaches on your fingertips and a short drive from the pottery workshops. The hotel boasts bright and breezy rooms each with a terrace or balcony with views over the pool and fully equipped kitchens.
Tour the island in a 4x4 jeep
Get off the beaten track with an off-road, all terrain jeep tour of the island, showcasing its lesser-known corners. The exhilarating expeditions bounce between coasts, through forests and down secret tracks with an engaging local guide at the wheel.
Tours can be customised for an extra cost, while pre-arranged routes include stops for at Edgecliff, Bathsheba and Little Bay.
With rum punch or non-alcoholic alternatives on tap and normally Bajan lunch included, it is often the highlight of a holiday.
If you stay on the south or west coast, the tour will pick you up from your hotel lobby. Stay at one of the apartments at Sapphire Beach Condos for direct access to Dove Beach's white sands and blue waters, a swimming pool and a fully equipped kitchen.