Barbados Travel Guide
Bathsheba's rock formations, Barbados. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Barbados is the Caribbean's most polished small island: 34km by 23km of coral limestone, with the calm Platinum Coast on the west, the wild Atlantic surf at Bathsheba on the east, and Bridgetown's UNESCO-listed historic core in between. It is the birthplace of rum: Mount Gay has distilled here since 1703.
The essentials: the west-coast beaches, Bathsheba's rock formations, St. Nicholas Abbey, and a Friday night fish fry at Oistins. Crop Over, the summer harvest festival, is the island's great party.
Key destinations in Barbados
BathshebaThe east coast's rock formations and surf: the Soup Bowl.
Oistins Fish FryFriday night: grilled marlin, flying fish, rum and dancing.- Platinum Coast beachesThe calm west coast: Paynes Bay, Sandy Lane, Mullins.
Historic Bridgetown and its GarrisonThe UNESCO-listed capital: Parliament, the Careenage, the Garrison Savannah.
St. Nicholas AbbeyThe 1658 plantation house: rum distillery, the steam mill.
Mount Gay DistilleryRum distilled since 1703: the Bridgetown visitor centre tour.
Harrison's CaveThe limestone cave system toured by tram.
Hover an island to explore it. Click a city pin to open its guide.
Top Cities & towns in Barbados
Regional food
- Cou-cou and flying fish, the national dish
- Bajan fish cakes and macaroni pie
- Rum punch at the Oistins fish fry
Getting there
Grantley Adams International (BGI) has direct flights from the US east coast, Canada and London. The island is small: ZR vans and buses cover it cheaply; rental cars drive on the left.