What to do in Barbados?

Firstly, it’s important to note that most readers may not be familiar with the location of Barbados. I wasn’t sure about its place in the Caribbean until I moved to Guadeloupe. Having lived in the Guadeloupe archipelago for almost two years now, after leaving French Polynesia, we decided to explore a place not too far away without spending a fortune. Our choice was Barbados. Several articles will follow about our visit to this destination, which is still relatively unknown to the French. In this initial article, I’ll give you an idea of what you can do in Barbados.

Keep in mind that we were there for 15 days, while many people only stay for one day. One question we were frequently asked during our stay was: what can you do in Barbados in one day? And you know what, it’s not an easy question to answer, haha. But I’ll attempt to address it at the end of this article.

If you’re planning to spend some time there, have a look at our full guide to accommodation in Barbados!

Although it’s not the purpose of this article (you can click on the link above for our top recommendations for accommodation on the island), you can look up places to stay on the map below!

I plan to write 4 or 5 articles about Barbados over time. So, I won’t go into too much detail here, but the goal is to give you a good idea of what to do and see if you have some time on the island. Although the island is relatively small, if you take your time, you can spend an enjoyable week here without getting bored.

Admittedly, we stayed for a fortnight, which may seem a bit long. Our aim was to spend time with our family, to relax and unwind. So, it was perfect for our situation. Without further ado, let’s get started. I almost forgot, we found a great price on a rental car with DiscoverCars, don’t hesitate to check it out.

To be honest, Bridgetown didn’t win us over right away. While there are lively streets like the famous Broad Street, the rest doesn’t stand out. We spent a morning casually wandering through the streets.

Many people visit Barbados for its beautiful beaches. The island boasts gorgeous, white sandy shores. However, there are a couple of things to keep in mind.

Firstly, there’s something unique about the island: the west and most of the south coast are fully developed, featuring luxury hotels, residences, and restaurants. Initially, it might seem a bit expensive and frankly uninteresting. In contrast, the less developed and wilder east coast offers a different experience, though with fewer beaches.

Secondly, your experience depends on the time of your visit. In April 2023, we encountered a significant amount of sargassum on the beaches. Sadly, the east coast was nearly impassable due to seaweed. While we could play with the children on the beach, swimming was impossible. It’s a pity because we glimpsed some genuinely untamed and beautiful spots. Without the seaweed, these places must be truly magnificent.

We explored the west coast in more detail, and it’s fortunate that the most beautiful beaches are there. The only challenge is finding beach access, which isn’t easy initially if you’re unfamiliar with the area. It took us several days to discover how to get free access to these magnificent beaches. In the end, you need to keep your eyes open and look for signs that say “Public Access Beach.” While the beaches in Barbados are still public, many people have privatized access to a significant portion of them. In our view, this is a real shame as it diminishes some of the charm of the place, although we acknowledge that some beaches are sublime.

Considering writing a comprehensive guide to all the Barbados beaches we visited. Meanwhile, here are some worth exploring:

• East Coast: Bathsheba Park, Bath Beach, Cove Bay
• South Coast: Bottom Bay, Crane Beach, Silver Sands Beach, Pebbles Beach, Dover Beach, Miami Beach, Rockley Beach, Foul Bay
• West Coast: Paynes Beach, Sandy Lane Beach, Batts Rock Beach, Mullins Beach, Heywoods Beach

For a quieter experience, especially if you’re with children, head to the west coast. The east coast beaches are also great (except for sargassum), but they are rough, making swimming more challenging.

Your experience depends on what you’ve seen before. Living in Guadeloupe Island, we had the chance to visit expansive botanical gardens covering several acres, a feature not found in Barbados. Nonetheless, Barbados has several botanical gardens well worth visiting. We personally explored three of them:

• Andromeda: a beautiful, airy garden with numerous plants and trees.
• Hunte’s Garden: considered the best-known and most famous garden on the island. It’s truly wonderful, especially for plant observation, though lacking in trees. Despite the small size relative to the price, it remains an enjoyable visit.
• Flower Forest Botanical Gardens: Our last stop, a blend of the first two gardens. Quite interesting if you have some time.

I plan to cover these three gardens extensively with photos in future articles. No rush, though – stay tuned! There’s another garden on the island, Tropical Garden Barbados, where you can explore numerous orchids.

While you might not consider it initially, like most limestone areas globally, and especially on islands, Barbados boasts stunning caves. Notable ones include Animal Flower Cave (our favorite) and Harrison’s Cave. For those less familiar with English, the word ‘cave’ simply means ‘grotto.’

I’ll delve into more details about these two caves, both worth a visit, in upcoming articles.

The Animal Flower Cave sits in the far north of the island, surrounded by a truly magnificent setting. An excellent restaurant on the cliff’s edge offers stunning views, and you can venture into an underground cave for a swim in an enchanting location. Despite being a bit crowded, it was nothing compared to the other cave. We personally had a fantastic time there.

Harrison Cave tells a different tale. Initially hesitant due to its apparent touristy nature, we eventually decided to explore. Advertised extensively across the island with a rather steep entrance fee, our family visit left us somewhat underwhelmed. It’s a pleasant spot showcasing classic stalactites and stalagmites, which kids find appealing. However, the overall experience leans towards that of an amusement park due to the crowds, not quite meeting our expectations.

I’ll delve into more details about these caves in upcoming articles.

During our stay, we discovered numerous cultural sites worth exploring. We made choices based on our preferences, but if you’re into such sites, there are plenty of short visits to consider. Here are the top three we frequented:

Initially in our plans, its location on the opposite side of the island from our Airbnb led us to skip it. However, we’ve heard positive things about this place, offering visits to an old abbey, a plantation house, a museum, and even a rum distillery. There’s a family-friendly mini-train tour, promising potential fun.

On the same site, don’t miss the Cherry Tree Hill Reserve lookout, rising 250 meters above sea level, providing breathtaking views.

This place was only fifteen minutes from our holiday stay, and we drove past it several times. The entire location seemed fascinating, and we visited in the late afternoon to enjoy the beautiful lights. Don’t expect anything visually extraordinary, but for an hour’s family walk, it was genuinely enjoyable. The site houses one of the oldest Anglican colleges in the region, constructed around 1714. It is still in use today for students and various ceremonies. Exploring the site and its ancient stones, which are over 300 years old, is possible with a paid visit. The site is well-preserved and a pleasant place to visit. You can spend an hour there and even enjoy an ice cream in the park at the end. A lovely spot, this Codrington College.

We visited this beautiful church, the oldest on the island, built in 1628, not far from where the first English settlers landed in Barbados. We went there on a day of mass, in the morning, and it was genuinely interesting to see. We could walk around the outside of the church, which houses some old graves. All in all, it was a very interesting experience to include in your trip.

Unfortunately, Barbados is not quite comparable to our daily experiences in Guadeloupe. It is relatively dry, with sparse forestation. Its geographical position in the Caribbean may contribute to this, but clearly, natural sites are not its strong suit. However, the east coast is much wilder than the west, and you’ll find some beautiful spots along the cliffs. For our part, we visited some natural sites, but there are others, as mentioned below.

Let’s be honest; we did this mainly for the kids. It’s a nature reserve teeming with diverse animals. The stroll along the paved, shaded path is both interesting and kid-friendly. Along the way, you’ll encounter chickens, peacocks, some deer, and a few monkeys. There’s even a room with reptiles, and the visit concludes with monkey feeding, creating a zoo-like atmosphere. It’s a delightful outing, though not particularly memorable for adults. However, if you’re traveling with children, it could be an engaging experience to consider, as kids always enjoy interacting with animals.

While we haven’t personally visited the other nature reserves mentioned below, here’s some information about each in case you happen to be passing through.

This is another ‘natural’ site in the parish of St. Thomas, an excellent spot for nature enthusiasts to explore a small rainforest, reminiscent of the island 300 years ago. You’ll discover a beautiful tropical garden with a variety of plants, perfect for self-guided exploration or a guided tour. The presence of monkeys (for children) and the remnants of caves along the way add to the charm. Feedback has been positive, and the photos are truly inspiring. We believe it’s well worth a visit!

Situated not far from the Barbados Wildlife site mentioned above, we don’t see this as a must-see. We all visited together, and while you can stroll through a beautiful yet relatively dry forest (compared to what we find in Guadeloupe) and explore a cave, there’s nothing particularly noteworthy apart from that and a few monkeys.

Here’s a site we unfortunately missed (discovered it upon our return to Guadeloupe). This site is renowned for its spectacular views of the surrounding area. You can stroll through the beautiful vegetation and explore the ruins of the 19th-century mansion. It’s definitely worth the detour!

We revisited it in the evening during our trip, as we live nearby. The atmosphere is genuinely pleasant and reminded us of the famous caravans on the island of Mayotte. Granted, it’s touristy and crowded, but it’s worth a visit to savor some delicious grilled fish in a local setting.

Barbados is famous for its rum, and touring a distillery on our trip could be a fantastic experience if you haven’t had the chance yet. We must admit that we’ve already visited nearly all the distilleries in our region, so we’ve moved on. However, if you’re new to the experience, it’s definitely worth a visit.

When we mention that we didn’t have time for certain things, you might think that we spent our whole stay doing nothing—haha! But remember, our primary goal was to come here to rest, relax, and have a good time as a family. The idea of scuba diving with Melanie was rather complicated as it would have required arranging childcare. Nevertheless, Barbados has several diving clubs and numerous dive sites. Diving conditions are generally excellent on the west coast, making it an excellent choice for beginners. Several sites are highly regarded, including the famous SS Stavronikit, Folkestone Marine Reserve, Carlisle Bay Marine Park, and SS Berwyn, to name a few.

If you have the opportunity to dive in Barbados, it’s well worth it, especially to explore the magnificent wreck of the SS Stavronikit.

Sure, it might sound cliché, but during our vacation, we opted for a day at a delightful hotel.

After some research, we selected the Savannah Beach Club and thoroughly enjoyed our day—relaxing, playing with the kids in the pool, and indulging in a beachfront buffet. Overall, it was a day of pure luxury, haha!

While we were there, the most common question was: what can you do in a day? Considering most tourists only spend a day here on a Caribbean cruise, it’s challenging to recommend just one activity. Yes, the west coast beaches are beautiful, but if you cruise around the Caribbean islands, you’ll likely discover even more stunning and less developed places. Instead, I’d suggest a visit to the caves, especially the Animal Flower Cave in the far north of the island. It’s truly worth a visit, and its cliffside location is magnificent. You can also enjoy lunch at the restaurant just above the cave.

I’m coming to the end of this article on things to do and see in Barbados. As they say, it may not be one of the extraordinary places to discover and see, but we had a great time as a family and, most importantly, we managed to switch off (especially me, haha).

At the end of the day, spending quality time with the people you love is the best!

See you soon for another article.

Written by Sylvain PONS

I had the opportunity to go on a 2-week family holiday to discover the island of Barbados, which is just a stone's throw away from Guadeloupe, where we live. Here are a few stories about the time we spent there!

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