Barbados Travel Guide: Sandy Toes in the Carribean

I first went to the island of Barbados in September 2016, and have been there 7 times since then. That’s right 7 times and I love it as much every time.  There is something about that island that I just can’t get enough. People are super friendly, the beaches are beautiful, rum punch is absolutely delicious and music is in their blood. No wonder why Rihanna is so talented. Even though the island is super small (34km x 23km) there are plenty of things to do.

So here is a handy list of my favourite things to do in Barbados that will be super useful for your trip planning!

Oistins

You haven’t enjoyed the full Bajan experience until you’ve been to Oistins. It is a fish market located on the south part of the island. If you want to eat the best fish fresh out of the sea that’s the place to go. It is also well known for the « Friday Fish Fry ».  The vibe is amazing. It is basically a mixture of locals and tourists eating, drinking and dancing. They have reggae songs playing all night long on a stage right by all the restaurants which makes it super fun. You will eat and dance like there’s no tomorrow. The only down side about going to Oistins on a Friday night is that it gets very crowded so it can take up to 1-2 before getting your food. But trust me it’s worth it ! Make sure to go see Ralph at Chillin & Grillin he will make sure you have the best time.  I would recommend going around 7-8pm.

Miami beach is a really nice beach by Oistins. When there’s no wind and the water is calm, it is a good spot to go StandUp Paddleboarding or Kayaking.

Crane Beach

Definitely one of the islands most beautiful beach. The water doesn’t get any bluer than that. The beach gets pretty wavy which makes it good for boogie boarding. There’s also a medium high cliff to jump from. You can stay at the Crane Resort & Residences. It is a beautiful resort. I didn’t stay there but you can sneak in and walk around, it is gorgeous. They have a few pools as well as hot tubs, restaurants and local boutiques.

Bottom Bay

Is tucked away on the south coast about 10 mins past Crane Beach. This beach isn’t as well known by tourists and that’s why I like it. Last time I went, my friends and I had the beach to ourselves. The scenery is gorgeous as you are surrounded by palm trees and coral cliffs. It is the perfect place to have a quiet afternoon reading. Be careful, there’s a lot of current and is not the best place to swim.

Carlisle Bay

It is a natural harbour located on the south end of the island. It offers one of the best snorkelling in the Caribbean. You can either pay 30-40$US to go out on a boat for about 1:30 or you can do it my style for free. You swim from the shore to the shipwrecks. They are very easy to find because all the boats are parked besides them. It is probably a 10 mins swim, so if you’re comfortable in the water I would suggest to swim there. Make sure to bring your GoPro or your underwater camera as you will see tons of turtles.

Make sure you go to the Boatyard and ask for « Wiz » he will make you amazing drinks. The Boatyard is a waterfront restaurant where you can enjoy the beach and relax. They offer chairs, umbrellas, ocean trampoline, rope swing, volleyball net, snorkel tour (for free), music and wifi. If you pay 25$US $ (or 50 BBD $), it goes towards the bar/restaurant and you have access to all those amenities above. You definitely want to have the fish cakes & the coconut shrimps. In my opinion they’re the best you will find on the island.

Silver Sand

The swell and the waves gets pretty intense over there which makes it perfect for all the watersports junkies. During the winter, from January-May, tradewinds create perfect conditions for kiteboarding. As a kiteboarder myself, I love this spot ! The water is super blue, the waves gets big and as you’re riding there’s a good chance you might see turtles under your board. It is an intermediate to expert kiting beach, so I wouldn’t recommend taking any lessons there. If you don’t kite, have a drink, si back and enjoy watching all those kites.

You can stay at the Silver Point Hotel. I didn’t stay there so I don’t know how it is inside, but I used the pool and the cabanas and it was really nice. You can also order drinks from the bar besides the pool.

Bathsheba

The village of Bathsheba located on the east side of Barbados is home to a small community of fishing folks and surfers. It is a hideaway for both tourists and Bajans who frequently weekend there in their cottages along the shore.

Surfing Soup Bowl is a famous spot for experienced locals and international surfers to compete. Waves get really big which can be pretty impressive to watch people surfing. But, I would recommend this place for beginners.

If you’re staying on the south side of the island, you will definitely need a car to get there, as it would take you hours by bus. You can rent a car for approximately 30-35$US/day.

Coconut Court Beach Hotel

You can’t miss happy hour at Coconut Court where you are surrounded by beautiful coconut trees. It is from 5-7pm everyday and Antonio will be serving you some really good rum punch. It is 2 for the price of one, and be careful they’re really good ! I go there everytime and each time is as fun. You can always count on meeting some people to chat with while having drinks barefoot on the beach.  

But the coolest thing is that you can watch a movie on the beach every Sunday night at 8pm. The staff put out long chairs, they set up a big screen and it is available to everyone. They even give you free Popcorn. How awesome is that ? All you have to do is show up, watch a movie and eat Popcorn on the beach !

Rockley Beach

Go to Tiki Bar. They also offer happy hours, They have a variety of 68 local drinks as well as a DJ who plays good tunes. But I mainly love this waterfront bar to watch sunset.

St.Lawrence Gap

It is a 1.3km stretch of road in Christ Church. It is well known for it’s fine restaurants, good shopping and nightlife. The gap has tons of nightclubs but my 2 favourites are Old Jamm & The Cove. Old Jamm is definitely one of the hottest bars to party at in BGI.

Accra Beach

Also one of my favourite beaches. Good spot to do a Jet Ski tour.

Sunset Cruise

Forget about the booze cruise, do a sunset cruise. Unless you want to party on a boat during the day, I would highly recommend a sunset cruise. You also get unlimited free drinks and get to swim with the turtles, but you get to watch a Caribbean sunset which in my opinion is way better. We did it with Tiami Catamaran Cruises and it was about 70$US, worth every penny. The staff was super friendly and made our experience a success.

Things to know about Barbados

Flight: 5 hour Direct Flight from Toronto (YYZ) to Barbados (BGI). Best way from Dubai is to search flights from London as British Airlines fly direct to Bridgetown Airport (BGI). Expect to pay around 2,300AED (~630#US) round trip from London, which is amazing! We always use SkyScanner to compare flights. Before booking we check Google Flights, Kayak and the airlines’ website to make sure we found the best deal.

Local Currency : Anywhere you can either pay with Bajan money or US Dollars. 10 BBD S = 5$US, so it’s 2 for 1

Do I need a car in Barbados?

Unless you want to go on the east part of the island you don’t need a car. If you do, just a heads up the wheel is on the right side and you drive on the left side on the road. You will take what is called a « ZR ». It’s a white van and it’s super ghetto. They have reggae tunes on and can probably fit around 15 people in it. They come every 2 mins all day/night and you can catch them anywhere you are on the street. It’s 2 BBD $ (1$US) and will bring you everywhere. Remember Barbados is a very small island and easy to get around.

Where to stay in Barbados?

I stayed in Airbnb as well as hotels and there’s no better options. Of course, it will depend on your budget and your needs. If you are on a low budget definitely get an Airbnb it’s cheaper and more local. You can find an Airbnb from 40$US/night to 5000$US/night. The one we stayed at was only 60$US/night and it was right on the beach. They’re some very nice hotels as well, but they’re definitely more expensive.

Food Tip

If you haven’t had it yet get a roti, some “macpie” and a double. Barbados is known for its food. You absolutely cannot leave the island before you’ve had that.

I hope you will enjoy the island as much as I do and to not hesitate to hit our team up if you have any questions and/or want to get in touch for extra advice.

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