If you’re fortunate enough to be visiting the Caribbean island, Barbados then I’m sure you’ll be blown away by the magnificent country, crystal blue sea and incredible people. I want to share with you a few recommendations of when to visit, where to stay, what tourist attractions to visit, the best places to dine and the mode of transport to use when on a budget. (I hope this information is useful for you.)
First things first, it is important to do some research before booking the ‘holiday of a lifetime’ especially when visiting Barbados as the weather is something to certainly be aware of. Barbados doesn’t have the typical four seasons like most countries as it is so close to the equator, therefore there is the wet season and the dry season. With this in mind, the best months to visit are January through to April as this is the driest and least humid season with temperatures reaching highs of 24 – 28 degrees. The official hurricane season runs from June to November, with most major storms occurring August to October so avoid booking a trip between these months because you will probably be disappointed! Unfortunately, when my partner and I visiting the island, we hadn’t done our research and we travelled in August. When we arrived we were greeted with rain and a brewing storm instead of sunshine so it's essential to take note of this advice in order to have a sunny holiday.
The hotels in Barbados are truly amazing so there is no real need to search and search for the best accommodation because every hotel is designed to facilitate every tourists need. My partner and I stayed in a self catering villa in the west coast as we were on a tight budget however, we explored many hotels and each one never failed to disappoint us. If I were to return to the island, I would definitely stay in the 'Colony Club' hotel in the West coast, St James, as it is a 5* resort with 20 luxury poolside rooms with private pool access. You are welcomed to many watersport activities as well as having live entertainment brought to you every evening. http://www.fivestaralliance.com/luxury-hotels/bridgetown/colony-club
In regards to venturing outside the resort, the island is pretty safe, so while in some other Caribbean countries many holidaymakers only venture out on the occasional excursion, in Barbados you can explore freely and you should because it's such a beautiful country with many untouched natural white sandy beaches.
There are many tourist attractions that my partner and I visited on our trip and without doing these we wouldn’t have become so fond of the spectacular country. In my opinion, the wildlife reserve is something that must be done by everyone visiting, as it’s a real eye opener to the wildlife that the island has to offer. You’ll get a chance to see the colourful parrots, giant tortoises, lizards, monkeys and amazing flowers gardens.
The ‘End of Rum season’ festival is something that can’t be missed as the locals all join together in a spectacular event to celebrate the end of the rum season. All the roads are closed off and everyone gets drunk off rum whilst the ladies dance up and down the street in fancy costumes on the tops of lorries blaring loud Caribbean music. Of course, it depends what time of year you visit Barbados, as this event is held in August however, if you are in the country during this month it is definitely worth going to as it is such a cultural event that will quite literally blow you away!
The best spots for snorkeling are the quiet, deserted areas, as tourists haven’t had the chance to scare the fish away. When my partner and I went snorkeling, we got on a bus to Speightstown which is about a 10 minute journey from where we were staying in Holetown, west coast and boy was it worth it! We saw all sorts of amazing fish, as well as a baby turtle and a barracuda – thank goodness the barracuda wasn’t in a school, as I probably wouldn’t be here right now to tell you the story. So, when snorkeling rural places be aware of your surroundings at all times to ensure that if something was to appear out of nowhere, there is a quick escape route from the water.
The south coast of the island, ‘Bathsheba’ is the best place for surfing, as the sea is the rough Atlantic, which creates ideal conditions to catch some good waves. The lifeguard is always happy to rent out his board for tourists to have a ride on, and there is surfing instructors on the beach teaching people how to surf. There are a few quaint but informal restaurants/ cafes to eat in after you’ve come out of the sea, and there are shower facilities nearby to use freely.
With the exception of hotel rates, most things on the island are priced in Barbados dollars (BDS$) However, you can usually pay in US dollars, though you'll be given change in Barbados dollars. The exchange rate is fixed at BDS$1.98 to US$1. It is important for tourists to understand the currency before handing over the cash, as you might find that some locals will try rip you off so be aware.
It takes roughly 8hrs:30 to get from London to Barbados, and eight hours flying back to London. If you are thinking about going to Barbados on holiday then its definately worth the visit! I hope the information has been useful and you've enjoyed reading this blog post!
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