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Holidayco.co.uk specialises in cheap barbadian holidays, package holidays and late deals to a huge number of destinations. Find out more about Barbados in our guide below.

Holidays in Barbados

Barbados is located in the Caribbean Sea to the northeast of Venezuela. Originally a 'sugar island' and a British possession, Barbados has diversified its economy over the years. Today tourism is more important than sugar. The island became independent from Britain in 1966.

The island itself is a coral formation lifted out of the sea in ages past by volcanic activity. Coral reefs fringe the excellent white sand beaches, creating a wonderful environment for scuba diving. Inland, the terrain rises to an area of central rolling hills with their own fascinating animal and plant life. The core of the island is coral, creating a number of caves and underground lakes.

Barbados is warm and sunny throughout the year, though in the 'rainy season' (June to October) there are often quick showers. Steady northeast winds ensure that the temperature does not become excessively hot. Nights are a little cooler.

Barbados Facts At A Glance

Area: 431 square km.

Climate: Tropical with a rainy season from June to October

Terrain: Flat in coastal regions rising to highlands in the central region

Population: 279.3 Thousand

Languages: English

Currency: Barbadian Dollar

Time Zone: 4 Hours behind GMT

International Dialling Code: +1 246

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Places to visit

The capital of Barbados is Bridgetown, with a population of some 80,000 people. The town has numerous shops and small businesses, and if you want to so shopping the Bayshore Complex located just outside of town offers plenty of opportunities. The complex was restored from the Harbour Police building, dating from 1800. It contains historic exhibits and contains a pond and waterfall with several species of fish living in it.

The harbour is home to a number of fishing boats and pleasure craft offering fishing trips and luxurious cruises around the island. There is also a submarine tour, allowing visitors to see the undersea world close up without getting wet.

The other towns on the island are rather small, but each of them has plenty of offer.

Speightstown in the north has an art gallery and some nice shops. Once an important commercial centre it decayed over time but has been restored.

Holetown in the west was the first settlement on Barbados. It has a good selection of hotels, restaurants and nightclubs.

Oistins on the south coast has considerable historical importance to the island. Oistin’s Fish Fry is the second most popular tourist attraction on the island.

Things to do

Barbados was an important asset to the British Empire, and in its time was heavily defended. As a result the island has a fine collection of cannon. More than 400 have been found, some of them in quite unusual places. Some of these guns are very unusual, such as the Victoria Gun. This was the first rifled muzzle-loading cannon cast in Britain. The island’s collection also has one of the two surviving Commonwealth Cannon. The Main Guard House has 26 of the most significant guns on display outside it.

Discovered in 1795, Harrison’s Cave allows visitors to discover the underground world of Barbados’ unique geography. You don’t even have to walk – a tram will carry you through the passages past the stalagmites and stalactites and the pools and falls of the underground streams.

Bridgetown is a nice place to stroll around and just soak up the Caribbean atmosphere. In Queen’s Park are two Baobab trees that have to be seen to be believed. With a girth of almost 15m, the smaller of these trees if over 250 years old. The Synagogue with its Gothic arches is well worth a look. Originally built in 1654 it has been destroyed by hurricane and fallen into neglect at times but has been lovingly restored. Today it is both a historical monument and a working synagogue. The Jewish community in Barbados were extremely important since they brought their experience and skills gained in the sugar industry elsewhere when they came to the island to escape Dutch persecution.

For an insight into the heritage of Barbados and the other sugar islands, visit the Morgan Lewis sugar mill. One of only two restored mills remaining in the Caribbean, the mill demonstrates how sugar was produced using wind power in the heyday of British colonial expansion.

For a more active or sporty time, Barbados has plenty of action on land or sea. Watersports on offer include kite surfing, kayaking, sailing, surfing, windsurfing, scuba diving and even swimming with turtles.

On land there is Cricket of course. You can also watch horse racing, polo and other sports, play a round of golf or explore the island on foot or horseback.

If you want to get around the island, car hire is available. As an alternative, a 4x4 jeep safari is on offer. It includes a guided tour of some of the island’s best sights (some of them quite well hidden) plus a stop at the beach. As part of the tour you can feed the turtles. A buffet is also included.

Much of the nightlife revolves around local music (mainly calypso and reggae), but there is also international music and karaoke on offer. Bridgetown has a couple of good nightclubs and there is entertainment available at some of the hotels and restaurants.

As you might expect, seafood is popular on Barbados. Local and international cuisine including Italian and Chinese food is also on offer in the island’s restaurants. Booking in advance is advisable, and while formal dress is not necessary for eating during the day it is required for evening dining in many restaurants.

Barbados is of course famous for turning its plentiful sugar crop into something altogether more civilised – Rum! The distilleries each have their own character. Take a tour and learn about the rum distilling process and its importance to both the local way of life and the Barbadian economy. Or conduct your own research with a tall drink at a table by the beach.