The Caribbean Sea is one of the most beautiful areas on the planet and a wonderful vacation destination and more at hand than Polynesia, for example. The islands each have their own character and form a universe of several languages because all the colonial powers of Europe have passed through them.
Among those islands is Barbados. Columbus arrived on its shores on his first trip to America, but in the seventeenth century it fell into the hands of the English and remained so until the 60s. The famous singer Rihanna hails from here, of this beautiful land with unforgettable beaches and landscapes. If yours is the Caribbean, here I leave you a lot practical information for visiting Barbados, the Paradise.
Barbados
It seems like the name of the island comes from the local Indians baptized by Europeans as barbados. Its first settlers arrived from the Venezuelan coast and later other peoples such as the Arawak and the Caribbean Indians were arriving. During the first decades of the seventeenth century the English arrived, built forts, installed batteries, and brought in settlers.
During colonial times the island's economy revolved around sugar, huge plantations supplanted the farms of the first settlers, who emigrated to the southern United States, and then the slaves from africa. Slavery was abolished throughout the British Empire in 1834 although a more democratic system had to wait for the XNUMXth century.
Today part of the British Commonwealth and independent since 1966.
Why visit Barbados
On the west coast of Barbados there are many important hotels and restaurants, it is the great honeymoon destination of the British and many Americans. It has exoticism, a lot of green and a group of varied and very good beaches, with the ocean forming ponds on one side and with wild waves on the other.
In Barbados you can enjoy nature, visit colonial plantations and relax. Within Caribbean standards it's a pretty safe island And if in other destinations in the region you must always move in organized groups, here you can explore on your own. Then, When is it convenient to visit Barbados?
The best time of year to go to Barbados is from January to April: it is the dry season and low humidity. It's a little less hot than the rest of the year. The Hurricane season It is between June and November and storms usually occur between August and October. The truth is that if you travel at the end of the summer or in the fall, you have the possibility of bad weather or rain.
Yes, in winter prices are higher So if you go between Christmas and April, be prepared for very high rates. The month of May is a very good option because the prices are lower and the weather is good. Also the first days of December or the first half of May.
What to visit in Barbados
We can divide the island into five parts: the west coast, the south coast, the east, the interior, Bridgetown and its environs. On the west coast are the best beachess and the most expensive hotels. The south coast is less developed and the beaches tend to have more people as there are surfers and it is safer to swim.
The east coast is the Atlantic and it really has very few places to be. The interior of Barbados is of hills and plantations, caves and botanical gardenss and finally there is the capital that has the most historic buildings and the Garrison area that is World Heritage.
These are some of the best beaches in Barbados: The island has about 80 white sand islands and many are among the best in the world. The Accra Beach It is in Rockley, on the south coast, and is one of the most popular and is just less than five kilometers from the capital. You arrive by public transport and it is very familiar. The Mullin Beachs is golden sands, is on the west coast and is also super popular with locals and tourists.
La Gibbes Beach it is surrounded by trees and is not commercial at all. The best private houses on the island are hidden nearby and if you go in low season you almost have the beach to yourself. The waters are calm, the seabed has some rocks and you can swim looking at impossible mansions on the coast. You can get there by walking from the Mullins, if the seas are low.
There is a beach that they say Miami Beach but it's called Entreprise. It is white sand and is on the south coast, at the foot of the coastal village of Ostins. It is a favorite with locals on weekends. There are strong waves, a beach bar to buy food and some small hotels. Crane Beach is one of the best in the world: it has pink sands, palm trees and cliffs. Beautifull!
If you have money you can stay at the Crane Resort, a luxury hotel. This beach is on the southeast coast so it is good for surfing. The resort bar sells sandwiches, salads, and pizzas. How do you get there? Public access is at the eastern end of the beach but the hotel has its own elevator. Another beautiful beach is that of Payne's bay.
White sands, calm waters ideal for swimming, it is covered in 20 minutes on foot and sometimes there are sea turtles. There are several hotels around and you can sign up for a tour to swim among turtles for around $ 100 for four people. The Ju Ju beach It has a reef nearby so it forms a great pond to swim with more turtles.
It has a friendly bar that serves grilled fish and rents out sun loungers and umbrellas. To see famous people, especially in winter, you must go to the sandy lane beach although it does not have the best public access and is located to the south. On the east coast is the Cattlewash beach, extensive, ideal for long walks in the afternoon. It has no hotels, no resorts or housesIt offers a beautiful view of the Barbados hills and is cooled by the ocean breeze.
Finally there Bottom Bay, on the southeast coast. You leave the car on the cliff and going down a ladder you reach the sand, the blue sea and the coconut palms, and the Silver Ro beachck in which winds blow that allow kitesurfing and windsurfing. As a bonus track I recommend Little bay, a tight bay between high and wild cliffs that forms a wonderful pond and has some holes through which jets of water explode.
Barbados is basically about beaches and nature. Although there is a local culture and you have, as we said, colonial plantations to visit and some museums, what it is about is to spend, relax, enjoy the sea and eat. That is Barbados.