The capital of Barbados is Bridgetown which is also the largest city in the country. Located at the southeast of the ‘Town’ is Grantley Adams International Airport the only airport on the Island. It has daily flights to major cities in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and the Caribbean. Because there are no internal flights, you would have to travel around the country, using either a car or taxi. Car hire is, however, the best way to explore the country.
The best time to visit Barbados is from December to April which marks Barbados’ dry season. During the dry season, the sky is cloudless, the temperature is warm and there is average sunshine. The country also experiences high rainfall from June to November.
Visitors should clad themselves with lightweight clothes for the day, a sweater for nights, swimsuits to be worn on the beach, sun hats, sunglasses, sunscreens and mosquito nets/repellents. It should be noted that it is illegal to wear any army/combat type clothing. In addition, only knee-length dresses are considered appropriate around the Island.
Majority of the citizens of Barbados are Christians who speak English and a local dialect referred to as “Bajan dialect”. Barbados is generally safe. But as with any tourist destination, visitors should beware of purse snatching and pick-pocketing.
Barbados tradition is shaped largely by the influence of West African and British cultures. An important ingredient of its culture is music and pottery. The Tuk band who are musicians dressed in bright costumes playing drums and penny-whistle and the Barbados Landship, a cultural group which performs entertaining parades and intricate dances are the most popular.
Bajan cuisine includes cou cou and flying fish - Barbados’ national dish; fish cake, sweet bread, pudding and souse etc. The country is known as the birthplace of rum and sorrel drink - a Caribbean consumed as part of Christmas tradition. In Barbados, smoking in public places is considered illegal.
There are many eye-catching sceneries on the small Caribbean Island. The most visited places include:
- Crane Beach
- Bathsheba Beach
- Parliament Buildings
- Hunte’s Gardens
- Harrison’s Cave
- Gun Hill Signal Station etc.
Unlike the South Coast, the sea is generally calmer on the West Coast, thus, appropriate for kids and swimming. The South Coast has more nightlife and wilder beaches. HomeAway and Airbnb are great platforms to get accommodations on a budget.
If you ever visit Barbados, do not miss the country’s biggest and most popular festival: Crop Over and Barbados food festival. During the Oistins Fish festival, Bajans gather to celebrate the importance of fisheries. Other festivals include GospelFest, a festival for Christian worship, Sandy Lane Gold Cup, a horse racing event, Reggae Festival etc.
