Unique Things To See in Barbados

An Overview of Barbados

Barbados is a gloriously beautiful island country found in the southeast portion of the Caribbean Sea. The island is known for its extrodinary and beautiful coastline with soft sands, aquamarine waters and bendy palms. The island has many beautiful natural sights and a especially robust nightlife around Bridgetown, the island’s urbanized, shoreside capital. Rain in the region is one of the major deciding factors, with January to April being the “sunny season and June to November making up the “rainy season.” Thanks to its gently sloping lands, thriving urban centers and stunning beaches, there are many unique things to see in Barbados.

Advice When Visiting Barbados

As a major tourism capital, Barbados has its share of petty crime aimed at visitors. Be sure to be aware of immediate surrounds and take normal safety precautions for wallets, purses, passports and phones.

Life in Barbados generally moves at a slower pace. Expect to wait a little longer for meals or service while enjoying the island nation’s ambiance.

While visiting Barbados, be aware of hurricane and tropical storm season, which extends from June to November.

English is the primary language in Barbados, and all documents and signs are written in this. However, locales speak in a dialect known as Bajan Creole or Barbadian Creole.

Festivals in Barbados are quite common. Expect to see surges in visitors during festival seasons, especially around winter holidays.

Barbados specializes in Bajan Cuisine which is a fusion of culinary styles. The island nation is especially well-known for Cou-cou and Fried flying fish.

The entire urban areas and outer portions of the island are easily navigable by rental car or public transport. There are no rideshare companies around the island, but taxi services are prevalent. Official services include the Barbados Transport Board, Public Service Vehicles (PSVs), Route Taxis/ZR and Taxi Cabs.

US Dollars are widely accepted, but the official currency of Barbados is the Barbadian Dollar which stays at a fixed rate of US $1: BDS $1.98. Cash is accepted virtually everywhere while cards are best for tourist areas and Bridgetown. Note that some stores may ask to see your passport or other ID when using a credit or debit card to purchase goods.

Tipping culture is common in Barbados, with tips usually hovering around 10 to 15 percent throughout the island.

When using sunscreen in Barbados, ensure the sunscreen used is reef-safe to prevent damage to the delicate marine habitats that surround the island.

Unique Things to See in Barbados

Crane Beach

This is a unique beach well-known for it’s rugged cliffs, low sand dunes, brilliantly clear waters and pink-tinged sands.

Folkestone Marine Park

This is a stunning marine park and coral preservation area known for it’s precious coral reefs and shallow sea turtle sanctuaries. Visitors have two carefully marked areas where watersports are permitted and a scientific zone where visitors can snorkle in peace.

Barbados Wildlife Reserve

Found in the parish of Saint Peter, this is a four-acre mahogany forest near Farley Hill. It’s a preservation site for Barbados’ unique and rare wildlife, including green monkeys. There’s an entrance fee to explore the reserve.

Hunte’s Gardens

This is a unique attraction created inside a 150-foot-deep sinkhole created during a massive landslip. The base of the sinkhole has been converted into a unique “sloping garden” where bright tropical plants cascade along the curve. Hunte’s Gardens sit in the lush hills of St. Joseph, open from 9AM to 5PM.

Harrison’s Cave

This is a popular tourist attraction showcasing a fantastic cave system known for it’s calcium-rich water drips. There are excellent, eye-catching formations throughout the caverns.

The Animal Flower Cave

One of the most phenomenal features of the island can be found at the base of the rugged cliffs of northern Barbados. Accessible through a series of steep coral steps, this cave space offers truly awe inspiring glances over cliffs and seas. However, the cave’s most unique features are the elegant, blooming sea anemones. There are swimming cave tours with local guides every 15 minutes. The area is also known as a fine area for whale spotting, bird watching and cliffside lounging.

Andromeda Botanic Gardens

Now owned by the Barbados National Trust, this is a fantastic series of tropical gardens filled with flourishing plants, flowers and trees. The gardens include a small café and gift shop. There is a moderate entry fee.

The Barbados Parliament Building

Found in the heart of Bridgetown and designated as a UNESCO-protected property, these are gorgeous, free-entry historic buildings vital to the culture and history of Bridgetown.

Farley Hill Mansions

Built in 1850 by Sir Graham Briggs, this was once a massive estate known for its opulence while hosting royal visitors. The structure was destroyed in a devesting fire, but the remains and surrounding land were converted into Farley Hill National Park. The bones of the structure can still be seen draped in tropical foliage.

Bathsheba Beach

Situated on Barbados’ east coast, this beach is filled with tumbling, dramatic rock formations. The area is famed for rigerous waves and the island’s famous “Soup Bowl” where international surfing competitions are held. Note that the seas are rough and volitile here, so swimming is unsafe.

Blackboard Screw Docks

This is a unique historical site found in Bridgetown’s center. The area has largely fallen in disrepair, but the old port is beautiful even in its state of decade. There are rusted hulks and large screwlike-machines which once allowed the docks to be sealed full of seawater or left empty to allow workers to maintain ship hulls. The area offers a unique, semi-preserved glance at heavy-duty British engineering.

The Nidhe Israel Synagogue and Museum

Designated as a UNESCO protected property, this restored synagogue offers an interactive museum, historic structure and preserved cemetery. The site is one of the oldest synagogues in the Western hemisphere.

Tropical Garden Barbados

This is a pleasant tropical garden with winding paths filled with planted sugar cane, tropical plants and bright orchids.

The Richard Haynes Boardwalk

This is an immensely popular 1.5-mile boardwalk route along the south coast of Barbados. It’s an especially easy strolling route, making it popular for walking, jogging and sunset views.

Needham’s Point Lighthouse

Found close to the center of Bridgetown, the Needham’s Point Lighthouse is one of the remaining four historic lighthouses of the island nation. It’s a popular landmark and sea-viewing point.

Welchman Hall Gully

This glittering, green forest gem is home to numerous nature walks, cave tours and tropical wildlife trails. The gully is especially well-known for the protected troop of green monkeys who call the area home.

St. Nicholas Abbey and Steam Railway

Though slightly pricey, this scenic railway route curves through the northern portion of the island nation on a small Jacobean steam engine. The route winds through a 1658 sugar plantation, a Jacobean mansion and a historic rum distillery.

Sunbury Plantation Great House

This is a large plantation estate preserved from the 17th century with antique furnishing, landscaped gardens, beautiful interiors and a courtyard restaurant.

Morgan Lewis Sugar Mill

This historic wind-powered sugar mill is the last of its kind, the only surviving sugar windmill in the entire Caribbean. From the 18th to the 19th centuries, this structure ground sugar cane, the most profitable of Barbados’ exports. Visitors who sign up for the tour are welcome to sample the cane juice produced by the mill.

Carlisle Bay

This is a lovely beach area with serene, calm swimming waters found on the Southwestern coast of Barbados. The bay is home to six hold shipwrecks, making it popular with snorkelers and divers. Visitors gazing at the ocean floor can also sight marine animals including rock lobsters, sea turtles and native fish.

Barbados Boardwalk

While boardwalks trace large sections of Barbados, this boardwalk is one of the island’s most popular attractions. Found south of Bridgetown, this boardwalk connects the lovely Accra and Camelot beaches. It’s especially popular for visitors hoping to enjoy sunrises or sunsets.

The Cricket Legends of Barbados Inc.

An entertaining, lovingly maintained museum dedicated to the esteemed sport of Cricket.

Mini Moke Rentals

One of the ways to explore the shores and dunes of Barbados involves a “mini-Moke” which serves as a convertible beach buggy. These are available for rent throughout the island.

The Garrison

Officially known as St. Ann’s Garrison, this is a small district located in the country of Barbados filled with small, unique and compelling attractions. Visitors can enjoy the Garrison Savannah which hosts horse races and offers traditional Barbadian snacks. The Barbados Museum & Historical Society is also nearby, as is the George Washington House, which United States President George Washington briefly lived in when he was 19 years old.

Cheapside Market

Barbados is full of unique, thriving local markets and farmers’ markets. Cheapside Market is one of the best to visit street vendors while glancing at the local Bajan culture.

St. Lawrence Gap in Holetown

This is a popular nightlife venue famed for it’s clubs, bars, dance venues, hotels, restaurants and other Bajan cultural hotspots.

The Baobab Tree of Queen’s Park

Located near the center of Bridgetown, Queen’s Park is home to an outstandingly old and wide-trunked Baobab tree.

Festivals of Barbados

Oistins Fish Festival

Taking place every Easter weekend annually, this massive festival is dedicated to the thriving fishing culture of Barbados. Visitors flock to the scenic fishing village of Oistins in the parish of Christ Church to sample local snacks and enjoy one of the largest community festivals of the nation.

Barbados Jazz Excursion

Taking place annually in the autumn on Colobus Day weekend, this festival offers a vast series of shows centered around stellar jazz musicians.

Sol Rally Barbados

The Barbados Rally Club offers the largest annual motor sport event of the Caribbean. The Sol rally Barbados is the largest shakedown feature of the event, showcasing races, vehicles, music and parties.

Barbados Reggae Festival

Taking place for four days in April and May, this music festival centered around Reggae music is a popular annual attraction in Barbados.

Crop Over Summer Festival

Widely considered the most popular and colorful festival of Barbados, this is a three-month-long summer festival dedicated to Barbadian music, arts, food, culture, parades and dancing. The festival ends with a massive grand carnival with a history stretching back to the 17th century.

Holetown Festival

Taking place in mid-February, this week-long celebration contains shows, parades and cultural activities celebrating the arrival of the first settlers in Holetown in 1627.

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