Untitled Page

Back to Advert Listings

Barbados by Dale Nolan

The attractive and historic island of Barbados has rapidly become one of the most popular destinations in the whole of the Caribbean Sea. This tear-shaped island is packed with fine, white beaches, sugar plantations and coconut palms served up with an interesting blend of colonial charm and superb Creole vibes. From its music and food to its plentiful attractions, Barbados is a firm favourite with visitors and is the very essence of a quintessential Caribbean paradise.

Arawak Indians were amongst the first settlers to Barbados and evidence of their settlements can be found across the island. For many centuries, the island was fairly isolated and remained under-populated despite some colonial interest from the Portuguese in the 1500s. In 1625, the British arrived and the influence and population of the island grew significantly following large-scale introduction of sugar cane plantations cultivated by slaves. Following the abolition of slavery, Barbados prosperity grew and it enjoyed a relatively good level of autonomy from Britain not enjoyed elsewhere across Britain’s colonies. Despite an audacious attempt to become part of the Canadian Dominion, Barbados achieved independence in 1966 and its tourism industry expanded rapidly. Today, just like in the days of British colonialism, Barbados remains the gateway to the Caribbean and a major stopping-off point for luxury cruises.

The island nation of Barbados is divided into eleven very British-sounding parishes and includes some of the Caribbean’s premier tourist resorts. As a rule, the majority of the island’s beautifully long beaches are located along the calm, western and southern coastlines and include excellent beaches such as Mullins, panoramic Paynes Bay, Casuarina, Silver Sands, Accra and Sandy Beach. These stretches of sand shade from brilliant white to golden and have become very popular with both locals and tourist alike. Two of Barbados’ most noteworthy parish paradises are busy St. James and relaxed Christ Church.

St. James is often referred to as the Gold Coast and contains the vast majority of the island’s main resort areas. The parish contains a number of fantastic restaurants and has become a haunt of the rich and famous. The Gold Coast also boasts some of the best and most popular beaches in Barbados and has a range of snorkelling and scuba diving excursions to explore the spectacular coral reefs of Folkstone Marine Park. For those wanting to savour a little colonial history, nearby Holetown, is the sight where English settlers first arrived aboard the British ship ‘Olive Blossom’. A monument now marks the spot.

To the south of the island capital of Bridgetown is the fishing parish of Christ Church, which is less busy and includes several fabulously white beaches. The area is frequented by visitors looking for a more relaxed and laidback Barbados and also attracts windsurfers from across the world eager to try its splendid surfs. Like St. James, Christ Church has a good range of restaurants specialising in seafood and is within easy distance of Bridgetown.

The island capital of Bridgetown is a fantastic daytrip from the beaches of the west and south coasts. The small but colourfully painted town is one of the liveliest capitals