Barbados, a small nation with beautiful beaches, captivating history and exotic wildlife, is the perfect destination for a short holiday. Here are five tours to get the most out of a visit:
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Barbados may be a small nation but it is rich in culture, history and wildlife. At just 430 km² – just over two times the size of Washington – it is easy to get a feel for even on a short vacation. With a circumference of around 100km you can drive round the whole island in three hours. A lot of people will be based in buzzing Bridgetown, with its 17th and 18th century colonial buildings, but making a trip to see the sites of the island is easily done with many excellent organised tours. Here are five of the best:
Barbados Shore Excursion Surf & Turf
It may only be a small island but Barbados is brimming with wildlife, including mongooses, eight species of bat, European red-footed tortoises and whistling frogs. Perhaps the most famous inhabitant is the green monkey and that’s exactly who you meet first on this tour. Starting with a visit to the Barbados Wildlife Reserve you’ll enjoy monkey feeding before heading off to Bathsheba, a surfers paradise, and onto the calm waters of Carlisle Bay to take to the water with an 80 minute excursion with Tranquility Cruises. Here visitors can swim with turtles and snorkel at a shipwreck. Finish off the day with a splash as you slide down Tranquility’s waterslide into the welcoming waters in Carlisle Bay. If wildlife and, let’s face it, just having fun is more important than historical landmarks, this is the tour for you. From € 106.84.
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Island Tour with Animal Flower Cave and Lunch
This tour is a great way to get to see the key attractions Barbados has to offer – and try out a rum punch too. Taking up a whole day, the tour skirts the perimeter of the island starting in Bridgetown with a visit to the Garrison, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that dates back to 1705. The island’s natural wonders are also included, such as Animal Flower Cave, an accessible ocean cave with steps leading inside and a coral floor, as well as a glimpse of the lives of millionaire inhabitants with huge beachside properties looking out on turquoise waters. Lunch, and that rum punch, are served on 850 feet high Cherry Tree Hill, so-called because of the cherry trees that used to line the roads, and then on to the rugged Scotland District, famous soup bowl surf spot, and an Instagram moment courtesy of the panoramic views at St. John’s Parish Church. For anyone wanting to get a feel for the island, its geography and different elements, this tour, led by a forever amiable guide, is great value. From € 93.72.
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4-Hour Private Customized Island Tour
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At just four hours this may seem like an expensive tour compared to other options but what makes it special is that it is completely customisable. Choose between inland or exploring the coasts, historical buildings or a chocolate factory, characterful Oistins, the smallest town in Barbados, or a trip to the wildlife reserve – the guide will help tailor the experience to what you want to see, nipping around the island in a private vehicle. For some, this could be too many decisions to make – and too many things to potentially miss – but for those who have a good idea of what they want, or who have seen much of it before, it makes good sense. From € 131.21.
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St. Nicholas Abbey in Barbados Small Group or Private Tour
For something a little simpler, this tour focuses on one destination: the 17th Century St Nicholas Abbey. That’s no bad thing as it’s a fascinating place with curved Dutch gables, coral stone finials, a Chinese Chippendale staircase and fine antiques and china. These days the property is home to an award-winning rum distillery which means sipping on samples of rum during a tour of the grounds. There is also an opportunity to add a visit to the Heritage Railway, with a trip on a restored steam engine, and take a round-trip ride to Cherry Tree Hill. Anyone with a taste for rum may find this tour hits just the right spot. From €82.41.
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5-Hour Island Tour with Lunch and Drinks
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This tour focuses on the at-times troubling history of Barbados, from the oldest settlements to plantations. You’ll see the Garrinson before heading off to Holetown, the first British settlement, as well as St. James Anglican Church, built on the site of the first place of worship in Barbados. St. Nicholas Abbey Plantation features a guided tour of the plantation house and its rum distillery before stopping for lunch and a drink at a local restaurant. Of course a lot of Barbados’ natural beauty, in the form of surf spots and expansive beaches, are taken in along the way too. The only slight issue is the price – at five hours long on paper it’s not as good value as other tours – but may be worth it to anyone wanting to understand the colonial history of the island. From € 137.77.
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