Things to Do in Barbados: Top Sights and Original 3, 5 & 7-Day Itineraries
Barbados is a coral island where calm, turquoise Caribbean beaches on the west coast contrast with wild Atlantic surf on the east. Its long English history, friendly Bajan culture and claim to be the birthplace of rum give it a personality all its own.
Rent a car or hire a driver for a day or two: the island is only about 34 km long, and its caves, gardens, plantation houses and fishing villages are easy to combine with beach time.
Top things to see in Barbados
Carlisle Bay
A sheltered bay near Bridgetown where boat trips stop to snorkel over shallow shipwrecks and swim with green and hawksbill turtles.
Harrison's Cave
An electric tram carries you through a limestone cave of stalactites, streams and clear pools in the island's centre.
Bathsheba
On the rugged east coast, giant mushroom-shaped boulders and the Soup Bowl, one of the Caribbean's best-known surf breaks. Swimming is dangerous here; enjoy the rock pools.
Bridgetown and its Garrison
The capital and its 17th-century Garrison are UNESCO World Heritage sites. Visit the George Washington House, where he stayed in 1751.
Oistins Fish Fry
Every Friday night, the fishing town of Oistins fills with grills, music and dancing. Order flying fish or marlin with macaroni pie.
St Nicholas Abbey
A rare Jacobean plantation house from the 1650s with a small rum distillery and a heritage steam railway.
Crane Beach
Pinkish sand below cliffs on the south-east coast, with bodyboarding waves and a famous clifftop hotel.
Barbados in 3 days: an original itinerary
1Day 1 · West coast welcome
Settle into the calm beaches of Holetown or Mullins, try paddleboarding and take a sunset catamaran cruise with snorkelling stops.
2Day 2 · Turtles and capital
Morning boat trip to Carlisle Bay to swim with turtles, then walk Bridgetown's careenage and the Garrison.
3Day 3 · Caves and gardens
Harrison's Cave, then Hunte's Gardens, an enchanting tropical garden set in a sinkhole, and a rum punch at a roadside rum shop.
Barbados in 5 days
Follow the 3-day plan above, then add these two days:
4Day 4 · Wild east coast
Drive to Bathsheba for the rock pools, lunch with an Atlantic view and visit Andromeda Botanic Gardens.
5Day 5 · The north
Animal Flower Cave at the island's tip, the green monkeys of the Barbados Wildlife Reserve and St Nicholas Abbey.
Barbados in 7 days
With a full week, keep days 1 to 5 and finish with:
6Day 6 · South coast and fish fry
Crane Beach in the morning, Bottom Bay's palm-framed cove, then Friday-night Oistins.
7Day 7 · Rum and relax
A Mount Gay or Foursquare distillery tour and a final lazy afternoon on the beach.
What to do in Barbados on a weekend
Saturday: turtles in Carlisle Bay and Bridgetown. Sunday: Harrison's Cave and the dramatic coast at Bathsheba. If you're there on Friday night, don't miss Oistins.
What to do in Barbados in the evening
St Lawrence Gap on the south coast is the nightlife hub, with bars and live music. Holetown's restaurants and beach bars are more upscale, and rum shops offer the most local evening of all.
Barbados for couples
A private sunset catamaran, a candle-lit dinner on the sand on the west coast and a day at secluded Bottom Bay make Barbados a classic honeymoon island.
Barbados with kids
Calm west-coast beaches, turtle swims, the Wildlife Reserve and the submarine tours from Bridgetown are big hits with kids.
Practical tips for Barbados
Best time to visit
December to April is dry and sunny. June to November is the rainy and hurricane season, with lower prices. Crop Over, the island's biggest festival, peaks in early August.
Getting around
Cars drive on the left. Rental cars, taxis and the cheap local buses (blue government buses and yellow private ones) cover the island.
Frequently asked questions
Is Barbados expensive?
Hotels can be, but local food, buses and beaches are affordable; all beaches are public.
Can you swim with turtles in Barbados?
Yes, catamaran and snorkel tours stop at turtle spots on the west coast and in Carlisle Bay.
Which side of Barbados is best for swimming?
The west and south coasts have calmer water; the east coast is rough.