Barbados - your top tips please!

[fredabear]

First time visit in a couple of weeks, really looking forward to it! What are your top tips for a successful trip?

Watching with interest.

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I haven't been for a while so I hope these places are still there, the cliff for dinner is an absolute must.
I also loved the lone star for food which is also a hotel now.
We just enjoyed the beautiful beach and ate amazing food.
We stayed at the sandy lane which was really lovely and I'm sure you could book to just go for drinks or dinner.
My dh took me there 6 weeks after we first met, it was probably them most romantic holiday I've ever had and where he first told me he loved me
He's not quite so romantic ten years on and four kids later but he's not a bad egg!!

Have a ride on the public buses - what an experience and also visit the less touristy east side of the island.

Take a catamaran cruise with diving some old wrecks. Totally fabulous.
If you can ride do a horseback tour of the sugar cane plantations and have a gallop on the beach.

Thanks holycityzoo sounds like you had a lovely time - we are with 2 teens, so won't be very romantic!

Barbados is one of my most favourite places! Whereabouts are you staying?

If you're in an all-inclusive resort, please make an effort to get out and about to see some of the island, as it's lovely.

Beaches on the West coast are lovely. The East coast is beautiful but very wild (on the Atlantic side of the island), and swimming is often forbidden because the sea is so rough. The West side is the Caribbean Sea so it's a lot calmer. Places on the South coast tend to be a mix of the two, so the sea can sometimes be a bit less calm.

Excursions we've done over the years:

• jeep safari
• submarine
• catamaran trip, and swimming with the turtles

If you go to Holetown, find a guy called Marvin Sobers (he's on Facebook). He has a glass bottomed boat, and will take you out for the day, fishing, and also to swim with the turtles

The Cliff restaurant is lovely (not cheap though!), and also Tides.

I'm very jealous!

Thanks shadowboy D is desperate for a gallop on the beach!

Catamaran trip for sure. We loved 'jammin ' if it's still there!

Thanks BIWI

We're on west coast, glitter bay villas self catering (which I much prefer to AI!). I have booked cool running catamaran through the villa management company and would like to hire a jeep for a day or two to explore.

barbados.org/oistins-fish-fry.htm#.W1yUraTTXYU

The East side is beautiful. So different to the rest of the island.

Hire a car and explore. The island is so small that it's easily doable and straightforward to get your bearings. Lots of deserted hidden beaches. Foul Bay took my breath away.

The Atlantis Hotel just outside Bathsheba is lovely for lunch. Check for the dates of their brunch buffets. Possibly Sunday and Wednesday?

Just enjoy the culture and pace of life. Very jealous - Barbados makes my heart sing :o

that looks fab backaftera2yearbreak!

Thanks HeyMacWey I have a feeling we're going to love it and wonder why we've never been before!

Best night out I’ve ever had! Felt like the entire population appeared about 9pm and danced the night away. Will never forget it.

Also did a jeep safari, that was awesome.

Go on Friday though, and get there at 7ish to grab food then get a good seat!

You are staying on a really beautiful beach Alleynes Bay is so lovely, I'm sure you will have a great time.
You are very close to Lone star restaurant which is stunningly amazing, Tides is another restaurant to go to in Holetown and Cin cin a bit further on. The catamaran trips are very popular and Island safari trip taking you around the island worth going on if you aren't hiring a car.

Hire a car and you can explore the whole island easily. We had a meal at The Cliff - pricey and probably more an adult only feel to it but you can stop just for a drink. Oistin's Fish Fry on a Friday night (fantastic atmosphere).

As for day trips you could try a catamaran day trip with snorkelling and the Atlantis submarine. Visit the East coast because it's more rugged but very beautiful. As well as all of the above, ask the locals for lots of recommendations on places to eat and visit - one of our best meals came out the back of a truck selling hot food which all the locals used to buy lunch! Have a great holiday, the island and its people are fantastic.

So excited now thank you all!

Which Apartment are you staying in? We stay there or Sugar Hill every year and just love it!

Must do for lunch and dinner
The Lone Star
The Fish Pot
Daphnes
The Cliff Beach Club
All get very booked up so I recommend you book NOW.

Less formal for lunch
Santis
Jujus
Mullins
Zaccios
Santis and Jujus are a pleasant stroll up from Glitter Bay as is the Lone Star which is a must for Sunday Lunch but do book asap. The turtles come close to the Lone Star and Santi and Freddie the sunbed man sells fish to feed them. If you prefer a glass bottom boat to snorkel Marvin is always on the beach at Glitter Bay. If you are saying at one of Marilill Trulans apartments she will have his number.

Lime Grove for shopping and flint opposite for breakfast or coffee pit stop

I would recommend the local bus, great fun and stop outside Glitter Bay main entrance and will drop you anywhere.

If you need a babysitter there are some fab ones that operate in Glitter Bay and your management company will have numbers or if you prefer to speak to them beforehand pm me and I will give you details.

Finally be warned it is very expensive, you are talking £100 for a very basic breakfast shop, take cereal, coffee, crisps, biscuits etc and allow a good £300 a day or more for 2 meals out!

Have a fab time x

Enjoy my island, it is the best!

Cool Runnings is a great Catamaran. Island safari (jeep trips) are great. Cuz's fish cutter van by Pebbles beach is a must.

Also you should try and get up to St Lucy- either the Animal Flower Cave in North Point or anywhere on the coast really. Stunning.

Also at Glitter Bay Rocky the sunbed man is a sweetheart makes a fab rum punch and will reserve your favourite spot for you every day x

More fab advice thank you so much! We're in 312 user glad you've had good experiences there. Will make sure we book a couple of swanky meals before we get there.

Quick practical question - I know I need to take US adaptor plug, but also conscious that my GHDs didn't work in US so am I wasting luggage space taking them to Barbados?

Marking

If they dont work in the US they wont work there. My ghds are multi voltage worth investing in some if ypu go to that part of the world regularly x

I have naturally wavy/frizzy hair and Barbados is the only place I just gave up trying to straighten it!
As soon as I stepped out of the air con pooom! Frizz ball I just ended up putting it up!