Barbados is so utterly romantic that the sands that soften its outline aren't always the clichid Caribbean white. Nope, on some Barbados beaches the sands are actually pink. The reason? The island is made up of hundreds of feet of limestone coral.
Founded by 64 British settlers in 1628, Barbados offers everything from cricket games to magnificent old sugar plantation homes. Military sites and rum distilleries also speak to the past, but a Barbados vacation need not linger there, not with so many beaches, mangroves, and sea caves to explore.
In Harrison's Cave, a tram follows an underground river and other low-tech pleasures typically a part of Barbados vacation packages are snorkeling and swimming, strolling through lush gardens with night-blooming flowers, and finding the perfect motto on a funny t-shirt for friends back home.
While the island's southern and western coasts don't get too many big waves, surfers flock to the east. Exposed to the Atlantic, it's not quite the pipeline, but visitors are encouraged to mind the undertow. The good thing about Barbados' southeasterly location is that it rarely gets caught up in the path of a hurricane. On average, it takes a hit only about every 26 years.
Events in Barbados
Atlantis Submarines
Daily
Bridgetown
The vast Atlantis Submarine off the coast of Bridgetown takes you down to the ocean's depths to view fascinating marine life. A...
Jan - Feb 2010 (annual)
Ball Plantation
Barbados Horticultural Society's annual show, held at the Ball Plantation, Christ Church, offers up a wealth of exotic flowers...
Nov 2009 (annual)
Bridgetown
Barbados achieved independence from Britain on 30 November 1966, after over 300 years of life as a colony. Every year Barbados...
Dec 2009 (annual)
Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre
Barbados' International Film Festival shows films from around the globe, with particular emphasis on independent works from the...
