Barbados is the «most English» island in the Caribbean. They play cricket here, take tea at five, drive on the left, and Bridgetown’s colonial centre is on the UNESCO list. At the same time this is the home of rum and the birthplace of Rihanna — and for a citizen of Azerbaijan it is visa-free for twenty-eight days.
The island is small, just thirty-four kilometres by twenty-three. Even so it has two entirely different coasts, one calm and turquoise, the other wild and full of waves. Below I go through what to see on a first trip, how to get around, what to eat and how much money to set aside.
Barbados in brief
| Capital | Bridgetown |
| Language | English |
| Currency | Barbados dollar, 2 BBD = 1 US dollar; dollars accepted everywhere |
| Visa | 28 days visa-free for citizens of Azerbaijan |
| Best time | December–April; the Crop Over festival in July and August |
| Flights | Via London, 18–20 hours in all from Baku |
| Daily budget | 200–250 dollars at a mid-range level |
The coasts of Barbados: which side to stay on?
They call the west coast the «Platinum Coast», and the name explains everything. The Caribbean Sea here is as calm as a pool. The villages of Holetown and Speightstown are on this coast. The most expensive hotels and villas are there too. Early in the morning you can swim with sea turtles. The south coast runs from Bridgetown to Oistins and is livelier and better value. In Carlisle Bay you swim over sunken ships. In the evening you walk St Lawrence Gap. And on Friday you go to the grill night at the Oistins fish market, where the whole island gathers.
The east coast is already the Atlantic. The rocks and surfers of Bathsheba await you; swimming there is dangerous, but the view is the island’s finest, so going and coming back in a day is enough.
Bridgetown is a half-day city with its colonial parliament building, the Careenage harbour and the market. Inland there are Harrison’s Cave, Hunte’s Gardens and the rum distillery at St Nicholas Abbey, and together the three make a day’s excursion programme.
How to reach Barbados from Baku
Bridgetown’s Grantley Adams airport has the best links with Europe of anywhere in the Caribbean. British Airways and Virgin Atlantic fly daily from London, the journey takes eight and a half hours, and in the winter timetable flights open from Frankfurt and Manchester too.
For us the most comfortable route is Baku, Istanbul, London and Bridgetown. As long as you do not leave Heathrow’s transit zone, no British visa is needed.
Barbados is also the air hub of the eastern Caribbean. There are 30–45 minute flights to St Vincent, St Lucia and Grenada, which makes island-hopping from here possible. Ticket prices to Bridgetown are at their highest in December and January, while May and November are the best-value months.
Transport in Barbados: blue buses and ZR minibuses
This is perhaps the only island in the Caribbean where public transport genuinely works. The state buses are blue and the private minibuses yellow. The minibuses they call «ZR» are the fastest and noisiest option: the music is at full volume and the driver is always in a hurry. On all of them a ride costs three and a half Barbados dollars and takes you to any point on the island.
Taxis have no meter; the price is set by an official table, and from the airport to the south coast is 20–30 US dollars. If you arrive on a night flight, ordering a transfer in advance both fixes the price and removes the wait.
Car hire is 50–70 dollars a day and the local temporary permit ten. Traffic is on the left and the roads are narrow, but you can drive round the island in a day. Cruise ships dock at Bridgetown harbour.
Food and rum culture
The national dish is flying fish and cou-cou: fried flying fish with a purée of cornmeal and okra. Macaroni pie, fried chicken and the fish sandwich they call a «cutter» are sold everywhere. Take the Bajan pepper sauce carefully; it is far sharper than our pepper.
The Oistins Fish Fry held on Friday is both the island’s best food and its cheapest evening. Grilled fish is 15–20 dollars and the live music is free.
Rum here is not merely a drink but history. Mount Gay is reckoned the world’s oldest rum brand, and a distillery tour is 20–30 dollars. The «rum shop» cafés in the villages are the centre of local life, where people play dominoes and talk politics.
Dinner in a restaurant is 40–60 dollars and lunch in a café 15–20. A ten per cent service charge is often added to the bill by the restaurant itself.
Read next: Do you need a Barbados visa? 28 days visa-free and the online entry form
Season and the Crop Over festival
It is 26–30 degrees all year. December to April is the dry and expensive season, May to November the wet and cheaper one, and June to November the hurricane season. True, Barbados is on the southern edge of the Caribbean hurricane belt and suffers far less than the other islands, but take insurance all the same. July and August are the time of the Crop Over festival. This is the celebration of the sugar cane harvest, held with costumed parades. The two-month carnival ends with Grand Kadooment. In those weeks finding a hotel becomes hard. The festival calendar and the arrival rules are on the Visit Barbados portal.
The Barbados budget
On the west coast a hotel starts at 300 dollars, on the south coast it is 120–200, and an apartment 80–120. Excursions are 50–100 dollars and a catamaran trip with the turtles 90.
Excluding the flight, a week-long trip fits into 1500–2200 dollars per person, which is mid-range for the Caribbean. Cards work everywhere, and a little cash in US dollars is enough for the bus and the market.
The island also works well as the start of an eastern Caribbean route. In Caribbean islands tour programmes Bridgetown is usually combined with St Lucia and the Grenadines, and all of them are visa-free for us.
Frequently asked questions about Barbados
Is Barbados suitable for a family trip?
Yes, especially the west and south coasts: the water is shallow, medical care is good and the towns are safe. Do not swim with a child on the east coast.
Are 28 days enough?
More than enough for a tourist. Those wanting to stay longer get an extension at the immigration office. A week on the island and a week on the neighbouring islands is the ideal plan.
Do you need Barbados dollars?
No, you do not. US dollars are accepted everywhere at a rate of 1:2, and the change comes back in Barbados dollars.
In closing
Barbados is a Caribbean island that needs no visa, has transport that actually works and good links with Europe — the easiest start for a first Caribbean trip. The entry rules and the online form are explained on the Barbados page, and to choose the route via London and the hotel together, fill in the application form.
Note: the prices and timetables here are as of the publication date and can change with the season.
