For me Barbados is a fantastic choice as a holiday destination, in fact I love it so much I chose to get married there last year. It may not be the prettiest Caribbean island, it sure isn't the cheapest island in the Caribbean and the roads aren't the smoothest either. But the island has a unique charm and style, which I find truly captivating and it has drawn me back on numerous occasions.
The beaches are some of the best in the world; you have the calm Caribbean side of the island and the rougher and more rugged Atlantic side, both of which are lined with beautiful, must visit beaches. The island offers virtual year round sunshine and warmth, and when the rain comes, it is nothing that someone from the UK or colder countries cant easily cope with.
It is one of the easiest islands to travel around, that I have ever been to, to travel around, in fact you could travel around the island in a day, if you were in a hurry, but of course your in the Caribbean and there's no need to hurry, as soon as I board the Virgin flight at Gatwick bound for Barbados, I leave that rushing around mentality at home. I go to Barbados to take things easy and relax.
Barbados offers a reasonable good choice of visitor attractions and sites such as Harrison's Cave, St Nicolas Abbey, Welchman Hall Gully, Sunbury Plantation house, The Barbados Museum, a huge choice of boat trips, submarine trip, vast choice of waters sports, international standard golf courses, a vibrant nightlife, with a vast of choice of cuisines to chose from including local to international.
From a personal point of view Barbados was and is an excellent choice for getting married, we couldn't have had a more memorable wedding day, the beach front location was stunning, the ceremony was a relaxed and beautiful experience, the Marquee reception was truly a fitting climax to the best wedding day we could have ever hoped for. The Hotel we stayed in, The Southern Palms was a fantastic place to stay and help provide the most memorable honeymoon experience anybody could have ever wish for!
For me what makes Barbados so special is that you don't have jam packed beaches like you do in countries like Spain, Greece, Italy or Croatia, or huge groups of drunken louts roaming the streets, also it doesn't seem like a whole council block full of people have moved home and are staying in your hotel!
Barbados at a Glance:
- The Capital of Barbados is Bridgetown.
- Barbados is the most eastern island in the Caribbean and has a land area of about 430 square kilometres.
- The official language is English and the island has a population of around 280,000 of which 90% are of African decent.
- The island is made from non-volcanic composition and is predominantly composed of limestone-coral.
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It has a tropical climate with constant trade winds off the Atlantic Ocean, which help to keep temperatures mild.
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There is an average of 8 to 9 hours of sunshine daily, with a temperature of between 75 F to 95 F year round.
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Barbados has one of the highest standards of living and literacy rates in the world. The human development index currently ranks it 31st in the world and third in the Americas, behind Canada and the USA.
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It has a democratic government and political stability.
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Barbados has good communications and utilities are available island wide.
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The Time Zone is GMT -4hrs, electricity is 110 volts/50 cycles, currency is the Barbados dollar and USA dollars are accepted everywhere.
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Barbados has strong links with Great Britain and was ruled by them until its independence in 1966, they even drive on the left side of the road.
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The best rum in the world is distilled in Barbados, which is called Mount Gaye rum.
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St Lawrence Gap a 1.3 km stretch of road in Christ Church is the main nightlife area of the island, a vast array of hotels, bars, restaurants, clubs and shopping.
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Crane Beach, which is located on the south east coast, was voted one of the 10 best beaches in the world by "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous".
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You can arrive in Barbados and get married in one day.
Barbados in my opinion is one of the best holiday destinations, not only in the Caribbean but in the world and this beautiful island offers something for everyone.
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