- AirportGrantley Adams (BGI)
- CurrencyBarbados dollar (BBD), pegged 2:1 to the US$
- LanguageEnglish, Bajan
- Best timeDecember to April
Barbados sits a little east of the main island chain, which gives it two personalities: the calm, turquoise Platinum Coast on the west and the wild Atlantic coast on the east, where surfers ride the Soup Bowl at Bathsheba.
It's an easy island to love. The capital, Bridgetown, and its Garrison are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, rum shops dot every parish, and the Friday-night fish fry at Oistins is a weekly institution.
Top things to do
- Take the tram through Harrison's Cave
- Watch the surf and boulders at Bathsheba
- Join the Friday fish fry at Oistins
- Tour Mount Gay or St Nicholas Abbey rum distilleries
- Swim with turtles off the west coast
Tours & excursions on Barbados
Compare guided trips, boat days and tickets.
Landmarks on Barbados

Harrison's Cave
A tram ride through crystalline limestone caverns, streams and waterfalls.
Read guide →
Bathsheba & the Soup Bowl
Giant boulders, Atlantic surf and a world-famous reef break on Barbados' east coast.
Read guide →Map
Where to stay
West coast (St James)
calm sea, upscale hotels and villas
South coast (St Lawrence Gap)
lively, good value, near Oistins
East coast
rugged, quiet guesthouses for surfers and walkers
Getting there & around
Grantley Adams has direct flights from the UK, North America and other Caribbean islands. Buses and route taxis are cheap and frequent; driving is on the left.
Search flightsCompare car hire
Cross over: nearby islands & regions
Combine Barbados with a neighbour. Distances are straight-line.
Saint Lucia175 km away
Martinique227 km away
Grenada261 km away
Dominica316 km away
Cartagena & Colombia's CaribbeanNeighbouring region · 1,766 km
BermudaNeighbouring region · 2,191 kmHeader photo: Postdlf, CC BY-SA 3.0
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