Barbados in brief
- Direct flights from the UK in about 9 hours, and no visa needed.
- Choose the calm west coast or the lively south coast.
- Top things to do: Bridgetown, turtles in Carlisle Bay, Harrison’s Cave and the Oistins fish fry.
- No swimming pigs (they’re in the Bahamas), but plenty of turtles.
Barbados is one of the easiest Caribbean islands to love: direct flights from the UK, soft white beaches on calm Caribbean water, a wild Atlantic coast, the birthplace of rum and a famously warm welcome. Choose between the elegant west coast and the lively south coast, explore the capital Bridgetown, go underground at Harrison’s Cave and swim with turtles over the shipwrecks of Carlisle Bay. This guide covers the best things to do in Barbados, the best places to visit, the coasts, the truth about swimming with pigs, food, festivals and when to go.
West coast or south coast?
Barbados is small, about 34 km long and 23 km wide, and the most easterly island in the Caribbean. Most places to stay are on two coasts:
| West coast (Platinum Coast) | South coast | |
|---|---|---|
| Sea | Calm, clear Caribbean water | Calm in the bays, breezier and with more waves further east |
| Feel | Elegant and quiet, with fine dining | Lively and relaxed, with bars and local restaurants |
| Towns | Holetown, Speightstown | St Lawrence Gap, Oistins, Hastings |
| Best for | Couples, honeymoons, snorkelling | Families, groups, nightlife, watersports |
The east coast faces the Atlantic: dramatic and beautiful, but the sea is rough and best for surfers and walkers, not swimming. For places to stay, see our Barbados holidays.
The best things to do in Barbados
Bridgetown
The capital’s historic centre and its Garrison are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. See Parliament, one of the oldest in the Commonwealth, the Careenage harbour, the duty-free shops of Broad Street and the Garrison Savannah, where horse racing has been held since the 1840s.
Cricket fans can visit the Kensington Oval.
Swim with turtles in Carlisle Bay
Just south of Bridgetown, the calm water of Carlisle Bay hides several shipwrecks in shallow water, now covered in coral and fish. Boat trips stop here to snorkel with green and hawksbill turtles, and often visit turtles off the west coast too.
It’s the best answer to “swimming with pigs”: see below.
Harrison's Cave and the gardens
In the centre of the island, a tram takes you deep into Harrison’s Cave, past stalactites, streams and pools in a crystallised limestone cavern.
Nearby, Hunte’s Garden is a magical tropical garden in a sinkhole, and Andromeda Gardens overlooks the east coast.
Oistins Friday fish fry
Every Friday night, the fishing village of Oistins on the south coast turns into a huge street party, with stalls grilling fresh fish, music and dancing. It’s where Barbadians and visitors go to eat flying fish and dolphin fish (mahi-mahi, not the mammal).
Go early to get a seat, or late for the dancing.
More things to do
- Rum: Barbados is often called the birthplace of rum, and you can tour distilleries and a 17th-century plantation house with its own rum in the north, St Nicholas Abbey.
- Bathsheba: on the east coast, giant rocks stand in the surf at the famous Soup Bowl surf break. Watch, don’t swim.
- Animal Flower Cave: a sea cave at the northern tip, with pools and views of the Atlantic.
- Green monkeys: see the island’s monkeys, plus tortoises and deer, at the Barbados Wildlife Reserve.
- Holetown and Speightstown: Holetown is where the English first landed in 1627; Speightstown is a quiet old port.
- Catamaran cruise: a day sailing the west coast, with snorkelling and lunch on board.
- Watersports: paddleboarding, kitesurfing at Silver Sands in the south, and diving.
Can you swim with pigs in Barbados?
No. There are no swimming pigs in Barbados. The famous swimming pigs live in the Bahamas, on Big Major Cay (“Pig Beach”) in the Exumas, more than 2,000 km away, and are easily confused with Barbados because the names sound alike. What Barbados does have is something many people love even more: swimming with sea turtles. Boat trips from the west and south coasts take you to snorkel with green and hawksbill turtles, often in Carlisle Bay over shallow shipwrecks. Turtles also nest on the beaches, from about May to November.
The best places to visit in Barbados
Carlisle Bay: calm water, turtles and shipwrecks, next to Bridgetown.
Mullins and Paynes Bay: classic west coast beaches with calm water.
Crane Beach: pink-tinged sand below cliffs on the south-east coast.
Bottom Bay: a wild, palm-fringed cove in the south-east.
Miami Beach (Enterprise): a local favourite, calm on one side.
Bathsheba and the east coast: for scenery, not swimming.
Food, rum and festivals
The national dish is flying fish and cou-cou, a cornmeal and okra dish. Also try fish cakes, macaroni pie, pudding and souse on Saturdays, a “cutter” sandwich at a beach bar, and Bajan pepper sauce, which is hot. Rum punch is everywhere, and every village has its rum shop. The big festival is Crop Over, which began as a celebration of the end of the sugar cane harvest and runs through the summer, ending with the Grand Kadooment carnival parade in early August.
When to go
Barbados is warm all year, with highs of about 28 to 30°C. The dry season, from December to May, is the most popular and the busiest, especially at Christmas and Easter. June to November is wetter, with short tropical showers, and is the Atlantic hurricane season; Barbados lies east of the main hurricane track and is hit less often than many islands, but storms do happen. Summer brings Crop Over and fewer visitors.
| Month | Average high | Rainfall |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28°C | 30 mm |
| Mar | 28°C | 25 mm |
| May | 29°C | 25 mm |
| Jul | 29°C | 85 mm |
| Sep | 30°C | 105 mm |
| Nov | 29°C | 100 mm |
10-year ERA5 averages for Bridgetown.
Getting there and entry
- Flights: direct from London and some other UK airports to Grantley Adams International Airport in about 8.5 to 9 hours.
- Visa: British citizens don’t need a visa; you’ll be told how long you can stay when you arrive.
- Getting around: taxis, a hire car (driving is on the left) or the local buses and minibuses.
- Two centres: Barbados combines well with a quieter island such as Grenada or St Lucia, with New York, or with a Caribbean cruise from Bridgetown.
Ideas for your trip
Barbados beach week
- West or south coast (7 nights)
Beach days with a turtle snorkel, Harrison’s Cave and Oistins on Friday night.
Two coasts
- South coast (4 nights)
- West coast (6)
Start lively, finish quiet.
Barbados and Grenada
- Barbados (7 nights)
- Grenada (7)
Add the Spice Isle, a short flight away.
Practical tips
- Entry: no visa for British citizens. Check the FCDO Barbados advice before you book.
- Swimming: currents can be strong, even on popular beaches, and not all have lifeguards. Swim on the calm west and south coasts, not the east.
- Camouflage: it’s illegal for anyone, including children, to wear camouflage clothing.
- Manchineel trees: don’t shelter under trees marked with red paint during rain; their sap burns.
- Money: the Barbados dollar is fixed to the US dollar, which is widely accepted.
- Dress: beachwear is for the beach; cover up in town.
Frequently asked questions
Can you swim with pigs in Barbados?
No. The swimming pigs are in the Bahamas, on Big Major Cay in the Exumas. In Barbados you can swim with sea turtles instead, on boat trips to Carlisle Bay and the west coast.
What is there to do in Barbados?
Snorkel with turtles in Carlisle Bay, explore Bridgetown, go into Harrison's Cave, visit Hunte's Garden, eat at the Oistins Friday fish fry, tour a rum distillery, see Bathsheba and take a catamaran cruise.
What are the best places to visit in Barbados?
Bridgetown and Carlisle Bay, the west coast beaches such as Mullins and Paynes Bay, Crane Beach and Bottom Bay in the south-east, Harrison's Cave, Hunte's Garden and Bathsheba on the east coast.
Is the west or south coast better in Barbados?
The west coast is calmer and more elegant, best for couples and snorkelling. The south coast is livelier, with more bars and restaurants, and suits families and groups.
When is the best time to visit Barbados?
December to May, in the dry season. It's warm all year; June to November is wetter and is the hurricane season, though Barbados is hit less often than many islands.
How long is the flight from the UK to Barbados?
About 8.5 to 9 hours direct from London.
Can you swim on the east coast of Barbados?
It's best not to. The Atlantic side has strong currents and big waves; enjoy the scenery at Bathsheba and swim on the west or south coast.
Do UK citizens need a visa for Barbados?
No. British citizens can visit without a visa, and you're told how long you can stay when you arrive.
Keep planning
- St Vincent and the Grenadines guide
- Barbados holidays
- Grenada holiday guide
- Antigua and Barbuda holiday guide
- Saint Lucia holidays
- New York and Barbados
- Barbados and St Kitts
- Cruises from Barbados
- Tailor-made holidays
- Tobago holiday guide
- Caribbean islands guide
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