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Barbados overview video poster
Caribbean

Barbados holidays

from £620pp
Based on 2 adults departing from London Heathrow on 23 April 2021, staying for 7 nights with Self Catering board basis

Barbados travel guide

Visit Barbados and fall in love with Caribbean island life. Discover beautiful white-sand beaches, a cosmopolitan and historical vibe, plenty of rum and sunshine and island music wherever you go.

Things to do in Barbados

Carlisle Bay, barbados
Carlisle Bay

Whiter-than-white sands, so don't forget your sunnies. Swimming heaven (say hi to the local turtles).

Browns Beach, barbados
Browns Beach

The island's queen beach of all beaches, with the sunset of all sunsets.

Dover Beach, barbados
Dover Beach

THE beach at hip St Lawrence Gap. Good times guaranteed, day and night.

Bathsheba, barbados
Bathsheba

Watch the local surf pros hang 10 on the island's wild Atlantic coast.

Worthing Beach, barbados
Worthing Beach

Walk along dreamy sands and feel time slow down around you.

The Mount Gay Rum Factory, barbados
The Mount Gay Rum Factory

Rum-lovers rejoice. You can sample the finest Bajan rum and see how it's made at the home of this world-famous tipple.

Afternoon tea at Sandy Lane, barbados
Afternoon tea at Sandy Lane

Raise your little finger over an afternoon cuppa under the shade of mahogany trees while you gaze out at the crystal blue Caribbean sea. A great way to experience the beautiful Sandy Lane Hotel.

Chillin' and grillin', barbados
Chillin' and grillin'

One of the many shacks in Oistins Fish Market, this is the place for super fresh seafood. Choose your fish, have it grilled, eat it. Couldn't be simpler - couldn't be better.

Tides, barbados
Tides

Get a beautiful, very smooth feeling overlooking the sea at Tides. Its set within huge tree trunks from floor to ceiling giving the illusion you're dining in a huge tree house.

Sandals Barbados, barbados
Sandals Barbados

Inspired by the natural beauty of the Caribbean, enjoy a range of treatments at Sandals' exclusive Red Lane® Spa.

Sandals Royal Barbados, barbados
Sandals Royal Barbados

Take time to rejuvenate at this Sandals-exclusive Red Lane® Spa, complete with yoga pavilion and a full range of treatments.

Waves Hotel & Spa by Elegant Hotels, barbados
Waves Hotel & Spa by Elegant Hotels

Enjoy up to four spa treatments per guest per stay, plus fitness classes, yoga and Pilates at this recently refreshed spa.

Fairmont Royal Pavilion, barbados
Fairmont Royal Pavilion

This corner of paradise offers in-room holistic spa treatments and massages in newly refurbished rooms.

Pebbles Beach, barbados
Pebbles Beach

Do your morning sun salutation while you watch racehorses from the nearby Garrison bathe in these waters.

Blakely's Bar and Restaurant, barbados
Blakely's Bar and Restaurant

A really laid-back vibe with live music and indoor/outdoor seating options along the bay of Rockley Beach.

St Lawrence Gap, barbados
St Lawrence Gap

Simply known as 'The Gap'. You can browse the souvenir shops and wander from beach to bar to restaurant in just a few steps.

Chrisie's place, barbados
Chrisie's place

A must! Find a rum shop and enjoy - it really is that simple.

Crop Over, barbados
Crop Over

The first Monday in August is always Crop Over in Barbados - one of the largest festivals in the world. Time to get your feathers out.

Howzat, barbados
Howzat

Hit one for six with an over on the beach

Island safari, barbados
Island safari

See the island's natural wonders on this friendly, reggae-on-the-radio tour.

Hike Barbados, barbados
Hike Barbados

Leave your sandals at home, tie on your boots, and walk through the island's cane fields, tropical forests and coastal communities.

Kitesurfing lessons, barbados
Kitesurfing lessons

Strap yourself in for thrills (and, yes, probably spills) at one of the windiest and waviest kiteboarding spots in the Caribbean.

Catamaran sailing, barbados
Catamaran sailing

Set sail to some of the island's best spots and drop anchor to snorkel, swim, roam the beaches, or just kick back and sip on something fruity.

Jetblading, barbados
Jetblading

One for the thrill-seekers. Strap on a jetpack and take the ride of your life on a water-propelled flight.

The Barbados know-how

  • Geography

    • Barbados is a small Caribbean island, 21 miles long
    • Bridgetown is the capital city
    • The island lies in the south east Caribbean

  • Health

    • Mosquitoes are most active between June and December, but we recommend bringing insect repellent all year round
    • It's perfectly safe to drink the tap water
    • Most hotels have nurses on site and you'll never be more than half an hour from a hospital

  • Barbados flights

    • It takes about 9 hours to fly direct to Bridgetown from the UK with Virgin Atlantic
    • Flights depart daily from London Heathrow, or you can fly twice a week from Manchester
    • Barbados is 4 hours behind the UK

  • Money and entry visas

    • You don't need a visa to visit Barbados if you're a British national
    • You can spend either the US dollar or the Barbados dollar
    • Barbados has a tax on accommodation (typically 2.5% of the nightly rate) that hotels charge at check-out

  • Eating out and tipping

    • Barbados cuisine is a mixture of African, Creole and British flavours, with fresh fish being particularly popular
    • A 10% tip is standard, but not expected in all-inclusive resorts

  • Weather

    • The weather in Barbados is tropical and sunny all year round
    • The dry season runs from December to May
    • The average daily temperature is between 24°C and 32°C

  • WiFi and electricity

    • WiFi is free across the island and in most hotels, but not as fast as in the UK
    • Electricity is 110 volts with two-flat-pin sockets

  • Out and about

    • The Crop Over festival runs from July to August and is the largest music festival on the island
    • Barbados is home to nesting sea turtles and you can see them across the island
    • Barbados is famous for its alcoholic tipples and there are many rum distilleries and breweries where you can sample the local brews

  • Getting around

    • Cars drive on the left-hand side of the road, just like home
    • Most tourists get around using local taxis or privately run shuttle buses, available from many hotels

Blog posts on Barbados and the Caribbean

Man diving into the Caribbean sea
An expert's guide on things to do in Barbados
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Coconut cocktails
A Foodies Guide to Barbados
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Mountainous islands out to sea
Which Caribbean island is for me?
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Over the past few weeks, we have repatriated our customers from overseas who wanted to come home.  

Please visit this page to keep up to date with the Government’s travel advice on returning to the UK, and to register for email alerts.
 

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We are continually reviewing our flying schedules, taking into account the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advice against all non-essential travel. Depending on when you are due to travel, your holiday may be affected and we’ll email you to let you know as least 21 days before travel.

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Don’t worry if you’ve missed a payment or just need a little more time to pay; we have options available to help you. If your holiday is going ahead as planned, you can continue to pay for your holiday in Manage my booking, even if travelling in less than 12 weeks. If you’re unsure, you can delay any additional payments by choosing a new time to travel by requesting a call back in Manage My booking for one of our team to look at options. If your holiday is more than 6 months away, you may wish to set up a Direct Debit to spread the cost. This can be arranged whilst rebooking or afterwards in Manage my booking.

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We understand that you may wish to change your holiday plans and we appreciate the need for flexibility. 

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Please look out for emails from us or visit our dedicated Covid-19 (Coronavirus) page for the latest updates.

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Payments are being prioritised based on when the request was made, working in order from March 2020 onwards. We will always try to process refunds at the earliest opportunity, for requests before August our maximum timeframe is 120 days. As we are steadily reducing the maximum processing time for each new request, for refund requests made in August, we expect the maximum processing time to be 80 days, from the date the refund is requested. For those requesting a refund in September, we expect it to be processed within a maximum of 60 days, and then reduce to 30 days for refunds requested in October, before returning to normal levels.

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