Barbados Holidays

Check out Barbados on a map – it looks like it’s accidentally drifted off from the main string of Caribbean islands. And it’s fitting really, since this place is a bit of a one-off. It’s a great shout for beach breaks, thanks to a pile of world-class stretches. But that’s not all it’s got going for it. It hits the mark for nightlife, culture and family holidays, too.

Afternoon tea, cricket, grand mansions – it’s almost like you haven’t left Blighty here. That is, apart from the toasty temps. There are some seriously preened botanical gardens and plantations to gawk at – from St Nicholas Abbey to George Washington House, where the first US President holed up in 1751. But it’s anything but stuffy. This place is still Caribbean at heart. You can join in with street parties in Oistins, or guzzle rum punch from a ramshackle beach bar in Rockley.

If you’re more of the fly-and-flop type, you’ve come to the right place. The mega-rich can’t get enough of the so-called Platinum Coast to the west. St James is the daddy around here – the town’s chock-full of glam hotels, beaches and golf courses. The south coast’s another beach babe hotspot, plus St Lawrence Gap chucks luxe shops, bars and clubs into the mix. The east coast throws its hat into the ring, too, with its rugged good looks and turtle-packed coral reefs.

Wave goodbye to departure tax, as we now cover this for First Choice holidays to Barbados.