Barbados travel guide

Accra Beach / Rockley Beach is a long popular beach flanked by a car park, facilities, and hotels. There are plenty of sunbeds under parasols, which seem equal popular with locals and tourists alike. There are some rocks at both ends of the beach, but snorkeling should be best at the south end. You can take a stroll along the waterfront to the next beach further north, and the next one too.

On Barbados it’s hard to tell when one beach starts and the other ends. Brandons Beach and Brighton Beach are two of those which blend together. Brandens is the closest beach to the cruise ship harbour in Bridgetown, meaning you might need to share it when a cruise ship is at port. Else, it’s can be very deserted.

Bridgetown is actually a real town with people, shops, and offices. There are a few historical buildings here and there. Else, the first row of shops towards the harbour, where the big cruise ships come in, are mostly reserved for what cruise tourists apparently want, like souvenirs, jewellery, and random tax-free. As you venture further in, Bridgetown becomes a colourful, bustling Caribbean capital full of polite and friendly people, however without any significant sights besides the parliament building.

There are so many beaches on Barbados, all public. Strangely, they are not that different. All have the finest white sand and aquamarine blue waters. So it's more of a choice whether you prefer secludedness or a crowd. If you want to be a true local, head to the Hot Pot at the north end of Brighton Beach. A natural pool with particularly warm water as the cooling water from the nearby power plant flows out here – but be careful, there can be a strong current.

Holetown is not quite the dump as the name suggests. Here the main street is lined with expensive boutiques, like Louis Vuitton and Burberry. Holetown is actually the oldest settlement on Barbados, but of course not much is left from the early days in the 17th century. However, the police station and public library are still located in battered, light blue, kind-of-historical buildings, which are a charming contrast to all the fashion shops.

Mullins Beach is a slim slice of sand right next to the road. It has a lot of "fun in sun" at offer (jet ski, inflatable playground, etc.) which the keen vendors will keep remind you of. There are so many sunbeds squeezed in, that there is not much space around. This will appeal to beach-goers who don’t mind a crowd, or maybe even prefer one.

Oistins is a small community with a bit of a local vibe. There is a fish market, where the day’s catch get cleaned and sold. There are boats on the beach and sleepy fishermen are napping in the shade. Oistins is not particularly appealing, but the fishermen and rastas give the place character.

It's hard to believe that Speightstown once was Barbados' major port and is the second largest town in Barbados today, because it's very small. The town centre consists of no more than a few streets. There are some colonial buildings, which mostly look a bit shabby, and a couple of churches. Since there always have been a dribble of tourists to Speightstown, there are a few cafes, restaurants, and hotels, but not in the concentrations as further south.

St. Lawrence Gap is small chilled tourist zone with resorts, a strip with restaurants and bars, and of course some gorgeous beaches. But just one lane inland it gets very local with wooden residential houses in pastel colours and rastas resting under shady trees. It’s also here you find some of Barbados few budget guest houses.