r/Barbados • u/Gingernlemontea • 8h ago
I see no red flags, is it okay to swim here.
Right now it’s pretty calm and I can swim for hours. The water looks so inviting and is nice and warm.
r/Barbados • u/AffectionateWeb7803 • Dec 05 '21
Hey,
I've been getting chat requests on things to do in Barbados and I love to help how I can. I was born in Barbados and live there half the year with the other half between the US and UK. Even though I may not be here when you arrive, feel free to ask any questions. I will add a suggested 7 day break down here, but ask away if you have any specific requests or queries!
**Day 1**:
Relax. Literally, do nothing other than go to the beach and lay there and settle in. International travel is so incredibly difficult right now. So take a day to appreciate that all the choices you made in life led you to laying on a beach in Barbados with a drink in your hand. Get some good local food. Macaroni Pie with Fish and salad from Oistins, or some food from near your accommodation or a place nearby. I know when we go on holiday we want to go right away, but trust me. Today is a chill day.
**Day 2**:
Catamaran cruise. I don't have any recommendations on particular ones, but they all usually leave by the boardwalk in Bridgetown and travel up the west coast. Bonus points if they stop in Carlise Bay at the beginning or at the end so you can swim with the turtles and shipwrecks. In my experience, they usually offer unlimited drinks and a full Bajan meal on board! After that you may be pretty tired, so you can find a nice evening activity, the food you want to try, or meet up with friends at a bar for a drink and chill. (Chilling will be a running theme :) )
**Day 3**:
You would have gotten lots of sun yesterday on the boat and that really drains you, so you can find some tours you would enjoy doing. When my friends visit a staple is the Mount Gay Rum factory tour near Bridgetown. It was the first rum ever invented, and they tell you the whole process down to how they source the barrels and how they get different colours and flavour rums. They give you 5 or so shots to try, so be sure to eat before or you may get knocked off your rocker ( looking at you Sarah L).
Food I recommend before is either Tim's restaurant on Broad Street or Mapp's in Eagle Hall. It's a local favourite and in a very local area. Lots of Bajan culture to be found by Mapp's! Simple menu. Medium or Large portion of the best-marinated chicken you can find and chips/fries. It's worth it. Trust me. Another tour you can do this day is the Harrison Cave tour. It really shows how Barbados was formed as an island compared to other islands. They are volcanic, and we are limestone. There is a tram that goes through the cave, and the cave is huge huge huge. the tram ride in 45 minutes through the cave. They have done an amazing job lighting it and the guides are incredibly knowledgeable.
**Day 4**:
Island Tour time! You can rent a car for around $75 US per day including full insurance, and get a visitor's driver's license for $5 US, just show your license from your home country and you are good. We drive on the left side of the road, so it will be par for the course for Brits, but if in your home country you drive on the right no problem. I lived in the US for a long time, and the rule I use when switching to driving here is, the driver is always in the middle of the road. Our steering wheel is on the right side of the car, so driving on the left the driver is in the middle. In the US it's the opposite, the cars are left-hand drive, so driving on the right side of the road the driver is in the middle. 15 minutes or so and in my experience it becomes like clockwork.
Alternatively, you can also get a local taxi to take you. I recommend local ZM taxis over big tour buses, it's a more personalized experience, and they give you TONS of great information and answer questions, etc. I usually do tours up the west coast, then down the east coast. Suggested sports of interest starting from the south: Gun Hill Signal Station, Welchman Hall Gully to see the monkeys being fed, up to Speightstown, Animal Flower Cave, Cherry Tree Hill ( in my opinion the most beautiful view in Barbados), drive along the east, to Bathsheba, St. John's Church, Bottom Bay ( if you are in luck the man will be there that climbs Coconut trees with no equipment or ropes, picks you a coconut, the makes a Pina Colada in it the fresh coconut he just picked for you!), Oistins for food and drink. That was a full loop of Barbados and could go through every parish. This is just a general guide, feel free to add to take away as you like!
**Day 5**:
Open to whatever you want to do. This is usually a chill recovery day. It's easy to get lost in time here, but you just spent 3 days seeing and experiencing so many amazing things! So take it all in. Usually, I take my friends snorkeling this day and have some nice local food. I've snorkeled all along the west coast (new COVID lockdown hobby in 2020), the best spots are the Shipwrecks in Carlise Bay. It's kind of far out, and I'm going to urge caution before anything else, you can pay for a tour boat to take you to the spot and provide life jackets and for people, I do not know I will recommend that option first and foremost.
For those that want to swim out, go to the gazebo, swim straight out from there, and by the buoys, you should start to see them. There are 5 wrecks some sunk during the wars, some sunk on purpose to form a marine park, and one drug runner boat! There are thousands of fish, lots of coral, with luck and timing. with may see turtles and stingrays! The second spot that is kind of unknown is Reed Bay or Thunder Bay. There is a beach bar here, so it is great to get a drink after a nice memorable swim! There is snorkeling on the left side and right side of the beach. The right side is good for beginners and intermediate, and the left side where the waves break out into the water is for intermediate-advanced. The waves break out there because it is a very shallow reef. You can swim behind the waves and out, but do not swim where the waves break because you can bash into the reef and that's real bad.
I suggest you take a buoy marker with you since jet skis and boats frequent this area and may not see you without a red diver below the marker! Lots of coral as far as you can swim. IMPORTANT! Before you go snorkel check the tide, google tide in Barbados. At high tide, the water is rougher and this causes the sand to get churned up and visibility is really bad and you won't see much. I usually go out in the middle of low tide, then the sand has had time to settle. Please please please be safe! We have a saying the ocean has no backdoor, so while snorkeling is an amazing hobby, take every precaution possible and I never recommend snorkeling alone, always take someone with you. The Buddy system is best!
**Day 6**:
You may be leaving this day or preparing to leave. Going to Bridgetown to spend some time getting souvenirs, and good food is a good option. Hero's Square, walk Swan Street and Broad Street. Walk the boardwalk, get some food, walk over the bridge that gave Bridgetown its name. It's a good time. I also recommend getting on a yellow bus. They are privately owned and it's a good experience. They play reggae music, and locals use them a lot, so you will really feel like you are in Barbados when you are on one. Something that may not cross the mind, but a bus ride is a great way to see any place you are in. It's $3.50 BBD or $1.75 US for a ride anywhere on that route. I really like the Speightown route, Sam Lord's Castle, or Bathsheba.
The blue buses are government-owned and only take exact money, the yellow and white ones give change. Locals are friendly, so feel free to ask any questions and we are usually happy to help. If it is your last day, I also recommend going back to the beach and relaxing. Go on a jet ski, a glass-bottom boat. A gentle swim or something to chill and relax before you head back home.
**Day 7**:
Similar to day 6. Take some time to bless the moment and enjoy that all the choices you made in life led you to be in Barbados making memories. :)
There is the end of my suggested week in Barbados. I've has a dozen friends come to visit me, and they have all enjoyed the pace and activities. I hope you enjoy your time here. If you need anything or have any questions, you can reply here. I hope you enjoy our beautiful island!
r/Barbados • u/Gingernlemontea • 8h ago
Right now it’s pretty calm and I can swim for hours. The water looks so inviting and is nice and warm.
r/Barbados • u/frasermarshalll • 1d ago
flying here to go on a cruise in april
r/Barbados • u/Subject_Ad_4942 • 17h ago
Hello everyone!
If there was a piece of software or a website you wish existed in Barbados, what would it be? I’ve been seeing a lot of new “websites/software” being built, but it seems like many Bajans aren’t really interested in using them. And honestly, I think that comes down to one thing: software is supposed to benefit people, not create more headaches.
I’ve been hearing a lot of mixed opinions about things like BimPay, and it got me thinking. The whole point of technology is to make things easier, faster, and more convenient not add extra steps or make simple things more complicated.
So I’m curious: What’s something you wish existed in Barbados that would genuinely make your life easier?
It could be an app, website, payment solution, booking system, delivery service, anything!
I’d genuinely love to hear what problems Bajans think technology could actually solve. 👀
r/Barbados • u/Outrageous-Fuel9757 • 18h ago
Where can I get a doctors note for sick leave in Barbados
r/Barbados • u/CanadianEh89 • 1d ago
Hey all,
I have a severe allergy to nuts (almond, cashew, peanuts, etc) and an intolerance to eggs. If something might contain nuts, I’ll have to skip, but if it might contain eggs, I have no issue!
I’ll be ending a cruise on Barbados and staying at Bougainvillea for 5 nights.
I’m looking at any advice on if there are some restaurants/street foods/specific meals to avoid and the places where y’all would suggest I could safely go eat.
I’ll obviously be telling the cook or waiter about my allergies, but if anyone has suggestions or advice I would truly appreciate it.
Have a nice one!
r/Barbados • u/Either-Beginning7573 • 1d ago
Does anyone know of any places that would be hiring students on weekends?
r/Barbados • u/randymcatee • 4d ago
my guess = circa mid 1970s
scanned from my found photos collection
r/Barbados • u/Ready_Variety6250 • 6d ago
r/Barbados • u/pickUPBarbados • 6d ago
Hey everyone,
Over the last year, we threw out our old codebase and completely rebuilt the pickUP app from scratch. We knew the previous version had its fair share of quirks and limitations, so we wanted to build something faster, more reliable, and tailored specifically to how people actually get around the island.
The new version is now live on iOS and Android. A few of the main features we worked on (and were specifically requested based on user feedback) include: (1) Favourite Drivers: You can now save your preferred drivers to request them again; (2) Smoother GPS tracking, OTP verification to start rides, and better card payment processing; (3) Added referral codes (so both you and a friend get ride credits) along with milestone rewards for frequent riders; and (4) Better map handling for island locations (naming of locations is much better), saved go-to spots, and local Bajan design/artwork throughout.
Since we built this specifically for users in Bim, we really want to hear from the local Reddit community. If you get a chance to take a look or use it, we’d appreciate your feedback.
Please feel free to DM us with your thoughts, critiques, or suggestions – or comment below.
Cheers!
r/Barbados • u/ChoiceCulture2035 • 6d ago
I am on a mission now to ask each country subreddit what people think about beans (my favorite meal), just to see how people like or dislike them all around the world out of curiosity and for fun. If you like beans, hate them, they a big part of the culture, anything else, just share your thoughts 🫘
Bajans, Barbadians, (Barbajans?) it's come to you now! Your country is shaped like a tiny little bean too :)
r/Barbados • u/Fair_Adhesiveness331 • 7d ago
Hi everyone!
I’m a student from Switzerland, and a classmate and I are currently preparing a presentation in which we have to compare the school systems of Switzerland and Barbados.
We would really appreciate some first-hand insights into what school life is actually like in Barbados. Instead of relying only on websites or different AI tools, we would like to hear directly from students and learn about their personal experiences.
It would be great to connect with students from different grades so that we can get a better understanding of everyday school life in Barbados.
If anyone is willing to help us, we would be very happy with a reply to this post. You can also feel free to contact us via DM.
r/Barbados • u/gf247 • 7d ago
I coming over for Christmas - anyone know anyone selling JugJug for collection for Christmas Day?
r/Barbados • u/lolyaright2012 • 7d ago
A couple of recs from my short trip. Any other places I should try?! I’m here for one more day
Roti Haven 246- Offers gluten free roti and Cassava balls, and more. This place was SO good. You order through the whats app link in their Instagram : roti_haven246. Order ahead of time, it’s a take out place. This was my favorite meal of the trip. Ive never been able to find gluten free roti so this was so special to me!
Yelluh Meat- A close second! This place does breadfruit and sweet potato bowls. You build your own bowl. I got the lamb stew which was cooked to perfection.
Dessert:
Apage Chocolate Factory- yummy ice cream, the chocolate coconut was delicious!
Cafe De Paris- had a couple gluten free pastries, I got the coconut cake which was really yummy
Churn ice cream- they label their ice cream that’s gluten free, I got the ricotta stracatella which was so good!
r/Barbados • u/Purple-Ad-2115 • 7d ago
Hello,
I've just applied for the Welcome Stamp and hoping to move mid October. Somewhere like St. Laurance Gap would be good but whats the best way to find longer term accom in the busier areas at a decent price? I'll be going on my own and most likely won't buy a car, but maybe buy a little scooter or something if needed i.e. I really cant find somewhere that's within walking distance of everything. Should I try find someting before I arrive or wait until I get there? Any thougths on location? Thanks
r/Barbados • u/uptoptj • 7d ago
I was looking at places for rent on facebook and have been running into lots of housing in the st phillip area. I am moving to barbados for about 6 months so I want to live somewhere that I can commute to work easily, I have not secured a job but I would want to work while there, also I want to be around a gym or maybe a park so I can workout. Where I am now is terrible with public transport so trying to avoid the same .
r/Barbados • u/Active_Loquat_3045 • 8d ago
hopefully somebody likes it!
r/Barbados • u/mischievouscat_7023 • 8d ago
I was supposed to move to Barbados this month, but plans changed. I’m now aiming for 2027.
Friendship
I thought I’d start getting to know people before the move. I’d love to make genuine friendships with mature people over 25.
I’m not looking for anything romantic or intimate. I’m simply hoping to meet friendly, like-minded people.
About me and personal goal I currently work part time as a freelance assistant and typist for hire. I also plan to establish a business there once my paperwork is approved.
Business If any individuals or companies are interested in my administrative services, feel free to message me. I’d be happy to connect and discuss how I can help.
I look forward to meeting some new people and excited about moving there. Barbados, here I come. 🦋
r/Barbados • u/SaudiSuckah • 8d ago
I have a layover in Barbados and wondering how lenient pharmacies are with selling codeine/tramadol without a prescription
r/Barbados • u/Baccarat_Dallas • 9d ago
Will be alone. Planning to watch CPL. Looking for some fun time. Please let me know or reach out to me in private. Sep 11-13
r/Barbados • u/Brown_Sugar89 • 9d ago
Anyone travelling around that timeframe? Will be staying in the Inch Marlow area. I'm a big foodie and love to try out new things and experience the local lifestyle. I'd say I'm pretty easy going and not a strickler for having a well planned itinerary.
r/Barbados • u/684139haa • 10d ago
Looking at a trip to Sandy Lane to celebrate a 15 year wedding anniversary. I’ve read all the reviews I can find, but haven’t found much that’s recent. It seems to have less info online available than other places we’ve looked at. Is it still the amazing experience it once was? I’ve read some places that it’s fallen off and living on a reputation that doesn’t match what it is currently. Any insight?