Barbados, from the wrecks in Carlisle Bay to the surf at Bathsheba
Turtles over a sunken freighter before breakfast, a rum still by lunch, and the Atlantic hammering the east coast all afternoon. Work out which day out is worth your money before you land.
Five Barbados days that book out first
If you only get one boat morning and one day inland, make them these.
01The island number oneBarbados Catamaran Turtle and Shipwreck Snorkeling CruiseTwo hours over the wrecks, turtles in the water beside you.
02Best first afternoonOriginal Bajan Walking Food TourFish cakes, a rum shop and Bridgetown on foot, eaten as you go.
03Cover the islandElectric Bike Bajan Sightseeing Experience (Transport Included)An electric bike does the hills so the gullies stay fun.
04The rum one to pickMount Gay Signature Rum Tasting ExperienceMount Gay pours the old stock and explains what you are drinking.
05For a rainy morningAtlantis Submarine Day TourThe submarine goes to 45 metres, so the weather stops mattering.
The west coast is the calm one, and it is where the boats go
Barbados keeps its swimming on the Caribbean side. Every boat morning below leaves from Bridgetown or the Careenage and works the same sheltered strip of reef and wreck, so the choice is about the kind of day you want rather than the water.
★★★★★★★★★★ 5.0 · Barbados Catamaran Turtle and Shipwreck Snorkeling Cruise
Turtles and wrecksThe short one. Two stops, masks handed out, back by lunch.
A full day on deckShade, a swim ladder and lunch aboard. Five hours of it.
Beach and bay daysSand first, snorkelling second. Good with children.
Clear kayaks and boardsYou paddle over the wrecks instead of swimming down to them.
Down in the submarineDry, air conditioned and the one thing rain cannot spoil.
Every boat trip and beach day we have written up, all 40 of them →
You swim on one side of Barbados and you look at the other
The single thing that catches first-time visitors out. Book the wrong coast for the wrong plan and you spend the day watching water you cannot get into.
West and south: the swimming side
The Caribbean side is flat most mornings. Carlisle Bay holds the wrecks and the turtles, the catamarans run the strip up to Holetown, and the sea is warm and shallow enough for a nervous swimmer.
- Snorkelling the wrecksfrom $36
- Catamaran daysfrom $85
- Carlisle Bayfrom $15
East: the Atlantic side
Bathsheba and the Scotland District get the open Atlantic, which means boulders, spray and a current that drowns strong swimmers every year. You go for the drive, the rock pools and lunch with a view, not for a swim.
- Coast to coast drivesfrom $60
- Gullies and gardensfrom $75
- Underground at Harrison’sfrom $85
The Barbados tours travellers actually choose
Every review →Ordered by how many people have been and come back to say so.
1
Barbados Catamaran Turtle and Shipwreck Snorkeling Cruise
Join El Tigre, a spacious 60-foot catamaran limited to 36 people, for two 45-minute snorkeling stops along Barbados’ west coast. Swim near turtles, explore a shipwreck, enjoy rum punch and beer, and choose the five-hour option for onboard lunch and a third stop. Hotel pickup is available from select hotels.
From · $85
Read our review →
2
Barbados Catamaran Turtle Snorkel with Lunch and Open Bar
from $110
3
Original Bajan Walking Food Tour
from $94
4
Electric Bike Bajan Sightseeing Experience (Transport Included)
from $125
5
5-Hour Small-Group Catamaran Cruise from Bridgetown with Lunch
from $175
6
Barbados Turtle and Shipwreck Snorkel Adventure
from $36
7
Catamaran Tour with Snorkeling and Lunch
from $115
8
Mount Gay Signature Rum Tasting Experience
from $36
Caves, rum and great houses in the middle of the island
All island tours →
The interior is coral limestone, which is why there is a cave system under it and sugar on top of it. A half day inland covers Harrison’s Cave, a working distillery and one of the plantation houses, and most operators will collect you from the coast.
A capital you can walk across in twenty minutes
Bridgetown is small, flat and listed by UNESCO for its Georgian garrison. The walking tours take in the Careenage, the synagogue and the parliament buildings, and they finish near enough to the Carlisle Bay boats to do both in a day.
- 1Shore Excursion Barbados Beach Day & Turtle Swim Experiencefrom $50
- 22 Hours Turtle Feeding, Shipwreck & Reef Snorkeling Tour Barbadosfrom $65
- 3A Guided Walking Tour of The History of a Cityfrom $25
Barbados by what you are willing to spend
Per person, before anyone adds a tip. The cheap end is not the worse end here.
Walking tours, the rum tasting, a beach transfer and the shorter snorkel runs.
The catamaran mornings, the cave, and most of the full-island drives with lunch.
Private drivers, the long charters and anything that empties the boat for your group.
Flying fish, fish cakes and a rum shop that has been open since 1909
Bajan food is its own thing, closer to West Africa than to the rest of the Caribbean. The food tours walk you through Bridgetown or Oistins with somebody who can explain what cou-cou is and why the pepper sauce is yellow.
The Barbados days out, sorted
Eleven parishes, one island, and a fairly small number of things worth booking. Here they are.
Four days that cover the island without repeating yourself
Day three
Day fourThe newest Barbados reviews
The rest of the new ones →
Lunch At Animal Flower Cave with Scenic Drive of Barbados
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Bridgetown Historic Garrison A UNESCO World Heritage Site Tour
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Barbados Private Island Tour: A Fully Customizable Experience
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Victorian Steam (Long) Railway Journey+Great House & Distillery
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Grantley Adams Airport (BGI) to Bridgetown – Round-Trip Transfer
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Unapologetically BLACK! A Heritage Walking Tour of Bridgetown
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Barbados Fruit to Scoop Culinary Experience : Taste & Make Sorbet
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Tastes and Tales Tour Culinary Journey in Barbados
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