The name Barbados instantly conjures up idyllic images of beautiful, sun-kissed, palm-fringed beaches with gentle waves lapping at the shore and leading the eye to the distant, blue horizon. While this is certainly true, there’s much more to this tropical paradise than its beaches. Indeed, it’s an island of outstanding natural beauty with a wealth of stunning places to visit. Here we look at some of its most splendid sites.
Barbados Wildlife Reserve
Tucked away in Barbados’ isolated northern hinterland, Barbados Wildlife Reserve is set in a forest of magnificent mahogany trees. Central to the country’s conservation efforts, it’s a reserve for a wide range of exotic wildlife that roams free across the site. Living here are iguanas, tortoises, deer and a multitude of tropical birds, including hummingbirds. You’ll also find the island’s indigenous green monkeys at play as well as the very cute agoutis. Native to the Caribbean and the Americas, these rodents are related to guinea pigs but can grow up to 70cm in length. Among the mahoganies, you’ll also see a spectacular display of wild orchids.
Harrison’s Cave
Further south in the central uplands, is Harrison’s Cave, a breathtaking example of a crystallised cavern with a feast of geological features. From ancient underground streams and waterfalls to deep inky pools and glistening stalactites and stalagmites, it’s a place you will never forget. Even better, you can see it all from the comfort of an electric tram. Being underground, it’s also the only place on the island where you might want to wear long trousers and a pullover.
Hunte’s Gardens
If you check out Trip Advisor, you’ll see Hunte’s Gardens is one of the most highly rated places to visit in Barbados – and for good reason. These gardens are a labour of love and have been the life’s work of Anthony Hunte, the island’s leading horticulturalist, who started transforming the sunken gully back in the 1950s.
Situated in the Barbadian rainforest, this unique spot has now become the home to a range of eccentric gardens, each one offering a different design, habitat and range of flora. You’ll find gardens of every type, from the quirky and mysterious, to the classical and quaint. It really is a cornucopia of delights and something you won’t find anywhere else.
Welchman Hall Gully
A short hop from Hunte’s Gardens, Welchman Hall Gully is renowned for being the birthplace of the grapefruit, which was created by crossing a shaddock with an orange. It’s also a beautiful part of the island, formed from a collapsed cave system and where once underground streams have encouraged both fauna and flora to flourish. When you take a walk through this part of the tropical forest, you can see hundreds of species of tropical plants, watch the playful green monkeys in the trees above and climb the stairway to see stunning vistas of the island.
Andromeda Botanic Gardens
Andromeda Botanic Gardens, located in St Joseph Parish, are world-renowned for their post-war design. They are home to an extensive collection of flowering plants, shrubs and trees, many of which grow nowhere else in the Caribbean. There’s also the opportunity to see the fabulous hummingbirds that live around the gardens and the dragonflies and fish which flit around the beautiful ponds.
Bathsheba beach
The complete opposite of what you’d expect from a Barbadian beach, Bathsheba faces the Atlantic and is pummelled by the giant barrel waves that attract the world’s leading surfers. These breakers form a powerful backdrop to a dramatic coastline that’s littered with intriguing rock formations that jut, otherworldly, out of the sand. If you are looking for great selfies or want to take awe-inspiring photos, this is definitely one place to check out.
Where to stay
Situated in 750 acres of lush tropical landscape and with unrivalled views over the west coast, nature lovers can do no better than spend their holidays at Royal Westmoreland, one of the most exclusive Barbados resorts. It’s also the island’s most prestigious private resort, boasting 250 luxury villas, townhouses and apartments.
Amenities include a championship-standard golf course, state-of-the-art gym, tennis courts and various eateries, including its colonial-style Club House and nearby Beach Club. Guests also have a housekeeper, private chef service and a well-connected concierge that can tell you the best places to go, book tours, reserve restaurant tables and organise transport on your behalf.
For more information, visit Royal Westmoreland’s Holidays Page.