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GET IN TRULY GOOD COMPANY IN BARBADOS / THE CARIBBEAN:

Remember the old Bounty Bar commercials from the 80’ies and 90’ies? Barbados is probably the closest you get to being in one of these. Beaches with the whitest and softest sand ever, coconut palms, small, old-fashioned fishing boats in the water and on the beach and the most fantastic clear and warm water to throw your self into. On top of that the 250.000 Barbadians are nice and laid-back – and speak the most charming English you can imagine…. Man J

For romancing, bathing, surfing and a little bit of partying, this is the ultimate vacation retreat for anyone wishing to enjoy Good Company.

STREETS I LOVE TO SHOP:

Barbados is not a fashion shopping paradise, but you are likely to find cool bikinis, surfer shorts and flip flops. In addition, you can do good bargains on watches and jewellery for your love one… there are plenty of shops all over the island and if you bring a non-Barbadian ID (password, international drivers license), you save the VAT, which makes many of the prices 30-50% lower than European retail prices.

Watches and Jewellery
Diamonds International on Broad Street, Bridgetown or one of their other 3 locations around the island, is a great shop with excellent service and the most exquisite brands. If they don’t have your particular wish on display, they are extremely well connected in the Caribbean and offer their service in sourcing the goods elsewhere.

Clothes
Mall 34 on Broad Street is the only real department store in Barbados. Not particularly well equipped but they do stock brands like Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger and Levis.

Up for some Coffee:Don’t drink coffee in Barbados unless it’s Iced Coffee. There are some places around the island that serve good, chilled coffee, but mind you the European and American coffee culture has not yet hit the island for good.

SCHHHH - IT'S A SECRET:

Surf lessons at Zed’s Surf School
Guaranteed success – everybody gets to surf, instructors are extremely nice and chilled-out.
If you are not surfing, the place is a cool place to hang out just for watching the surfers, having lunch and bathing.

If you are a hard core surfer, the place to go is Bathsheba on the east coast where the waves are famously big.

Barbados is also excellent for scuba diving – the water is clear, the fish very colourful and there are many ship wrecks ready for great underwater experiences.

A great place that organizes diving trips and Padi lessons is Dive Pro at St. Lawrence Gap, which is headed by local scuba queen Summer Rain. The school has friendly and skilled staff, up-to-date equipment and a great boat.

CLUBBING:

Don’t go to the most tourism places like Harbour Lights or The Boat Yard, which both have a high entrance fee and free bar. Too many drunken English college boys and girls go there.

Instead you should go partying the Bajun way. This means that you should find out where the locals go… A large part of the local party scene changes location from time to time, which means that you should try to get in contact with cool local people to find out where to go.

However, there are places that consistently deliver great partying experience

For some hard core grinding, raga muffin and dance hall, you should go to The Reggae Lounge in St. Lawrence Gap.

A slightly more up-market bar/club is Tumbies - Also in St. Lawrence Gap

Also, the Fish Market is a great place to hook up with the locals, drink Banks and of course plenty of rum from one of the local manufacturers.

HUNGRY?

Bajan food is excellent if you choose your restaurant carefully. Lot’s of Malin, Tuna and Dolphin (no not real dolphin, but this is what Bajuns call the fish Mahi Mahi. Flying Fish is the national favorite and logo on this island. This Bajan specialty is fried, boiled, steamed, stuffed, grilled - well you get the point. It's delicious anyway it is prepared.

Another Bajan favorite is Langouste- or lobster, along with Saltfish Cakes or "Sea Eggs" (sea urchin).

Avoid the touristy burger joints like KFC and TGI. Life is simply too short.

Up market
Aqua Restaurant and Lounge, Hastings Main Road, Christ Church Parish
Founded by Swedish-born Barbadian resident Dan Jelensek and Barbadian Michael Hinds, Aqua is great place for a combined design and food experience. The restaurant is practically located on the water – hence it’s name – and the look of the restaurant is probably as far from local as you can get. It’s very lounge and New York in a casual and “summerish” way. The food is mostly fish cooked and served very modern.

Pisches, St. Lawrence Gap
Pisches is classic local and very romantic restaurant with a fantastic selection of fish accompanied by a great wine list. Make sure to get a table by the water, so that you can hear the waves and really get into that romantic mood. Great service and interior makes sure that the evening will be absolutely amazing.

Low Key
Bonito Beach Bar and Restaurant, Coast Road, Bathsheba,
Bonito Beach Bar and Restaurant is a friendly family restaurant located in beautiful Bathsheba. Offering guests an elaborate Caribbean buffet Bonito’s features many local favorites that often include fresh local seafood, fruits and vegetables. Two popular selections are the homemade cheesecake and the fresh fruit punch that can be made with or without rum. Bonito Beach Bar and Restaurant also features a second-floor dining room with an unbelievable view of the Atlantic Ocean.

Oceans Restaurant & Wine Bar, St. Lawrence Gap, Christ Church Parish
Ocean Restaurant combines the freshest seafood with the unique flavors of Barbados. While seafood is the specialty of the Oceans Restaurant & Wine Bar it also offers a little something for everyone. The menu includes vegetarian dishes, pasta, steaks, poultry and lamb and also a cocktail bar downstairs. For an evening of non-stop music, exotic tropical cocktails and live bands stop into the Jam Rock Café. 


SLEEP:

High-end:

Sandy Lane

Celebrities, behemian luxury, casual


Budget:

Yellow Bird Hotel, St. Lawrance Gap