Rum, cricket, Atlantic sailing: what can surprise Barbados?

Rihanna's homeland - tiny Barbados - is not yet a highly advertised holiday destination among CIS residents, but in vain! The efforts spent on the road more than pay off during your stay in this paradise on earth. We’ll tell you where to go, what to try and what to do in this article. Carefully! After reading, you may have a strong desire to spend a vacation in this country.

Barbados - mentally put the emphasis on the last syllable? Well, well, well, before planning a trip, we immediately learn to correctly pronounce the name of this small state in the Caribbean Sea - Barbados. The “bearded” (and this is how “barbados” is translated from Portuguese) country, for understanding, is located between North and South America.

• Citizens of Belarus and Russia can stay on the island without a visa for 28 days. This time is quite enough for a comfortable rest.
• Barbados has its own currency, the Barbadian dollar, but American and Canadian dollars are also accepted. Please keep in mind that the import and export of national currency is prohibited.
• The official language of the island is English. But the locals speak a strong dialect called “Baijan”.
• Barbados is influenced by its colonial past - like in Great Britain, the island drives on the left.
• You do not need to have any vaccinations before traveling.
• Camouflage clothing is prohibited.

This country is simply ideal for those who are severely deficient in vitamin D, because Barbados receives over 3,000 hours of sunshine per year! For 365 days the temperature fluctuates between +26..+30°C. At the same time, the heat is tolerated quite easily due to the trade winds and sea breeze.

The best time to fly to the island is from November to May, when the weather is already warm and dry. Be careful if you book tickets from June to November - about 75% of precipitation falls during this time, and the holiday can be overshadowed by hurricane winds, which are quite rare, but quite possible, especially in the northern part of the country.

Despite the small area of Barbados, 430 km² (for comparison, this is more than 2 times smaller than the part of Moscow that lies inside the Moscow Ring Road), the island has enough entertainment for every taste. Conventionally, the country can be divided into three parts: the Caribbean side is more touristy - there is beautiful and calm water, there are many hotels. The northern and eastern parts are wilder - the infrastructure here is not so good - there is little housing, bad roads - but everything is compensated by the wonderful ocean. The third zone is more suitable for those who come to have fun in water activities - surfing, windsurfing and kitesurfing schools are concentrated here.

By the way, there are about 60 beaches in Barbados. Bottom Bay in the southeastern part of the island is considered one of the most beautiful. This is the same Bounty, and another one of the most picturesque secluded places. Golden sand, palm trees leaning towards the water and water of a unique turquoise color - a paradise for the eyes and relaxation! True, the infrastructure here is a little tight - the beach is one of the wild coasts. The nearest cafes and restaurants are located half an hour away. Miami Beach and Crane Beach are considered more developed.

Apart from swimming, Barbados is also worth trying out all the sea activities. Moreover, water sports are very well developed here - sailing, water skiing, diving or snorkeling. It will be especially beautiful on the West Bank: there the sea hides steep reefs and sunken ships. You will also be able to swim with sea turtles.

One of Barbados' most popular destinations, it was formed naturally by water erosion of the rock thousands of years ago. This is not just a cave, but a real living gallery of hanging stalactites and stalagmites protruding from the ground. It is located in the center of the island. The excursion is a trip in a special tram, which lasts one and a half hours.

If you decide to visit the cave, you should also definitely look into the Forest of Flowers - the botanical garden of Barbados, which has been operating since 1985! It is located 3 km from the main attraction.

In the northern part of Barbados in the St. Peter district there is a great place to get acquainted with the local fauna: red deer, huge turtles, Cuban mountain iguanas, monkeys, peacocks, otters, raccoons, caimans, roosters and many other representatives of the island.

It's best to arrive around lunchtime, when the staff starts feeding the animals. This gives you a chance to see many of the park's inhabitants.

Cricket is the national sport of Barbados. There are about 160 schools here! For such a small area this is simply a huge amount. So try to play, what if they take you to the national team?

The main food of any maritime state is, of course, seafood. Barbados has many unique species: opah, tuna, barracuda, redfish and much more. But the symbol (it is even depicted on the $1 commemorative coin) and main delicacy is the flying fish. The iconic national dish can be found in almost every restaurant.

Barbadian cuisine is an incredible blend of Indian, African, European and Creole cuisines. The main culinary combination of the island is flying fish combined with the side dish Ku Ku (its taste is somewhat similar to polenta). You will probably come across roti - flatbread made from unleavened flour, similar to pita bread. Meat and vegetables are wrapped in them.

Another delicacy of Barbados is sea urchins, or sea eggs in other words. As a rule, they are boiled or fried, but the bravest ones can eat them raw with lemon juice.

You should definitely try grapefruit, because Barbados is its homeland. The fruit appeared on its own after accidentally crossing an orange and a pomelo.

Barbados has a real rum cult. “This is the second blood of the Caribbean or Barbadian water,” this is what the locals say about the alcoholic drink. A bottle of Mount Gay, a locally produced product, would be a great souvenir for yourself or friends. The stamp is considered the oldest in the world, since the first mention of it dates back to 1703 .

There definitely won’t be any problems finding and buying rum. The data is unofficial, but they say that there are about 1000 shops selling this drink on the island! There are several times more of them than souvenir ones.

In addition, rum cake would be a cool gift for friends. They are sold in sealed packages, so they can be delivered safe and sound. By the way, the island is also famous for its jewelry and precious stones, which can be easily purchased as souvenirs. In addition, you can buy famous emeralds and diamonds from Colombia in Barbados. What’s especially nice: the prices are the same as in the manufacturer’s homeland.

Barbados is an amazing, vibrant and very beautiful island. A vacation in such a place will definitely be remembered for a lifetime!