This full day Barbados Island Tour gives you a good high level overview of the island. You will visit the rustic and more untouched east coast of the island, Bathsheba and more. When you think of Barbados, a few things may come to mind: Rihanna, tropical beaches, rum, and flying fish (one of their national dishes). Barbados is SO much more than that. It is home to some great surfs, curious green monkeys, Crop Over Festival, and friendly Bajans. Unlike Jamaica, Barbados isn’t known to be a mountainous island, but you can still get some incredible views from up high. Take this Barbados Island Tour and get to know a little more than what’s on the surface.
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Barbados Wildlife Reserve
We started this trip with pickup in Bridgetown (the southwestern coast of Barbados where hotels are) and headed north. Along the way, we passed by Rihanna’s childhood home and Mount Gay Rum factory. We also passed by a high-end shopping area in Holetown where you could purchase Cartier and Gucci. To no one’s surprise, nearby the high end shopping is where you will find Sandy Lane. Sandy Lane is a luxury 5-star hotel and residence. Rihanna currently bought a home at the One Sandy Lane resort for $22 million. Simon Cowell among other celebrities also own property there.
African Green Monkeys
Continuing our journey north, we made it to Barbados Wildlife Reserve at the tippy top north of Barbados, in the parish of Saint Peter. This is the animal kingdom of Barbados, where you can stroll freely among animals feeding and playing in their natural environment. Here you can see agouti, armadillo, Brocket deer, pelicans, and caimans. Monkeys are most abundant at afternoon feeding time. You’ll also see reptiles like snakes, iguanas, turtles, and tortoises. parrots, flamingos, and peacocks share the premises, adding bright splashes of color.
By far, my favorite part of this was getting to see the African Green Monkeys. They are SO adorable and funny to watch. We saw two monkeys fight over a single piece of melon even though there were tons more on the ground. My husband kept saying “they scrappin!!”
Cherry Tree Hill
After spending 45 minutes with the monkeys and 45 minutes with the other animals on the property, we were driven to Cherry Tree Hill. Cherry Tree Hill is on the east coast of Barbados. Cherry Tree Hill is eight hundred and fifty (850) ft above sea level and is a part of St. Nicholas Abbey plantation. Actually due to the size of the St. Nicholas Abbey property, Cherry Tree Hill actually borders, St. Peter and St. Andrew. Many years ago, the drive on either side to get to it was flanked by cherry trees, thus the reason for its name; however these were replaced with mahogany trees which now line the road. This is a great spot for views down below!
There are also local vendors selling hats, t-shirts, so bring cash if you wanted to purchase anything. I recommend bringing cash regardless so you can tip the tour guide afterwards.
Bathsheba
Legend has it that Bathsheba, wife of King David, bathed in milk to keep her skin beautiful and soft. Legend also says that the surf covered white waters of Bathsheba, Barbados rich in minerals and life is said to resemble Bathsheba’s bath in both appearance health giving value. The village of Bathsheba is home to a small community of fishing folk and their families. Along the coast are guest houses, local rum shops and restaurants. It is a hideaway for discerning tourists and for Bajans who frequently weekend here in their seaside cottages along the shore.
From what I could see, the waves seemed ideal for surfing, and not swimming. Stick to the west coast beaches for swimming. Much more calm there!
Authentic Lunch
After a photoshoot at Bathsheba by the water, we stopped by a local restaurant. We enjoyed a traditional Bajan lunch consisting of flying fish, macaroni pie, rice & peas, and salad. While the fish was excellent (but could’ve used hot sauce!), I’m not a fan of the macaroni pie in Barbados. Likely because I’m from the south (U.S.) and we are VERY particular about our macaroni & cheese here.
Snorkeling in Carlisle Bay
With a fully belly, it was off to snorkeling in Carlisle Bay which is in Bridgetown where the tour first began. We took a cruise with Tranquility Cruises for this segment of the Barbados Island Tour.
Famous for its white sand beaches, turquoise blue waters, gorgeous weather, and abundant marine life, Barbados is an ideal destination for snorkelers. With numerous shipwrecks and shallow reefs accessible from the Caribbean island’s public beaches, there’s no shortage of exciting places to snorkel in Barbados. This tour brings you pretty close to a shipwreck which was neat to explore (it’s giving Pirates of the Caribbean vibes!). Once there, snorkelers can expect to see numerous sea creatures swimming in and out of the wreckage. We saw a few turtles and it was incredible.
We later returned (not with a tour) to Carlisle Bay. The beach has many facilities, including beach bars and restaurants, lifeguards, beach chair and umbrella rentals, watersports, parking, restrooms, showers, and changing rooms. There’s a casual fish stand on the beach called Cuzz Fish Stand, serving Marlin cutter fish sandwiches. SO GOOD!
Overall, I really enjoyed this full-day Barbados Island tour and felt the money ($130 USD) was worth getting to know the history and explore Barbados in a day.
Planning your trip to Barbados? Shoot me an email (cassandra@accent-on-travel.net) and I’ll get working on quotes for you! There’s never a cost to work with me – your package price is your total price. No hidden fees!
Planning your trip to Barbados?
