Top sights and best beaches

Whether you know it as the birthplace of Rihanna or rum, Barbados is a beautiful country full of adventure and rich history. Its Caribbean location gives the island its calm, protected western side and a wilder eastern side where Atlantic waves pelt the shores.

I visited during the dry season, which runs from December to April. If you don’t mind chancing occasional thunderstorms — and possibly a hurricane — you’ll find sparser crowds and better deals during the June through November wet season. When visiting Barbados, surrender to the island’s pace; don’t overschedule and allow plenty of time to explore.

I enjoyed my glimpse into the island’s African and British heritage, as well as its natural beauty. Here are some of the best things to do in Barbados.

Taking a tour with Island Safari Barbados is a great intro to the island, and it allows you to go off-road on the island’s many bumpy dirt tracks. The five-hour tour stops at Barbados attractions like old sugar mills and dramatic ocean viewpoints. Our tour guide managed to spot a few of Barbados’ famous green monkeys, brought from West Africa more than 350 years ago.

Go scuba diving

My main aim in visiting Barbados was to become a certified scuba diver. With 35 years of diving experience, Edwin Blackman of Dive Hightide Watersports was an excellent instructor.

“Barbados is one of the undisclosed secret spots,” says Blackman, “so divers that come here are surprised when they see the fish and the wrecks we have.” Divers can shore dive from Carlisle Bay in Bridgetown and swim out to wrecks ranging from 20 feet to 50 feet deep.

Stroll through a secret submarine tracking station

On the eastern side of Barbados, stroll the paths of Andromeda Botanic Gardens. Barbadian horticulturalist and self-taught scientist Iris Bannochie founded this garden in 1954. Camouflaged by lush tropical plants and bearded figs, the U.S. Navy operated a secret submarine tracking station here during the Cold War.

Historic Bridgetown and Garrison is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the top attractions in Barbados. When you explore the site, be sure to visit the Barbados Museum & Historical Society to gain a deeper understanding of this country.

You’ll learn about the island’s architecture, Barbado’s now defunct railway (where third-class passengers were sometimes required to help push the train!), its Amerindian heritage, and its history with enslavement. Barbados was second only to Jamaica in the number of enslaved people. Beneath the veneer of rum, white sand beaches, and hospitality are people with complex backgrounds who are proud of what they’ve made of their country.

See the house where a teenaged George Washington slept

While in Bridgetown, the George Washington House is also worth visiting. Washington only visited one country outside the U.S. during this lifetime, and — yep, it was Barbados. Well before he had political ambitions, a 19-year-old Washington spent a few months in this yellow house in 1751, accompanying his older brother, Lawrence, who was fighting tuberculosis.

The house is grand, with an ocean view. Also, visitors are welcome to squeeze into the garrison tunnels, an engineering feat built initially for drainage and later for covert military movement. (PS: This experience isn’t for the claustrophobic.)

At the People Environment Growth (PEG) Farm, you’ll learn about medicinal plants and biodynamic farming, meet cows and peacocks, and enjoy views of crashing waves. There’s a wonderful farm-to-table restaurant where you can get lunch. I sought refuge there, eating flatbread with eggplant spread, curried chickpeas, and sweet potatoes as a midday thunderstorm pelted the roof. Try the five-finger juice, a local name for starfruit.

Watch a cricket match

Barbados is really into cricket. It’s probably the most popular sport in the whole Caribbean. You can see a match at the world-famous Kensington Oval cricketing ground. Or just about anywhere. “The country is set up for cricket,” says Kamal Springer, manager for sports tourism at Barbados Tourism Marketing. “You can’t drive a few miles and not see a cricket field somewhere. Up the road, down the hill.”

So, bone up on the rules of this ball and bat sport and get in on the fun.

Test your mettle at Run Barbados

If you love to run, consider timing your visit for December and participating in the three-day Run Barbados, the island’s largest running event. It kicks off with a nighttime “fun mile” run around the historic Garrison Savannah in Bridgetown. On Saturday and Sunday, runners follow a rugged and hilly east coast course for longer races.

Explore the best beaches in Barbados

Visiting beautiful beaches is one of the top things to do in Barbados. For swimmers, the west coast beaches are best, as the water is calmest there. Mullins Beach, Pebbles Beach, and Dover Beach are safe and serene. As is Carlisle Bay, the site of the annual Barbados Open Water Festival.

“Carlisle Bay is world-class,” says Zary Evelyn, the festival’s event director. “Lack of current. The pretty, pretty water. The turtles. Just the location is perfect, water conditions are perfect, and the scenery is perfect.”

Rockley Beach is fun and busy, with a mile-long boardwalk and beach vendors. Surfers prefer the wild and rocky east coast, especially Bathsheba.

Get down to a tuk band

Tuk bands play a type of music born from colonial tensions. When the British rulers banned Afro-based drums, enslaved people developed a new sound that merged European military instruments with African rhythms. Musicians played the pennywhistle, double-headed bass drum, flute, and snare drum while costumed characters danced.

Nowadays, tourists guzzle rum punch while watching Mother Sally (a character representing the fertility of Mother Africa) and acrobatic witch doctor Shaggy Bear dance to a tuk band at the Harbour Lights dinner show. It reminded me of how much history and culture lurk beneath the island’s gorgeous beaches.

Where to stay in Barbados

For a lively scene with lots of beachgoers and slow traffic, check out The Rockley Barbados, a few miles south of Bridgetown. For something on the quieter eastern side of the island, book a stay at the palm-filled Eco Lifestyle + Lodge in Tent Bay.