Barbados

With a year-round tropical climate and relaxed atmosphere, Barbados is the ideal Caribbean destination for some fun in the sun. This thoroughly updated fifth edition of Bradt's Barbados is the only standalone travel guidebook to this Lesser Antilles island, offering extensive coverage of famous and lesser-known sights—from the glamorous, celebrity-studded Platinum Coast to the wild, untamed remoteness of its Atlantic shoreline.

The easternmost island in the Lesser Antilles is English-speaking with a distinctly British vibe, both colonial legacies. Today the sun-drenched isle is especially popular with Europeans and North Americans. You'll find in-depth advice on accommodation ranging from luxury villas and multi-starred retreats to local guesthouses and family-friendly resorts, plus informed perspectives on where and what to eat—from gourmet beachside restaurants to Barbados street food and rum shops, where gossip is shared over a specialty tipple. The guide also covers cultural events that capture Bajan life, including Friday night 'limes' and 'fish-fries', Caribbean jazz and calypso music, sports, and the much-loved Barbados carnival.

Barbados richly rewards those who explore by bus, day tour, or rental car—all straightforward, inexpensive, and safe. The wilder east and north coasts are pounded by Atlantic waves, offering surfing, intriguing caves, coastal rambles, and charming villages of wooden chattel houses. The interior features stately plantation houses, pretty botanical gardens, and traditional rum distilleries scattered amidst sugar-cane fields. In the sleepy capital of Bridgetown, explore the Garrison Historic Area, venture underwater on the Atlantis Submarine Night Tour, descend through limestone caverns at Harrison's Cave, or trek through the tropical rainforest of Welchman Hall Gully. Whether you seek white-sand beaches, duty-free shopping, vibrant nightlife, clifftop hikes, traditional villages, or local rum distilleries, this fifth edition has you covered.