Barbados Travelers Recommend

With three days in Barbados, you have plenty of time to soak up the sun on the island’s renowned beaches, see top sights such as Harrison’s Cave, head out onto the water—and of course, taste some rum. Here’s how to do it.

Day 1: See the island’s main sights

Start your visit with a comprehensive tour of the island by bus or minivan, stopping by attractions such as Harrison’s Cave, Hunte’s Gardens, and Sunbury Plantation House. Excursions typically include hotel pickup and drop-off; some also provide lunch and a rum punch cocktail. Or, customize your itinerary with a private tour.

After lunch and a few hours spent relaxing on one of the island’s beautiful beaches, take in a beachside dinner show. These colorful events often feature musicians, fire-eaters, limbo dancers, and stilt-walkers, while offering insight into the island’s culture and history. Dinners usually include an open bar and round-trip hotel transfers.

Day 2: Get out onto the water

Book a cruise, or rent your own boat. Cruises usually take you along Barbados’ picturesque coastline, with a few stops for diving and snorkeling (including at a shipwreck site). Want to view marine life and the shipwreck without getting wet? Opt for a glass-bottom boat tour. 

Alternatively, sightsee or hang out on the beach for most of the day, then take a sunset catamaran cruise that includes snorkeling breaks and a glass of bubbly. Afterward, make your way to historic Holetown for dinner.

Day 3: Delve deeper

No trip to Barbados is complete without a tasting of its most famous rum, Mount Gay. Head for the Mount Gay Visitor Centre and learn all about Bajan rum production, history, and culture—before trying some for yourself. Afterward, visit a local chocolate factory. Or, stroll through UNESCO-listed Bridgetown on a food and heritage tour, stopping by locals’ favorite haunts to sample authentic Bajan cuisine.

Cap off a fun-filled 72 hours in Barbados by checking out the nightlife in Bridgetown and St. Lawrence Gap, where you’ll find a diverse array of bars, restaurants, and live music venues.

Two days on Barbados allow you to thoroughly explore the island and its most famous sights—which include the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Bridgetown and Harrison’s Cave—while also getting out onto the island’s marine life-filled waters. Here’s how to spend 48 hours on the colorful island of Barbados.

Day 1: Explore the Island

Begin with a comprehensive tour of the island’s top sights by bus or minivan. Half-day and full-day tours typically take visitors to famous attractions such as Harrison's Cave, Hunte's Gardens, and St. Nicholas Abbey; some also include lunch and rum punches to get you into the island mood. Booking a private tour has the added appeal of allowing you to customize your itinerary.

If there’s time afterwards, delve deeper into Barbadian culinary culture with a visit to Mount Gay Visitor Centre or a chocolate factory—both offer samples as well as insight into production. Alternatively, you can take an in-depth look at the historic buildings of UNESCO-listed Bridgetown on a walking tour.

Cap off a great day in Barbados with a mini Caribbean carnival; dinner shows feature fire eaters, limbo dancers, and stilt-walkers. These evening packages typically include a barbecue dinner and open bar, as well as round-trip hotel transfers. 

Day 2: Get Out Onto the Water

Begin your second day in Barbados by getting out onto the water. Most catamaran cruises take you along the west coast of Barbados and make two or three stops for diving and snorkeling, sometimes at a shipwreck—you can also rent your own private boat for a personalized experience. If you don’t want to get wet, glass-bottom boat tours offer a dry alternative and visit many of the same sites.

If you’re a fan of watersports, Barbados is the place for you. You can take a surfing lessons in Freight’s Bay—which typically include all-day surf board hire so you can continue after the lesson ends—or get propelled into the air on a jetblading adventure.

Conclude your visit to Barbados with a taste of the local nightlife, by visiting the bars and live music venues of St. Lawrence Gap.

Famed for its stunning beaches, Barbados is equally blessed by a UNESCO World Heritage-listed capital city, vibrant nightlife, and rich cultural heritage. With only one day you’ll want to see as much as possible, so here’s how to make the most of 24 hours in Barbados.

Morning: See the Sights

Start your day with a Barbados sightseeing tour by bus or minivan, in order to cover more sights in less time; choose a half-day tour in order to free up the rest of the day for additional activities. Fortunately, you can take in plenty of sights—such as Bridgetown, Harrison's Cave, Hunte's Gardens, and St. Nicholas Abbey—in just a morning. To really make the most of your time, book a private tour, which allows you to customize your itinerary to your own interests—most tours include pickup and drop-off from your hotel.

Afternoon: Delve Deeper

Use the afternoon to delve deeper into whichever aspect of Barbadian culture interests you. No visit to the island is complete without sampling some of its famous rum, so one option is to visit the Mount Gay Visitor Centre to delve into the history and significance of the spirit—tours typically include a glass of rum punch and rum samples. Alternatively, you can explore another of Barbados’ great exports, chocolate, on a tour of a chocolate factory. Tours typically guide visitors through the process of making artisan chocolate—from the harvesting of cocoa beans to the finished product—and include samples.

Night: Celebrate Bajan Style

Cap off a great day in Barbados with a night of color and culture. Beachside dinner shows occur throughout the week and feature festively-dressed performers, fire eaters, limbo dancers, stilt-walkers, and musicians that tell stories of the island’s culture and history. These evenings typically include a barbecue dinner and open bar, as well as round-trip hotel transfers. Often, once the performances have ended, a DJ takes over proceedings; guests are welcome to keep the party going on the dance floor. Alternatively, you can head out on your own to the bars and live music venues of St. Lawrence Gap.