i am 33 married and have 2 children, i am employed full time
i am 33 married and have 2 children, i am employed full time
Member since:22.05.2007
Reviews:3
well my advice is if you get the chance you MUST go to Barbados, don't be fooled into thinking it is only for the rich and famous ,if you do some looking you can go and NOT spend a fortune!
we went two years ago ( and are going back this nov) for 3 people in a studio apartment ( plenty of space!) we are paying £2100 (total not each) this is for 2 weeks and includes flights ( we are travelling with virgin this time) my best advice is to stay on the south of the island not the west. Stay somewhere in christchurch or anywhere near St. Lawrence Gap ( only stay right in the heart if you don't mind loud music!) but even 5 - 10 mins away from the gap is a peaceful night.
(first time we stayed at the bougunvillia beach hotel ( fantastic but a bit pricier ) all the beaches in barbados are public so you can sunbathe ANYWHERE you do not have to be a guest at that particular hotel to use the beach there, one word of warning though topless sunbathing by women is not permitted ( and bajans like ALL holiday makers to be appropriately dressed when in shops etc no beachwear)
if you want to eat out the ship inn in the gap is great and good value but try and hunt around for the local places, we found a tiny place right at the end of the gap (towards oistins not bridgetown) called mike's bar, tucked away but you could get a steak dinner, drink beer ( banks of course!) or cocktails all night and only spend about $25 (barbadian not US) this equates to about £6!!!
alot of places also do 'buffett' style breakfast - all you can eat for $20 ( again barbadian) roughly a fiver!!!!
we tended not to eat at the hotel at all as the prices were so much cheaper if you hunted around ( and alot more fun! meeting locals just makes your holiday!) also be sure to look out for the small white vans they appear outside your hotels at lunchtime ( follow the local workmen who always go to them) these are mobile dinner vans and sell unbelievanly good local food for next to nothing ( average price $3 a dish) about 75p!!!!
remember any bottled beer you buy ( always always buy banks it is brewed locally and is fantastic!) if you take the bottles back to the shop you get a refund, and all bars on the gap have happy hours every night with various great offers ( usually about 6pm)
so I guess what i'm saying is get out and explore don't just sit in your hotel ( our first meal at night was when we arrived and used the hotel it cost us $60 each!! as was no where near as good as the local places we found)
as for excursions there are many and all good value i would ask your hotel they can book them for you i especially recommend the 'Cool Runnings' catamaran, there are loads of catamaran trips but this one is special, all day trip,great crew, great food and drink ( all free on board) BBQ lunch,snorkelling with turtles and visiting a sunken wreck and free transfers from your hotel all for about £50.
the Oistins fish fry on a friday night is not to be missed either! Travel during the day or evening is easiest if you use taxi's they are plentiful and cheap and very trustworthy! I wouldn't hire a car as you really can get around so cheaply it is not worth it
if you are taking currency with you travel agents will tell you to take US dollars - ignore them - the islanders prefer barbadian dollars ( available from your local post office) and you will only have to change the US dollars at your hotel ( usually at a set exchange rate which is lower than the UK) we worked out we lost about $600 barbadian dollars doing this over the 2 weeks so use barbadian!!
Another tip is at night when you go out apply some baby oil ( not loads obviously!!!) and then the mosquito's don't bite you! - i was told this by a local and tried it i NEVER got bitten my husband ignored this advice and was covered (hehe men never listen)
Barbados is a beautiful island and sitting drinking with the locals, outside the bars were some of the best times of the holiday, great people, great weather, great beaches and once you have been once you will fall in love with it, just get out of your hotels and explore it really will make your holiday even more special ( and save you a packet!!)
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