|
|
|
|
Welcome to Barbados on the Paradise
Islands website.
The island lies almost a
hundred miles east of
the main chain of
Caribbean windward
islands and some 1,600
miles southeast of
Miami. It's a
coral island and
relatively flat compared
to most of the
neighbouring windward
islands which are
volcanic. The island is
21 miles long by 14
miles wide (166 square
miles) and boasts 70
miles of white sandy
beaches. |
|
 |
|
Barbados
is one of the most
popular tourist
destinations in the
Caribbean region with
over a million annual
visitors; half of the
tourists are cruise ship
passengers arriving at
the harbour in
Bridgetown (the island's
historic capital). The
warm tropical climate
attracts most visitors
to the island in the winter months
from December through to
May when the average
daily high temperature
is around 28 degrees
Centigrade (83 degrees
Fahrenheit). The winter
is cooler and dryer;
July is usually the
wettest month. June to
October is the hurricane
season; particularly
September and October
which are also the most
humid months. Not
surprisingly, Christmas
and Easter is the peak
tourist season. |
|
 |
 |
|
The island is
known as "Little
England" due to
it's long 341
years of
British colonial rule.
The British
landed in
February 1625
at
Holetown on
the
west coast
and remained
until
independence in
November 1966.
Many Caribbean
Islands changed
hands several
times; Barbados
being somewhat
more remote
avoided the
French, Danish
and Spaniards
who were busy
fighting over
the rest of the
Caribbean. |
|
Today the island
retains some of
it's colonial
heritage
including many
English place
names, driving
on the left,
roundabouts
(instead of
traffic lights)
and afternoon
tea. The main
tourist area is
located on the
more sheltered
west coast
and the
east
coast can be
wild and windy. |
|
Travel guide, holiday, vacation and
cruise
guide to Barbados in the Caribbean. All text and images are Copyright
Paradise Islands
org. All photographs on this Caribbean travel guide website are obtained with
the permission of the owners and come from various sources
including tourist boards. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Quick Facts
Capital
Bridgetown
Main Airport
Grantley Adams
International
Main Port
Bridgetown
Language
English
Currency
Barbadian
Dollar
Government
Independent
Island Size
166
Square Miles
Population
285,000
|
|
 |
|
West Coast |
|
 |
|
East Coast |
|
 |
|
Bridgetown |
|
 |
|
Holetown |
|
 |
|
Harrison's Cave |
|
 |
|
Cruise Port Guide |
|
|
