Barbados
BEST BEACH
Crane Beach is considered by many to be one of the island’s most beautiful beaches. In fact, Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous rated it as “one of the 10 best beaches in the world”. The name “Crane” was derived from the large crane situated at the top of the cliff which was used for loading and unloading ships. The Crane Resort & Residences, standing on the cliff above the beach, has been a favourite with honeymooners since 1867.
BEST ART AND CULTURE
Crop Over is Barbados’ most popular and colourful festival. Its origins can be traced back to the 1780’s, a time when Barbados was the world’s largest producer of sugar. At the end of the sugar season, there was always a huge celebration to mark the culmination of yet another successful harvest – the Crop Over celebration. The festival is a cultural mix of song, dance art and craft culminating with Kadooment Day, a carnival parade featuring large bands with members dressed in colourful costumes depicting various themes.
BEST AREA FOR NIGHTLIFE
The St Lawrence Gap is one of Barbados’ most lively areas and is home to a number of hotels, apartments, restaurants, shops, street-vendors (both food and handicraft), bars and clubs. After dinner The Gap, as it is known locally, comes alive and people can be seen hanging out on the decks of the bars, watching the constant traffic or dancing the night away in one of the nightclubs.
BEST ACTIVITIES/SPORT
For avid sporting enthusiasts visiting Barbados, there is an abundance of activities year round to whet the appetite. These include cricket, football, horseracing, polo, golf, rallying and diving. Many hotels offer water sports activities including water-skiing, windsurfing, snorkeling, sailing and parasailing. The West Coast is ideal for snorkeling and water-skiing, while the South Coast is known as one of the world’s best areas for windsurfing. A must-do is a catamaran cruise with a Bajan lunch and snorkelling with turtles.
CHOICE PICK
The British Airways Football Legends Invitational Tournament is scheduled for 10-11 June. The event, endorsed and supported by the Professional Football Association (PFA), will feature eight UK- based, eight-man teams including Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspurs, Newcastle, Blackburn Rovers and a Premier League All-Star team. These teams will feature past greats including Alan Shearer, Andy Cole, Matt LeTissier and Roberto DiMatteo. For more details, visit the website www.barbados-football-legends.com.
British Airways offers holidays to Barbados from £549pp. Terms and conditions may apply. See ba.com for details.