Discussion
Most has already been said, we stayed at the Sandpiper, then headed down to the South for a few nights before heading back up to the Coral Reef Club to finish the holiday. Both Sandpiper and Coral Reef Club very good hotels, owned by the same family I believe.
Enjoyed The Cliff, Tides, Lone Star too, highlight for me though were lunches at a basic beachside shack, flying fish sandwich, bottle of Banks beer and some b$%tard hot sauce that goes with it watching the world go by. Perfect. Eating out is expensive so budget for that.
Off to Antigua next year, hope we enjoy it as much, very different holiday now with kids in tow though!
Enjoyed The Cliff, Tides, Lone Star too, highlight for me though were lunches at a basic beachside shack, flying fish sandwich, bottle of Banks beer and some b$%tard hot sauce that goes with it watching the world go by. Perfect. Eating out is expensive so budget for that.
Off to Antigua next year, hope we enjoy it as much, very different holiday now with kids in tow though!
Vvroom said:
OP, My wife and I spent 2 fantastic weeks in Barbados last month. We've been back 2 weeks and I'm itching to get back there!
We stayed at Mango Bay, all inclusive, on the West Coast..
Small world. I have an apartment in the Palm Beach condos right next door to Mango Bay and was there the last 2 weeks of August. We stayed at Mango Bay, all inclusive, on the West Coast..
Fly half way across the world and probably ended up sharing beach space with another PHer lol
FUBAR said:
Vvroom said:
OP, My wife and I spent 2 fantastic weeks in Barbados last month. We've been back 2 weeks and I'm itching to get back there!
We stayed at Mango Bay, all inclusive, on the West Coast..
Small world. I have an apartment in the Palm Beach condos right next door to Mango Bay and was there the last 2 weeks of August. We stayed at Mango Bay, all inclusive, on the West Coast..
Fly half way across the world and probably ended up sharing beach space with another PHer lol
Vvroom said:
OP, My wife and I spent 2 fantastic weeks in Barbados last month. We've been back 2 weeks and I'm itching to get back there!
We stayed at Mango Bay, all inclusive, on the West Coast. It was excellent, though for some, the fact that it only had 1 restaurant would put them off. It was great though, lots of choice, excellent service from all staff and a lovely place to while away a fortnight.
We stayed at Mango Bay, all inclusive, on the West Coast. It was excellent, though for some, the fact that it only had 1 restaurant would put them off. It was great though, lots of choice, excellent service from all staff and a lovely place to while away a fortnight.
were off to mango bay on 11th Oct, after a week in St Lucia, will be my 7th visit to Barbados, but then i do have family out there so try to go once a year if possible. Steve57 said:
were off to mango bay on 11th Oct, after a week in St Lucia, will be my 7th visit to Barbados, but then i do have family out there so try to go once a year if possible. 
Garlick, Paul!I wrote this up for a friend who went earlier this year, and apols if I'm repeating stuff or if any of the links are out of date.
I'm assuming you’ll be hiring a car, but it's an experience jumping on one of the yellow buses, madly decorated, playing loud reggae music and not at all like public transport as we know it. The little Toyota mini-buses that are flagged down, are even more wild, and a will should be in order before getting on one...Great fun! Use them to stop off and sample the rum shacks, they're a great way to meet the locals.
Good for lunch on the fly, or by the beach, is something from a roti hut. They're effectively Bajan wraps/samosa's, good value and very tasty. There's a cracking one in Holetown, on the main road by a T-junction but I don't remember the name. All beaches are public beaches and not allowed to be private, (it's a Bajan right to be on a beach).
Attractions:
- Go over to the east coast and watch the surfers. The best surfy place is known as the Soup Bowl, and is awesome when the waves are big.
- The north coast is more rugged, and slightly industrial with the island's cement factory on the north-west corner, but it's very photogenic.
- The sugar plantations, estates and factories. These are all over the island, and give a great insight into the history and the life of the island.
- Oistins fish fry in the south, is an evening event, I think on Friday's and Saturday's when they cook the freshly caught fish and have a great big party. Great fun, fresh fish, cheap as chips, (half a lobster and rice for less than a fiver), but stay sensible with wallets etc.
- The Mount Gay rum distillery is the oldest on the island, and do try their Extra Old - it's the best rum I've had. I'm not sure if it's cheaper to buy from there, but rum on the island is cheap as chips anyway. There's also the Malibu factory tour nearby, if you prefer that sort of rum.
- Harrisons Cave is a natural cave system and very highly regarded.
- The Barbados Wildlife Sanctuary for feeding time in the late afternoon/evening (4pm rings a bell for some reason).
- Andromeda Botanical Gardens are a pleasant enough way to spend an hour or two if you're horticulturally inclined.
- If it's more retail therapy that's needed, Bridgetown is where the major duty free shopping is found, and Diamonds International, or other diamond exchanges are supposed to be good value.
Places:
- Bridgetown is the capital, and where most of the population/big shops are. It's also where most of the traffic is, and does have its own 'rush hour'!
West coast: (more upmarket, white beaches, shallow surf)
- Holetown (Cave Shepherd has a supermarket and lots of shops and banks/cash points)
- Mullins beach
- Speightstown (bars/supermarkets/banks/cash machines)
- Port St Charles for restaurants and a very nice yacht harbour!
South coast: (more lively, package tours, bigger surf)
- St Lawrence Gap (really packagey, big on nightlife, some say it's 'tacky')
- The Boatyard (just south of Bridgetown, and is for shops/bars/restaurants/beach activities)
- Oistins
East coast:
- Bathsheba
Restaurants:
- "Blue Rare" in Holetown (T: 001-246-432-6557) is supposed to be good for steaks, but I've not been.
- "The fishpot" restaurant is great for a romantic meal overlooking the sea at sunset and beyond. It's owned by people who run the "Little Good Harbour Hotel". http://www.littlegoodharbourbarbados.com... (T: 001-246-439-2604)
- "Lone Star", "Tides", "the Cliff" (pricey/possibly overrated), "Daphne's" (Italian), and "Mango's by the sea", are some of the best on the island.
- The Atlantis Hotel in Bathsheba, used to do the best Bajan Sunday lunch buffet going, but I hear that the owners have sold up. It's still a great place to go, as it's up overlooking the Soup Bowl, on the east coast.
If I had to pick, Tide's, would be my choice but you'll need to book ahead. (The diningwithus.net website is pretty good for other numbers/restaurants.)
Pubs/bars - I can only really comment on the West Coast, as that's where I know:
- the Fisherman's Pub in Speightstown, for beers and honest Bajan food it can't be beaten. Given it sits on the beach, it's perfect.
- Mullins beach bar (a bit more upmarket than it used to be, but great at sunset)
- The Roundhouse up in Bathsheba is supposed to be good.
- Cocomo's on the beach at Sandy Lane for a beer and rum punch.
My top recommendations are for the West coast, Mango’s and the Fishermans Pub, both in Speightstown. Fishermans is definitely more down to earth, and Mango’s is a treat. Oistins fish fry in the South.
Beaches:
For beaches, the west coast is picture-perfect, palm fringed, golden sand, gentle lapping waves. Almost every beach is good. My 'local' whenever I get the chance to go, is Mullins beach.
The south-east coast is golden sand with larger surf, Silversands is a beautiful beach, and quite often very empty, and Crane beach is also highly recommended.
The east coast is more rugged, with beaches and big surf.
The north is cliffs and little cove's - very picturesque, but not good for swimming.
Sports/activities:
- Take a speedboat/catamaran trip to see the turtles and do some snorkelling.
- Submarine trips, or glass-bottomed boats are also good fun, but not cheap.
- You can hire fishing boats by the day/half day to (try and!) catch marlin.
- Go to see a game of cricket at the Bridgetown Oval, or some polo at the Barbados Polo Club at Holders (near to your hotel), and horseracing at the Garrisson Savannah. The local's treat it as a big day out, and there's usually a great atmosphere.
- There are plenty of top-notch golf courses by you, if that's your thing, from the Westmoreland to Sandy Lane.
- Take an evening boat trip from Bridgetown, they do everything from party boats to dinner and dancing boats, so plenty for everyone.
- Hire a waverunner from a beach for an hour to do a run of the west coast by sea! (take lots of sun-lotion, a t-shirt and a bottle of water with you)
- Diving - lots of great places to dive, and they cater from the beginner to the experienced. You can also get your PADI certificate if you want.
- They do safari tours of the island too, the Yellow Jeep tour is a pretty good one.
I'm assuming you’ll be hiring a car, but it's an experience jumping on one of the yellow buses, madly decorated, playing loud reggae music and not at all like public transport as we know it. The little Toyota mini-buses that are flagged down, are even more wild, and a will should be in order before getting on one...Great fun! Use them to stop off and sample the rum shacks, they're a great way to meet the locals.
Good for lunch on the fly, or by the beach, is something from a roti hut. They're effectively Bajan wraps/samosa's, good value and very tasty. There's a cracking one in Holetown, on the main road by a T-junction but I don't remember the name. All beaches are public beaches and not allowed to be private, (it's a Bajan right to be on a beach).
Attractions:
- Go over to the east coast and watch the surfers. The best surfy place is known as the Soup Bowl, and is awesome when the waves are big.
- The north coast is more rugged, and slightly industrial with the island's cement factory on the north-west corner, but it's very photogenic.
- The sugar plantations, estates and factories. These are all over the island, and give a great insight into the history and the life of the island.
- Oistins fish fry in the south, is an evening event, I think on Friday's and Saturday's when they cook the freshly caught fish and have a great big party. Great fun, fresh fish, cheap as chips, (half a lobster and rice for less than a fiver), but stay sensible with wallets etc.
- The Mount Gay rum distillery is the oldest on the island, and do try their Extra Old - it's the best rum I've had. I'm not sure if it's cheaper to buy from there, but rum on the island is cheap as chips anyway. There's also the Malibu factory tour nearby, if you prefer that sort of rum.
- Harrisons Cave is a natural cave system and very highly regarded.
- The Barbados Wildlife Sanctuary for feeding time in the late afternoon/evening (4pm rings a bell for some reason).
- Andromeda Botanical Gardens are a pleasant enough way to spend an hour or two if you're horticulturally inclined.
- If it's more retail therapy that's needed, Bridgetown is where the major duty free shopping is found, and Diamonds International, or other diamond exchanges are supposed to be good value.
Places:
- Bridgetown is the capital, and where most of the population/big shops are. It's also where most of the traffic is, and does have its own 'rush hour'!
West coast: (more upmarket, white beaches, shallow surf)
- Holetown (Cave Shepherd has a supermarket and lots of shops and banks/cash points)
- Mullins beach
- Speightstown (bars/supermarkets/banks/cash machines)
- Port St Charles for restaurants and a very nice yacht harbour!
South coast: (more lively, package tours, bigger surf)
- St Lawrence Gap (really packagey, big on nightlife, some say it's 'tacky')
- The Boatyard (just south of Bridgetown, and is for shops/bars/restaurants/beach activities)
- Oistins
East coast:
- Bathsheba
Restaurants:
- "Blue Rare" in Holetown (T: 001-246-432-6557) is supposed to be good for steaks, but I've not been.
- "The fishpot" restaurant is great for a romantic meal overlooking the sea at sunset and beyond. It's owned by people who run the "Little Good Harbour Hotel". http://www.littlegoodharbourbarbados.com... (T: 001-246-439-2604)
- "Lone Star", "Tides", "the Cliff" (pricey/possibly overrated), "Daphne's" (Italian), and "Mango's by the sea", are some of the best on the island.
- The Atlantis Hotel in Bathsheba, used to do the best Bajan Sunday lunch buffet going, but I hear that the owners have sold up. It's still a great place to go, as it's up overlooking the Soup Bowl, on the east coast.
If I had to pick, Tide's, would be my choice but you'll need to book ahead. (The diningwithus.net website is pretty good for other numbers/restaurants.)
Pubs/bars - I can only really comment on the West Coast, as that's where I know:
- the Fisherman's Pub in Speightstown, for beers and honest Bajan food it can't be beaten. Given it sits on the beach, it's perfect.
- Mullins beach bar (a bit more upmarket than it used to be, but great at sunset)
- The Roundhouse up in Bathsheba is supposed to be good.
- Cocomo's on the beach at Sandy Lane for a beer and rum punch.
My top recommendations are for the West coast, Mango’s and the Fishermans Pub, both in Speightstown. Fishermans is definitely more down to earth, and Mango’s is a treat. Oistins fish fry in the South.
Beaches:
For beaches, the west coast is picture-perfect, palm fringed, golden sand, gentle lapping waves. Almost every beach is good. My 'local' whenever I get the chance to go, is Mullins beach.
The south-east coast is golden sand with larger surf, Silversands is a beautiful beach, and quite often very empty, and Crane beach is also highly recommended.
The east coast is more rugged, with beaches and big surf.
The north is cliffs and little cove's - very picturesque, but not good for swimming.
Sports/activities:
- Take a speedboat/catamaran trip to see the turtles and do some snorkelling.
- Submarine trips, or glass-bottomed boats are also good fun, but not cheap.
- You can hire fishing boats by the day/half day to (try and!) catch marlin.
- Go to see a game of cricket at the Bridgetown Oval, or some polo at the Barbados Polo Club at Holders (near to your hotel), and horseracing at the Garrisson Savannah. The local's treat it as a big day out, and there's usually a great atmosphere.
- There are plenty of top-notch golf courses by you, if that's your thing, from the Westmoreland to Sandy Lane.
- Take an evening boat trip from Bridgetown, they do everything from party boats to dinner and dancing boats, so plenty for everyone.
- Hire a waverunner from a beach for an hour to do a run of the west coast by sea! (take lots of sun-lotion, a t-shirt and a bottle of water with you)
- Diving - lots of great places to dive, and they cater from the beginner to the experienced. You can also get your PADI certificate if you want.
- They do safari tours of the island too, the Yellow Jeep tour is a pretty good one.
- **edited to take out Mango's restaurant, as it's now closed.
Edited by jep on Wednesday 2nd October 11:30
Just to add there are ladies with Suzuki Carry vans who do weekday lunches out of the back.
Think full on roast chicken dinner for BDS$12.
My favourite is the one who is in the carpark opposite Chefette in Rockley. You have to be early though as she is normally more or less sold out by noon.
Think full on roast chicken dinner for BDS$12.
My favourite is the one who is in the carpark opposite Chefette in Rockley. You have to be early though as she is normally more or less sold out by noon.
jep said:
If I had to pick, Mango's in Speightstown (T: 001-246-422-0704), followed by Tide's, would be my choice but you'll need to book ahead. (The diningwithus.net website is pretty good for other numbers/restaurants.)
Can recommend Tides - very nice.We also ate somewhere very nice (near-fine-dining) in Speightstown (back in 2011) - thought it was Mango's but photos look completely wrong, and it was less expensive than Tides. This place was 'upstairs' and overlooked a tarmac sort-of promenade by a rocky coast, not a beach.
Anyone suggest what it was - a quick google of Sp'town restaurants isn't helping.
a real shame if that's the case, as it was top notch.Driving out there is comedy. The roads have zero grip even in the dry. And there is no drink-drive law!
End of May/beginning of June is the best time to be there if you are a petrolhead as that's when Sol Rally Barbados takes place. The island is motorsport mad.
PH'er gee_fin is your man for local knowledge - he's been going there for years doing the rally, and is now happily settled there and married to a local girl.
End of May/beginning of June is the best time to be there if you are a petrolhead as that's when Sol Rally Barbados takes place. The island is motorsport mad.
PH'er gee_fin is your man for local knowledge - he's been going there for years doing the rally, and is now happily settled there and married to a local girl.
FUBAR said:
My folks are at Palm Beach from the 11th. If you see a pair of pensioners behaving badly, that'll be them
Ended up staying in No15 of palm beach for 3 nights before moving back to the hotel for a few reasons, was pretty quiet and pretty much had the pool to ourselves (palm beach one) what apartment were your folks in? we did chat with a few people staying there one canadian couple, one woman who is a resident and another woman who owns i think she said three apartments. Steve57 said:
Ended up staying in No15 of palm beach for 3 nights before moving back to the hotel for a few reasons, was pretty quiet and pretty much had the pool to ourselves (palm beach one) what apartment were your folks in? we did chat with a few people staying there one canadian couple, one woman who is a resident and another woman who owns i think she said three apartments.
My parents own #7 and my brothers and I have a 1/3 each of #14. Younger bro flew out with wife and daughter on the 16th. b
d keeps winding me up with his Facebook status updates lol. Im guessing you probably spoke to Pat & Julia (she owns #8 & #10 iirc)It is technically still low season but pays dividends on pool and beach space
FUBAR said:
My parents own #7 and my brothers and I have a 1/3 each of #14. Younger bro flew out with wife and daughter on the 16th. bd keeps winding me up with his Facebook status updates lol. Im guessing you probably spoke to Pat & Julia (she owns #8 & #10 iirc)
It is technically still low season but pays dividends on pool and beach space
Oh, seems like we chatted to your mum & Brother,wife and daughter (Isabelle?) His wife showed us your apartment. d keeps winding me up with his Facebook status updates lol. Im guessing you probably spoke to Pat & Julia (she owns #8 & #10 iirc)It is technically still low season but pays dividends on pool and beach space
The beach is somewhat bigger now they have finished dumping several (think we see 10 lorry loads in 2 days) of sand.
I'll fire you an email regarding a few items shortly actually.
Steve57 said:
Oh, seems like we chatted to your mum & Brother,wife and daughter (Isabelle?) His wife showed us your apartment.
The beach is somewhat bigger now they have finished dumping several (think we see 10 lorry loads in 2 days) of sand.
I'll fire you an email regarding a few items shortly actually.
Small world huh (close, Isabella The beach is somewhat bigger now they have finished dumping several (think we see 10 lorry loads in 2 days) of sand.
I'll fire you an email regarding a few items shortly actually.
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