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Barbados on your own fist, shore excursions and cruises from cruise planning

Barbados on your own fist, shore excursions and cruises from cruise planning

Barbados on your own

Here we have put together suggestions for shore excursions on Barbados on your own. The numerous dream beaches and many worthwhile land excursions make Barbados one of the most attractive destinations for Caribbean cruises. For three hundred years, the 34 kilometer long and 23 kilometer wide island with its approx. 280,000 inhabitants was part of Great Britain. And even since independence more than 50 years ago, much British lifestyle has been preserved. To this day, cricket is a very popular sport and Queen Elizabeth II the head of state. The national language is of course English. However, the locals speak a Creole-colored dialect. The so-called “bayan”. The locals call themselves Bajans. Barbados is like an outpost of the Caribbean in the Atlantic. A fact that has brought some benefits to the island in past centuries. The dreaded hurricanes rarely reach the island. And many explorers, including Columbus, missed Barbados on their journeys. It was only in 1536 that the island was discovered by chance by the Portuguese Pedro Campos. However, he considered his discovery largely uninteresting. Only the name Barbados (“the Bearded”) was preserved. Campos inspired the aerial roots of the fig trees, which look like bearded men.

The local currency is the Barbados Dollar (BBD), which is linked to the US dollar in the ratio of 2 BBD to 1 US $. With US dollars one comes as a tourist on the island very well. Further information can be found on the website of Barbados Tourism Marketing, which is also available in German. (As of July 2019)

The cruise port of Barbados

Cruise ships moor in the harbor of the capital Bridgetown. At the piers four large cruise ships can dock at the same time. The crusaders drive free buses from the moorings to the cruise terminal. But you can also walk. The distance depends on the berth and is estimated between 300 and 800 meters.

The Barbados Cruise Terminal is housed in a large hall, where numerous shops, restaurants and a tourist information office await the hikers. There is also a post office, telephones and free internet. At the back of the terminal building there is a covered area for land tour buses. Taxis were in a parking lot in the immediate vicinity.

Mobile on Barbados on your own

The issue of mobility is central to all Crusaders who are planning their own cruise on Barbados. Ultimately, it is about the question of how to get from the port to the desired land destinations. For this we have compiled information here:

On foot

Downtown Bridgetown, with its sights and shops, is less than a mile (1.5 km) from the cruise ship terminal and a 15-minute walk (20 minutes). After about 500 meters you will pass the Pelikan Village Craft Center, a beautiful shopping center. Shortly behind is the Princess Alice Bus Terminal.

The beaches along Carlisle Bay start (as seen from the harbor) just behind the city center and are also within walking distance. You go over the Chamberlain Bridge and Independence Arch and a few minutes later you are on the beach. Beach clubs offer a complete infrastructure including loungers and umbrellas. The Pirates Cove Beach Club is a good 2 kilometers from the cruise terminal. The Boatyard Beachclub (theboatyard.com) is just 300 yards away. The Boatyard even offers its guests a free return transport to the port.

Taxis

For those who want to explore Barbados on their own, the numerous taxis are the mode of transport of choice. There are no taximeters. The fares are regulated by the government and published in the port on a large poster, which we photographed in early 2019. There are easy rides, return trips with pick-up time and also island tours.

In a kind of oversized carport with a pitched roof is the Taxi Dispatch Center. The dispatchers ensure efficient distribution of the numerous passengers to the more than 250 “Authorized Seaport Taxis”. This system was recently introduced. The taxis with access to the port are easily recognizable by the stickers on the side.

In front of the port exit, further taxis advertise customers who have no license for the port and may therefore be a little cheaper. Everyone has to decide if the savings are worth the risk.

Public buses

With a little thirst for adventure you can also go by bus in Barbados. The public buses are easily recognizable by their blue-and-yellow livery and are very numerous on the streets of the island. The service is considered quite reliable. For those traveling south or east, head to Fairchild Street Terminal in the center of Bridgetown. The northbound and westbound buses depart from the Princess Alice Terminal near the Pelican Village Craft Center, near the cruise ship terminal. The exact location of the bus stations is noted on Google Maps.

The fare is currently $ 3 BDS for all trips. In the bus you can throw the fare in a Fare Box with the driver. There is no change. So you need local currency and matching change. You can only get change at the big bus terminals.

On the website of the Transportboard you can search specifically for bus connections to the individual sights. For example, you can catch bus # 4 from Princess Alice Terminal (near the harbor) to Harrison’s Cave. When you get off at stop 14 “Welchman Hall”, you are almost there.

In addition, there are private minibuses. Minibuses (yellow with blue stripes) and ZR vans (white with brown stripes). Behind the Princess Alice Terminal is the Cheapside Mininbus and ZR Terminal. On these minibuses are probably no means of transport for Landausflügler.

rental car

There are numerous national and international car rental companies on the holiday island of Barbados. You can find providers in the capital, at the relatively distant airport and occasionally in the cruise port. Currently, at least the companies Hertz and Caribbean Rentals (caribbeanrentalcars.com) are represented at the cruise terminal. But that has changed more often in recent years. Many other providers offer but a pickup and delivery service.

In Barbados you drive on the left side. This should be remembered before renting a car. In addition, the signage of the roads is sometimes completely inadequate. Dense traffic and traffic jams are also common. In addition to the driver’s license you need a local driver’s license, which you can get for 10 BDS $ from the car rental companies. Rental cars are easily recognizable by an H on the license plate. Everyone sees immediately that you are a tourist. A particularly unusual type of vehicle are the so-called mini mokes. Small mini-based vehicles.

Book shore excursions on Barbados

It is not for everyone to move on a Caribbean island on their own. In particular, the fear of criminals is not completely unfounded, even if the risk can be limited by the well-known precautionary measures. More comfortable and safer are guided shore excursions or island tours. Corresponding offers can be found aboard the cruise ship or at local tour operators. By way of example, we include the land excursion program of the popular German shipping company AIDA Cruises for Barbados. There is something for everyone. Other shipping companies have a more or less similar program. For the shipping companies, these cruise excursions are an important business. Accordingly intensive is advertised.

Those who like it more individually or who are deterred by the high land prices on board should take a look at the offers of local tour operators. Many local tour operators offer their activities at GetYourGuide * (see below) or at Viator * (at the bottom of this page). The offer is huge and not designed only for land-based travelers. Here you will find u.a. Island tours, guided tours with local guides, sailing trips and much more. There is a selection below. If you click on one of the offers, a new window opens with the complete program for this harbor.

Highlights for shore excursions in Barbados

As early as 1628, Barbados became a British colony, and in 1639 a separate parliament was created, and in 1966 Barbados became an independent state in the Commonwealth. The fact that the island has always remained British over the centuries is very unusual in the highly competitive Caribbean. So the atmosphere is still English today, which helped Barbados to the name “Little England”. Here we have put together selected highlights for the day in Barbados on your own.

Bridgetown

Why look into the distance. The nearby capital Bridgetown offers many attractions and many great shopping. And beautiful beaches can be found on the nearby Carlisle Bay.

If you are reasonably well on foot, you can easily reach the city center of Bridgetown by foot. The path leads along the Princess Alice Highway almost always along the sea. Sun protection is advisable, even if trees donate shade along the way. After a short while you reach Rolli’s Bar and Grill. There are e.g. fried fish and cool drinks. Right next door is a shop of the Caribbean Cigar Company selling cigars of the domestic brand Royal Barbados Cigars.

Continue in the direction of the city center. If you reach the Princess Alice Bus Terminal just past the Pelican Village Crafts Center, you have already made more than half of the way. The Princess Alice Highway now becomes Hincks Street. If you want, you can make a short detour to the left into Cumberland Street. After about 100 meters you reach the Anglican St. Mary’s Church from 1827. Going back to Hincks Street, after a few meters you pass the Agapey Chocolate Factory (agapey.com). Interested parties can inform themselves about the production of chocolates here.

Shortly afterwards, Hincks Street joins Wharf Road, which leads along the Careenage (the mouth of the Constitution River) to the National Heroes Spool. This square is the historic center of Bridgetown, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2011. Here are the built in the Gothic Revival style government buildings. Of course, there is also a memorial of the naval hero Lord Nelson, which was built in 1815. This makes it 25 years older than the famous Nelson Column in London. Also on this square is The Fountain, a fountain reminiscent of the introduction of public water supply. One of the streets leading to National Heroes Square is Broad Street, the capital’s main shopping street.

The Chamberlain Bridge pedestrian bridge leads from National Heroes Square to the other side of the Careenage to Independence Arch on Independence Square. Once here, you’re just a few hundred yards from the beaches and beach clubs on Carlisle Bay. In addition in the category “The beaches” more. So you can combine the sightseeing of the capital very well with a few hours on the beach.

Sugar, rum and mansions

Sugar was the white gold of the Caribbean and made the plantation owners, called sugar barons, magically rich. They lived in magnificent mansions. The Sunbury Plantation House (sunburyplantation.com) was built around 1660 by one of the first settlers and was recently renovated. Here, visitors can admire the restored blinds, sash windows, mahogany staircases, carriages and other colonial relics. All rooms can be visited. In the nursery, it looks like the kids just went outside.

The St. Nicholas Abbey (stnicholasabbey.com) near Cherry Tree Hill is also a beautiful old manor house from this period. The building is considered one of only three genuine Jacobean villas in the world. An architectural style named after the English King James I of England. In addition to the manor there is a rum distillery, which can also be visited.

Mount Gay (mountgayrum.com) is considered the oldest rum distillery in the world. Rum has been produced here since 1703. The products of Mount Gay are today among the best in the world. Rum connoisseurs can use their Barbados shore excursion for one of the guided tours and taste the exquisite Mount Gay rum. The distillery’s Visitors Center is located less than 2 kilometers from the Barbados Cruise Terminal near Brandons Beach. So you can even come on foot. The address is: Spring Garden Hwy, Bridgetown, Barbados.

Caves, gardens and sea turtles

The forces of nature have honed caves from the limestone, under which runs a network of underground streams. Harrison’s Cave (harrisonscave.com) is five kilometers long. Only about 30 percent are accessible to visitors who drive with small electric trains through the cave system. Sturdy shoes are recommended because you can get off the track. In a large cave a 12 meter high waterfall falls into a lagoon. The caves are one of the top attractions on the island of Barbados and also guarantees the goal of at least a shore excursion on board. If you would like to explore Harrison’s Cave on your own, you can take a taxi or a line 4 bus.

Today’s Welchman Hall Gully used to be an underground river. The blanket has collapsed over the centuries and this erosion channel is today home to about 200 tropical plants. These include, for example, nutmeg, bananas and countless flowering plants. The vegetation corresponds to the state of the island of Barbados before the discovery by the Europeans. At the bus line 4, there is a stop of the same name.

Garden lovers will love the Andromeda Botanic Gardens (andromedabarbados.com) on the Atlantic coast. This is a beautiful garden located on a cliff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Covering an area of ​​more than 20,000 square meters, gardening enthusiasts will find an excellent selection of tropical plants, including orchids, hibiscus and palm trees.

The Barbados Wildlife Reserve (barbadoswildlifereserve.com) is set in a mahogany forest. You can admire the green Barbados monkeys, otters, mongooses, porcupines, deer and many other species. Everyone walks around freely in the park. Originally from Senegal, the green monkeys were brought to Barbados in the 17th century.

The Animal Flower Cave is located on the northern tip of Barbados. The name comes from sea anemones that grow (or rather grew) in the natural pools within the cave. On the north coast, Atlantic and Caribbean meet. The sea is bubbling and the rugged coast is worth a visit. For $ 10 you can go to the cave and swim there.

A popular shore excursion in Barbados is a sailing trip with a catamaran to the sea turtles. There are offers on board and at Viator (link above). At the Carlisle Bay you can also meet the animals not far from the beach. True Hawksbill turtles live on the west and south coasts and lay their eggs here between April and November. On the rough east coast also live large leatherback turtles, which you rarely get to see. The University of the West Indies Barbados Sea Turtle Project controls protected turtles in their habitat. You lay nests that are too close to the waterline and take care of stray or injured animals. The turtles are sociable and tend to always be in the same region.

Beaches in Barbados

There are many beautiful beaches along the west coast and the south coast of Barbados. The most important are noted on the small map at the top. The West Coast is also known as the Gold Coast or Platinum Coast because of the many luxury hotels and luxury properties. However, the beaches here have become noticeably narrower in recent years. One suspects that changed currents are the reason. Even in front of the famous luxury hotel Sandy Lane there are only a few meters beach. The east and north coasts are exposed to the wind and surf of the Atlantic. Here only nature lovers and (very good and very courageous) surfers get their money’s worth. For example, the east coast at Bathsheba is beautiful to look at. But not for swimming. For hikers, of course, especially the beaches are interesting, which are easily and quickly accessible from the Barbados Cruise Terminal.

For crusaders, the West Coast is particularly interesting Brandons Beach, which is only 2 miles from the port. You can see the cruise ships from the beach very well. The Mount Gay Rum Destilleries are nearby. Rascals of the Caribbean Restaurant serves food and drink. Sun loungers and umbrellas can be rented for about US $ 25. A little further north is the popular Paynes Bay Beach, which can be reached quickly and cheaply from the port by taxi.

Along the Carlisle Bay extends a nearly 2 kilometer long almost perfect sandy beach. The different sections of the beach have their own names, like Browns Beach or Pebbles Beach. But that is unimportant. In earlier centuries, the sailing ships anchored here. The island does not have a better harbor. Accordingly, many ships have been lost in Carlisle Bay since the 17th century. To the delight of divers and snorkelers, who today find an almost perfect reef here. Very often you can watch turtles. You just have to swim for a while. Around the middle of Carlisle Bay, there are vendors who take snorkelers and divers out for a few bucks. You can see the boats from the beach. Popular with crusaders are the Pirates Cove Beach Club (piratescove.jollyrogerbarbados.org) and The Boatyard Beach Bar and Club (theboatyard.com) near the city center. There are beach chairs, umbrellas and something to eat and drink. But you can also just lay on the beach with a towel. The further you walk, the quieter it gets.

Further cruise trips by local providers

Many local tour operators offer their activities on Viator *. The low price guarantee, a 24 hour cancellation period and countless customer reviews help with the selection and provide security when booking.

The links marked with an asterisk (*) are so-called affiliate / advertising links.

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Christina Cherry
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