Official Name: Barbados Capital: Bridgetown Flag: Population: 284,589 Language: English Currency: Barbadian Dollar (BBD) Government Website: www.barbados.gov.bb Chamber of Commerce: www.bdscham.com Emergency Info:

Barbados is the little Island with a big British presence. A pleasant merge of British influence and traditions, with the best of Caribbean spirit and manner, Barbados is an Island of comfort and relaxation for all its visitors. The charming and secluded Island lies approximately 1,600 miles southeast of Miami and at least 100 miles away from its closest neighboring Islands. Its long coastline provides all the “to do’s” of the Caribbean Sea, from snorkeling to sailing.

Locals of Barbados call themselves Bajans. Friendly and laid back, they seem to have held on to all their Caribbean charisma while successfully incorporating some British charm. Dining is one area where the Island’s Caribbean influence clearly dominates over British; travelers will find traditional Caribbean dishes dictate the majority of all menus on the Barbados.

Geographically, Barbados is unique in that it isn’t the typical peaked volcano shape, rather comparatively flat and ‘coral-capped.’ The island does have a great variety in its landscape, especially considering its size. The Islands sprawling fields of sugar cane, and it’s rolling grassy hills of the Scotland district, are a strong contrast from the cityscape of Bridgetown or the rough terrain of rocky ridges on the northeast end of the Island.

While beach lazing and water sports dominate most any Island (and this is also true for Barbados) there are many exciting ‘dry’ activities and spectacular sites not to be overlooked. The heart of activity on Barbados is its capital Bridgetown, located on Carlide Bay. The buildings in Bridgetown confirm the British heritage of the Islands and the streets bustle with a comfortable blend of locals and visitors. The busiest part of Bridgetown surrounds Main St. which is lined with the tallest buildings and lots of shops and eateries/restaurant.

Aside from Bridgetown, the Island has other outlying urban areas including Speightstown, a busy fishing town, and Holetown, which is a popular shopping and dining and restaurant center and the oldest town in Barbados although it has quite the modern appearance. For an inexpensive stay, St. Lawrence will do the trick. Located on the southwest coast of the Island, St. Lawrence offers lots of things to do including some of Barbados best beaches, while it continues to have plenty affordable accommodations and hotels, diving, sailing, wind surfing and more.

For a bit of the Island’s history in a unique setting, the Barbados Museum is located in a 19th century military prison. Along with the historical relevance of the building itself, the museums exhibits cover a wide range of historical aspects of the Island including an African Culture Gallery.

A particularly interesting aspect of Barbados history, still standing on the island today, is its chattel houses. Chattel houses were used by plantation workers because they could be easily disassembled and moved. Plantation workers would often have to move from one plantation to the next and the chattels served as a sort of “mobile home.”

The Barbados Wildlife Reserve is a unique “zoo” which consists of 10 kilometers of enclosed forest in which visitors can walk freely among the forests plant and animal life. Take a walk through the thick mahogany forest of the Reserve and you can spot the Barbados Green Monkeys, turtles, iguanas, and even deer. The Reserve is particularly lively during the afternoon feed, when the monkeys come out in full force. Also enjoy the Reserves orchid display, which boasts a plethora of the exotic plant life, and the restored Grenade Hall 1819 signal station which was once used to alert Bridgetown of incoming ships or slave rebellion.

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