Barbados Bucket List: 50 Things You Must Do When You Visit

Beautiful Barbados, 166 square miles of pure love and smiles. It isn’t only our friendly welcoming ‘Bajan’ culture that allows us to stand out from our Caribbean neighbours. There is just so much to do, see and taste while in Barbados. We have created a ‘Barbados Bucket List’ with 50 of our favourite things to do here in Barbados. How many can you check off?

Activities and Attractions

• Swim with the sea turtles on the west coast or attend a turtle hatching.
• Walk the plank on the Jolly Roger Black Pearl Pirate boat.
• Harbour Lights Wednesday BBQ and Beach Extravaganza Show.
• Go off-roading with Barbados Island Safari.
• Lose your breath in the lush Hunte’s Garden.
• Explore under the Caribbean sea with Atlantis Submarines.
• Go on a relaxing Catamaran Cruise along the tranquil west coast.
• Learn more about the world’s oldest rum at the Mount Gay Rum Distillery tour.
• Hang out at Brighton Farmers Market on a Saturday morning.
• Visit Harrisons Cave.
• Stroll through St Lawrence Gap by night, only 5 minutes from Bougainvillea .
• The Barbados Concorde Experience.
• You will feel like you are in heaven while looking down on the view of the East Coast from Cherry Tree Hill.
• Go shopping at Limegrove.
• Visit the famous Earthworks Pottery and Off the Wall Art Gallery.
• Watch a movie under the stars at the Globe Drive-In, only 5 minutes from Bougainvillea.
• Stroll along one of our many beautiful beaches like Maxwell Beach.
• Feed the monkeys at the Barbados Wildlife Reserve.
• Hire a car and create your own island tour, who knows what you will discover.

Culture and Festivals

• Oistins Fish Fry Fridays is an absolute must and only 5 minutes from Bougainvillea.
• Crop Over (Barbados’ carnival) a month of events leading up to Grand Kadooment Monday.
• Dance to the rhythmic Steel Pan music every Monday night at Bougainvillea Beach Resort.
• Barbados Food, Wine and Rum Festival, in November… do we need to say any more?
• Visit St. Nicholas Abbey Plantation House to learn more about Barbados’ rich history.
• Holetown Festival held every February.
• Visit Historic Bridgetown, the Capital of Barbados.
• Holders Season, music and theater under the stars every March.
• The Barbados Gold Cup, the richest horse race in the Eastern Caribbean.
• Discover local art and craft and food and drink at Bridgetown Market.

Sport

Blessed with fantastic weather year round, there is no better place to practice outdoor sports than Barbados. With excellent facilities and well organized sporting events, why not experience your favourite sport, or better yet, a new sport in Barbados.

• Learn to Surf or watch the professionals at our famous ‘Soup Bowl’ Bathsheba.
• Saturday Horse Races at the Garrison Savannah.
• The Barbados Polo Season runs January to May.
• Attend a cricket game at Kensington Oval.
• Play a round of golf at one of Barbados’ golf courses, or try all six!
• The Barbados National Trust hosts a free weekly hike, a good way to explore the island.
• Watersports at Bougainvillea Hotel, from windsurfing and kite surfing to kayaks and snorkeling.
• Barbados has numerous races annually but the Run Barbados in December is a must.
• Stand Up Paddle Boarding is the latest trend around the island.
• Dive at Stavronikita and explore the 365ft Greek freighter shipwreck.

Food 

Do not get us started on our food! This section really requires separate ‘Bajan Food Bucket List.’ Until then, we have narrowed our list down to ten typical Bajan delicacies. You have not experienced Barbados until you have tasted Barbados!

• Cou-Cou and Flying Fish, our national dish
• Bajan Macaroni Pie
• Puddin’ and Souse on a Saturday
• Fish cakes
• Conkies
• Roasted Breadfruit
• Guava Cheese
• Coconut Bread
• Mauby
• Rice and Peas and oxtail

To relax and unwind between your Barbados Bucket List activities, we recommend staying at the Bougainvillea Beach Resort. This family friendly beach front hotel is located near to many of the attractions on this list. The helpful concierge at Bougainvillea can also help you book your island attractions and become one step closer to completing the Barbados Bucket List.

If you don’t complete our ‘Barbados Bucket List’ on your first trip, no worries, Barbados has the highest return rate for visitors in the Caribbean. Chances are you will be back!