Barbados Holidays: West Coast vs South Coast, Things to Do & When to Go

A By Anna · Updated 20 October 2026 · 4 min read

Airports

Grantley Adams International (BGI)

Flight time

about 8h 30m-9h from London to Barbados, direct

Best time to go

December-April for dry, sunny weather; November and May-June for value

Currency

Barbados dollar (BB$), pegged at BB$2 to US$1; US dollars widely accepted

Barbados has long been a favourite with British holidaymakers, and it's easy to see why. The sea on the west coast is often as calm as a swimming pool, the south coast buzzes with beach bars and rum shops, and the rugged Atlantic east coast feels like another island altogether. Add some of the best restaurants in the Caribbean, historic Bridgetown, cricket at Kensington Oval and a strong sense of local identity, and it suits couples, families and repeat visitors alike.

English is the language, cars drive on the left and there are more direct flights from the UK than to almost any other Caribbean island. Barbados is 4 hours behind the UK in winter and 5 hours behind during British Summer Time. Electricity is mostly 115V with US-style sockets, so bring an adaptor. It isn't cheap, but staying on the south coast and using the buses keeps costs manageable.

Entry requirements

British passport holders can usually visit Barbados as tourists without a visa, normally for up to six months. Your passport should be valid for your whole stay, and you need a return or onward ticket. Barbados asks arrivals to complete an online immigration and customs form before travel, which produces a QR code to show on landing. Rules change, so check GOV.UK foreign travel advice before booking.

Where to go in Barbados

The west coast (Platinum Coast)

From Holetown to Speightstown, the west coast has calm, clear water, turtle snorkelling, luxury hotels and elegant restaurants. Holetown has Limegrove shopping and plenty of places to eat, and Mullins and Paynes Bay are popular for swimming. Speightstown, further north, has a more local, old-fashioned feel.

The south coast

Livelier and better value, the south coast stretches from Hastings through Rockley and Worthing to St Lawrence Gap, the island's nightlife strip, and on to Oistins, whose Friday night fish fry draws locals and visitors alike. Accra Beach and Dover Beach are good for swimming, and Silver Sands near the southern tip is a kitesurfing hotspot.

Bridgetown and the Garrison

The capital and its 17th-century Garrison are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Explore the Careenage, Parliament Buildings and the George Washington House, and catch a match at Kensington Oval if there's cricket on. Carlisle Bay, right next to town, has shipwrecks you can snorkel over.

The east coast and interior

The windswept east coast around Bathsheba has dramatic boulders and huge Atlantic waves, beautiful but dangerous for swimming. Inland, Harrison's Cave has a tram tour through limestone caverns, and Hunte's Gardens, Andromeda Gardens and St Nicholas Abbey, a Jacobean plantation house with a rum distillery, make good half-day trips.

Best time to visit Barbados

Getting to Barbados from the UK

British Airways flies direct from London Gatwick and Heathrow, Virgin Atlantic from Heathrow and Manchester, and TUI runs direct flights from several UK airports including Gatwick, Manchester and Birmingham, some seasonally. Flights take about eight and a half to nine hours. Barbados is also the main hub for hopping on to St Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada and other islands on regional airlines.

Getting around

Barbados has a good-value bus network: blue government buses, yellow private buses and white route taxis (ZRs) all charge the same low flat fare, and they run along the main coasts from Bridgetown and Speightstown. Have the exact fare ready on government buses. Taxis are plentiful but unmetered, so agree the price first. Car hire needs a local driving permit, which rental companies arrange; roads are narrow and signposting patchy, but it's the best way to explore the interior and east coast.

Money and costs

The Barbados dollar is pegged at BB$2 to US$1, and US dollars are accepted in most places, though prices are usually shown in BB$. Barbados is pricey by Caribbean standards: allow around £150-250 per person per day for a mid-range trip including accommodation, less if you self-cater on the south coast. Restaurant bills often include a 10% service charge. Cards are widely accepted, but carry some cash for buses, rum shops and fish fries.

We research every guide carefully, but prices, opening times and timetables change. Check them shortly before you travel. Links to our booking partners are affiliate links.