International Destinations

Barbados has a beauty all its own

By Letitia Blandois

Nicknamed “Little England,” Barbados has a trimness that stands out in a crowd. And while it was one of the first Caribbean islands to lay an extensive infrastructure for tourism. Barbados has still managed to retain a quiet, conservative beauty all its own.
The island is literate, conservative and clean, which for visitors translates into such pluses as ease of communication, reliable food and water, and even a measure of driving courtesies that are otherwise rare in this part of the world.
The island takes its name from a species of “bearded” fig tree. It was the Portuguese who, on the first sighting of the island, noticed a profusion of these trees, all of which had strange hanging foliage that looked like a beard. From that image they called these islands, “Los Barbadoes.”
The Barbadian (Bajan) character was developed back in the 1700s, when cultivation of the entire island by English landlords was an intense and serious challenge. The patchwork of flat, tidy fields (which will remind you of a tropical translation of England itself) have produced an earnest, robust nation known for integrity, forthright attitude and self-assurance.
So it is not surprising then that Barbados has one of the highest per capita incomes in the region. And though poverty and joblessness exist in both urban and rural communities, the majority of people do comparatively well. In fact, even the most modest, baby-doll “chattel” house has a TV, stereo and VCR.
The chattel house has made it possible for Bajans to own a home. These tiny, perfect, portable dwellings, in all kinds of contrasting colours (and built up on a foundation of stones because plantation workers were not permitted to build directly on top of land they did not own), are as prominent on the rolling green landscape as the swaying sugar cane, the abandoned windmills, and the luminous, gold-rimmed coast.
Visitors generally choose resort accommodation on the west and south coast away from the eastern Atlantic surf. The east coast beaches are longer and more dramatic but deserted because the Atlantic currents are too powerful for swimming. There are many choice locations on the Caribbean coasts however.
Consider the all-inclusive amenities at properties such as Club Rockley Barbados, at Sam Lord's Resort and at the Barbados Beach Club, all three of which are just 15 to 20 minutes from the island airport.
Sam Lord's is a famous resort, renowned for its gardens. The Barbados Beach Club has been given the nod for its value accommodation with repeat clientele.
“Club Rockley is a hugely popular resort, especially for golfers,” says Denise Heffron of Air Transat Holidays. “During your stay all the main amenities are included and in the case of Club Rockley that also means unlimited golf.”
Travel agents have more information on Barbados or visit www.barbados.org.