Imagine feasting on grilled fish, caught that morning, on a terrace lit by flaming torches beside a secret bay, with a bottle of fine wine perched on the pristine white tablecloth.
Now imagine eating the same succulent fish out of a takeaway box, with your toes in the soft sand, a chilled bottle of beer resting on the wobbly picnic table before you.
Why, you may ask, am I using food to introduce you to the Caribbean gem of Barbados?
Two reasons. First, 2018 has been designated Barbados’s Year of Culinary Experiences. Second, the cuisine is a perfect illustration of the amazing diversity you’ll find on this little tropical island.
You can tick all the boxes when it comes to dreamy beaches, swaying coconut palms, idyllic hotels and a sea painted every colour of blue.
Yet Barbados has so much more depth than just being a premium fly-and-flop destination. You could spend a whole week investigating the intriguing historical monuments, grand plantation houses and exquisite botanical gardens. Or another week combining forays into the rainforest with a clutch of water sports. And yet another week shopping for crafts, playing golf and indulging in spa treatments.
What’s more, you can time your visit to coincide with one of the numerous festivals, from jazz to sailing, gospel to rum, reggae to horse racing. Most of them are infused by the Bajans’ fervent desire to party.
With the island being just 21 miles long, it’s easy to dip in and out of all the attractions as the mood takes you for a holiday that can be as enriching, exhilarating or relaxing as you like.
Barbados is so exotic yet also so familiar in many respects. Its enterprising people have nurtured a country in which Caribbean traditions are melded with the highest standards of comfort and cuisine afforded to visitors, though the leisurely rhythm of life remains a fine antidote to the frenetic lives many of us lead.
The familiarity comes through a strong British influence. Wander through the Unesco-listed old part of the vibrant capital, Bridgetown, and you’ll notice a statue of Lord Nelson that pre-dates the one in London’s Trafalgar Square. Some of the old churches are straight out of a rural UK parish. Over on the wild east coast, a rock bears a plaque informing passers-by that the road here was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1966. That’s the year Barbados became independent, though Her Majesty remains the country’s head of state.
The island was first settled by the British in 1627 and remained a colony until 1966. This legacy is evident in the many historic buildings, especially St Ann’s Fort, built in 1705 and used by the British Armed Forces until 1905.
Today, the African roots of the majority of the population are cherished and celebrated, although the systems of government and education remain firmly based on the British model (and let’s not forget the islanders’ passion for cricket). English is the official language, though you’ll hear the locals effortlessly switch between this and their own impenetrable dialect.
There’s another significant connection to our homeland – British Airways has been flying to Barbados since the 1950s and now operates up to 12 flights each week from London Gatwick.
So let’s take a closer look inside the box of treats that Barbados offers. The weather can more or less be taken for granted. It’s wonderful all year. When it does rain – and all that lush foliage needs regular watering – it’s usually in short, refreshing doses.
The west coast is the Caribbean at its most sublime. Powder-sand beaches kissed by transparent turquoise waters are discreetly lined with first-class hotels, their gardens perfumed by stunning blooms. Quaint shops huddle in picturesque villages and superb golf courses are barely more than a tee-shot away.
Down south, lively St Lawrence Gap is the epicentre of the island’s entertainment. The dazzling beaches continue, this time washed by waves that are favoured by novice surfers and stand-up paddleboarders. A mix of luxurious all-inclusive hotels and good-value apartments create a welcoming community.
Between these two shores lies Bridgetown, the sweep of Carlisle Bay and a charming waterfront where you can board a catamaran for a day cruise, join a diving adventure or even take a ride in a submarine.
On the east coast and up in the north, it’s a completely different picture, almost as if you had stepped on to another island. Breakers sweep the untouched beaches, some adorned by giant coral rocks. Little bays and lagoons are hidden escapes for locals and in-the-know visitors.
Inland, deep gullies choked with rainforest flora are the habitat for the “other” locals – cheeky green monkeys, iridescent hummingbirds and bright-hued butterflies.
Among the foliage are some of Barbados’s greatest treasures. Harrison’s Cave, accessed by a cute road train, is an otherworldly and quite unexpected experience. Several beautiful gardens showcase incredible displays of plants, flowers and often quirky statuary. Farley Hill National Park invites a picnic beneath the mahogany trees next to the haunting ruins of an old mansion. At the handsome, Jacobean St Nicholas Abbey, you can witness how rum is once again being made from the estate’s sugar cane.
Going back to where we started, with the island’s cuisine, the choices are equally copious. There are super-chic restaurants in wonderful beachside locations where the memory of your meal will remain long after its zingy flavours. Many other eateries serve up plates of sizzling fish or chicken in a homely atmosphere with favourite accompaniments such as rice ’n’ peas, plantain and okra.
Then there are the rustic rum shops – the equivalent of the local pub – where typical West Indian fare makes a tasty, cheap lunch. These are great places to mingle with the Bajan people, which brings me to a less tangible yet powerfully evident quality that makes Barbados so special. Everywhere you go, be it on the beach, at the market or on the dance floor, you’ll notice wide smiles and an eagerness to banter. The locals love their island, and there’s little they like more than you loving it too.