From the rum-swilling buccaneers and colonial sugar barons of old, to the modern day jet set playing cat-and-mouse with the paparazzi on board their luxury yachts, Barbados has long enticed adventurers and pleasure seekers to its platinum sands.

Today this tiny island in the eastern Caribbean offers everything from magnificent, tranquil beaches to dramatic cliffs, rugged rolling hills, superb restaurants and picture-perfect golf courses. And it’s particularly popular with British travellers; the quaint little villages with their churches and cricket pitches are rather redolent of home, albeit with the occasional monkey in the trees to remind you that you’re in the tropics.

The west coast is where it’s at for endless white sand beaches and luxurious high-end hotels, and if you need a new outfit for dinner then hit the chic boutiques of Holetown’s Limegrove shopping mall. Jump on a local reggae bus to get into the island spirit, or hire a car and spend a more sedate afternoon exploring the east coast’s sleepy local villages and dramatic Atlantic coastline. Bajans and tourists alike head to the buzzing bars of St Lawrence Gap in the south of the island to party when the sun goes down, and the Friday night fish fry at Oistins is a veritable Barbados institution. The bustling capital, Bridgetown is also well worth a visit for shopping, the colourful local Cheapside market, rum shops and colonial architecture.

Have a read of our latest blog to see why we cherish the beloved Barbados.