The local area
Turn left from the apartment and within two minutes walk you're in the heart of historic Speightstown. Previously known as 'Little Bristol', it is one of the islands major towns and boasts a long and intriguing history.
It was the first major port and commercial centre of Barbados with ships regularly transporting sugar cane to the UK, and much of its character can be found in its colonial architecture - historic buildings dating back to the early settlement of Barbados alongside modern buildings, while still maintaining its colonial charm.
Airport - Just 20 miles from the airport which takes about 40 minutes by taxi & costs approx US$50. We can recommend a number of good taxi services.
Amenities - Speightstown has all the amenities you could possibly need, including banks, a bakery, supermarkets, beachfront restaurants and bars, a museum, a scuba diving centre, clothing and other shops, churches of many denominations.
Marina - Turn right from the apartment and you can walk along the beach for about ½ a mile to the marina at Port St. Charles, where you can see luxury yachts come and go. The beach is outstanding and is safe to swim at any time.
Nearby - Holetown is 10 minutes away from Speightstown, with a variety of shops, a supermarket and a number of restaurants for all tastes. There is also a 24 hour medical centre.
Beach - For relaxation on the beach, you're welcome to use our portable sunbeds on the beach opposite, or head into town to the beach that stretches between the Fishermans Pub & the Mural….at the far end of the beach, The Outpost, One-Eleven East, Local & Co offer sunbeds, food & drink.
Food - check out The Orange Street Grocer just as you enter the town on the right hand side walking in. It's owned & run by Nick who's a great guy and he serves fantastic food with a menu that changes regularly, www.theorangestreetgrocer.com
Scuba Diving - Click here for information about BARBADOS DIVE SITES
Being a keen diver since 1992 and qualified to PADI Divemaster level, it's always a high priority for us to search out the best dive operators wherever we go. There are many to choose from on the island, but from experience we would thoroughly recommend the following:
- Reefers & Wreckers - www.reeferswreckersbarbados.com is our favourite dive operator who we first met in 2005, run by extremely experienced brothers, Mike & Phil Mahy. Operating out of Lower Carlton between Speightstown & Holetown, they cover the west & south coasts so are ideally located for The Wicket. One of the best run & keenly priced operators.
- The Dive Shop - www.divebds.com operating out of Bridgetown on Pebbles Beach, they are the oldest & first full service dive operator in Barbados. We first met this company in early 2005 when it was run by Haroon & his wife Fatema, after being started by Haroon's father as the first dive operation on Barbados. Sadly, Haroon is no longer with us, but Fatema still continues to manage the business.
- BarbadoScuba run by Scott Clarke, based just above Speightstown but operating all over the west & south coasts - www.barbadosscubadivers.com - give Scott a shout & tell him Jon & Nicky sent you…aiming more at the private charter market, they offer a professional service with a personalised, tailored setup.
Apart from the beach and the watersports, there is so much to do….
Approaching Bridgetown on the Mighty Grynner (Spring Garden) Highway, you'll find the Mount Gay visitors centre which takes you through the fascinating history of Mount Gay Rum.
A bus ride away from us is the Animal Flower Cave, the Flower Forest (53 acres of green botanical ventures), the Earthworks Pottery, Harrisons Cave, Sunbury Plantation House, Catamaran Cruises, Pirate Cruises.
Buses - Local buses will take you all around the island for a mere $3.50 BDS (about £1.40) per trip. There are official blue buses and also the private yellow 'reggae' buses….the yellow buses can drive pretty fast and it's sometimes like a fairground ride, but it's an experience not to be missed!
Under the Sea - If you head into Bridgetown, you'll find the Atlantis Submarine from which you can explore the undersea world.
Horse Racing - join the sport of kings at the Garrison Savannah. It is a day for all the family with street food, vendors, parades, picnics and mingling which are as important to many as the races and the bets! The main event of the Barbados horse racing season is the Sandy Lane Gold Cup (formerly the Cockspur Gold Cup), which attracts entrants from across the Caribbean and jockeys from the United Kingdom and Canada. The Garrison Savannah Racetrack is a must, and there is also Polo at the Apes Hill Polo Club.
Cricket is the national sport of Barbados and the West Indies & you can catch a good game of cricket almost any time. It could be an international Test Match or One-Day at Kensington Oval, an exciting local First Division match, or a friendly game on the beach.
Golf - Barbados has quickly established itself as the premium golf location in the Caribbean. It is quietly receiving many accolades & you'll find the courses at Sandy Lane, the Royal Westmoreland, the Apes Hill Club and the Barbados Golf Club amongst others.
Surfing - As Barbados is a coral island, a coral reef stretches all around Barbados' coastline, providing for unlimited surfing conditions all over. No matter whether a swell approaches the island from a northerly or westerly direction or whether it's moving in from the east or the south, Barbados is guaranteed to have surf somewhere along its shores at almost any given day of the year.
Welchman Hall Gully - Welchman Hall Gully this tropical hideaway is home to wild monkeys, majestic rainforest trees and delicate native plants. Walk along its shaded path & see Barbados as it appeared to the first settlers. Enjoy a spectacular view of the east coast and the abundance of life tucked away inside this collapsed cave.
Concorde - Barbados proudly presents British Airways Concorde G-BOAE or Alpha Echo for short. For many years, this legendary aircraft has thrilled visitors and locals alike with its stunning combination of advanced engineering and elegant beauty. G-BOAE has made its final home as Barbados’ stunning attraction - the Barbados Concorde Experience.
Oistins Fish Market & Fish Fry (Friday night) - on Friday night, the big thing to do is go to the fish fry at Oistins Bay Gardens. The food is the main draw - excellent fish, (tuna, swordfish, marlin, mahi-mahi, flying fish), lobster, chicken etc served in an extremely informal setting. You can get your fish grilled or fried depending on which vendor you choose from. It's all cooked on the spot in front of you.
St. Nicholas Abbey - purchased in 2006 to ensure its preservation for both future generations of Barbadians and visitors, St Nicholas Abbey is located in Saint Peter. It is a plantation house, museum and rum distillery, built by Colonel Benjamin Berringer in 1658. This house is one of only three genuine Jacobean mansions in the Western Hemisphere.
George Washington House & Museum - George Washington and his ailing brother Lawrence resided in this historic plantation house, also known as Bush Hill House, for two months in 1751. Barbados was the only country ever visited by the future “First Father” of his country and Bush Hill House is the only house he ever lived in outside of the United States.