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Maxwell Beach Barbados

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Barbados Travel Guide

Key Facts
Area: 

416 sq km (161 sq miles).

Population: 

270,000 (2008).

Population density: 

649 per sq km.

Capital: 

Bridgetown. Population: 80,000 (2008).

Government: 

Constitutional monarchy. Gained independence from the UK in 1966.

Head of state: 

HM Queen Elizabeth II, represented locally by Governor-General Sir Clifford Husband since 1996.

Head of government: 

Prime Minister David Thompson since January 2008.

Electricity: 

110-115 volts AC, 50Hz. American-style two-pin plugs are in use.

Fringed by talcum powder-white beaches and azure seas, Barbados fulfils the clichéd image of a tropical Caribbean isle, but peel back the exterior and the island offers far more than a mere beach holiday destination.

Endowed with 113km (70 miles) of beaches, however, first time visitors can be forgiven for heading straight for the sand and surf. Most tourists flock to the island’s legendary Platinum Coast to the west, which is lined with world-class, luxury resorts, spa hotels, sophisticated restaurants and manicured golf courses, all lapped by the limpid Caribbean Sea. The south coast has some of the best beaches while the east coast, pummelled by the Altantic Ocean, is less developed and attracts mainly surfers.

Although Barbados’s interior is unremarkable compared to its Caribbean neighbours, a jeep safari provides the best way to discover crumbling sugar mills, historic plantation houses, traditional churches reminiscent of England and colonial Bridgetown.

Combine this with Barbados’s indelible laid-back vibe, its passion for rum (over 1,500 rum shops dot the island) and calypso-infused festivals, and it’s no wonder people return here time and time again.

Top events in Barbados

June
10

Football fans shouldn't miss out on this chance to see footballing veterans like Roberto Di Matteo, Gianfranco Zola and Alan Shearer take to the...

July
01

Crop Over is Barbados' biggest festival. Dating back to the 1780s when the island was one of the biggest sugar producers in the world, the end of...

November
19

Spanning four days, this culinary event brings together the very best in food, wine, rum and culture.