As Told by Ali

A quick weekend trip in another island, why not? I mean, if regional travel was cheaper I think we’d all be living it up in another Caribbean island on the weekends. We visited Barbados in September, and this was my first time on island that didn’t involved business/working. This trip however, was not planned as a getaway; it was a last minute addition and we didn’t want to do too much. In this blog post I’ll be sharing what we did, where we ate and some things you can check out if you’re planning a trip.

Getting to Barbados

We flew from Antigua to Barbados on InterCaribbean Airways on a direct flight. The airline served a complimentary snack and drink, and within 50 minutes we were arriving at Grantley Adams International Airport. Getting through arrivals was fairly easy and once outside we decided to rent a car. We used Drive-a-Matic and was lucky enough to get the last car. Don’t worry though since there are other rental companies located at the airport.

WHERE WE STAYED

I usually prefer hotels for the added amenities and breakfast option, but this time we opted for a holiday rental. We stayed at Blue Haven Holiday Apartment located in Dover Gardens, Christ Church, Barbados. This was booked through Booking.com which I use for majority of my trips. I love the ability to reserve stays without paying until arrival.

The main reason we went with Blue Haven Apartments was the price and location. We were staying in Barbados for 4 nights and the total was US $450 which we thought was reasonable. As for the location, it was less than 15 mins away from the Grantley Adams International Airport, a 5 mins walk to Dover Beach and St. Lawrence Gap.

The room was a Queen Studio which came with a large double bed, television, air conditioner, private bathroom and balcony. It was a standard room with modern amenities comfortable enough for the time we spent on island. There’s no meal plan available, but there are restaurants within walking distance and a refrigerator and microwave in the room. One con I had about the room was how easily you could hear others outside or in the room next door.

Other amenities: toiletries, safe, iron & ironing board, free wi-fi, free private parking

What We Did

Haymans Market

I came across this spot on Instagram and we decided to take a drive to check it out. Haymans Market is a repurposed factory used for unique stalls, shops, bars, restaurants and entertainment spaces. It features indoor and outdoor spots, as well as a variety of art murals which gives the space its vibe.

After walking through the market and seeing most of the shops we got something to eat from Eat to Fit Lifestyle. They offered a “Bowl your way” which seemed like a good balance of protein (chicken, fish, seafood, tofu), base (rice, quinoa, salad), toppings and sauce. It wasn’t my favourite thing and I was over it before even finishing it. The market does have a range of other food options though and we should have browsed some more.

St Lawrence Gap

St.Lawrence Gap, a 1.3 km stretch of road in the parish of Christ Church, is famous for it’s fine restaurants, diverse accommodation, lively nightlife and good shopping.

‘The Gap”, as it is commonly known, is a place where various cultures meet and merge … it is an experience that should not be missed!

barbados.org

We visited the gap twice during our visit and it definitely wasn’t as lively as I thought it would be. Also, it was mainly different styles of restaurants/bars. The bars would offer drink specials and some form of entertainment into the nights. There were also a few local vendors on the stretch selling souvenirs and street food. One of the nights we hung out at Mcnaughty’s pub, the music was good and they had the most vibes at the time.

Bridgetown

The capital and largest city of Barbados, it was worth a trip. It was difficult at first to find parking, but happend upon a parking garage. We spent some time walking around the city and window shopping. We came across the National Heroes square, Broad street and Swan Street. A little out of town you’ll find Kensington Oval and Rihanna Drive is also not too far away.

“A bustling port city with a mix of historic charm and modern Caribbean life” perfectly describes what we experienced.

Cherry Tree Hill

A famous lookout point of the Atlantic and the eastern coast of Barbados. It’s after St Nicholas Abbey and was worth the drive.

Harrison’s Cave Eco Adventure Park

One of the best things we did while on island. Harrison’s Cave Eco Adventure Park offers a range of activities from zip lining, cave tours, rum tastings etc. We opted for the Signature Tram Tour which took us on a ride underground through the cave. It was a bit creepy but still exciting to know all this exists. The tour guide was very knowledgeable about the formation of the cave and sharing stories throughout the tour. We also got to walk around the park and visit the bird aviary where we got to feed different birds. It really was a fun experience and I wish I did the zip lining. P.S. don’t skip out on the rum punch from the Mount Gay Bar.

Location: Allen View, Welchman Hall
Booking site: Chukka Caribbean Adventures

Where We Ate

From following a few Barbadian bloggers/creators I’ve seen a few food items/restaurants I had in mind to try. Unfortunately, a few places were closed (for the season/renovations) and we simply didn’t get the opportunity to check out others. However, I think we had a fairly decent food experience on island, some better than some. We tried some of the local faves and also checked out random spots.

Cuzz Fish Stand

One of the famous local delicacies I’ve come across is a Fish Cutter. Ideally, it’s a sandwich made from salt bread roll, fried/grilled fish and other toppings. Funny enough, I recently learnt they do Ham cutters too which may be more popular around Christmas time. All this to say, on our drive to Bridgetown we decided to stop at Cuzz Fish Stand on Pebbles Beach, this was highly recommended on Google.

I loved his setup, with the Bajan colours and bus sign/tour stop. We ordered one to sample but I quickly realised I should have gotten my own. It was delicious! I’m usually picky with sauces but I opted to try what was available (except the hot sauce). It’s really a good option for a quick snack and I enjoyed a cold Banks beer afterwards. If you want to try Bajan street food, this is it.

Cocktail Kitchen

One of our late night finds after walking through St. Lawrence Gap. It was a quiet evening so we weren’t really sure where to go. From the outside it looked like a good option. We only had some calamari with our cocktails since we weren’t feeling a heavy dinner. I wasn’t really impressed by it especially for the price. However, the other menu options did peak my interest for if I were to revisit. The cocktails also made up for it. I had the Halle Berry, which is a pink gin based cocktail, mixed with berries, lemon juice and mint leaves.

Beyond Sushi

I’ve recently grown a love for sushi so I was most excited to try this spot. It was a hard decision even selecting a menu item, but ultimately I decided on a Shrimp Tempura Roll with Crabmeat. They got 5 stars alone simply from the presentation, everything was packaged nicely with all your sauces/condiments. There was traditional soy sauce, wasabi, ginger, spicy mayo and a Thai chilli type of sauce. I really wanted to savour each bite while I was eating, it was that good.

Cost: BBD $40
Location: #3 Pelican Village, Bridgetown

Lisa’s Doubles & Roti

On our drive to town we passed this food stand and opted to give it a try since my boyfriend loves doubles. Personally, I’m not a huge fan due mainly to the eating process and messiness that can occur. However, I tried it and it wasn’t bad. The channa was a bit hard, but everything else tasted good especially with the sweet sauce.

Location: Worthing Main Rd, Bridgetown

Chefette

Now, we couldn’t come to Barbados and not try the infamous Chefette which is the largest fast food restaurant chain on the island. As a girl who loves her KFC I didn’t find anything special about Chefette. It wasn’t horrible per se, but just not something I’d see myself buying regularly. We tried a few things, such as the Broasted Chicken Sandwich, Nuggets, and a 3 Piece dinner meal which came with a bread roll and fries. They had other things on the menu such as roti which may have been worth a try but we weren’t too adventurous that night.

6Mix Bar + Kitchen

We couldn’t decide what to eat on one of our nights, and I recall a fellow travel blogger raving about this wings spot, so we decided to check it out. The vibe was nice and it had a wide range of seating options available. Unfortunately, the wings didn’t live up to the hype for us or we didn’t know which flavour to order. The portion sizes were also huge and if we knew we would have ordered to share. If you’re looking for an outdoorsy vibe with music (DJ) or other entertainment you can check them out.

Location: Worthing Main Rd, Bridgetown

Calma Beach Club

On our last day, we wanted something a little more filling. We journeyed to Holetown which showed a different side of Barbados; more upscale. If we had more time I would have visited again to wander around. We were looking for a beach club and some of the options we came across at first weren’t open, so we stumbled upon Calma Beach Club. Just like most of the other places we visited, the restaurant was fairly quiet. They were having a BBQ so we ordered a few items to share. It was a chill vibe and we enjoyed the food.

Location: First St., Holetown

Barbados Itinerary Recommendations

• Harrison’s cave
• Haymans Market
• St. Nicholas Abbey
• Mount Gay Rum Distillery
• Beach clubs (e.g. Boatyard, Deia Beach, Savvy on the Bay, Harbour Lights)
• Rihanna Drive
• Catamaran Tours
• Atlantis Submarines
• Local food spots

Overall, we enjoyed Barbados for the little time we were there and I know I’ll be back sometime in the future. Vlogged some of the trip, don’t forget to subscribe for more travel adventures showing you the Caribbean and beyond!

Until next time,