Famous for its idyllic beaches and vibrant nightlife, Barbados also offers a wide range of cultural, historical and sporting experiences.

Barbados is a golfer’s paradise with many world-renowned golf courses, a number of which are just a short drive from Waterside. Other popular sports on the island include cricket, polo and, of course, scuba diving, snorkelling and watersports.

Although it is only 20 miles long and up to 14 miles wide, Barbados offers a wonderful diversity of natural scenery. Aside from the perfect sand and clear water of the West Coast, there is the more rugged but majestic East Coast, the vibrant, fertile interior of the island, and a number of breath-taking natural caves.

The national currency is the Barbados Dollar (BDS), which is fixed to the US Dollar at a rate of $1.98 BDS for every $1 US. US Dollars are generally accepted all over the island, and credit and debit cards are accepted in larger supermarkets and many hotels and restaurants.

Barbados also offers significant duty free shopping opportunities. In Bridgetown and Holetown a number of shops offer luxury goods duty free. This profile was recently boosted by the opening of the Limegrove centre just a few minutes away from Waterside, containing dozens of shops from designer to boutique, as well as spas, cinemas and cafes.

Barbados is very popular as a winter holiday destination with those seeking some winter sunshine, but there is plenty going on in the summertime, too. For example, every August sees the arrival of the annual Cropover Festival. This is a traditional celebration of the sugar harvest, with events throughout the summer leading up to the mid-Agust finale.

For more information on the area of Barbados surrounding Waterside, please see our pages on the West Coast, and on Paynes Bay.