Back to Barbados after almost 5 years ...

I've just had a wonderful week in Barbados with my best buddy after an absence of almost 5 years. It felt so great to go back as it is one of my favourite places in the world. Friends have often asked me 'what's so great about Barbados over any of the other Caribbean islands?' and I would say it's all about the culture, but mainly the people and the fact that the temperatures are pretty much consistent all year round. It is such a chilled out place, feels really safe and the people are so friendly and hospitable.

The fact that this was my eighth visit means that I have gotten to know different parts of the island and seen quite a bit although of course there is always more to see and experience.

Our accommodation was at the Beach View Hotel in Paynes Bay on the West Coast. I have stayed there a couple of times before and it will be my first choice again when I next go back. The location is perfect and it has such a laid back chilled atmosphere, it feels like a home from home. They have a choice of apartment style suites or spacious hotel rooms with small kitchenettes. There is also now a restaurant/bar in the newly extended part of the property called the Sugar Apple Cafe which offers breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

The beach is right across the road and there's lots to do within walking distance or even a bus ride away if you don't have access to a car. 

We saved a lot on cabs this trip, opting to take the local reggae bus with the locals. The cost was minimal .. Bajan $3.50, around US$1.75 or £1.30 for each trip. Be prepared though if you ride with them - they play loud music and no-one batts an eyelid. We loved the vibe and really enjoyed taking those buses.

One day there was a traffic jam and the driver asked if anyone was getting off. The answer was 'no' so he detoured through the back streets and bypassed the block. Problem solved.

Our first venture on the buses was nearly to the top of the island. We were on our way to one of our fave restaurants The Fish Pot for lunch. After a morning walk along the beach we hopped on the bus and when we reached Speightstown we discovered we would have to get another smaller bus from there. People were so helpful in directing us to the right one and even after we inadvertently passed our stop, they turned the van around and took us back. Nothing was too much trouble.

We were lucky to get in at the restaurant as they were
really busy that day so it was fortuitous that we had allowed the extra time as we had no idea how long it would take us to get there. I've only ever been there at night so it was lovely to see it in the light of day, and the food and wine just as good as I had remembered it. 

Most of our time during the week was spent at the beach in the morning before having a late lunch as a main meal. This suited us better as we could then go out for a drink in the evenings without the heaviness of another meal which we realised was too much after the first couple of days. 

On our first day we had a flying fish sandwich for lunch
from the local street vendor next to the fish market. It was so delicious and made even better eating it on the beach under the shade of a tree.

The first few days the sea was a bit rough but got better as the week went on. Walking along the beach to the next bay was quite treacherous as the ebbing and flowing waves would drag quite sizeable rocks into the water. I got whacked a couple of times on my ankles which was not pleasant.

I won't go into details of what we got up to every day as it was pretty much the same pattern apart from lunching at different restaurants. We would normally head to the beach in the mornings, have a swim and bask in the turquoise sea for at least an hour then go out for lunch. Afterwards we would go back to the beach for another swim and sometimes stay on to watch the sun set. Every evening it was different and always stunningly beautiful.

We went back to The Lone Star which I return to on every trip. I love it there and this was the first time going for lunch in the daylight. The food and wine selection is always top notch and of course the sea view is to die for. It's always worth booking in advance to ensure you get a table, especially at this time of year in high season.

We had dinner, lunch with drinks in the evenings at
Quattro Passi Bistro which was just across the road from the hotel. Previously known as The Cliff Beachclub it has had a revamp and an extension with a gorgeous lounge bar facing the sea. We regarded it affectionately as 'our local' and got to know the staff who were ever attentive and helpful.

We also tried Positano (previously Daphne's) which was a 5 minute walk north from our hotel. Right on the beach it's a perfect location for beach side dining and the Italian dishes were very good.

We took a walk towards Bridgetown one day and discovered yet another beach side restaurant Il Tempio in a gorgeous location. We had lunch there but as it was Election Day no alcohol was permitted to be sold or served until 6pm that evening. We were more than happy to have water with our meal but it seemed very quiet everywhere, with people understandably opting to wait until the evening when they could imbibe their favourite tipple.

We continued our walk towards Bridgetown after lunch and stumbled across another fab restaurant Cala Roca - its previous incarnation was Cin Cin by the Sea another former favourite. We went in for a coffee but ended up with a mocktail instead (no alcohol allowed till 6pm). It was the best Virgin Mary I have ever tasted. Lots of spice and so delicious, there was no need for the vodka.

With only 2 days left of our vacation we made a reservation to have lunch at the same place the next day.

I had a fabulous fresh fennel and grapefruit salad to start and a truffle mac and cheese pie. Usually I would choose a fish dish as it's always freshly caught but I just had to sample the pie as it's an island staple.

It was nice to be able to get French Provence rosé Minuty at most of the restaurants that we visited. It is always my choice to drink wines from this region so I was very happy.

Our last day was spent swimming and hanging out at the beach again followed by a late checkout and a lovely bon voyage lunch at Quattro Passi. Nothing nicer than having good food and a sea view imprinted in our minds before setting off for Grantley Adams International airport and our flight home to cold, grey London.

I have so many photos and memories I would love to share but it's impossible to do in this blog post so I hope I have been able to give you a flavour of our wonderful week on this beautiful tropical island. There's so much more to do and it's also worth doing a trip around the island to see the wild Atlantic coast and more beautiful beaches on the south coast. Until next time ...

Hotel and flights from London Gatwick was booked through British Airways