The Only Honeymoon Guide to Barbados You’ll Ever Need!

Bottom Bay is one of the most beautiful beaches on the Caribbean island of Barbados. It is a tropical paradise with palms hanging over turquoise sea. Wide panoramic sunset photo

Barbados is a beautiful island in the south Caribbean sea and is known as being one of the best honeymoon destinations and it is no wonder why: the island is known for its turquoise waters and gorgeous sandy beaches, deliciously varied cuisine, historical sites and lively nightlife.

The best time to visit is during the dry season – December to April- this is when temperatures are highest, averaging 29–30° C. The wet season — July through November— brings heavy rainfall as well as higher humidity levels for September and October in particular.

Barbados offers a wide range of possibilities for tourists, but deciding where to go or what to do can be difficult.

This guide will help you make the most out of your honeymoon by highlighting some of the best resorts in Barbados for couples. The guide also mentions the best restaurants, activities and other attractions.

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Where to go in Barbados on your honeymoon

There are four main towns: Bridgetown, Oistins, Holetown, and Speightstown.

Bridgetown, located in the southwest, in St. Michael’s Parish, is the capital of Barbados and is the biggest city on the island.

Established in 1628, this city, is steeped in history, with Bridgetown and its Garrison being a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Bridgetown is a place where the vibrant, vivacious culture of its African heritage is complemented by elements from American and British cultures and is the main centre of the island.

Oistins, located on the south coast, in Christ Church Parish, is a major fishing village, which is famous for its fish market.

It is a great tourist area, especially Oistins Bay Gardens, as this is where the famous Friday night fish fry happens, a chance to sample amazing food and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere.

Holetown, located on the west coast, in St. James’ Parish offers many fine dining options, as well as local rum bars, nightlife, and boutique shopping. Chattel Village provides a place to buy craft items made by locals.

Speightstown, located on the northwest coast, in St. Peter’s Parish, is the second major town in Barbados.

The original settlement of Barbados is reflected in the architecture of its historic buildings, while modern structures are a signpost to how life on this island has evolved over time.

Speightstown, Barbados Traditional bright-coloured houses on a street in Speightstown, Barbados, one of the islands major towns famous for street vendors.

Important information on Barbados for your honeymoon

Water

The water supply in Barbados is safe to drink and you can drink directly from the tap in your hotel. Bottled water is readily available if you prefer, just make sure you stay hydrated in the sun.

Food

The food in Barbados is generally safe to eat. Be mindful that the food may be spicier than you are used to, so ease yourself in. Make sure you wash any fruit.

A lot of the resort hotels serve all-inclusive menus or buffet-style food, which are delicious, just be aware of any food that looks like it has been left out for a while or has been left uncovered.

There is plenty of Bajan-style, street food available, follow your nose and look out for where the locals are eating, they will know where the best places are.

Transport

Taxis operate 24 hours a day on the island and the rates are set by the government, just agree on the charge before you set off. Make sure it is a licensed taxi, these have a TAXI sign on the roof and the numberplate will have a ‘Z’ on it.

There are plenty of public buses operating on the island, which travel to most areas, you can easily identify these as they are blue with a yellow stripe.

You can also hire a private minibus; these are yellow with a blue stripe. Taking the bus will definitely be a lot cheaper than taking lots of taxis, so these are more cost-effective.

If you prefer, it is easy to hire a car to explore the island. Just remember to drive on the left in Barbados.

Bridgetown, Barbados - Jet skis on the Brownes beach at sunny day in Carlisle bay, Bridgetown, Barbados, West Indies, Caribbean, Central America.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is essential, you want to be covered if any unexpected circumstances were to arise.

Make sure to list any pre-existing medical conditions and if you are planning on any water sports, check to see if they are covered. Look for comprehensive travel insurance that covers the following:

  • Cost of emergency medical expenses/treatment
  • Repatriation to your country of origin
  • Cancellation and Curtailment

Always check for the latest travel advice from the FCDO for your destination and consider choosing Covid-19 cover if applicable at the time of travel.

Essential Information

A few pieces of essential information for Barbados include:

  • It is strictly prohibited to possess or distribute illegal drugs/narcotics and is punishable by a fine or imprisonment.
  • Do not wear or carry any items of camouflage in Barbados as this is illegal.
  • Bonfires on the beach are illegal.

Budget/cost in Barbados

Barbados can be an expensive destination. Accommodation ranges from cheaper hotels to 5-star hotels, and you can also find more affordable options via Airbnb.

Food can be expensive on the island because many items are imported. If you stay at an all-inclusive hotel in Barbados, your meals will be covered, but if you choose to self-cater by visiting a supermarket and cooking for yourself, then this method can save costs.

There are plenty of street food vendors, just trust the locals as to which are the best ones.

Alcohol can be expensive in the resort areas, but most places have a happy hour. It is cheaper to buy at the supermarket if you are on a budget. Mount Gay Rum—made on the island—is a popular choice for those drinking as their Caribbean counterparts do!

Providing a 10% tip to those providing a service is to be expected.

rockley beach, Barbados

Where to stay in Barbados on your honeymoon/Best hotels for your honeymoon in Barbados

Barbados offers many beautiful hotels, suited to different tastes. Here are a few:

Cobblers Cove is ideal if you are looking for a more intimate, welcoming, family-run hotel in a beautiful, tranquil setting right on the beachfront. Located on the west coast near Speightstown, this pink-walled mansion house will make your honeymoon something special.

The hotel consists of 40 airy and elegant suites with verandahs overlooking the tropical gardens and the stunning blue sea.

The hotel is eco-friendly and offers spa treatments, tennis courts, gym facilities, and a daily complimentary boat trip to swim with the turtles or go fishing. These are just a few of the activities that await you.

Sandals Royal Barbados is a luxurious all-inclusive resort, located in St Lawrence Gap.

They specialize in ‘Love Nest Butler Suites’, offering spectacular accommodation in their award-winning SkyPool Suites, Swim-Up Suites or their Millionaire Suites. They truly are spectacular.

Fairmont Royal Pavilion is a beautiful hotel located in St. James Parish, offering beachfront suites or oceanfront rooms.

The staff will be happy to arrange a private, romantic candle & Tikki torch dinner right on the beach for you, or you can relax with a spa treatment for two.

The House by Elegant Hotels is an all-inclusive, adults-only hotel, located in St. James parish. Offering modern and elegant rooms and suites with either a garden or ocean view. A range of activities will be on offer for you to indulge in.

Tourist woman on beach vacation in Barbados island. Caribbean holidays. Dover beach, cruise travel destination. Girl walking with sun hat and bikini relaxing in water.

Things to do in Barbados while on your honeymoon

The warm weather poses a great opportunity for honeymooners looking to do more than just lie around on the beach or by the pool. When looking for things to do in Barbados for couples, there is plenty to do. From hiking through lush rainforests or exploring underwater caves with snorkels in hand.

You can go and enjoy a couples massage, have a spa treatment, take a boat trip, visit the animal flower cave, walk through the botanical gardens or feed the green monkeys.

Watch a horse race at the Garrison Savannah, dance with the locals at the Oistins fish fry or if you are into history, why not explore one of these museums: Arlington House Museum, Barbados Museum & Historical Society and Sunbury Plantation House.

Or you may want to try out some water sports whilst on the island such as scuba diving, snorkelling, sailing and windsurfing. Barbados has more than 150 different dive sites some even include coral reefs, caves and shipwrecks. One of the island’s most popular activities is snorkelling.

There are many beaches and coves where you can visit to see turtles and other marine life up close, it is a great way to explore the stunning surroundings. There are plenty of tours you can book that will take you out for the day sailing on a boat. The area of Silver Sands on the south coast is ideal for windsurfing.

Or perhaps you might want to take a visit to St Lawrence Gap. Locals have nicknamed this short street, located along the beachfront in the parish of Christ Church, ‘The Gap.’ It is home to many hotels and all-inclusive resorts, alongside shops as well as numerous bars.

If you are looking to sample some Barbadian cuisine at one of the many great restaurants or enjoy a few drinks in one of the beachfront rum bars, perhaps followed by dancing into the late hours of the night. This is where you will find all your partying needs.

Carlisle Bay in Barbados in the Caribbean

Romantic places to eat on your honeymoon in Barbados

One of the romantic things to do in Barbados may be experiencing an intimate candlelit dinner at one of the many great places to eat, this will definitely be something special and memorable.

Many of the island’s hotels will arrange a secluded dinner on the beach or at an intimate restaurant, perfect for romance—here are some recommendations:

  • Champer’s Restaurant – Beautiful sea views over Rockley Beach in Christ Church.
  • The Tides – Oceanfront dining in a stunning open-air pavilion in Holetown.
  • The Fish Pot – A Gourmet dining experience with an ocean view in Speightstown.
  • Cafe Luna – Award-winning rooftop restaurant with a sea view in Christ Church.
  • The Cliff – Fine dining on the water’s edge in St James Parish.
outdoor cafe on the beach of Barbados Caribbean

Tours to do in Barbados on your honeymoon

Harrisons Cave

This limestone cavern is a spectacular natural phenomenon and one of the island’s most interesting tourist attractions. You can ride on a tram down into the cavern to see its wonders—the stalagmites, stalactites and pools of clear blue water.

It is something you have to experience first hand. This Cave Tour at Harrisons Cave lasts for roughly 3 hours and will take you down into the depths of the cavern.

The cave system is 2.3 km, with the largest cavern ‘The Great Hall’ measuring 15 m in height. This underground adventure is not to be missed.

The colourful Harrisons Caves in Barbados.

St. Nicholas Abbey

There are only three Jacobean mansions still standing in this area, and St. Nicholas Abbey is one of them—Colonel Benjamin Berringer built the original mansion house there in 1658.

It is located on a 400-acre estate in the south of Barbados, which consists of a plantation house and numerous formal and herb gardens as well as gullies, sugar cane fields and a large working rum distillery.

The St Nicholas Abbey estate tour, which combines a visit to the old mill and museum, is three hours long. The guided excursion also includes a complimentary sip of rum distilled at this historic site.

Atlantis Submarine

If you have ever been intrigued by the ocean and its many wonders—lush coral reefs, tropical fish or sunken ships but have never tried scuba diving or are too afraid to give it a go—you can still get a taste of what it is like.

Atlantis submarine tours can take you over 100ft down into the ocean, where you can view the beauty of tropical marine life and experience the thrill of discovering underwater treasures, all without getting wet.

BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS - Atlantis Submarine near Bridgetown, Barbados. Atlantis is a popular tourist attraction and cruise excursion vehicle.

Turtle & Shipwreck Snorkel

Barbados is home to three species of turtles: the Leatherback, Hawksbill and Green turtle. Carlise Bay is a popular spot for swimming with turtles—snorkelling there will give you an opportunity to see them up close.

There are six shipwrecks in this area and the snorkelling or scuba diving opportunities they offer have made them popular attractions for visitors from around the world.

Barbados Turtle & Shipwreck Snorkel Adventure is a boat tour in a glass-bottom boat that provides a unique look at Barbados’ rich marine life—your equipment is provided!

solitary Hawksbill swimming underwater Barbados natural park

Mount Gay Rum Distillery

The Mount Gay Rum Distillery visitor centre is a must-stop for rum connoisseurs visiting Barbados. The distillery, founded in 1703, has produced rum on the island for over three centuries.

They make their rum with a mixture of molasses and water that is filtered through coral and then fermented by yeast before being distilled in copper pot stills. The product is aged in oak barrels before bottling.

Tours of the distillery allow you to learn about the history of this business, see how spirits are made, and taste them in their tasting room.

The Mount Gay Signature Rum Tasting is a fun experience that allows you to sample a variety of different rums. If you are looking for things to do in Barbados, this is a great activity.

Mount Gay Rum from Barbados. The oldest surviving deed for the company is from 1703, making Mount Gay Rum the world's oldest commercial rum distillery.

The Barbados Wildlife Reserve

The Barbados Wildlife Reserve, located in St Peter’s Parish, is a popular attraction for both locals and tourists alike. Since it occupies 4 acres of natural mahogany wood, there are not many cages involved, as most of the animals are free to roam.

You will see a plethora of animals, such as Green Monkeys, Agouti, Peacocks, Brocket Deer, Parrots and Macaws as you wander through their natural habitat.

In the reptile area, you may spot Iguanas, Turtles or Snakes (although these do not roam freely, you may be pleased to hear.

Half-day tours are available where you can enjoy a private monkey feeding experience, whilst learning all about the biology of the animals.

Toque macaque monkey, Macaca Tit, male sitting on a branch. Green tropical forest

Harbour Lights Extravaganza and Dinner Show

The Harbour Lights Beach Extravaganza and Dinner Show will provide you with an evening of fun entertainment.

Stilt walkers, acrobats and fire eaters will delight your eyes, while local bands serenade you with Caribbean music. Enjoy a traditional Bajan barbeque dinner or sip rum punch as the island’s culture surrounds you.

Coo-Coo and Flying Fish, national dish of Barbados, cornmeal and okra porridge

Day trips from Barbados on your honeymoon

Adventure Safari Tour

This Adventure Safari Tour is filled with fun and exhilarating moments, as well as a few bumps along the way, as you travel in a jeep on a guided tour to the eastern part of the island, stopping to admire the incredible views from Edgecliff before making your way over to Bathsheba Park.

Enjoy the feel of the tradewinds as you look out for unique rocks or shells along the rocky shore as a small keepsake of your trip.

Then you will head up to Little Bay before making the return journey to finish with lunch at “Sandy’s Chattel Bar at the Sugar Cane Club.”

Beautiful View of the Caribbean Sea from top of a hill during a sunny and cloudy day. Church View, Saint John, Barbados.

Full Day Coast to Coast Tour

This coast to coast tour will take you all around the island, giving you a complete overview of the history and culture of Barbados via commentary from an experienced guide.

All transportation is provided, so you can relax and enjoy the areas of Speightstown, Holetown, North Point and Bathsheba, before consuming a buffet lunch at Sand Dunes.

Bathsheba, Eastern coast of Barbados, Caribbean

Catamaran Cruise

On this 5-hour catamaran cruise, you will go snorkelling with sea turtles in the clear turquoise waters and have the chance to explore historical shipwrecks at the bottom of the ocean.

Back on board, you can enjoy a delicious all-you-can-eat buffet with tapas and desserts, whilst sipping drinks from the onboard bar and topping up your tan.

A typical holiday photo of a catamaran sailing in the Caribbean

Barbados is an ideal honeymoon destination, with a temperate climate and easy transportation options.

If you are looking for a tropical destination, where there are plenty of water sports, stunning beaches, delicious cuisine and warm friendly locals, then this should be on your list!

Recommended Honeymoon tours in Barbados

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The Only Honeymoon Guide to Barbados You'll Ever Need!
The Only Honeymoon Guide to Barbados You'll Ever Need!
The Only Honeymoon Guide to Barbados You'll Ever Need!

Author

  • Samantha King

    Sam, a seasoned traveler across four continents and 49 countries, is a leading authority in travel planning. Her website, Travelling King, offers tailored itineraries and expert guides for seamless trips. Sam's expertise in luxury travel, fast travel, and destination guides keeps her at the forefront of the travel community.

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