The geography and climate of Barbados make it an ideal destination if you are looking for an adventurous vacation. There are so many things to do here, that it is a thrill-seekers paradise.
We have compiled a comprehensive guide of adventurous things to do while you are in Barbados where you can enjoy the experience of an adventure-packed Barbados vacation.
Enjoy the rush!
Diving in Barbados is excellent with calm clear waters and plenty of coral reefs all around the island. There is a specially created dive center in Carlisle Bay, just outside the capital of Bridgetown, with sunken boats attracting beautiful marine life and brightly colored tropical fish.
There is also Folkestone Marine Park on the west coast, which is a whole area of coral reef reserved especially for diving parties. There are many reputable dive companies operating in Barbados who are happy to offer PADI certification to the beginner as well as take out the more experienced diver – just remember to travel with your PADI certification.
Fishing Charters are readily available in Barbados from the Careenage in Bridgetown. Now you may think that fishing is a relaxing experience but it is all adventure and exhilaration as these local experienced fishermen carry you out deep-sea fishing where you may catch a fish weighing in at over 500lbs!
Hiking around Barbados is a great experience for the energetic who enjoy the great outdoors. There are many sunset hikes with a guide organized by Barbados National Trust. You can choose the hike that you would like to go on, with hikes venturing through tropical forests and gullies, through the cane fields, along cliffs and miles of sandy beaches. For more information contact the National Trust on (246) 436-9033 or email [email protected].
Horse Back Riding is a great and pleasurable adventure in Barbados. Not only do we have a lovely climate for horseback riding but also there are so many pleasant places to take a hack. Perhaps you would enjoy a ride along the beach at sunset, or maybe you would enjoy riding through the sugar cane fields? Wherever you fancy riding along with the cool breeze blowing through your hair, Barbados is one of the best places to do it. There are many riding stables on the island who charge around $40US upwards for a tour that can last for half an hour or two and a half hours depending on where you would like to go.
Island Tours can be adventurous in Barbados depending on how you decide to see the island. Some people really enjoy seeing it from a helicopter as described above, while others like to get in a land rover and do some 4×4 off-road exploring. There are few companies that offer off-road island touring, please see our tourist attractions listings for more information.
Even if you decide to stick to the roads and do a self-drive tour around Barbados in a hire car, this too can turn in to a very adventurous day out as road signs are limited and every Bajan you meet will offer you a different set of directions, which are usually laced with Bajan terms such as “go down the next gap and then it is just so!” Another Bajan favorite is to name a point of reference and then tell you if you find that you have gone too far!
Jet Ski’s are available at most of the beaches on the south and west coasts. They cost about $50US for 30 minutes and are great fun for both adults and older children. As they are self-driven you can decide how fast or slow you want to go and it is very similar to driving a motorbike over the waves. Just make sure that you head out of swimming areas and watch out for boats.
Kendal Sporting is located in St. Phillip on the southeast coast of Barbados. Here there is a full shooting range with handguns, rifles, and clay pigeon shooting. It is a great day out for the entire family with a good sports bar and restaurant offering darts, a pool table, and a swimming pool to take a dip and cool down after an action-packed day.
Kite Surfing is becoming a very popular sport in Barbados as the south coast offers the perfect wind and wave conditions for the sport. People are now traveling to Barbados from all over Europe to take part in this adventurous and dangerous sport.
If you have never tried kite surfing before then there are some good instructors on the island and you are advised not to attempt the sport until you have undergone a few lessons with a qualified instructor.
Kite surfing involves flying a large kite, which you hold on to with your arms whilst surfing on a small board, which is similar to a snowboard, if you catch the right wave with the wind in your kite you will fly high above the sea. It is a great spectator sport as well so you don’t necessarily have to take part to enjoy it.
Quad Biking is also available in Barbados, again this can be a dangerous sport if you are not careful but quad biking does provide the ultimate thrill of speed as you bounce around rugged terrains. Quad biking is available at ATV Quest, which is close to St. Nicholas Abbey and Cherry Tree Hill in the parish of St. James. Please call (246) 424-0165 for further information.
Surfing is very popular in Barbados as the island has the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the Caribbean Sea on the other. Usually, the Atlantic Ocean provides excellent waves for this sport, with the South Point Lighthouse on the south coast being a good spot for even beginner surfers.
There is an international surfing competition held each year in November on the east coast in Bathsheba, where you will find the infamous ‘Soup Bowl‘, which has high waves for professional surfers. In the north of the island, there is Duppies, in St. Lucy but again this is the Atlantic Ocean where the currents are stronger and is not for the novice surfer.
Depending on the time of year and weather conditions the Caribbean Sea on the west also rises to provide good waves, in particular, we recently saw waves as high as 15ft on the west coast and the entire west coast road was a traffic jam with surfboards on every car roof as surfers drove up and down trying to find the ultimate wave to ride!
Wake Boarding is also a new developing sport in Barbados, it is similar to jet skiing, however instead of being towed by a boat on skis, the board is more like a snowboard. So like jet skiing, you are pulled along by the boat and your aim is to stand up on your board. Many of the water sports operators along the south and west coasts offer wakeboarding, so why not try it out while you in Barbados?
Wind Surfing has been popular in Barbados for many years as the island experiences excellent wind and wave conditions for the sport.
There are plenty of places to hire equipment or you can bring your own. If you are still learning the art of windsurfing then the ideal beach is Maxwell on the south coast. For the more experienced Windsurfer then you should try out some of the bigger waves at Silver Sands and Silver Rock, which are excellent for some freestyle maneuvers such as forward loops! If you have never windsurfed before then there are many qualified instructors on the island to teach you.