Go West - 8 Reasons to Holiday on Barbados West Coast
For those seeking Caribbean bliss, there is no place quite so idyllic as the west coast of Barbados. Home to some of the world’s most beautiful beaches and world-class resorts, there are lots of fabulous things to do and just as many ways to kick back if you’d rather not do anything at all. Here, we give you eight reasons to holiday on Barbados west coast.
- Paradise beaches
The western coastline of Barbados is dotted with spectacular bays and stunning, palm-fringed beaches, and the seas that lap the sun-kissed sands are warm, calm and crystal clear. The jewel in the crown has to be Mullins Beach in St James Parish, a glorious place to bask in the sunshine, take a swim and watch the sensational red and gold sunsets. Less busy than the beaches of the south, Mullins is the perfect place to relax with family and friends and to enjoy a sumptuous beachfront dinner at the sublime Royal Westmoreland Beach Club.
- Island’s best restaurants
On the subject of delicious food and drink, the west coast is the place to go if you are looking for exceptional dishes, fabulous settings and first-class table service. Aside from the Royal Westmoreland Beach Club, other elite establishments include the internationally renowned The Cliff, the fashionable Cin Cin, and the chic and stunning Rooftop Fusion, with its stunningly designed alfresco balcony.
- Great nightlife
The nightlife along the west coast of Barbados offers everything from live music and dancing to relaxing drinks in cosy bars, often with enviable views of the beaches. Indeed, in some places, the venue spills out onto the beach itself. For a lively evening with great dancing, try the Boatyard Bar at Carlisle Bay or the Red Door Lounge in Holetown. Alternatively, have a more laid-back cocktail at the Lime Bar or get a taste of more traditional Bajan entertainment at John Moore’s rum shack.
For a completely different vibe, make sure not to miss Oistins Friday Fish Fry, it’s a weekly event where you’ll find plenty of Bajan street food, cold beer, live music and splendid arts and crafts stalls.
- World-class golf
Barbados boasts some excellent golf courses, but for a truly amazing experience, golf lovers have to play a round at the magnificent Royal Westmoreland Golf Club. Perched overlooking the west coast shoreline, the stunning 7,045-yard, par 72, Robert Trent Jones Jr. designed course offers some of the most exciting and challenging holes you can play.
As you would expect from a championship standard club, there’s everything you need for the perfect round: changing rooms, golf club hire, buggies, driving range, pro shop and the wonderful, colonial-style clubhouse. You can even get pro-training to help you perfect that swing.
- Carlisle Bay
While Carlisle Bay is one of the most beautiful beaches on the island, it’s what lies out at sea that makes it a must-visit attraction. The shallow bay is home to six shipwrecks, deliberately sunk to help generate the growth of coral reefs. These are fantastic places to go diving, with some of the wrecks barely beneath the surface. Diving tours will take you within the hulls of some of these wrecks, while all around them you’ll find corals, sea horses, frogfish, turtles, stingrays, barracudas, octopi, squid, moray eels and more living in the reefs.
If diving is not your thing, you can always go snorkelling or even take a trip on the Atlantis, Barbados’ purpose-built tourist submarine.
- Historic highlights
Not far from Carlisle Bay is the Bridgetown UNESCO World Heritage Site, where you’ll find beautiful buildings dating back to the 17th and 18th Centuries. These include the excellently preserved colonial architecture of St Ann’s Fort, the Garrison, the Parliament Building and the Independence Arch by Chamberlain Bridge.
Elsewhere on the west coast, we have George Washington House, where the future first president lived during his stay in Barbados; there is a fascinating museum at Arlington House, a former plantation mansion; and St. James Parish Church, the oldest in Barbados, where you can find the gravestones of the island’s first inhabitants and see the 1696 church bell with the inscription, ‘God bless King William.’
- Fab fishing
With over five hundred species of fish living in the tropical waters around the west coast, it’s an angler’s paradise, with opportunities for deep-sea fishing, fly fishing and lure casting. You’ll find large populations of sailfish, marlin, wahoo, barracuda, yellowfin tuna and dolphinfish (mahi-mahi) and plenty of experienced fishing tour companies along the west coast to take you to the best places and provide all the equipment and refreshments you’ll need. The best fishing times are between December and April.
- Luxury accommodation
With so much to enjoy on the west coast, the only thing you’ll need to cap it off is somewhere local to stay. If you are looking for a truly exceptional villa or apartment, then Royal Westmoreland has to be your first choice. These superbly designed and tastefully decorated properties come with all the luxuries you’d require, including spacious rooms, en-suite bathrooms, open plan living, designer kitchens, generous balconies or terraces and pools.
With only 250 properties on Royal Westmoreland’s private and gated 750-acre estate, guests have exclusive use of our world-class amenities, including our golf course, Club House, Beach Club, state-of-the-art gym and tennis courts. You’ll also have your own housekeeper, Barbados’ best-connected concierge and our award-winning personal chefs.
Conclusion
Whether you are wanting to bask by the side of a pool flicking through the latest novel or want to fill your holiday with memorable activities, the best place to enjoy all the fabulous things that Barbados has to offer is on the west coast.
