Luxury Vacations in Barbados

The Queen of the Eastern Caribbean has been enticing travellers for centuries. A byword for tropical beaches and staggeringly luxurious boltholes, Barbados also offers rich pickings for the culturally minded.

Where else in the Caribbean will you find a 17th-century garrison and the Western Hemisphere’s third-oldest Westminster-style parliament, dating back to early British rule – immaculately preserved sites that have earned its lively capital, Bridgetown, UNESCO status. There’s a beach for all dispositions here, from the calm Caribbean seas of Platinum Coast to the south coast’s wind and waves, where kite-surfers glide and soar, fuelled by jerk-spiced snacks from family-run beach shacks. Weave your way inland to unmissable natural sights like Coco Hill Forest, where hikers share the trails with jewel-winged hummingbirds. And how better to round off a Caribbean day than by sampling some of the best rum in the West Indies at Mount Gay Distillery.