Bound for Barbados
Still a winner for winter sun, Barbados colonial ties may be loosening for the Caribbean’s most easterly nation but tourism links are rapidly being revived.
Kensington Oval cricket ground looms large over the marina, while Rihanna Drive – a street rechristened in honour of the Barbadian superstar – is a 10-minute walk away. By the time I step barefoot aboard the Silver Moon 3 catamaran, I’m slightly south of Brighton on the western fringes of compact capital Bridgetown.
Many of Barbados’ place names are lasting legacies of years of British rule.
Worthing and Hastings are not exactly synonymous with sea turtles. Nor do they have an obvious connection to pounding, soulful calypso beats.
Yet, riding a bus between the seaside resorts, energetic blasts of trumpets and drums permeate the warm afternoon air as I set out to swim among endangered marine reptiles.
The names of these south-coast settings may sound familiar, but I am almost 4,200 miles from home, having ditched shingle beaches to discover the exotic delights of the Caribbean’s most easterly nation.
My trip coincides with a landmark period for the former colony as, 55 years on from gaining independence, it removes Queen Elizabeth II as head of state in favour of a maiden president, Dame Sandra Mason.
But talk of the historic switch to republic status is far from my thoughts as we breeze on to the tranquil ocean. When skipper Mikki allows me to take the wheel, I pilot the vessel into Carlisle Bay before slipping on a snorkel and plunging overboard into an underwater world of shipwrecks, reefs and tropical sea creatures. Skittish needlefish dart in and out of sight and a languid batfish loiters on the seabed. A short distance away rests the coral-covered remains of the Berwyn, a First World War French tugboat, sunk in 1919.Eventually, I glimpse the star attraction: a solitary green sea turtle – one of three native species alongside the smaller hawksbill and larger leatherback.
With a naturally glum expression and hazel-coloured, heart-shaped shell, it measures around a metre in length and gracefully glides by.
“There’s no Buckingham Palace in Barbados, there’s nothing even remotely close,” states Lisa Cummins when the subject of sovereignty is raised back on dry land. “So where would you go to see any remnant of the monarchy? People come here for a different experience altogether.” Senator Cummins – the minister of tourism for Barbados – believes the move to end affiliation with the royal family, which was marked by a visit from Prince Charles, is long overdue.
But she predicts the change will barely be perceptible for most holidaymakers. And, like many of her compatriots, the primary focus is revitalising a once-flourishing travel industry devastated by the global pandemic.
JEEP SAFARI
Eager to further appreciate this pear-shaped island, I joined an adventure safari.
With stout, jovial guide Edwin at the wheel, we are whisked up the rugged east coast and through verdant parts of the interior. Ragged Point Lighthouse and the 18th-century Morgan Lewis Windmill are prominent landmarks among rocky coastline, rolling hills and gently sloping terraced plains peppered with strutting egrets.
Our jeep reaches the lunar-esque Little Bay in St Lucy – the most northerly of the country’s 11 parishes and birthplace of its first Prime Minister, Errol Barrow.
Tempestuous waves angrily froth as they bludgeon a barren landscape of coral limestone and exit through boisterous blowholes ahead of a smattering of
swaying palm trees. Further south, we bounce through sugar cane fields, sipping rum punch en route to the summit of Hackleton’s Cliff. Sweeping views of the sleepy fishing village of Bathsheba and a section of the wild Atlantic Ocean render the jolts worthwhile.
It’s home to gentler tides and luxury hotels frequented by the rich and famous. Seared tuna, octopus carpaccio and grilled sea bass are just some of the fresh seafood dishes I enjoy at lively beach clubs and smart restaurants against a backdrop of white-sand beaches and turquoise waters.
NEW ROUTE
Approximately two-fifths of guests hail from Britain and Ireland, a connection strengthened by a new Aer Lingus service from Manchester to the island’s lone airport, Grantley Adams International.
“If you’re talking Barbados, you’re talking the story of sugar, slaves and rum,” says tour guide Dawn-Lisa Callender-Smith in the centre of Bridgetown. “The gem of the British crown.”
Wearing traditional Caribbean dress, Dawn-Lisa provides a concise history of her homeland. We walk along the waterfront, pass the Independence Arch, cross Chamberlain Bridge and stop at an empty plinth in a place known until 1999 as Trafalgar Square. The vacant pedestal, in what is now called National Heroes Square, supported a bronze statue of Lord Nelson from 1813 until November last year.
“Nelson was considered an enforcer of the British law of slavery so, as a black nation, Barbadians questioned why was he still sitting there,” explains Dawn-Lisa.
“Finally, as statues were coming down around the world, he was moved.”
Barbados’ crowning glories are plentiful. Add rich culture to year-round sun, dramatic scenery, and the chance to snorkel with sea turtles and it is easy to understand why visitors are royally returning.
HOW TO PLAN YOUR TRIP
Aer Lingus (aerlingus.com) operates non-stop flights from Manchester to Barbados three times a week. Economy fares start from €276 each way, including taxes (excluding flight costs from Irish airports to Manchester.)
Discover more about Barbados visit Barbados.org