Beautiful Beach Vacation in Barbados
The Caribbean island of Barbados is home to over 288,000 people. We visited the island in 2017, and enjoyed a week-long stay at the Sandals Barbados all-inclusive resort. While we were there, Sandals was in the process of building the Sandals Royal Barbados resort (just next to the Sandals Barbados property). We had a wonderful vacation experience on the island of Barbados!
Beach & Shopping
The island is very safe and we were able to walk around outside the resort to shops and other local spots. We admired stunning beaches as we took a walk around the area near the resort. The locals were all so very kind!
Caves & Critters Excursion
The excursion started off on a tour bus to pick up tourists from two other resorts. Then we were on our way to our first stop, Harrison’s Cave. We were greeted in a small auditorium to watch a video on the history of the cave. Here we learned that the limestone cave was discovered in the 18th century. After the video, we were able to travel underground through the cave by one of the electric trams. We saw natural streams, clear pools of water, and beautiful waterfalls along the way. Additionally, we saw unique formations of the stalagmites and stalactites
Next stop was to The Barbados Wildlife Reserve. The wildlife reserve was established in 1985 and has 4 acres of forest that guests can walk through. While inside the reserve, there are brick paths that lead you around to explore this amazing animal kingdom. We were excited to be able to get an up close view of the Barbadian Green Monkey. Luckily, we arrived just at the end of the monkeys feeding time. As we roamed around the path, we were able to see the animals interact in their own natural environment. There were beautiful large peacocks often walking right near us and others on the path. In the aviary, the colorful parrots and macaws were fascinating to watch. Pigeons and sparrows would also fly in and out of the reserve. It was such a neat experience!
Sunset Catamaran & Snorkeling Cruise
During the time we booked our Barbados trip, a snorkeling cruise was the current “special” that was included in our vacation. Upon settling into the resort, we met with the representative at the excursions desk to book the day and time for the cruise. The excursion began in the afternoon, and we were transported to a marina in the capital city of Bridgetown. We loaded the catamaran and the guides provided some information on the cruise and the areas we would visit. As the catamaran arrived in Carlisle Bay, we got on our snorkel gear. Then we were able to climb the ladder down into the clear, turquoise ocean water. We swam with sea turtles and even swam to an area where we could view an old shipwreck while snorkeling. I was in awe! The sea turtles are amazing creatures and it was so cool to see them within just feet of us. This was a highlight of our trip!
Once we were finished snorkeling here, we boarded back on the catamaran. The boat took us along the west coast, where the guides gave information on properties we passed by, including the large estates belonging to celebrities. We were served drinks and food, and admired the breathtaking view of the sunset.
Resort
Sandals has a returning guest dinner for those who are a part of the Sandals Select Loyalty Group and have previously stayed at a Sandals resort. The dinners are typically on Tuesday evenings at the resort. The Sandals Barbados returning guest dinner was outstanding! It began with cocktail hour around the quiet pool area, then dinner at a nearby open-air restaurant on site. Next was entertainment from a fabulous local live band. It was an experience second to none. We truly had the best time!
Sandals Barbados resort is still one of our favorites, and we made some life-long friends while on vacation here! We have even met up with them in the United States and at other Sandals properties.
There are usually good deals on beach vacations to the Caribbean, depending on the time of year and availability. Going to the beach allows us to relax and rejuvenate!
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