Palm trees, sandy beaches, and turquoise waters on sunny Barbados. (Image: Getty)
When you think of this particular destination, visions of Simon Cowell riding a jet-ski or Rihanna dancing at a festival spring to mind. But there is so much more to this island than celebrities enjoying rum parties and private yachts. It is also an affordbale option for sun-starved Brits desperate to get away from our dismal weather.
This island is a popular year-round destination. With over 3000 hours of sunshine a year and direct flights from the UK – in just nine hours – you’ll be feeling that welcome blast of warmth on your skin as you step off the plane.
April is the perfect time to go too if you are keen to get more for your money. The dry season runs from December to June, but if you travel in April and May you can sneak in between peak season and low season. It means you’ll get more for your money, avoid the crowds and still get to enjoy glorious weather! In fact April is the cheapest month of the year to fly to this particular holiday paradise.
The colourful boats of Bridgetown, Barbados. (Image: Getty)
The colourful capital of Barbados is Bridgetown. (Image: Getty)
Known for its stunning white-sand beaches, vibrant culture and year-round warm weather, things certainly heat up nicely in April for this beautiful island which promises a mix of luxury of rustic charm, depending on your budget, lively nightlife or quiet beach surf spots, depending on your vibe.
This island boasts the idyllic white sand and aqua water beaches that everyone dreams about. And compared to other destinations, its beaches are plentiful and easy to access, which means they’re never too crowded.
April on this sunny island is characterised by warm temperatures, light rainfall, and abundant sunshine, providing pleasant outdoor conditions for travellers. The weather is hot, sunny, and dry, with daily temperatures often reaching 30∘C, cooling to around 22C at night.
As part of the dry season, it offers roughly 9 hours of sunshine daily, moderate humidity, and warm sea temperatures of 27C, just perfect for a dip off one of the islands many beautiful beaches.
Brownes Beach is often considered one of the of the best on the island. (Image: Getty)
A spokesperson for Kuoni Travel said: “For an island of its size, Barbados is bursting with activity and a dizzying array of opportunities for relaxation, exploration and authentic experiences.
“Not only does it attract visitors in search of some of the Caribbean’s best beaches, restaurants, nightlife and world-class resorts, it also has more than enough to keep history buffs, culture vultures and nature lovers happy.”
Some of the best known beaches are Pebble’s Beach, Brownes Beach, Worthing Beach, Miami Beach, and Silver Sands. Many of the public beaches also offer shower and changing room facilities. Parking regulations are easy-going, so you can easily park somewhere and access many beaches.
Pebbles Beach and Brownes Bay in Carlisle Bay are some of the most popular beaches, as they are closer to the cruise ship terminal and offer a wide variety of services like lounge chairs and umbrellas, food and drinks, and tours to go snorkelling.
Barbados is the most easterly island in the Caribbean and populated by about 280,000 people. The island is formed by limestone rocks and measures about 430 square kilometres. Barbados is just north of the equator and far away enough from the hurricane belt that it usually gets spared from them.
It is also celebrated as the culinary capital of the Caribbean, with dishes like flying fish and cou-cou and rich macaroni pie.
Local lady Rihanna after becoming Barbados 11th National Hero during the National Honourss (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Locals take both American Dollars (USD) or the Barbadian Dollar (BDS). Kuoni suggest: “A week is ideal if you want to combine relaxation with a little exploration, but you’ll need two weeks if you want to pack a lot in but still have time to enjoy the easy-going Bajan pace of life (and plenty of rum punch).
“If you want to explore other Caribbean destinations, then you could twin Barbados with a contrasting island like Dominica or combine it with New York for the ultimate city and beach holiday.”
Whatever time of year you choose to go you will certainly be in good company. Rihanna, Wayne Rooney, Simon Cowell and Sir Cliff Richard all own homes on the island.
Tui, Virgin Atlantic, SAS, and British Airways are just some of the companies flying direct to Barbados from the UK. At the time of writing cheapest flights appeared to be with TUI starting from just £400 with April being the cheapest month to fly.
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
