The mesmerizing coral island of Barbados is located to the east of the Caribbean Sea in the western Atlantic Ocean. A West Indian continental island-nation, Barbados is one of the most loved and most visited travel destinations among the West Indies islands. The island is made up of limestone and spreads over 166 square miles and is 21 miles in length and 14 miles in width. Despite the island being small, Barbados has amazing natural beauty and excellent culture and heritage. The residents of the island are very friendly and with tourism being the major industry of the country, the Barbadians make sure that visitors have a great time.
Visitors can enjoy relaxing at the coral shore beaches with white sand that spread along the blue-green sea on the western coast. Several coral reefs tassel the shoreline of Barbados and provide excellent grounds for Scuba diving. The eastern coast sees strong and constant winds hitting across the rocky shores and this breeze is responsible for the mild and pleasant climate of Barbados. Travelers usually think that Barbados is just about beaches, however there are several other attractions all across the island. Visitors can find undulating hills and several deep ridges and gullies packed with exquisite flora and fauna. There are also many caves and underground lakes that are the main source of pure drinking water. Geologically also Barbados is quite unique.
There are two landmasses that have amalgamated together to form this island. The island country has eleven parishes and can roughly be divided into five parts. Bridgetown is the eastern most part of the island and the only city. Almost half of the population of Barbados resides in Bridgetown. The city serves as the port of call for several cruise lines and is popular for duty-free shopping and historic and cultural attractions. Moving within the city is quite easy as there are regular buses and taxis plying in the area and most of the attractions are within walking distance of the city center.
Visitors in Bridgetown can see, the Barbados Museum, parliament buildings, Cheapside Market, Swan Street and Broad Street. Careenage, which was a port for ships, is now a hub for travelers. Here one can see old buildings, shops and walk along the sea. Most of the Muslims population of Barbados reside in Bridgetown and some Muslim establishments can be found along Swan Street and Tudor Street. Central Barbados has two landlocked parishes, St. George and St. Thomas and is better known for the Harrison Caves, which is the main tourist attraction of the area. Gun Hill Signal Station at St. George parish has a tower that offers panoramic view of the western side of the island.
Eastern Barbados is the rugged part of the island on the Atlantic side. Some of the popular beaches of the region are Crane Beach in St. Philip Parish, Bathsheba in St. Joseph Parish and Bath in St. John. Bathsheba is also a well-known surfing spot. Visitors can also see some fishing villages along the long coastline. Western Barbados offers the calm Caribbean Sea and covers the parishes of St. James, St. Lucy and St. Peter. The main towns in this are Holetown and Speightstown. Travelers can see the Holetown Monument in Holetown and the new Town Square in Speightstown.
Fustic Beach is another attractive tourist destination on this part of Barbados. Fustic also houses the majestic Fedijni Monument. Southern Barbados houses parishes of Christ Church and parts of St. Philip and St. Michael. Oistins is a small fishing village in this region and is popular for the Friday fish fry on the beach and the Grantley Adams International Airport. Travelers can also visit the Crane Beach. However, there are many bars and nightclubs also on this part of Barbados, which Halal conscious travelers would prefer to avoid.
