Pear-shaped and perfect, Barbados is a beguiling island. Along the East Coast, the Atlantic Ocean whips the waters onto celebrated beaches such as Bathsheba. Along the West Coast, known as the Platinum Coast for its shimmering coastline (and, it must be said, the colour of its preferred credit cards), the Caribbean Sea is calmer, lapping the sands on beaches such as Brandons, Batts Rock and Sandy Lane. Perhaps the most beautiful beach of all is The Crane on the south coast. The pink-tinged sands are fringed by palm trees, and the water sparkles gently against the shore.
Barbados retains a strong British feel. In 1627, British settlers arrived and used the demand for sugar, rum and molasses to turn the island into a flourishing centre of trade - and slavery - in the Caribbean. The island declared independence in 1966, but has Queen Elizabeth II as head of state and there are plenty of relics of British rule around the capital, Bridgetown, including the Parliament Buildings, National Heroes Square (once known as Trafalgar Square) and a bronze statue of Admiral Lord Nelson. And, should you rent a car after arriving on cheap flights to Barbados, you'll drive on the left.
Perhaps the best way to get the pulse of this island is to hang out with the locals in one of the rum shops on the south coast, especially when there is a cricket match on.
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