Best road trips in Barbados

Everyone starts off a trip to the gorgeous Caribbean island of Barbados on the beach, but when you need a change from the sand, the rest of the island awaits. Scenic highways meander beside brilliant turquoise waters and backcountry routes criss-cross the rural interior, making Barbados a pleasure to explore by road.

Drifting around the island with a rented car or scooter, you might stumble across an action-packed game of cricket on a parish green or spot troupes of inquisitive green monkeys chilling by the roadside – a side of Barbados that’s far removed from the big resorts and cruise ships. 

Here are five of the best road trips on the island, taking in stately manors, gorgeous gardens and the forest-filled gullies of the interior as well as the wild scenery of St Lucy parish and the Atlantic coastline.

Barbados’ West Coast

Best for calm waters and snorkeling

Bridgetown–Six Men’s; 23km (14.5 miles)

Barbados’ famous Platinum Coast stretches up the western side of the island from just north of Bridgetown towards the northern end of the island. This paradise strip is home to the country’s most tranquil waters and the villas of international movers and shakers.

From the capital, head out to Hwy 1 and pass Brandons and Brighton Beaches en route to Paynes Bay for a morning swim and snorkeling with sea turtles in front of Rihanna’s lavish pad at One Sandy Lane. From there, it’s just a short hop to Holetown for a walk along the boardwalk and a gourmet meal with a view before you continue north to the Folkestone Marine Park where you’ll once again need your snorkel. 

North of Folkestone, narrow Hwy 1 enters its most attractive stretch, hugging the water’s edge as it twists and turns north through tiny villages that are often little more than a clump of houses and a rum shop. Stop for a break on the lovely sands at Mullins Beach before ducking into historic Speightstown to visit the Arlington House museum and explore the atmospheric waterfront of the settlement known as “Little Bristol.” 

Finally, rejoin Hwy 1 and continue north, remaining on the seaside road when the highway splits until you reach the tiny village of Six Men’s. Here, the unpretentious Braddie’s Bar awaits right on the water’s edge with cold…