SNEAK PEEK: BARBADOS

Beaches, billionaires and the best food in the Caribbean. It’s all in Barbados

LOOK around as you leave your plane in Barbados – if the hangar doors are open you may see one of the world’s last remaining Concordes. It brought the jet-set to the island for decades, helping create a sunny, celebrity-friendly paradise that wins new fans each year.

DIVERSE

Roughly the size of the Isle of Wight, it’s easy to explore Barbados on a guided tour, by taxi or by joining locals on a brightly coloured bus. Must-see spots include the powderwhite beaches of the Platinum Coast, also home to famous-name hotels like Sandy Lane, where non-residents can enjoy afternoon tea beneath the mahogany trees.

To the north there’s a more rugged vibe with quiet sandy coves to explore, while surfers, scuba-divers and snorkellers head to the west and southern beaches. You can swim with turtles off Carlisle Bay, Six Man’s Bay and other beaches (Barbados has more than 80 to choose from).

Fancy kite-surfing, deep sea fishing, wreck-diving, golf or a day at a five-star spa? Barbados has that covered too. You can even go underground for a 1.5 mile long tour past the mirrored lakes, subterranean waterfalls and spooky shapes of Harrison’s Cave in the heart of the island. Get more ideas at visitbarbados.org

HERITAGE

The island’s colourful capital, Bridgetown, is like a time capsule of Caribbean trading (and a great spot to buy locally made souvenirs). Now a UNESCO World Heritage site, it’s the starting point for tasting and food tours at the Mount Gay distillery, the oldest rum-maker in the world. Or get up to date by snapping a selfie on newly named Rihanna Drive and outside the tiny Bridgetown house where the singer grew up.

FISH SUPPERS

Barbados is full of smart, cliff-top restaurants and fancy, ‘sunset from the sand’ beach bars. But don’t miss the true joy of Bajan cuisine, the fried fish, conch fritters, flying fish sandwiches, jerk chicken and other specialities you’ll discover sold at road- and beach-side huts across the island. Better still, head to the Friday Night Fish Fry in Oistins Bay, home to dozens of food stalls and a party atmosphere second to none. Musicians line up alongside market stalls, dancers sway around domino players – and everyone gets to enjoy the ultimate Caribbean party.