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This year it will be thirteen years since my husband and I got married and that means in September it will have been the same time since we were in Barbados for our honeymoon, it really was a holiday of a lifetime. We had such a fabulous and memorable time there that we vowed we would return again and in fact we talked about how nice it would be to do it for our tenth wedding anniversary. Of course we had well-paying jobs and no children back then but when our tenth anniversary actually came around we had a nine year old and two 5 year olds and no-one to have them whilst we jetted off, os it has only been cheap holidays for us since.
So here I am still dreaming of returning and every so often I find myself scouring the web looking for a good deal and dreaming of where we will stay and what we will do there. I think the hardest thing for me is that my camera got corrupted whilst we were away and all the hundreds of beautiful and loved-up newly-wed photos I took could not be printed and I don't have many photos from this amazing time and that really saddens me. As time goes on I am remembering bits but have forgotten so much.
A magical country
There really is something magical about Barbados and I find it hard to put my finger on it. You might just think I have rose tinted glasses because I sent my honeymoon there but I know that is not the case as I also spent a week in St Lucia for my honeymoon and do not have the same fond memories of there, nor of the Dominican Republic where hubby and I have also spent a meaningful holiday.
The Barbadians have this magical warmth, they are relaxed and super friendly and love to engage in conversation with you but I didn't find this was to the detriment of great service. It all just felt to natural, as if they had all the time in the world and nothing to hurry for - total bliss.
Our honeymoon stay was in St Peters Parish but if when return I am thinking about staying closer to the capital Bridgetown, maybe in the coastal resorts of Hastings or Maxwell where we will be staying in a hotel right on the white sand beach and within walking distance from St Lawrence Gap where the local nightlife is full-on.
Fabulous weather
So why Barbados? I've mentioned the wonderful nature of the Bajan people but Barbados is a great all rounder. The weather is pretty consistent all year with 8 or 9 hours of sunshine. Yes it gets more rainy June to October but it is nowhere near as wet as many other Caribbean countries.and what we found was that the rainfall was refreshing, only lasted a short while and literally within minutes it was 30 degrees again and the ground was dry!
So much to do
I recall the highlight of our stay was going out on a boat to a natural coral reef and snorkeling. The colours of the fish and the clarity of the water will never be forgotten and when we tired of swimming, we were able to go onto the tiny uninhabited island that we had stopped at and enjoy a rum punch. It was perfect but if snorkeling or even diving are not your thing but you don't want to miss out then you must try the Atlantis submarine and you will be taken 130 foot below sea level to enjoy the views.
I'd also say not to miss a trip to the Mount Gay run distillery. They have a tour which includes a Bajan buffet for lunch and means you can enjoy some good rum and a lazy lunch whilst meeting new friends.
There is so much to do in Barbados, you really are spoilt for choice. There are plenty of island coach tours so you can see all the local attractions, or take a cruise and swim with turtles, enjoy sedgway, go horseback riding on the beach, take part in dozens of different water sports, learn to dance Bajan style, go fishing, visit the spa or of course just relax on the miles and miles of platinum coastline.
The holiday I have been coveting to Barbados has been for just my husband and I but after reading about Actually Mummy's recent holiday I think I might be tempted to take the kids and let them experience the wonder of Barbados with us. I asked Helen if she thought it was a good idea to take the children on holiday with you to Barbados and here is what she said -
If you've ever wondered whether taking the kids to Barbados is worth the cost, I'd say if you can afford it, do it. I have never seen my children happier than when they were relaxing in the gentle waves of the West Coast beaches - they stayed in the water until sunset, just happy to be. They played together with none of the sibling rivalry we normally get, and it was a treat to see them laughing all day long in each others company. I think they were just so relaxed and genuinely chilled out with everything that is Barbados - the perfect temperatures, the gentle seas, the beauty of it all - that they forgot to annoy each other! Swimming with turtles made my son's year, and even just picking up bits of bleached coral from the beach was bigger and better in his mind than the usual shell collections. It truly is the holiday of a lifetime, and they will remember it for a long time to come. And what's better than a relaxing adult holiday, away from the stresses of parenting? A relaxing family holiday where you get to see your children happy, minus the usual stresses of parenting.And don't they all look happy? Here is Helen and her family on a inflatable sofa on the Bajan sea.
I can't wait to go back to Barbados.
Check out the top 8 beaches on the island featured on Space in your Case and Mummy Barrow has an abundance of posts about Barbados for your to check out and whet your appetite.
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