Barbados
The Two Wonderful Contrasting Sides of Barbados
Article and photography by Michael Morcos
This would be my third trip to Barbados, but unlike the first two, this one would be memorable. More succinctly, my first two experiences included an overnight stay waiting for a connecting flight to a neighboring island and my second trip through here was from the airport onto a cruise ship with immediate departure. That did not allow nearly enough time to know Barbados.
The fun begins
There are two distinct sides to this beautiful tropical island. We would enjoy the best of both areas, starting in the lush and green east side and finishing in the more populated west side known for its posh resorts. The two sides are also geographically different in that they are part of two tectonic plates pushed onto each other creating the highlands in the east.
Naniki Cottages
My ride from the airport started off on a smooth and slightly curvy road, but within minutes, that all changed. We suddenly started going uphill and downhill with sharp turns all along the way and had our scenery changed from beach to dense tropical forest. When we finally arrived at our accommodations, the Naniki Cottages, we were met with something quite different to most Barbados travel brochures as we were in a magnificent natural setting, and the individual cottages for each guest included a large living room, kitchen, and bedroom with our own private balcony. Each cottage was made up of wood and matched the surrounding lush greenery. The resort’s main dining room was outdoors and had a calm and spectacular view of the rolling hills and thousands of palm trees. Adjacent to the property was a wonderful palm forest with a 2 km hiking trail. The owner, Tom, explained that this land was once a sugar plantation 85 years ago and now has the most palm trees in one place on the island.
Coco Hill forest
It was a delight visiting Coco Hill as we would take a leisurely stroll through a natural setting, all the while enjoying the incredible views of the surrounding green landscape. Along the way, we would be greeted warmly and served freshly picked and prepared coconuts. We would also stop for a time to just sit, close our eyes, and feel the positive energy of this forest. A wonderful day and a dimension of Barbados I did not expect and surely appreciated.
Hunte’s Garden
Centenarian owner Anthony Hunte is one colorful character who has spent most of his energy and time devoted to creating a spectacular garden with flowering plants, bushes, tall trees, water fountains, and garden sculptures. There is also beautiful artwork throughout the property as well as a restaurant-bar with fantastic views of his multi-level garden. Here is the true meaning of paradise, with water everywhere, birds flying freely, soothing colors and fresh coolness from the overhead canopies. This would be a beautiful place for relaxing and forest bathing.
Hamilton’s Pottery
That looks so easy, is what I think every time I see people working with clay. A pottery workshop at a small family run store would prove me wrong. We saw how to make simple objects from clay found a short distance away. It only took a couple of minutes to create a beautifully shaped object ready for firing and finishing. We were each given a turn at the pottery wheel and that’s when disaster struck. As funny as it was, I knew at that moment I would fail if this was a career. Luckily, there were many exquisite, finished pieces that ranged from vases to richly detailed decoration pieces that were all made of natural materials on display and available for purchase.
eBiking the East Coast
Biking while traveling is always a terrific way of seeing more in less time. Even better is eBiking. We would hook up with Gears 246, a local biking company and, with a professional guide, we would see amazing sites all throughout the short 2-hour ride. It didn’t matter if we were on paved or dirt roads, or even if the terrain was hilly, with little effort we took in incredible vistas including a beautiful seaside pasture with grazing cows, villages with happy, smiling locals, beautiful historic churches, and a rather bizarre setting of three crosses by the cliff and silhouetted by sunny skies. Near the end we would park the bikes and go through a dense forest to an amazing hidden waterfall. Truly a fantastic and memorable day on this beautiful island.
Tree-planting at Walkers Reserve
To add even more diversity to our east coast tour, we would find ourselves at Walker’s Reserve. This piece of land is in a major transformation phase where the mining company organizers decided to let it return to nature and have the public enjoy it. The material that was extracted from this quarry is now all over Barbados as a main ingredient in cement and a big part of the development of the country. From the short time we spent there, I could tell that they are doing a fantastic job turning it into a welcoming and natural environment with a wonderful seaside backdrop. To help in this effort, we had a fun time planting trees that will beautify the park for generations to come.
Sugar Bay
In contrast, the West Coast is the area most visitors associate with Barbados. Located directly on the beach, we would check into the fabulous Sugar Bay Resort to find a posh setting with comfortable accommodations. This property can easily be a stand-alone destination with many wonderful dining options, live entertainment, beach and water sports activities, or plain relaxing by the pool with refreshments.
My accommodation was superb with an extra-large room that had all the creature comforts and modern amenities a traveler would want and expect including a spacious and shaded balcony, perfectly located with a view of the sea, the pool, and the gardens. With a friendly and dedicated staff, life was good at Sugar Bay!
Sailing the waters
How could a great tour, combined with fantastic accommodations in a tropical paradise get any better? How about trying a private boat ride through the aqua-blue waters on a luxury catamaran while staff offered tasty cocktails, delicious snacks, and well-prepared meals. That is what we did, and it was certainly a wonderful way of accenting an already fun time in beautiful Barbados.
Barbados has been a favorite for many people looking for a safe and friendly island, returning again and again, and I see why. There are plenty of warm, sunny days, fantastic service, wonderful food, a storied history, and a multitude of options for the sun-seekers looking for relaxation and nature lovers looking for hidden gems. Either one or both makes this Caribbean destination just right with something for all tastes and budgets!
