One might not automatically think of the Caribbean when considering booking a hiking holiday, but Barbados has many beautiful landscape features to take advantage of. It is commonly thought that the weather is perhaps too humid to hike, but the truth of the matter is that Barbados is a great year-round hiking destination. The 21 by 14 mile island actually has such a diverse landscape, that you could almost think that you are not on the same island that hosts large fish barbecues and the famous Crop Over festival.
Free Hikes
The Barbados National Trust hosts a variety of free hikes that are open to everyone. There are morning and afternoon hikes, as well as BNT Special Hikes, which include moonlight hikes, a Christmas Day hike, and the Independence Day hike, and even 24 hour hikes. The hikes are held are every Sunday and are graded, so you can enjoy no matter which level. They are known for being interesting and fun, and their aim is to educate both visitors and locals about the history, geography, culture and people of Barbados.
Flower Forest
Flower Forest is based at a former plantation and has now transformed into a stunning rainforest and botanical garden. Either on a guided tour or on your own with a map, you can see the beautiful, waist-high begonias, and stunning heleconias to the soundtrack of birds and monkeys.
Barbados Wildlife Reserve
Another beautiful and interesting place to hike is the Barbados Wildlife Reserve. Included in your entrance fee is entry to the Grenade Hall Forest and Signal Station, a combination of a historic signal station and a beautiful, natural forest. In the reserve itself you can spot Barbados Green Monkeys, flamingos, brown pelicans, iguanas, turtles, caiman and many other different species.
Welchman Hall Gully
If you want to have a very memorable Caribbean holiday and see the Green Monkeys in their native habitat, Welchman Hall Gully is the place to go. You can go on a self-guided tour, but make sure that if you are visiting during the dry season (January-July) you fit in seeing the monkeys feed, a sight not to be missed.
Everything encountered on this beautiful island has a part to play in its rich history, and Tropical Sky offers some of the most perfect places to rest your head (and feet) after a long day. The spa facilities and complimentary champagne breakfast offered at The House would make your Caribbean hiking holiday a memory second to none.
We had never heard of hiking in Barbados, thanks for enlightening us. Coming from Anguilla we forget some other Caribbean islands have mountainous terrain!