Barbados is an incredibly popular cruise destination, with cruises of all different kinds making port here during their Caribbean voyage. Like any other Caribbean island, you will find plenty of beaches and tourist attractions to explore during a cruise day. But since cruises will often only stay for a single day, it is important to plan out your activities so you make the most of your time here. You’ll have plenty of time during your cruise to visit beaches and play in the sun, so it is better to explore something unique or iconic while you are here. To help you select your Barbadian adventure, here are our picks for the best shore excursions for a cruise day in Barbados.
Snorkel with Sea Turtles
(Photo provided by Unsplash)
Barbados is well-known for its sea turtle population, with many tour companies offering guided snorkelling excursions into the crystal clear waters these magnificent creatures call home. On these tours, you will ride a boat out into the waters where a guide will drop bait food to attract the turtles. The turtles here are very accustomed to seeing snorkellers and tend to be very friendly, giving visitors a great opportunity for a magical wildlife encounter. These tours are also not invasive to the turtles well-being and habitat, so it is a great way to interact with wildlife in a positive way. Make sure to bring a waterproof camera!
Explore Historic Bridgetown
(Photo provided by Adobe Stock)
Bridgetown, which is home to the main cruise port in Barbados, is a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site, so you can bet that it is jam-packed with culture and history. Take a walking tour to see historical sites like St. Michael’s Cathedral or the colourfully painted buildings of Swan Street. This is a duty-free destination, so you won’t have to pay local taxes on goods bought, meaning it is a great place to get a souvenir or two. No visit to another country would be complete without trying some of the local cuisine, and this is the best place for that as well. Get the fried-fish sandwich called the “flying fish cutter” at a local cafe to get the true Barbados experience!
Mount Gay Rum Distillery Tour
(Photo provided by Adobe Stock)
While it is disputed by historians where rum was first distilled, it most certainly originated in the Caribbean, and many attest that Barbados is in fact its original home. Mount Gay Distillery is one of the reasons that Barbados is called the birthplace of rum, as it is the oldest recorded rum distillery globally! Here you can take tours of the distillery, learn about the process and history of rum production, taste some of their rum fresh from the barrel, and even take a cocktail class. Tours usually take less than 2 hours, so it is the perfect excursion for any cruise day in Barbados.
Animal Flower Cave
(Photo provided by Adobe Stock)
While Barbados is famous for its 80+ beaches stretching over 70 miles of the island’s coast, much of the island's wonder comes from the northernmost tip, where limestone cliffs meet tumultuous waters for some incredibly dramatic scenery. This is where you will find Animal Flower Cave, this is the only accessible sea cave on the island. This cave gets its name from the sea anemones that live here. Resembling large alien flowers, they sway with the flow of the waters and retract when touched. Guided tours will take you into natural wading pools within the cave where you can enjoy the peaceful waters and quiet wildlife encounters.
Bathsheba and the East Coast
(Photo provided by Unsplash)
For our final recommendation, we would like to introduce you to Bathsheba, known for its stunning rock formations and highly surfable waters. There are many places to enjoy Barbados beaches, but only here will you find gravity-defying rock formations that have been cut out by erosion of the ever crashing waves. It will take about 45 minutes to get here from the port, but many taxis will offer driving tours that will take you to other scenic spots along the way. If you want to get a healthy helping of Caribbean wilderness, this is definitely the shore excursion for you!
