Barbados had never been high on my ‘must-visit’ list but it just may have jumped to the number one spot. I always thought Barbados was all about relaxing on the beach with a rum punch… sounds perfect to some people right? Well, that’s my idea of a hell vacation. Luckily, my initial perception of Barbados was seriously off the mark. There is so much more to Barbados than just the beach and rum and boy, am I ready to explore it.
At the latest Blog at the Beach event by icelolly.com my opinion on Barbados did a full 180 as Mark from Visit Barbados told us all about what we can expect to see and do beyond the beach. I’m now dreaming of the day I can visit Barbados and experience everything that this beautiful island has to offer.
Disclaimer: This post is not an Ad or sponsored post. However, I was invited to attend the latest Blog At The Beach press event hosted by icelolly.com
Beyond the Beach at Barbados
Each year, the Barbados Tourism Board has an annual theme to highlight some of the wonderful aspects of Barbados’ history, culture and activities. There’s so much more to Barbados than just laying on the beach, soaking up the beautiful sun rays and what a better way than to celebrate all of the wonders of Barbados than by dedicating an entire year of activities to each of them!
As Mark told us more and more about Barbados, it soon became clear that Barbados is overflowing with rich history, values, traditions and, not to mention, lovely people.
Alongside the stretches of beautiful beaches and glittering turquoise bays, you’ll also find a UNESCO World Heritage-listed capital, one of the oldest synagogues in the Western hempishere and a scenic view from Mount Hilaby – Barbados’ highest point sitting 343 metres above sea level.
Barbados is an island oozing with rich history, exception cuisine and equally beautiful customs, traditions and values. Alongside the stretches of beautiful beaches and glittering turquoise bays, you’ll also find a UNESCO World Heritage-listed capital, one of the oldest synagogues in the Western hempishere and a scenic view from Mount Hilaby – Barbados’ highest point sitting 343 metres above sea level.
The Year of Wellness and Soft Adventure
If you’re a regular around here, or on my Instagram, then you’ll know that my love for the outdoors and adventure knows no bounds. So when I heard that 2019 was the year of Wellness and Soft Adventure my eyes immediately lit up.
Much to my surprise, Barbados offers an array of incredibly activities. On the beach, you can expect to have the chance to get stuck into surfing, jet-skiing, stand up paddleboarding or, if you’re feeling super adventurous, jetblading– to name but a few of the water sports activities to do in Barbados! To me, that sounds like the most perfect way to spend a day at the beach.
Beyond the beach, you can go exploring off the beaten track and discover all of the wild wonders that Barbados has to offer. From the rugged coastline to the scenic coastline, you can go off-roading to explore Barbados by jeep. For the fastest way to explore the island and it’s rolling hills (yes, really!), you can hire a bike to cycle around the island. If a leisurely ride is more your style, you can also take to the trails with a spot of horseriding. Whatever mode of transport you use, all of them will offer a great way to take in all of the sights that Barbados has to offer.
Oh, and let’s not forget spelunking! As soon as I heard that you could go spelunking in Barbados, I immediately started mentally booking flights and planning my trip to Barbados. If right now, you’re wondering why I keep repeating the weird and hilarious word ‘spelunking’, then spelunking simply means caving. It’s something that’s more commonly known as ‘potholing’ here in the UK, the exciting activity of exploring underground caves. And wow, does Barbados have some impressive looking caves!
Barbados is Small but Mighty
Barbados may only be 21 miles long to 14 miles wide but don’t be disceived (like I was) it’s overflowing with charm and character. The people of Barbados sound like the most wonderful, kind and welcoming of souls…which is why it’s not surprise that 2020 is the year of We Gatherin’.
We Gatherin’ 2020 aims to be a year-long celebration of all the inhabitants of Barbados, both past and present and an open-invitation for all who love Barbados to come home, reconnect with the island and loved ones, and invest in the rebuilding and development.
2020 could also be the year that you see me totting up whether I can save up for a holiday to Barbados…
Blog at The Beach with Icelolly.com
As mentioned at the start of my blog post, my initial and admittedly small-minded beliefs about Barbados were set straight whilst at the latest icelolly.com Blog at the Beach event. My eyes have been opened up to the wonders of Barbados. But that’s not all. Icelolly.com are a travel comparison site and one that do an amazing job of making sure they’re at the forefront of the industry and offering their customers exactly what they’re looking for.
Alongside looking after their customers, icelolly.com are also pretty hot on taking care of their community and being socially responsible by getting involved in charity fundraiser days and sun safety campaigns (to make sure you sun-worship responsibly!).
At their Blog at The Beach events, they also do an incredible job of putting together a fun, inspiring and educational day for digital content creators. This latest event saw us have talks from the wonderful Kirsty Leanne at KirstyLeanneUK and Katy English from MissKatyEnglish. Kirsty shared her valuable insights into the importance of building a kick-ass community and ways to build, grow and nurture your community to make sure it’s one that always thrives. Meanwhile, Katy shared the secrets behind her awe-inspiring Instagram and how she became a Creative content creator (trying saying that fast after 10 rum punches…). Katy’s talk was filled with valuable reminders to always trust your ideas, release the pressure you put on yourself, embrace failure and be open to experiment with your content!
All in all, after a day spent amongst other content creators and travel-lovers, I left with a spring in my step, dreams of adventuring in Barbados in my head, and a sense of determination in my heart.
If this post has inspired you to start searching for your perfect holiday in Barbados, icelolly.com offer a range of amazing deals and holidays to Barbados so you can build your perfect getaway.