barbudaful things to do and see

spectacular beaches

Barbuda is one of the best beach destinations in the Caribbean if not the world; it has unspoilt beaches on all sides of the island. Usually you will be alone on the beach, except for the hotel beaches but these are open to all visitors as long as non-guests keep to the waterline. Most of the beaches have no facilities at all so it's important to remember to take plenty of water (freeze a bottle overnight) and find a place to keep out of the sun for some of the time.

In some places when you have seen one beach you have seen them all, but in Barbuda each one is different, better than the last, and interesting enough to keep even the most cynical holidaymaker happy for hours. You will find all kinds of things on the beach on the Atlantic side if you are a beachcomber, and you are likely to see sharks, turtles, whales and other wildlife close up too. Barbuda's beaches are often very windy and so kite-surfing is popular here at certain times of the year. The beaches can have spectacular waves and dangerous currents at times but there are also beautiful calmer areas that are perfect for children or non-swimmers, with shallow water and rock pools filled with tiny fish and crabs. There are aerial displays provided by pelicans diving close to you on the beach and everywhere you swim you will see fish darting about in the water. The beaches have great names too - Fishing Creek, Rubbish Bay, Two Foot Bay, Goat Island, River, Princess Diana beach - if you want a more detailed guide to the beaches and how to get to them send us a message. Have another look at the beaches from here - click on the 'earth' images for a virtual tour.

exploring barbuda

At Two Foot Bay and in other areas of the island there are huge caves to explore. In one are ancient cave drawings and in others it is possible to climb right through to the top of the Highlands and see for miles over Barbuda. Other caves go underground and underwater and require expert knowledge to explore them and Barbuda is regularly visited by specialists looking for archaelogical finds, bats and other rare and interesting things, hence the need for a museum here. Darby Cave is an extraordinary example of a sink hole and a popular trek with visitors and is a 45 minute guided walk from Highland House.

In very dry weather the salt ponds sparkle with crystalline sea salt that is still collected here. In wet weather the ponds are full of rare and interesting birds. A day tour will delight nature lovers, stopping for a picnic in the shade, or lunch in a local restaurant and a swim in the sea.

camping

On holiday weekends the beaches fill with Barbudans who take picnics and camping very seriously and bring loud music, food, and truckloads of people to spend the day in the sea. In some of the caves people camp for several nights, catching and cooking fish, deer,wild boar and land turtle, which are shared by everyone.

diving

Around the coast of Barbuda there are many hundreds of wrecks from different periods of the island's history, since the French, Spanish and British fought for control of the Caribbean, to modern boats that have lost their way onto the treacherous reefs that surround Barbuda. Even recently some of our small cargo boats have come to grief - losing their whole cargo to the sea and causing even more difficulties for local people already having to import everything to the island from Antigua.

There are experienced local divers on the island who can guide visitors to dive the wrecks and it is sometimes possible to hire scuba diving equipment. Wrecks are usually in dangerous water and it is important to seek local advice - and permission from the Council - before attempting to explore them.

fishing

As there are many fishermen and women on the island it is always possible to go fishing, either out at sea or in the calmer lagoon water. Many people have boats and if asked will take visitors for fishing trips, bringing home fish pots or line fish such as barracuda, shark, tuna, and other types of local fish. Bone fishing is very popular in the area as Barbuda has some of the best waters for this in the area and catching lobster is also possible as they are a speciality of the island and can be caught by hand or in specially hand crafted fish pots.

the frigate bird sanctuary

One of the main tourist attractions on Barbuda is the Magnificent Frigate Bird Sanctuary, situated in the Codrington Lagoon. It is a forty-minute boat ride from the wharf and is a spectacular sight even for non-bird watchers. In the mating season from September to April this rare bird displays a huge red breast to attract a female mate and they lay one egg on a nest, built precariously on the mangrove. These birds cannot walk or swim; they soar high in the clouds and live solely on fish, which they often steal from other birds, giving them their local name Man O'War. They have few predators here and this nesting site is one of the most important in the world for these endangered birds. Because of it's unspoilt countryside many rare species flourish on Barbuda, so wildlife and bird watching is increasingly popular on here - there's more on our nature page about this.

going out

There are a few restaurants in Barbuda, several snack shops and five or six bars ranging from rum shops to bars with TV and pool tables. Most cater for local people's needs as only a few guests from the hotels frequent them, but those that do enjoy their lively atmosphere and if you are staying in a local guest house you might want to go out for a beer or two. The best way to buy our delicious, locally made, freshly cooked food is to go out to a food fair or fish fry at the weekend as there are always people barbecuing on the street and the fish is straight from the sea. Local specialities include deer meat, land turtle, lobster, crab, conch, local beef and lamb or goat, with side dishes of rice, fungi, or dumplings. Local drinks include soursop, ginger beer, sea moss, and tamarind juices. If you are a foodie you will love Barbuda, our cooks are some of the best in the Caribbean and win prizes wherever they go. See our own Rhyming Chef cooking on the beach at Coral Group.

shopping

There are several shops that sell every day groceries and fresh or frozen food. All supplies have to come by boat or by plane from various places, via Antigua, so it isn't cheap for Barbudans or visitors alike. The best time to look for fruit and vegetables is when the boat comes in on Friday or Saturday, you will see the shops become very busy as soon as it arrives and it sells out fast. Many people also grow and sell their own produce at different times throughout the year so buy it where you see it as it's all organically grown.

Fish is brought in at the Lagoon Wharf nearly every day in good weather and we now have the new fisheries building to store it on ice for sale. Locally produced meat is sometimes for sale from a table on the street; there are no butchers shops. The meat is very good and has none of the additives or hormones in mass-produced meat, but you have to clean and prepare it yourself. It helps to remember those posters showing where the fillet steak is on an animal before you buy it!

There are several variety stores selling all kinds of essential household items and clothes, many of them have gifts and T-shirts. There is a small Council run shop where local handicrafts are for sale to visitors and the ArtCafe where visitors are welcome to read a large archive of information about the island, buy a map or a gift, or chat about life.