The island of Barbados, shaped a bit like a teardrop, is the eastern-most island of the Caribbean archipelago, in the region of the Lesser Antilles. While Barbados is only 21 miles long and 14 miles wide, it is remarkable for its topographical diversity; from its craggy northern coastline to its vast meadows of golden sugar cane to its serene, turquoise Caribbean coastline. Barbados is renowned for its hospitable people and for having the oldest parliament in the western hemisphere, with a British heritage unbroken since the first landing by Englishmen in 1625 until its independence in 1966. Barbados is an independent sovereign state within the Commonwealth of Nations, of which Queen Elizabeth II is the symbolic head. And Barbados is one Caribbean island not explored by Columbus.

The first known inhabitants of Barbados were the Arawaks, who came over from South America. But they were gone by the time of the first British expedition in 1625. A thriving colony of Europeans and black slaves turned Barbados into a prosperous land, based on trading in tobacco, cotton, and sugar cane. Slavery was abolished in 1834, and independence within the Commonwealth was obtained in 1966.

For more than three centuries Barbados was a British colony and, perhaps unsurprisingly, it retains something of a British feel: the place names, the cricket, horse-racing and polo, Anglican parish churches, and even a hilly district known as Scotland. But the Britishness is often exaggerated, for this is a distinctly West Indian country, covered by a patchwork of sugar cane and dotted with tiny rum shops, where calypso is the music of choice, flying fish the favored food, and cultural influences as likely to emanate from Africa as from Europe.

Barbados's gentle tropical weather is the product of an unusually high number of hours of sunshine, tempered by year-round trade winds from the southeast. Another charm of the climate is low humidity, usually between 57 and 74 per cent. Constant light trade winds keep Barbados cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter than most areas in the region. You can expect winter temperatures not to dip below 70-75F, with highs in the 80s quite common. Of course, the mercury rises in summer to 85F or above. The official "rainy" season ranges from the end of June to the start of November, but even then consists mainly of brief, frequent showers. Barbados is definitely a year-round destination, and when your whimsy nudges you south, don't hesitate - whether it's February or July!

Travelling in Barbados is usually very safe as far as health is concerned. Food is invariably well and hygienically prepared and the tap water, drawn from springs and rain filtered by the island's coral, is safe to drink. Barbados's geology is responsible for the purity of its water supply. Rainwater is filtered through the island's coral cap before burrowing through mineral-rich limestone into a series of underground lakes and streams, which grow purer as they flow. No immunizations are needed - the major tropical diseases were eradicated long ago - and you'll find the only threat to your physical welfare is the intense Caribbean sun. Many visitors get badly sunburned on the first day - so wear a strong sunscreen at all times.

The Queen's English is the official language and is spoken by everyone, everywhere. An amazing 98% literacy rate is a sign of the island's sophistication. The Bajan dialect is based on Afro-Caribbean rhythms tinged with an Irish or Scottish lilt.

Barbados is divided into 11 parishes. The south coast resorts are in the parish of Christ Church, while most of the west coast resorts are in St. James. The island's major highways, numbered 1 to 7 from north to south, all begin in Bridgetown. The airport is on the southeast side of the island, 16km from Bridgetown. Hwy 7 leads from the airport through the south coast resort area, but if you're heading to Bridgetown or the west coast, the ABC Hwy, a combination of the Adams, Barrow and Cummings Hwys, is much quicker than the coastal road. Most of the island's rural sights - including plantation houses, gardens and parks - are scattered throughout the interior. With a car you could see the bulk of them in one frenetic day or all of them in a couple of days' leisurely exploring. All are accessible by bus, and many places are clustered together, making convenient day trips to two or three sights a possibility.

Beaches and Swimming: Some of the island's prettiest beaches and calmest waters are along the west coast. Top spots include Paynes Bay, Sandy Lane Beach, Gibbs Beach, Aleynes Bay and Mullins Bay, all lovely white sand beaches that are easily accessible. The southwest side of the island also has some fine beaches, including Sandy Beach in Worthing, Rockley Beach and Dover Beach. On the southeast side is Crane Beach, a scenic stretch of pink-tinged sand that's popular with bodysurfers but rough for swimming. The east coast has dangerous water conditions, including rocky nearshore shelves and strong currents, and only the most confident swimmers should take to the waters.

Water Sports and Activities: The west coast of Barbados has reef dives with soft corals, gorgonians and colorful sponges. There are also about a dozen shipwrecks. The largest and most popular is the 356 foot Stavronikita, a Greek cargo ship which caught on fire in August 1976 and went adrift while en route from Ireland to Barbados. The government bought it for $30,000 and a group of local investors, including dive operators, pooled their talents to create an artificial reef with the ship rather than convert it to scrap metal. The coral-encrusted tug Berwyn, which sank in 1919 at Carlisle Bay, lies in only 20 feet of water and makes for good snorkeling as well as diving. Snorkeling is excellent, too, especially off the west coast, where there are plenty of good coralheads just off-shore. Several of the dive operators also take snorkellers on their dive trips - for about $10-$15US for an outing, including equipment.

The fishing is first-rate in the waters around Barbados, where anglers pursue dolphin (mahi-mahi), marlin, wahoo, barracuda, and sailfish, to name only the most popular catches. Half day and full day charters are available, and charter fishing trips depart from the Careenage in Bridgetown.

Barbados hosts regular windsurfing tournaments around Silver Sands on the southeast coast, which is reckoned to be as good for windsurfers as anywhere in the Caribbean. Surfing is also excellent, particularly on the east coast at the Bathsheba "soupbowl". If you're after waterskiing, jet-ski rides or a speedy tow on an inflatable banana, that can be arranged. You'll also find local guys offering trips on a hobbiecat (a mini-catamaran) on many of the beaches; they'll usually want to crew the boat themselves unless you can convince them you're an expert. Kayaks can also be rented for leisurely exploring the coast, and parasailing trips - towed behind a boat on a parachute, then winched back aboard, can be arranged from any west coast beach.

Boat trips: There is no shortage of boat trips to be made around Barbados, with the emphasis normally on being part of a big crowd all having a fun time together. Most of the cruise boats charge a single price, including a meal and all the drinks you want and dancing with live or canned music. The catamarans offer similar trips, though usually with a smaller number of people on board and less in the way of entertainment. The Atlantis Submarine offers a taste of underwater adventure without getting wet. All these boats sail out of Bridgetown's Shallow Harbour, but will pick up guests from any of the major resorts. Here are some of the most popular cruises available:

Bajan Queen: A Mississippi riverboat, offering twice-weekly sunset cruises along the west coast - trips include a buffet dinner, all your drinks and live music.

Harbour Master: Massive four-decker boat that runs regular day tours, taking you up the coast to a beach for chilling out or snorkelling, with a buffet lunch and free drinks. It runs evening trips as well, with a floor show, a live band, dinner and drinks all included in the price. It also has a 70 foot water slide attached!

Jolly Roger: Sleek, two-sailed "pirate ship" running west coast lunch cruises, with the emphasis on drinking and dancing up on the top deck, walking the plank and swinging from the yard-arm into the sea.

Mona Lisa: Short, two-hour cruises on a ten-meter catamaran, with snorkeling stops on the reef or around one of the shipwrecks.

Tiami: Three catamarans take west coast lunch cruises, the five-hour trip including several beach/snorkeling stops.

Atlantis: a 28 seat submarine lined with portholes, takes visitors on underwater tours of the coral reef off the island's west coast. The outing lasts 1 ½ hours, with the underwater segment about 50 minutes.

Golf: The two major courses on the west coast are Royal Westmoreland and Sandy Lane, both of which have strict restrictions on play and would definitely require a phone call in advance to book. Royal Westmoreland is an 18 hole Robert Trent-Jones II championship course. Sandy Lane, originally an 18 hole championship course, is currently undergoing major expansion under the world renowned golf architect Tom Fazio. On the south coast there are two courses where visitors can "pay and play". The Barbados Golf Club is a new 18 hole championship course, open to the public. Club Rockley Barbados has a well maintained 9 hole resort course. Designed with fun in mind, the enjoyable Rockley course is open to visitors. Heywoods, near Speightstown, also has a nine hole course open to the public.

Attractions on the island:
Andromeda Gardens, St. Joseph. One of the showplaces of the Caribbean, established in 1954 and now under the auspices of the National Trust, it includes well over 200 species of tropical trees, plants, flowers, and flowering shrubs, planted among huge boulders, terraces and pools. This is a horticulturists' and photographers' Eden, and serious botanists will want to spend several hours making a self-guided tour of the grounds.

Barbados Wildlife Reserve, St. Peter. This is an unusual and delightful natural park where the animals roam free and humans are confined to cobblestone walks. The beautiful, well-tended acres are home to a sizeable population of green monkeys, brought over from Senegal and the Gambia 350 years ago. The reserve is a lovely, tranquil place to watch brocket deer, hares, raccoons, agoutis, wallabies, land tortoises, a variety of birds, small lizards and a half dozen caimans.

Animal Flower Cave, St. Lucy. The "Cave" was once a collection of limestone tide pools in which hundreds of sea anemones flourished. A guide takes you into the cave, clambering down some stairs and across a slippery floor overhung with stalactites and filled with sinkholes and rockpools, in which dozens of tiny but colourful sea anemones and filter-feeding tube worms (the "animal flowers") wave their little tentacles about. The cave is out of bounds when the sea is rough, so you might want to call ahead.

Welchman Hall Gully, St. Thomas. A dense, wooded ravine edged by high cliffs, with a great variety of indigenous plants and trees, showing what Barbados must have looked like to the first settlers. One of few remaining forested areas on Barbados, richly overgrown with bamboo, clove, nutmeg, cocoa, coffee, citrus, coconut, and the bearded fig trees for which the island was named. Occasionally you can see green monkeys running wild through this area.

Harrison's Cave, St. Thomas. A magnificent natural phenomenon, this stunning cavern is undoubtedly one of the most spectacular attractions in the Caribbean. Underground streams and dripping water have carved huge limestone caverns with stalactites hanging like teeth from the ceilings and weirdly shaped stalagmites pushing up from the floor. You're taken underground on an electric tram, with a guide to point out the different structures - magnificent chambers, incredible stalactites and stalagmites, bubbling streams, tumbling cascades, plunging waterfalls and emerald pools. At various spots the tram stops to allow passengers to disembark and have a closer look at the beauty at hand. It's a one hour tour, and take your camera!

Sunbury Great House, St. Philip. This plantation house dates back to the 1660s. The entire house is open for viewing, each room impeccably furnished and decorated according to the period. This is a true plantation house tour that gives a very real sense of the lifestyle and living standards of the elite planter class in those early days. There is an extensive collection of old prints, china, glassware and antiques, as well as the region's largest assortment of horse-drawn carriages. You can roam into the gardens and surrounding wooded area and stop for a snack in the courtyard café.

Barbados Museum, the Garrison, St. Michael. This is a fascinating museum that is well worth visiting. Located in the former military prison, it is filled wall to wall with history, with its many artifacts ranging from Amerindian relics to modern art. Its newest gallery, Connections - Africa and its People in the Caribbean, tells the story of the great continent and the displacement of generations of its people. The items displayed include a collection of fascinating African antiques, fine art and craft. There is also an interactive Children's Gallery.

Mount Gay Rum Tour, St. Michael. A tour of the Mount Gay Visitors Centre is an extremely enjoyable way to learn the story of the world's oldest and finest rum. After a ten minute audio-visual presentation portraying the history of Mount Gay, a 30 minute guided tour then covers all the various stages of rum making, including refining, ageing, blending and bottling. Then it's back to the centre to indulge in some sample 'tasting', and some tips from an expert barman on how to fully appreciate this superb rum.

Crop Over Festival - this festival, held every summer, traditionally celebrated the completion of the sugar harvest and the end of months of exhausting work for the field-labourers on the sugar estates. It is still the island's main festival and an excuse for an extended party. Things start slowly in early July, with craft exhibitions and band rehearsals, heating up in late July and early August with street parades, concerts and competitions between the tuk bands, steel bands, and - most importantly - the battle for the title of calypso monarch. On the last four days of the festival are the Pic-o-De-Crop Finals, Bridgetown Market (craft fair), Cohobbolo Pot, a variety show and the road march and costumed parade on Grand Kadooment Day.