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Easternmost
of the Lesser Antilles, Barbados sits apart from
its peers both geographically and culturally speaking.
Though independent since 1966, Barbados was a British
subject for three long and prosperous centuries;
unlike other nearby isles, it was never a pawn in
territorial bickering and so displays to this day
the white-glove customs of a parliamentary society.
Not that Barbados lacks authentic West Indian charm;
far from it. Time and again, travelers remark on
the festive street life, the fresh spicy food, and
the inclusive warmth of their Bajan (native Barbadian)
hosts. Indeed, tourism here is a tradition as deeply
rooted as the cultivation of sugar cane, and the
island's deluxe hotels are among the Caribbean's
most sophisticated and glamorous. Along the 15-mile
stretch of lustrous white beach nicknamed the Platinum
Coast (a.k.a. Millionaires' Playground), ornately
gardened villas and pretty pink inns line up proudly
like contestants in a high-class beauty pageant.
Befitting
its British ties, Barbados is a more formal (and
pricey) island than most. In the best restaurants,
jackets are required for dinner, and nowhere is
topless or nude bathing allowed. High tea and cricket
are cultural fixtures, driving's on the left, and
casinos are nonexistent. Though casual outposts
are hardly rare, this island is not an ideal choice
for travelers who want to lounge round the clock
in bikini and flipflops or dance till dawn. Nor
is it ideal for those who want isolation or unspoiled
wilderness, for Barbados is as populous as it is
temperate and welcoming. Two hundred and fifty thousand
people inhabit 300 square miles, and while much
of the interior offers a serene vista of sugar fields
and, to the north, rough green moors, the island's
longtime agricultural prominence entailed widespread
deforestation.
Sporty
travelers, however, will be thrilled with the variety
of gamesmanship and recreation. Barbados boasts
three fine golf courses, numerous tennis and squash
courts, and, for the avid spectator, horse racing
and polo. Since coral reefs hug the island on all
sides, scuba and snorkeling are excellent (though
marine life has not been as aggressively protected
as on other islands). The underwater caves of the
rugged north coast are a favorite haunt of experienced
divers, while the south coast is a mecca for windsurfers,
who love the heady currents of the open sea off
Oistins.
Recommend
this island to those who want their perfect beaches
and equally perfect climate tempered with the well-mannered
ease that makes life on Barbados so sweet.
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