Barbados stands apart both geographically and geologically from its Caribbean neighbors; it's a full 100 mi (161 km) east of the Lesser Antilles chain that arcs from the Virgin Islands to Trinidad. Although many neighboring islands are the peaks of a volcanic mountain range, Barbados is the top of a single mountain of coral and limestone, sources of building blocks for many a plantation manor. Barbados is 21 mi (34 km) long, 14 mi (22½ km) wide, and relatively flat; the highest point, Mt. Hillaby, is in the north and has an elevation of 1,115 ft. The interior hills and valleys are covered by impenetrable acres of sugarcane and great houses that the crop has sustained for centuries.
Besides picturesque rolling hills, a perimeter of white-sand beaches, a central flatland, and even deposits of underground oil (providing 60% of the island's petroleum requirements), Barbados's unique geology has created its most popular attraction, Harrison's Cave. This natural phenomenon has bubbling underground streams, cascading waterfalls, and stalactites and stalagmites created through the millennia by the constant drip of calcite-laden water.
Actually, it was during a search for fresh water that Barbados was "discovered" by the Portuguese in 1536. They didn't stay, but did give the island its name: Barbados, or "the bearded ones," after native fig trees with beardlike roots. A century later -- and quite by accident -- the British landed on the west coast at what is now Holetown. The first British settlement was established two years later, in 1627. In contrast to the turbulent history of most of the Caribbean islands, British rule was uninterrupted until 1966, when Barbados became independent. The island has since had an elected prime minister and membership in the British Commonwealth of Nations.
Facilities here are top-notch. Beaches along the tranquil west coast, facing the Caribbean, are lined with posh resorts and residences enveloped in lush foliage. This luxurious area, appropriately called the Platinum Coast, is a favorite destination of British vacationers. North Americans tend to prefer the hotels and resorts stretched along the beaches of the trendier south coast, which has good shopping, countless restaurants, and an active nightlife.
Barbados retains a noticeable British feel. Most islanders are members of the Anglican church, afternoon tea is a ritual, polo is played all winter, and cricket is the national passion -- Barbados has produced some of the world's top cricketers. The tradition of dressing for dinner is firmly entrenched, yet the island is hardly stuffy. You can dine by candlelight facing the sea, in festive company at a sumptuous Bajan buffet, or casually with a burger at the beach. This is still the Caribbean, after all.
