21 Reasons Why a Move to Barbados is Right for You
We all know that Barbados is a fantastic place to visit, but what about living there? With our luxury holiday homes, there’s no reason you can’t have your own home from home in the sun, and here are 21 reasons why it’s worth considering.
The weather
Of course, you can’t look past the weather as the number one reason to lie in Barbados!
Barbados has a tropical climate, with a wet season from June to November, and dry season from December to May.
The temperature averages at between 21˚C and 31˚C during the dry season, with an annual precipitation of between 40 and 90 inches.
Great shopping
If you’re a bit of a shopaholic, you’ll be right at home in Barbados, which is home to a number of great shops, whether it be clothes, interior decorations or just some locally sourced food that you’re after!
The Limegrove Lifestyle Centre in Holetown is home to big brands such as Michael Kors, Burberry, Armani and Louis Vuitton.
On a smaller scale, you can also enjoy local farmer’s markets in the various towns around the island, such as the Cheapside Market in Bridgetown.
Stable economy
Barbados has one of the most stable political environments and economies in the Caribbean, with a low inflation rate and steady growth.
In fact, Barbados is aiming to become the world’s smallest developed country by 2025.
Beautiful beaches
The island is home to some of the best beaches in the Caribbean, such as Crane Beach, with its soft pink sands, where you can swim, sunbathe, and snorkel.
Others such as Silver Sands are great for activities such as kitesurfing and windsurfing and Bathsheba is renowned amongst surfers.
Luxurious properties
Here at Royal Westmoreland, we have a range of great luxury colonial-style properties available for purchase, or you can even create your own luxury villa with one of our custom build properties.
Spectacular landscapes
While the island isn’t quite as hilly as some of its neighbours, it is home to some spectacular natural landscapes, particularly Harrison’s Cave, an underground limestone cave system with crystal clear waters and towering columns.
There’s also the Flower Forest and Welchman Hall Gully Tropical Forest, which are great places to take a walk and take in the local wildlife and flora.
Delicious local food
The local food benefits from Barbados’ melting pot of cultures, and you can taste influences from Africa, India and Britain in local cuisine.
There are a couple of local speciality dishes such as Cou-Cou, which mainly consists of cornmeal and okra, and flying fish, which is used in many local dishes.
Local sport
If you’re a cricket fan, then you’re in luck, as Barbados is cricket mad! As an ex-British colony, cricket is still the national sport, and the West Indies national team often play at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown.
The island is also home to the historic Garrison Savannah racecourse, which hosts horse racing events throughout the year.
Infrastructure
The island has a well-developed infrastructure, with plenty of roads and highways, and easy access to public transportation.
Grantley Adams International Airport is also very well-connected, with direct flights to London-Gatwick and Manchester, and seasonal flights to other airports around the country.
Lots of leisure activities
There’s lots to keep you busy in Barbados that doesn’t involve lounging on a beach, including more high-octane activities such as motorsports and go-karting, or even horseback riding, which is great on the beach!
Lively nightlife
The locals love a good party, and there are plenty of pubs and clubs, as well as the many local rum shacks!
Harbour Lights is the most well-known club, situated right on Carlisle Bay, and Oistins Fish Fry is the island’s biggest party, every Friday night.
Parties and Festivals
Speaking of parties, the island hosts many events throughout the year, the biggest of which is the annual Crop Over festival, which has been celebrated since the 18th century.
The event comprises of fairs, parties, carnivals, market stalls, concerts and more, and there are numerous other events to enjoy.
Friendly locals
The people of Barbados are known for being very friendly and welcoming, who are always eager to help out a stranger.
Just be sure you ask them to slow down so that you can understand the unique Bajan dialect!
English is the official language
Because Barbados used to be a British colony, it has retained a lot of British culture, including the language, which makes it a lot easier to get by in Barbados.
As we’ve just mentioned though, the island is home to its own colourful dialect, which can be a little difficult to get your head around at first.
It never takes too long to get anywhere
Because the island is so small, it doesn’t take too long to get anywhere. The farthest journey from the top to the bottom of the island will take around 40 minutes, and you’re never much further than 15 minutes away from your nearest shop, beach, or rum bar!
It’s out of the hurricane belt
One of the bigger concerns for people moving to the Caribbean is the threat of hurricanes, although thankfully Barbados is out of the main hurricane belt, and the last major one to hit was in 1955.
It’s the home of rum!
The island is home to the world’s oldest rum, Mount Gay, which is also renowned as one of the best in the world.
If you haven’t already, you’re sure to find yourself developing a taste for rum if you move to Barbados!
Great for surfers
Barbados is a surfer’s paradise, where waves travel thousands of kilometres along the bottom of the sea before finally unloading on the island’s coral reefs.
Barbados experiences good surf almost all year round, so even if you’ve never tried it before, there’s never been a better time to give it a try!
World class golf courses
Many people dream of being able to retire and while away their days on their local greens and fairways, and there’s no better place to do so than Barbados.
The great weather makes the island ideal for golf, and there are numerous world class clubs and courses, including our own here at the Royal Westmoreland.
Tropical seasonal fruit
The island is home to an array of tropical seasonal fruit for you to enjoy, such as avocados, mangoes, dunks, gooseberries, golden apples, ackees, star fruit and more!
They drive on the left side of the road
One less thing to get used to!
As you can see, beyond the fact that it’s a relaxed island paradise, there are plenty of reasons to live in Barbados, so why not take a look at our apartments and villas here at Royal Westmoreland?