Sitting in the southern reaches of the Caribbean, Barbados is a charming holiday destination with a rich, colonial heritage—so rich, in fact, that it's often called the Caribbean's 'Little England'. The best white-sand beaches are along the west and southern coastlines, and heading south, the St Lawrence Gap area is well-known for its nightlife. Of course, tours of the Mount Gay Rum Factory are guaranteed to be lively. The island's annual highlight is the two-month Crop Over festival held every summer. This festival was originally slated to celebrate the year's sugarcane harvest, but has since grown into an elaborate cultural event that showcases the Bajan lifestyle, incorporates bouts of irreverent political satire, and includes plenty of eating and drinking. The colonial architecture in the capital, Bridgetown, is outstanding, and if you hire a car, the rugged east-coast landscape is the ideal setting for a scenic drive.
