Barbados

Barbados lies on the eastern edge of the Caribbean and is fully exposed to Atlantic swell, giving it a distinct cruising profile from islands farther west. For yachts, it has long served as a trans-Atlantic landfall. Ashore, English is widely spoken, and the island is known for its food and rum culture. Towns, markets, and historical sites are within easy reach of the main stops.

Bridgetown, the capital, is the primary cultural centre, with historic streets, markets, and everyday amenities within easy reach of the waterfront.

Carlisle Bay Marine Park is one of the island’s main points of interest for visiting sailors, known for its shipwrecks and underwater sites that attract snorkeling and diving activity.

Ashore, a visit to Mount Gay Rum Distillery is a popular attraction and gives an insight into how one of Barbados’s best-known spirits is produced.

Places to stay

Below are the most popular and highly rated places to stay, based on feedback from the noforeignland community:

Anchorages

No image	Carlisle Bay South	3.7 ★	Review summary: Anchoring at Carlisle Bay South can be straightforward after a transatlantic passage on a catamaran, though it might be swelly on a monohull. Snorkeling the nearby wrecks is a highlight mentioned by multiple visitors.
	Port St Charles	3.6 ★	Review summary: Anchoring at Port St. Charles typically involves dealing with some swell and a sandy bottom for anchoring, with easy seeing of sand spots among scattered rocks. Check-in is reportedly smooth according to various Reviews. The area does experience boat wakes, adding to the rolly conditions.

Boatyards and services

Below are the most popular and highly rated boat services, based on feedback from the noforeignland community:

Chandlers

Marine Power Solutions

5.0 ★

Review summary: Marine Power Solutions is accessible through the back of their building. The chandler offers a wide range of products and resources. They are in a phase of growth and development.

This table summarizes first-hand reviews from sailors who have checked in to Barbados.

Useful yacht clearance links

Although Barbados sits on the eastern edge of the hurricane belt, it can be visited year-round with appropriate seasonal awareness. Trade winds dominate conditions for much of the year and strongly influence passage planning and local sailing.

Barbados is relatively low risk for hurricanes compared with much of the Caribbean, but it is not a truly “safe” hurricane-season base and still requires serious precautions.

• Best times of year to sail here: December to May
• Most common type of shore power: 115–120V, 50Hz (North American-style plugs; some locations may offer 220–240V)
• Cost for provisioning: High
• Currency: Barbadian Dollar (BBD)
• Personal security: Exercise normal caution with extra vigilance in public places; avoid isolated areas (especially after dark), be careful at ATMs, and only use licensed taxis.
• Emergency phone numbers:
  • Police: 211
  • Ambulance: 511
  • Coast Guard: +1-246-536-2948 or +1-246-536-2829
• International dialing code: +1 246
• Time zone(s): UTC-4 (no daylight saving time)

Barbados’s maritime history is deeply entwined with its colonial past and strategic location in the eastern Caribbean. The island was inhabited by Indigenous Amerindian peoples, including Arawak and likely Carib groups, before English colonisation in the early 17th century. With the arrival of the English, Bridgetown developed into a fortified port town that supported transatlantic shipping and regional trade.

Under British rule, Barbados became a major sugar-producing colony, and its economy was built on plantation agriculture and enslaved labour. Bridgetown grew into an important entrepôt and defended harbour within the wider British Atlantic trade and naval network, handling ships, supplies, and goods moving between Europe, Africa, and the Americas. The maritime infrastructure that supported this trade still shapes the historic waterfront and street patterns visible today.

In the modern era, Barbados has evolved into a prominent tourist destination while retaining an active sailing culture. Events such as Barbados Sailing Week and the Mount Gay Round Barbados Race underline the island’s ongoing role as a hub for regional and transatlantic yachts. For cruising sailors, Barbados serves both as a landfall at the end of an ocean passage and a base for exploring the southern Caribbean.

Visitors can explore historic sites such as Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that illustrates the island’s colonial military architecture and its position in British Atlantic maritime trade. Coastal forts, harbour works, and shipwreck sites around the island provide further glimpses into how Barbados defended its shores and managed sea-borne commerce over the centuries.