Barbados Diving
Traditional British hospitality is alive and well on Barbados. From afternoon tea to lively cricket matches and the local Bajan accent, it's easy to find a bit of the mother country here. The island's Platinum Coast draws wealthy travelers to its swanky resorts, but less-moneyed visitors can find nice, affordable accommodations and an equally warm reception, too.
The pace of Barbados is generally slow. Sit for a while and watch a cricket game. Stroll through the Barbados Wildlife Preserve for close-ups with tortoises, deer and the famous Barbados green monkey. Picnic on flying fish or marvel at the 40-foot waterfall careening down inside Harrison's Cave.
One of the best times to visit Barbados is during one of the four major festivals. February brings the Holetown Festival. The Oistins Fish Festival is a weekend (Easter) of good-natured competition. Crop Over, in summer, commemorates the sugar cane harvest with raucous street parties, dancing and the social commentary of calypso. Culture is commended during the National Independence Festival of Creative Arts. Awards are given for the best dance, drama, writing and painting. But ask any one of the 255,000 friendly Bajans, and they'll tell you that whoever is dancing, acting, writing or painting at the time is the best.
DIVES NOT TO MISS :
Friars Craig, a 100 ft Dutch freighter sank in 1984 in 55 ft of water. This wreck is also near a reef so you can enjoy both in one experience. Carlisle Bay has 4 wrecks- Berwyn, Eilon, C-trek and Fox as well as tons of tropical fish, eels, frogfish and seahorses.The SS. Stavronikita is a 365 ft Grek Freighter deliberatly sank to form a reef in 120 ft of water. Shark Bank is a coral reef reaching depths of 135-145 ft with many sea turtles and parrotfish. Maycocks Bay has several large corals and stretches of white sand with populations of rays and barracudas.
