Organized Tours

Barbados is worth exploring, either in a rental car or with a taxi-driver guide. Unlike many Caribbean islands, Barbados has fair roads. They are, however, poorly signposted, and newcomers invariably get lost -- not only once, but several times. If you lose your way, you can generally find people in the countryside helpful.

Cruises -- Luxury catamaran cruises are offered on five spacious and custom-built vessels owned by the Tiami Catamaran Fleet and operated by Tall Ships (tel. 246/430-0900), located at Shallow Draught near Bridgetown Harbour. A wide range of options is available, including both lunch and dinner cruises, sunset cocktail cruises, and even turtle snorkel cruises. The lunch cruises are the most popular, operated daily from 10am to 3pm, costing $80 per person. A starlight dinner cruise from 7 to 11pm is even cheaper, at $75 per person.

Part cruise ship, part nightclub, the MV Harbour Master Blockbuster (tel. 246/430-0900) is a 30m (100-ft.), three-story vessel with theme decks, a modern galley, and two bars. It has a dance floor and also offers formal buffets on its Calypso Deck. On the Harbour Master Deck, there's a bank of TVs for sports buffs. The showpiece of the vessel is an onboard semi-submersible, which is lowered hydraulically to 2m (6 1/2 ft.) beneath the ship. This is, in effect, a "boat in a boat," with 30 seats. Lunch and dinner cruises cost $75 and $83 per person; the semi-submersible experience costs another $15. This cruise is offered on Wednesday 11am to 4pm.

Submerged Sightseeing -- You no longer have to be an experienced diver to see what lives 45m (148 ft.) below the surface of the sea; you can simply sail aboard one of the vessels operated by Atlantis Submarines, Shallow Draught, Bridgetown (tel. 246/436-8929). The air-conditioned sightseeing submarines seat 28 to 48 passengers and make several dives daily from 9am to 1pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday; and 9am to 4pm on Wednesday. Passengers are transported aboard a ferryboat from the Carenage in downtown Bridgetown to the submarine site, about 2km (1 1/4 miles) from the west coast of Barbados. The ride offers a view of the west coast of the island. The submarine, Atlantic III, features viewing ports that allow you to see a rainbow of colors, tropical fish, plants, and even a shipwreck that lies upright and intact below the surface. The cost is $85 for adults, $52 for children 13 to 17, and $41 for children 12 and under.

Helicopter Tours -- There is now a new and fascinating way to sightsee Barbados. Bajan Helicopters, Bridgetown heliport, St. Michaels (tel. 246/431-0069; fax 246/431-0086; www.bajanhelicopters.com), offers a tour that involves soaring in an air-conditioned craft 50km (30 miles) over either saw-toothed cliffs and animal-shaped rocks or ultramarine boats floating on serene beaches, depending on which coast you are touring. The helicopter seats up to five people and tours last 20 to 30 minutes. We recommend bringing cameras and camcorders so you can share this experience with friends. Prices start at $125 per person.