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.

Organized Tours

Bajan Tours, Shak-Shak Complex, no. 4 Frere Pilgrim, Christ Church (tel. 246/228-6000), is a locally owned and operated company. The best bet for the first-timer is the Exclusive Island Tour, departing Monday to Friday between 8 and 8:30am and returning between 2:30 and 3pm. It covers all the island's highlights, including the Barbados Wildlife Reserve, the Chalky Mount Potteries, and the rugged east coast. All tours cost BD$120 (US$60/£31) per person and include a full buffet lunch.

Cruises

Catamaran lunch cruises are offered by Tall Ships (tel. 246/430-0900), located at Shallow Draught near Bridgetown Harbour. The 4-hour-long catamaran lunch cruises are offered daily beginning at 10am.

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 semisubmersible, 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 BD$140 (US$70/£36) and BD$150 (US$75/£39) per person; the semisubmersible experience costs another BD$25 (US$13/£6.50). 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 (150 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 US$89 (£46) for adults, US$57 (£30) for children 13 to 17, and US$45 (£23) for children 12 and under. In addition, you can take a tour aboard a Rhino Rider, an inflatable motorized craft that goes up the West Coast on a tour lasting 2 hours for US$83 (£43). There's a 30-minute stop for a snorkeling adventure at a nearby shipwreck where you can feed the fish, and also a beach stop. Tours are run Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 9am to 1pm, and on Wednesday from 9am to 4pm. Children 14 and under are not permitted.

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.funbarbados.com), offers a tour that involves soaring in an air-conditioned jet 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. The cost is US$140 to US$180 (£73-£94) per person.