Barbados is the eastern-most island in the Caribbean, and is situated about 400 km north-east of Tobago. This small and flat island is only 34 km in length and 23 km in width, and is 432 km2. I stayed at the luxurious Hilton Barbados, a typical tourist hotel in the outskirt of Bridgetown. With white beaches, palm trees, and turquoise water, this is a typical tropical paradise. In terms of wildlife, however, Barbados was less interesting compared to Tobago. To control rats in sugar cane plantations, the Small Indian Mongoose (Herpestes auropunctatus) was introduced to Tobago from India beginning in the 1870s. The mongoose has decimated birdlife on Barbados, and there are for this reason almost no seabirds like gulls and terns to be seen. In five days, I only managed to see Magnificent Frigatebird, Brown Booby and a single tern. Oddly enough, Vervet monkeys from Western Africa (Green Monkey, Chlorocebus sabaeus), brought to the island as pets, are also widespread.
What one really should do on Barbados ! Ballyhoo fish in the foreground
Bridgetown, Barbados
Bridgetown
Bridgetown
Bridgetown
Independence Arch on Chamberlain Bridge, Bridgetown
Barbados is a popular cruise destination. This day three ships had docked in Bridgetown
Marina Bar & Restaurant, Bridgetown
Tropical Christmas
Central Barbados
St. Joseph Parish Church (from 1839), Northern coast
Coral reef boulder, Northern coast
Northern coast
In Hunte's Garden on a look-out for hummers
Palm Tree (Amphibolurus gilberti)
Hunte's Garden
Starburst Bush (Clerodendrum quadriloculare), Hunte's Garden
Wild Plantains (Heliconia bourgaeana), Hunte's Garden
Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum cuneatum), Hunte's Garden
Barbados Bullfinch (Loxigilla barbadensis)
Barbados Bullfinch is an endemic to the island
Green-throated Carib (Eulampis holosericeus), Hunte's Garden
Green-throated Carib hummingbird
Millipede
Black Carpenter Bumble-Bee (Xylocopa sp.)
Zenaida Dove (Zenaida aurita)
Carib Grackle (Quiscalus lugubris)
Sugarcane field. What the old plantations were growing (together with cotton and tobacco) and what brought the current population to the island
Northern-most point on Barbados
Barbados Aloe (Aloe vera)
Morgan Lewis Windmill, and old restored sugar mill, Barbados
Day trips with catamaran are popular on Barbados. I attended one on Christmas Eve with Calypso Cruises
The captain
Free drinks the whole day. What can possibly go wrong :)
Barbados selfie (before all those exotic drinks kicked in ...)
Reef fish, Barbados
Wreck fish
Maybe Brown Chromis (Chromis multilineata) in front?
Sergeant Major or Píntano (Abudefduf saxatilis)
Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
Corals
Barbados Anole (Anolis extremus)
Barbados Anole
Gray Kingbird (Tyrannus dominicensis)
Ginger (Zingiber spectabile)? In case, a non-native species from Asia
White beach, green water and 28°C
Christmas surf
Hilton Barbados - a nice hotel, although a bit boring after a few days
Cannons guarding Charles Fort, Needham's Point, Barbados