Geographical location
According to COUNTRYAAH, Barbados is located in the Atlantic Ocean on the eastern edge of the Caribbean, the island is one of the so-called Lesser Antilles. Barbados was discovered by the Portuguese Pedro Campos in 1536, and shortly afterwards many locals were enslaved by Spanish conquerors and shipped to other islands.
Until it was taken over by England in 1625, Barbados was at times completely uninhabited. The British soon operated a flourishing agriculture with the production of cane sugar, syrup and rum. The slave trade also reached a new high at this time.
Only on 30 November, Barbados gained independence in 1966 and is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations along with countries such as Australia, the United Kingdom, Jamaica, Canada and island states such as St. Lucia and Jamaica. The official head of state is therefore Queen Elizabeth II, but she is represented in Barbados by a governor-general.
The island’s capital is Bridgetown, with a total of around 280,000 people living on an island area of around 430 square kilometers. Barbados is comparatively flat, its closest neighbors are St. Vincent and the Grenadines as well as Saint Lucia and Martinique.
- Abbreviation Finder: Check to see national geography, brief history, society description, domestic politics, economy overview, and a list of widely used acronyms about Barbados.
Climate in Barbados
Barbados (Lesser Antilles) is one of the “Leeward Islands”, so the tropical climate brings only minor temperature fluctuations and is slightly more humid than the “Leeward Islands” due to the northeast trade winds. So it is important to pay attention to the rainy and dry seasons when planning your trip. Basically it is very warm all year round, the daily values are mostly between 29 and 31 degrees in the shade.
Even at night it never gets cooler 23 ° C. From around the end of May to the end of October there is the rainy season in Barbados, although this is not about days of uninterrupted rainfall. Rather, the rain usually falls very briefly and strongly, but on average around 8 hours of sunshine are achieved every day.
Hurricanes in Barbados are rare exceptions, but generally possible. The Atlantic hurricane season is usually from June to November, with the greatest risk in September and October. The dry season in Barbados is very pronounced from December to May, the weather is now usually constant summery and very pleasant.
When is the best time to visit Barbados?
The Lesser Antilles can be described as a year-round destination with minor restrictions. Experienced Caribbean vacationers appreciate the rainy season in Barbados as a very pleasant travel time, as the prices are now very cheap and the island is only visited by very few tourists.
In principle, the weather from June to October is also suitable for a holiday, as the rain showers are usually only brief and due to the location, hurricanes rarely occur anyway. Specifically, since records began in 1886, there have been exactly 9 hurricanes in the area of Barbados, i.e. about every 15 years.
However, if you want to be on the safe side, you should plan your vacation in the dry season. We recommend December to May as the best time to visit Barbados, our absolute favorites February and March.
Temperatures, precipitation, sunshine in Bridgetown (Barbados)
| Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Daytime temperature | 29 ° C | 29 ° C | 30 ° C | 30 ° C | 31 ° C | 31 ° C | 30 ° C | 31 ° C | 31 ° C | 30 ° C | 30 ° C | 29 ° C |
| Night temperature | 23 ° C | 23 ° C | 23 ° C | 24 ° C | 25 ° C | 25 ° C | 25 ° C | 25 ° C | 25 ° C | 25 ° C | 24 ° C | 24 ° C |
| Water temperature | 27 ° C | 27 ° C | 27 ° C | 28 ° C | 28 ° C | 28 ° C | 28 ° C | 29 ° C | 29 ° C | 29 ° C | 28 ° C | 28 ° C |
| Precipitation in mm | 70 | 41 | 37 | 61 | 79 | 103 | 133 | 142 | 158 | 185 | 172 | 90 |
| Rainy days | 11 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 11 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 12 |
| Hours of sunshine | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Sunrise | 6:25 | 6:20 | 6:05 | 5:45 | 5:35 | 5:30 | 5:40 | 5:45 | 5:45 | 5:50 | 5:55 | 6:10 |
| Sunset | 17:50 | 18:05 | 18:10 | 18:10 | 18:15 | 18:25 | 18:30 | 18:20 | 18:00 | 17:40 | 17:30 | 17:35 |
Temperatures
The annual average temperature in Bridgetown is 27 ° C. For comparison: Munich reaches an average of 8.6 ° C, in Berlin it is 9.6 ° C. The warmest month is August (27.8 ° C), coldest month of February with averages of 25.7 ° C. The maximum water temperature in Bridgetown is 29 ° C. Comfortable bathing is possible at these temperatures. All months have a water temperature of at least 21 ° C and are therefore suitable for a beach holiday.
Precipitation
The annual precipitation is 1270 mm on 140 days with precipitation. For comparison: In Munich, 967 mm, in Berlin 570 mm, precipitation is measured annually. The October is considered the rainy season, since in this month are expected to more than 175 mm of rainfall. You cannot expect snow in any month in Bridgetown.
Sunshine
As our climate table shows, February is the sunniest month with an average of 8.8 hours of sunshine per day. On average over the year the sun shines for 8.2 hours per day. For comparison: In Munich and Berlin, the sun shines an average of 4.7 hours per day throughout the year.
Sights and highlights
At the top of the list of highlights are of course the most beautiful beaches in Barbados, above all the popular Carlisle Bay near the harbor and the beautiful sandy beaches of Accra Beach, Sandy Beach, Miami Beach, Crane Beach, Bottom Bay and Harrismith Beach. Oistin’s fish market is also legendary, colorful and worth seeing (especially on Fridays).
Some of the best sights in Barbados include the idyllic Hunte’s Gardens, the historic St. Nicholas Abbey and a visit to the capital Bridgetown. Our personal recommendation for excursions is a catamaran tour including snorkeling stops and swimming with wild turtles.
Exclusive providers like Calabaza Sailing are here definitely preferable to the packed “party boats”, even if quality naturally has its price. In our opinion, a tour to the Harrison’s Cave is not worth the money. Airplane fans can visit one of the last original copies of the famous supersonic machine at the popular Concorde Experience.
