The eastern-most island of the Caribbean, Barbados covers just 167sq miles, ensuring visitors are never too far from its 60 mile coastline and stunning beaches. Enjoying a moderate tropical climate – temperatures average 25°C – it is an excellent destination for a sun-soaked getaway or relaxing retirement.

Beaches are everywhere, the eastern shores are favoured by surfers seeking to ride the strong waves of the Atlantic, while the southern and western coasts are calmer, protected by vast shelves of coral. Diving is a popular pastime – tropical fish, seahorses and the vibrant colour of the coral themselves all appeal – and the bay around Bridgetown, Barbados’ capital, is home to many wrecks accessible to recreational and novice divers.

Of course, tourism does slightly spoil Barbados’ image as a relaxed, idyllic country sprawling carefree over miles of soft white sand: 250,000 Britons visit the island every year, so getting a feel for the ‘local’ community can be difficult. Because of its historical links with Britain, the US and Canada, there is a strong and friendly expat presence, and the official language is English, so it can at times barely feel like a foreign country. A saving grace is the Bajan Creole, an initially jarring but eventually comprehensible patois, similar to dialects adopted in many former colonies.

The other primary difficulty with the high tourism turnover is that traffic can be dense. However, because of the island’s size and quaint sensibilities – Bridgetown’s main road is called Broad Street, of all things – it is easily navigable. Particularly enchanting are the ‘Zed-Arr’ route taxis. These privately owned mini-vans are plentiful across the island and can be flagged down anywhere – although they do tend to take the most scenic route.

The country’s tax regime is simple and has a light touch – so light that in 1999 it was mistakenly included on the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s blacklist of uncooperative tax havens. Expanding relief measures mean fewer Barbadians than ever are paying tax on their homes, and government revenue is chiefly collected through a 15 percent VAT on most items. However, the size of the island means imports – and higher duty rates – are common, and the country’s affluence compared with its neighbouring islands has slightly pushed up the cost of living.

One glass or two
Barbados’ history of sugarcane slavery had a positive outcome in the rum trade. Plantation workers first discovered that the molasses produced as a by-product of the refined sugar could be distilled into the golden firewater. A document from 1651 called it “Rumbullion, alias Kill-Divil… a hot, hellish and terrible liquor.”

Today, Barbados’ oldest brand is Mount Gay, produced on the island since 1703 and available in 66 countries around the world. The seafront visitor’s centre is an educational if intoxicating venture, offering the opportunity to sample the 300 year old tradition in lush tropical gardens.

Two month party
The island’s biggest event is also a thriving survivor of its agricultural history: Crop Over is Barbados’ delightfully literal name for its harvest festival. Once a traditional event to dance, feast and crown the most productive cane cutters as festival king and queen, the island’s primary focus on tourism has turned it into a two month party, similar to other calypso festivals in the Caribbean. Calypso is colourful, dramatic but serious business during the festival: awards for costume, drama and music abound but two prizes present epic annual battles. The People’s Monarch is a massive knock-out song contest, with the public deciding who goes forward in each round; the Party Monarch competition is overseen by a panel of judges, with points awarded for extravagant and surprising presentation.