Do You Need a Car in Barbados?

Do You Need a Car in Barbados?

Barbados is a relatively small island, and you can absolutely get around using buses, taxis and your own two feet. But having a car gives you something considerably more useful: freedom.

Short answer: no. But do we recommend hiring one? Yes.

If you are staying at Hotel Manyana, you don't need a car just to get out and about. Freights Bay is a short walk away, Surfers Bay is right here, and plenty of the South Coast is within easy reach.

But Barbados is worth exploring beyond your immediate neighbourhood. Here are a few things to help you decide.

1. Barbados is small, but the pace is relaxed

Barbados is only around 34 kilometres (21 miles) long , so nowhere looks particularly far away on a map. That doesn't mean you should expect to cross the island in 20 minutes.

Most driving happens at a fairly relaxed, suburban pace. Roads wind through neighbourhoods, and you will find yourself behind a bus, or someone who is in considerably less of a hurry than you are.

The upside is that driving here rarely feels like spending your holiday on a motorway. Getting somewhere is often part of seeing the island.

2. We love a walk, but time your trip

From Hotel Manyana, Freights Bay and Miami Beach are an easy coastal walk. But a 20 minute walk that looks perfectly reasonable on Google Maps can feel considerably more ambitious at midday.

For larger stretches in the middle of the day, we'd take the car.

3. Barbados rewards a bit of aimless driving

There are plenty of things worth putting into Google Maps. But some of the best bits of Barbados happen between them.

Take the coastal roads. Stop when somewhere looks interesting. Pull over for a fish cutter.

If we needed one reason to hire a car in Barbados, Bathsheba would make a pretty convincing case. The East Coast feels completely different from the busier South and West Coasts. The Atlantic rolls straight in, huge rock formations sit offshore and the coastline is greener, wilder and wonderfully undeveloped in places. Having your own car means you aren't thinking about calling another taxi every time you want to move on. You can spend ten minutes somewhere or three hours.

Barbados is an easy island to explore without much of a plan, and we'd argue that's one of the best ways to do it.

4. What about buses?

Barbados has an extensive bus network and, if you're not hiring a car, you can get surprisingly far using public transport.

There are government buses and the famous ZR vans, which tend to provide the livelier version of getting from A to B. The cost is BBD3.50 per ride, and change is not always available.

For straightforward journeys along established routes, buses are certainly cheap and useful.

5. And taxis?

Taxis are widely available and make perfect sense for certain journeys.

If you've just stepped off a long flight, take a taxi or arrange a transfer. If you're heading somewhere for dinner and planning on a few rum punches, definitely take a taxi.

But using taxis for every journey can become expensive, particularly if you're the sort of traveller who likes heading out several times during the day.

6. Is driving in Barbados difficult?

Generally, no. Barbados drives on the left hand side, which will feel immediately familiar to visitors from the UK. For visitors accustomed to driving on the right, it takes a little concentration at first, particularly at roundabouts, but most roads move at modest speeds and driving is generally relaxed.

There are a few Barbados-specific quirks.

Road surfaces vary, some Bridgetown roads can be narrow, and Google Maps occasionally doesn't take you on the most sensible route.

None of that should put you off. Take your time, you’re on vacation.

So, do you need a car in Barbados?

If you're coming to the South Coast for a night or two and your main priorities are swimming, eating, drinking and doing as little as possible, you may not need a car sitting outside.

If you're staying longer, travelling with children, carrying surf gear or you're naturally someone who likes to be independent, having a car starts to make considerably more sense.

Hiring one for a few days can be the sweet spot. Spend some days walking to the beach, staying by the pool and taking a taxi out for dinner. Then pick up a car and give yourself a day or two to explore properly.

Tomorrow can wait. A day trip to Bathsheba probably shouldn't.