5 Best Sights in Barbados

This lush 53-acre tropical forest is ideal for nature walks, hiking, and forest bathing, or if you need a break from the beach. The view over the island's East Coast is simply breathtaking. Hiking trails are approximately 1½ miles long and take about 2 hours to complete.

Hire a guide to share details on the hundreds of tree, plant, and herb species, as well as the history of agriculture in Barbados and the project's mission to regenerate the soils.

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Horticulturist Anthony Hunte spent two years converting an overgrown sinkhole (caused by the collapse of a limestone cave) into an extraordinary garden environment. Trails lead up, down, and around 10 acres of dense foliage—everything from pots of flowering plants and great swaths of thick ground cover to robust vines, exotic tropical flowers, and majestic 100-year-old cabbage palms reaching for the sun. Benches and chairs, strategically placed among the greenery, afford perfect (and fairly private) vantage points, while classical music plays overhead. Hunte lives on the property and welcomes visitors to his verandah for a glass of juice or rum punch. Just ask, and he'll be happy to tell you the fascinating story of how the gardens evolved.

Horticulturist Anthony Hunte spent two years converting an overgrown sinkhole (caused by the collapse of a limestone cave) into an extraordinary garden environment. Trails lead up, down, and around 10 acres of dense foliage—everything from pots of flowering plants and great swaths of thick ground cover to robust vines, exotic tropical flowers, and majestic 100-year-old cabbage palms that reach for the sun. Benches and chairs, strategically placed among the greenery, afford perfect (and fairly private) vantage points, while classical music plays overhead. Hunte lives on the property and welcomes visitors to his verandah for a glass of juice or rum punch. Just ask and he'll be happy to tell you the fascinating story of how the gardens evolved.

Meandering pathways thread through gardens filled with more than 30,000 colorful orchids and other tropical plants. You'll see Vandaceous orchids attached to fences or wire frames, Schomburgkia and Oncidiums stuck on mahogany trees, Aranda and Spathoglottis orchids growing in a grotto, and Ascocendas suspended from netting in shady enclosures, as well as seasonal orchids, scented orchids, and multicolor Vanda orchids. Benches are well placed to rest, admire the flowers, or take in the expansive view of the surrounding cane fields and distant hills of Sweet Vale. Snacks, cold beverages, and other refreshments are served in the café.

This 1½-mile-long (2-km-long) natural gully is really a collapsed limestone cavern, once part of the same underground network as Harrison's Cave. The Barbados National Trust protects the peace and quiet here, making it a beautiful place to hike past acres of labeled flowers and stands of enormous trees. You can see some interesting birds and troops of native green monkeys. There are some free scheduled guided tours, and a guide can be arranged with 24 hours' notice. Otherwise, the 30- to 45-minute walk is self-guided.