2 years vacation in the Caribbean

Have you ever taken a two-year vacation in the Caribbean? Not yet?? Then it's high time. I'll put that on my list too.

Of course we didn't take two years' vacation in Barbados. Honestly, that would be a bit too boring for me too. Sitting on the beach for 2 years, drinking rum punch, watching the sea, swimming now and then. Well, maybe it wasn't that different after all.

We only did a bit more work between the rum punch and swimming. We implemented several projects, founded a company, and still took the kids to school every day. What do you call that again... everyday life, right. That was kind of everyday life.

Why did I choose that title for the post?

Because I feel at home almost everywhere, but at the same time I can relax as if I were on vacation. Vacation, as I knew it from the past, only longer. Enjoying the moment and recognizing the positive, that's what makes it for me. That's why, in our feeling, we've been on vacation in the Caribbean for two years now, with the whole family.

Barbados and the Welcome Stamp made it possible. The Welcome Stamp is a visa that allows you to live in Barbados for two years. Of course, you can also stay longer, apply for further visas, or even a work visa. For us, however, that was enough for now. The world is so big, there is so much to see. Fear of missing out, so to speak, but without stress; spontaneous yet also well thought out.

Barbados – An Island in the Atlantic

Located somewhat off to the side of the actual Caribbean, and therefore not at all in the Caribbean Sea, but surrounded by the Atlantic, lies Barbados. This is why I also like to call it the Switzerland of the Caribbean. Since November 2021, Barbados a republic and has nothing to do with England anymore. It's a small island, and I've often been asked how I can stand it on such a small island for so long. Yes, Barbados is really small, but it has an incredible amount to offer. We were never bored for even a minute. Especially if you really want a vacation in the Caribbean, I think that's still important. Even if you're here for four weeks on your honeymoon, you'll find something new to do every day. This way, the first four weeks of marriage are guaranteed to be secured 😛

People in Barbados

We also met a lot of people here. Locals, tourists, but also expats like we are. And even local tourists who are expats. =)

Bajans, as the locals are called, like to emigrate when they finish school. Apart from tourism and the sugar plantation, there are no good educational opportunities in Barbados. Therefore, we even met two Bajans who live in Canada and are vacationing in Barbados to visit their family and friends.

People in Barbados

There are many people here. Everyone is incredibly friendly, and thanks to the pandemic, we connected with people right away. We didn't have to filter out any tourists because there were hardly any around. Barbados has indeed suffered real losses, but less severely than other countries. Most of the large hotels and businesses are owned by English and Canadians.

The population density in Barbados is over 600 per km². Okay, that's pretty technical.

Population density comparison

Barbados 600 Inhabitants per km²²
Germany 230 Inhabitants per km²²
Switzerland 205 Inhabitants per km²²
Our next travel destination 17 Inhabitants per km²²

Exactly, our next destination is a country that is quite sparsely populated. But I won't reveal exactly where yet.
So, back to vacation in the Caribbean.

Favorite Restaurants in Barbados

We've grown to love many restaurants here. We don't have a single favorite restaurant, per se. It's more like five or six favorite restaurants. First and foremost is Café Carizma in Chattel Village in Holetown. They have delicious breakfast and good lunch there. But they close at 3 PM. We went there once a week and enjoyed delicious tuna wraps or Indian curry under the palm trees.

Animal Flower Cave – Not Just an Exciting Cave

At least once a month, we went to North Point, to Animal Flower Cave. There, they have breadfruit tacos, which are really good. We love them. Whenever school was spontaneously closed for any reason (not even pandemic-related, but very often due to spontaneous bridge days), we'd go down south to Mimosas. Besides delicious rum punches and cocktails, we could work well there. Mimosas has many toys and also a playground outside. Top-notch. Schools in Barbados also like to decide in the late afternoon that there will be no school the next day because the staff goes out in the evening. Island life!

Dining directly on the beach

Furthermore, we often went to La Cabane, just 10 minutes down the street. The restaurant is located right on the beach, which again makes it easier for the kids and their parents. 🙂 Besides, the food isn't bad there either, but the atmosphere and location are especially great.

If you ever take a vacation in Barbados, be sure to check out these restaurants. I can wholeheartedly recommend them all; vacation vibes guaranteed.

Vacation in the Caribbean

Barbados has the most beautiful beaches in the world. We've heard that a lot here. Honestly? Do you want my opinion? YES! It has 👌

I've been to many beaches so far, in Hawaii, California, Asia, the Canary Islands, the Baltic Sea, and Iceland =) and they were all beautiful and special, volcanic, long and wide, and set amidst dunes, etc. But: Barbados actually has the most beautiful beaches in the world.

Why does Barbados have the most beautiful beaches in the world?

First

You are all public. There is no private beach in Barbados. This provides a freedom that I love and appreciate. We just returned from the island of Curacao, and there we once again felt what it means when beaches are not generally publicly accessible. Either you have to pay tourist prices for your sunbed, or the only public beach is completely overcrowded.

Secondly

All the beaches in Barbados are totally different. There's Pebbles Beach, with very fine, white sand, pure Caribbean feeling. But also many tourists. Folkestone and Holetown Beach, our home beach. There are almost only locals there. It's the best snorkeling area with beautiful reefs. In the north, there's Little Bay, where kids can watch thousands of hermit crabs and collect shells, and then Batsheba Beach in the east.

Small pools in the sea

There are small pools in the reef there, which are perfect for the kids. Wave-free and only 20-40 cm deep. This allows you to go sunbathing, snorkeling, surfing, or relaxing, depending on your mood. You just need to choose the right beach for it. Thus, there is something for everyone.

Thirdly

For lists, there are always at least three points, otherwise it's not really a list. Otherwise, it would just be two points written down somewhere. But in this case, there are probably only two real reasons why Barbados has the most beautiful beaches in the world. Just look at them, next time Vacation in the Caribbean.

Family and Travel

The most frequently asked question we get time and time again is: How do you actually manage with the children? Isn't that harmful for the children? They'll never learn proper German if they only speak English all day. The school surely doesn't have the same quality as in Germany or Switzerland. And what about their friends? And so on...

And here is the solution

As mentioned above, while our trips are often spontaneous (like Barbados), they are also very well thought out in principle. This naturally includes the kids. We have a very clear idea of what a country must offer for us as a family to say: „Oh, this is quite nice here. Let's stay for a few weeks, months, years, decades.“ When the kids are still young, it's naturally much easier. As so-called „Third Culture Kids,“ they immediately connect anyway. Most travelers we meet have kids in the same situation. This makes it super easy.

Third Culture Kids (TCK)

Third Culture Kids, you've probably never heard of that, unless you're also on the go with your kids. Basically, it means that the children grow up in a culture that is different from that of their parents. This then results in a third culture (a mixture, so to speak). In the best case, the children take the advantages of both cultures with them 🙂 Let's see!

Do things together

But traveling with children also means that you can easily show your children daily how much you enjoy spending time with them. There is so much to experience, and you always do it together. All the problems and challenges that arise from traveling are looked at together. The kids grow from this. With our oldest daughter, for example, we notice that she doesn't give up. She always finds some solution, even if the first and original idea was completely different.

Another advantage: After two years of vacationing in Barbados, our kids both speak fluent English and even correct us. 🤷‍♂️

Problems are always and everywhere the same

But not everything that glitters is gold. That's how the saying goes, or something like it 😀. The problems you have in one country, you take with you to another. We too are struggling with our daughters' moods, though we thought that only started at 16. The kids still want to be entertained, even when they're playing with sand toys on a white sandy beach (supposedly!) or when they're jetting across the Atlantic in a Dreamliner =) That's when a Caribbean vacation quickly comes to an end.

Barbados and the Pandemic

Regarding the problem: Barbados handled the pandemic brilliantly. There was a mask mandate starting in 2020. That was it. It's still in place today (as of July 2022). Therefore, I didn't follow any news from there. Essentially, nothing has changed. Most restaurants and events in Barbados are outdoors anyway, so the mask mandate was sufficient. There were no tests (only upon arrival) and no other restrictions.

Nevertheless, it has also affected us a total of three times so far. Once in Northern Ireland in January 2020, when nobody knew anything about the pandemic yet, and twice in Barbados. The third time, I happened to speak with a Rastafarian in Barbados. He gave me the master recipe against the corona flu. It's called NEEM. The leaves of the neem tree help with all respiratory irritations. We brewed a tea from it, and the stuff works wonders! Fortunately, there was a neem tree right next to our apartment, and we were able to help ourselves.

The neem tastes really bitter and disgusting. But that's just how it is. I tried chocolate chip cookies beforehand, they didn't help at all 😀

Conclusion – Memories Last a Lifetime

Like most posts here on my travel blog, this one is also meant to inspire you to travel. I hope you book your next vacation in the Caribbean. But I also always like to add a personal touch and show you how we handle certain things. The post is also a small summary or excerpt from the last two years. For us, it's time to move on, and as I'm writing this, we're currently on a train crossing Germany so that we'll be back on Swiss soil tonight. At least for the next few weeks. The kids are already looking forward to their Swiss friends there, and of course, the parents are too.

Now I'll show you a few (many) more impressions from our „Caribbean vacation.“.

Have fun!