Barbados can be described in one simple word, paradise. This little island is located in the Eastern Caribbean, with white sandy beaches and emerald blue seas. Bathed in sunshine throughout the year, the average daytime temperature is 30°C. The Bajan way of life is very chilled and incredibly welcoming, with all teams that tour there commenting on how well hosted they were. This warm welcome and gorgeous climate, combined with the fantastic excursions and competitive fixtures, makes Barbados a wonderful destination for all school sports tours.
Barbados is just 21 miles by 14 miles, but don’t let that fool you into thinking you will run out of things to do as it has some truly memorable excursions. Its lush golden beaches and clear blue sea offer relaxing days spent soaking up the sun or amazing experiences like snorkelling, boat cruises or water based assault courses.
The Catamaran cruise is one of the most recommended excursions of any location we run tours too. A day spent seeing the island from the sea, you will enjoy music, food and snorkelling where you may even have the chance to swim with turtles. The Boatyard is another popular day out, with inflatable climbing walls and obstacles in the sea, and bars and restaurants on land, it has something for all ages.
You will be based in the Holetown area on the West Coast. This was the first settlement on the island and was originally named Jamestown, after King James I of England. The name ‘holetown’ then came from the beaching and cleaning of ships in the small channel next to the village. It has now grown into a bustling community, with a number of beautiful sea view restaurants and bars to try.
Due to it’s Commonwealth history netball is the most popular women’s sport on Barbados, and there are a number of clubs spread across the island. Netball is played in almost every school on the Island, with a number of competitions at both U15 and U18 levels. This ensures that during your stay you will face some competitive netball fixtures against a range of teams.
“I am just writing to thank you for organising yet another excellent tour for Ryde School. This has been the second time we have visited Barbados but the first time with a netball team. As usual the tour went very smoothly with no problems at all. The accommodation at the Travellers Palm, Sunset Crest was ideal for our group and the staff very helpful. The transport arrangements were excellent and our driver could not have been more accommodating. We enjoyed trips to Harrison’s Caves, Oistins, the Boatyard, the Island Safari and on the Catamaran where we snorkelled with about half a dozen turtles. We were also fortunate enough to witness two baby turtle hatches at the Surfside Bar, an unforgettable experience. We played three fixtures against very friendly opposition including a game at the National Stadium. This was our sixth tour with Burleigh , Barbados (Rugby and Netball) South Africa (Cricket), Cyprus (Netball), Holland (2 Rugby tours) and we shall certainly travel with you again. I would have no hesitation in recommending you to any aspiring tourists.” – Ryde School Netball tour to Barbados