Barbados has always been one of the most sought after island destinations in the world. It offers everything that one might want in a high-end luxury tropical vacation. It has stunning beaches, amazing restaurants, wonderful shopping, incredible water sports and above all some of the best five-star hotels and most luxurious vacation rentals in the world. Barbados first became popular during the sixties and seventies. Its popularity soared when Concorde chose Barbados as its only scheduled holiday island destination. Everyone and anyone wanted to experience Concorde and its amazing service and especially when it flew to such a beautiful and exotic location as Barbados. Elton John, Cliff Richards, Mick Jagger, Joan Collins, Rod Stewart, Sean Connery and even Queen Elizabeth are all well known to have flow Concorde to Barbados.

But Barbados has changed a lot since the seventies in all the good kind of ways and here are our top 6 reasons to travel to Barbados this year.

1. Barbados has the most exquisite villas and vacation rentals in the Caribbean. It also has more beachfront villas then most of the other Caribbean Islands, so it is a great choice if you want to be steps to the sea and enjoy morning walks and the island'sexquisite sunsets. If you are looking for high-end luxury, then two good companies to consider booking with are Exceptional Villas and Villas Barbados. They both feature the best personally inspected villas in Barbados. They also both provide a full concierge and client matching service to ensure that you get the best possible experience while on vacation.
2. Not only does Barbados have some of the best villas and vacation rentals, but it also has a great selection of beachfront restaurants. Some of them are even considered to be amongst the world's best. A couple of the most well-known options include The Cliff, Loan Star, Daphne's, Tides, Cin Cin and the Fish Pot. All offer hard to beat locations directly on the beach or ocean. Because the climate in Barbados is tropical, the temperatures are always beautifully warm, and therefore you can almost always dine outside on the terraces listening to the sounds of the waves lapping close by as you dine on the most exquisite freshly made cuisines. Take a look at this dining in Barbados guide for more information
3. Barbados has some incredible beaches. More than 80 beaches are fringing the shores of this beautiful island. Many of the beachesare recognized amongst the most beautiful beaches in the world. Generally, the beaches on the west coast of Barbados are very calm with soft white sands and crystal clear turquoise waters. They are perfect for swimming, snorkeling and a variety of watersports which are available on many of the beaches. Some of the best and most popular beaches include Payne's Bay, Reed's Bay, Sandy Lane Beach Mullins Bay and Alleyne's. It is quite possible to rent villas and vacation homes on all the beaches. If you are looking for raw beauty with strong, powerful waves, then head to the East coast of Barbados. Here you will find lots of opportunities to take part in Surfing and Kite Surfing.
4. Barbados is the island of sport. There are so many sports which guests can either observe or participate. These include Golf, Cricket, Horse Riding, Horse Racing, Polo, surfing, kite surfing, deep sea diving, fishing and every water sport imaginable. There are 5 PGA standard golf courses on the island located at Sandy Lane Country Club, Apes Hill, Royal Westmoreland and the Rockley Resort. There are also three polo clubs on the island where you can come and watch the rich and famous playing polo. You might even get some see some of the British Royal family playing! The Polo Grounds have their locations at Belleview, Apes Hill and Barbados Polo Grounds close to Payne's Bay Beach and Sandy Lane Beach. Cricket is another huge sport on the island. Barbados hosted the first test earlier this year.
5. Barbados has amazing weather. It is one of the few Caribbean Islands where you can go year-round as it is virtually out of the hurricane belt. The last hurricane to make land fall in Barbados was over 40 years ago. It located at the most easterly point of the Caribbean group of islands helps to protect it. The high season is from November to April, and these are the months when it is generally quite dry. But the summer months are also wonderful and when it does rain, it generally only does so for an hour or two. The sun is always close. The climate in Barbados is so lovely that you can have dinner under the stars every night of the year and not have to wear a coat of a jacket.
6. Barbados has a fabulous array of watersports. You can participate in anything your heart desires. There is great scuba diving, snorkeling, sailing, fishing, windsurfing, surfing, kayaking and kite surfing. It is even possible to swim with turtles at various spots around the island.