Needhams Point Holidays 2024/2025
If year-round sunshine and soft, white-sand beaches are your idea of holiday heaven, head to Needhams Point in beautiful Barbados. One of the most popular coastal resorts on the island, Needhams Point has three luscious beaches to spend lazy days on. Relax on the Peaceful Pebbles Beach with its calm waters, Drill Hill Beach, a surfer’s paradise, or head to the busy Needhams Point Beach, which attracts both locals and tourists with its colourful food carts and safe swimming.
Needhams Point Holiday Deals
Under the sea
Holidays to Barbados are ideal for the water babies among us. Scuba dive at Needhams Point’s barrier reef and watch colourful reef fish dart around you. Or, learn to snorkel while swimming with Hawksbill turtles around their nesting beach on nearby Hilton Island. You may even see a shipwreck or two on the ocean floor.
If staying on top of the water is more your thing, head to Drill Hill beach to catch some waves on a surfboard or have fun boogie boarding with the kids. For a perfect end to the day, catch a sensational Barbados sunset as you cut through the water on a catamaran on an evening cruise.
Take in some military history
Add a bit of history to your Needhams Point holiday with a visit to the Garrison Historic Area, which is part of neighbouring Bridgetown’s UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Needham’s Point has many military connections. It was used as a naval dockyard in the early 19th century and later as military barracks. The Garrison is home to St Ann’s Fort, where you can see a National Armoury display, and the National Cannon Collection, the world’s largest collection of 17th-century English iron cannons. You’ll also find the Military Cemetery where you can pay your respects to the military personnel of Barbados.
Tax-free shopping in the capital
Just 15 minutes away from Needhams Point is Barbados’ capital, Bridgetown. Why not head for a day’s shopping in this duty-free haven?
Broad Street is the main thoroughfare for shopping. There are luxury items galore to be found at Cave Shephard Mall, which has the island’s largest selection of duty-free goods. If it’s jewellery you’re after, you’ll also find two of the island’s leading jewellers on Broad Street. Colombian Emeralds and Diamonds International both sell exquisite pieces duty-free.
For local artisan art and crafts, head to the Pelican Craft Centre. Here you’ll find shops, workshops where you can watch the craftsmen at work, and an impressive artists’ wall.
Mind the St Lawrence Gap
Once you’ve stashed the shopping, get your best clothes on for a night out on the town at St Lawrence Gap. This 1.5-kilometre stretch is home to numerous bars and restaurants, serving every kind of food and drink you could wish for.
Party with the locals at the reggae bars and rum shacks. Grab some street food from the nearby vendors to soak up the cocktails, and head for one of the lively nightclubs on the west side of the Gap. The streets are alive with revellers enjoying the alfresco carnival atmosphere. If you want a more tranquil night, the east side of the Gap is less hectic, with quieter bars interspersed between hotels and guesthouses.
What’s on the menu?
Indulging in local cuisine is one of the best things about being on away from home, and holidays to Barbados provide the perfect opportunity to try some mouth-watering Caribbean dishes.
Unsurprisingly, seafood is a staple on the island, including the national dish, flying fish. The fish is fried or steamed, flavoured with a special Bajan seasoning and served with cherry tomatoes and sliced onion. Simple, but packed with flavour. Pair the fish with that quintessential Caribbean side, rice and peas.
Then there’s Pepperpot, a meat dish similar to stew, seasoned with hot peppers and spices. Mop up the sauce with some salt bread. For dessert, try some Bajan black cake, which is baked with a healthy dose of rum.
A holiday in Needhams Point ticks all the boxes for the consummate Caribbean experience. Whether you’re a nature lover or an adventurer, there’s something for everyone – a beautiful coastline, water activities to suit everyone and a bit of Barbadian history in the mix to keep things interesting. And if you feel like exploring further afield, it’s a great base to see the rest of Barbados.