Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary
"The Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary which is a part of the Graeme Hall Swamp National Environmental Heritage Site. A lush, 35-acre oasis, Graeme Hall is regarded as one of the last significant wildlife habitats in Barbados.
Carefully designed boardwalks, aviaries, observation points, and education pavilions have been constructed to make the exhibits easily accessible and thoroughly enjoyable.
In addition to being the last significant mangrove and sedge swamp on the island of Barbados, the Sanctuary is a true community centre offering something for everyone.
Favorite activities include watching wildlife, visiting the Gully Habitat, Marshland, Migratory Bird and St.Viccent Amazon Aviaries, touring our Boardwalk and trail system, or shopping at our new Sanctuary Store. We have a sophisticated network of trailside educational exhibits, as well as the Migratory Bird Exhibit. It's a haven for photographers, landscape and wildlife artists who are attracted by the beauty and tranquility of the Sanctuary. If you wish, you can simply relax with a drink and a snack overlooking the lake, but don't forget to bring your binoculars."
Barbados Wildlife Reserve
"This small free-range zoo, about 25km (16mi) north of Bridgetown, has meandering paths through mahogany woods across the road from the Farley Hill National Park in the parish of St. Peter. Visitors are offered a unique opportunity to stroll freely through the Reserve, which is primarily a monkey sanctuary. They can observe the Green Monkey of Barbados at close range and in their own natural environment. There are few cages and the animals can be observed as they eat, play and interact with the other animals. Other animals that can be found at the Reserve are ducks, turtles, tortoises, birds, peacocks, otters, raccoons, agouti, deer and snakes.
About a kilometer farther north are the 17th-century St Nicholas Abbey, one of the oldest plantation houses in the Caribbean, and Francia Plantation, which has formal gardens and is surrounded by fields of vegetables."
Sunbury Plantation House
This atmospheric 17th-century plantation house is the only one on Barbados that can be explored in its entirety. The house has thick stonewalls built of local coral blocks and ballast stones from the English sailing ships that picked up shipments of Barbadian sugar. The interior retains its colonial ambiance and is furnished with antiques, many made from Barbadian mahogany. The articulate guides are well versed in local history, making this the finest plantation tour on the island.
Flower Forest
About 20km (12mi) northeast of the capital sits the Flower Forest, 20ha (50 acres) of tropical flora and meandering paths on a former sugar estate where you can learn the name of virtually every plant on Barbados. The garden has sweeping views of the Chalky Mountains and the Atlantic Ocean. A few kilometers south of the Flower Forest is Welchman's Hall Gully, where a trail winds through the island's only remaining rainforest. Nearby Harrison's Cave is a fascinating network of limestone caverns with stalactites and stalagmites, subterranean streams, pools and waterfalls. A battery-powered tram enters the cave, stopping en route to let passengers examine the more impressive sites, such as the huge domed cavern known as the Great Hall. |