by Nick McGrath
- 24/07/2004
Before a Bajan banquet of epic proportions, a turtle is the last thing you'd expect as an aperitif.
But looking down from our candlelit table at Barbados's most spectacular restaurant, The Cliff, that's exactly what we saw.
Hauling itself out of the moonlit Caribbean Sea on to the spotless dusk beach, with its protruding ET-like head and leathery flippers, there it was.
Two days later, we were closer still, gazing through snorkel masks during a short paddle from Paynes Bay as the beautiful ocean giants wallowed just yards beneath us.
Of course, turtles are far from the only thing worth admiring on the eternally popular – and quintessentially British – tropical island.
The fine coral sands are legendary, the salmon-pink sunsets breathtaking and the sunshine almost eternal. Yet the day we checked into the all-inclusive Almond Beach Club, the sun was taking a breather behind some clouds darker than the local rum.
Twenty-four hours of incessant rain later, it reappeared to shed a golden glow on our west-coast retreat.
Bang next door to the celebrity haunt Sandy Lane, Almond Beach is a favourite with UK stars including Martine McCutcheon and Lisa Faulkner.
Back at our resort, after some lively pool volleyball and a workout in the spa, we hopped into a hired Mini Moke to explore the rest of Barbados.
Due south is the capital, Bridgetown, with its UK post boxes, sprawling market, duty-free shops and jewellery boutiques. There's even a Tiffany's. Half an hour east is the Atlantic coast's surfing mecca, Bathsheba, which was desolate but rugged on our visit.
The drive between the Atlantic and Caribbean coasts of this teardrop-shaped island is dotted with ramshackle villages, cricket pitches, gleaming white churches and a flower forest.
But Barbados is all about beaches. Unless you're a cross-channel swimmer or a wreck diver, avoid the eastern coast and head instead to the gentler western coast, where the water is calmer and the sand infinitely finer.
Crane Beach is famed for its flamingo-pink sand but Paynes Bay, Sandy Bay and Mullins Bay are all great spots for watersports. Shamed by Ryan Giggs's jet-skiing prowess – the footballer was holidaying on the island – and the waterskiers' iron-thighed balance, I braved a kayak.
After cocktails at sunset back at our hotel, we tucked into flame-grilled king fish and juicy beef steak from the weekly beach barbecue. Sublime.
Island entertainment is limited but reggae and calypso fans are spoilt for choice, with Bob Marley tribute bands as prevalent as rum bars.
Personally, I'd rather listen to the sound of the waves breaking gently on to the turtles as they launch their latest Barbados beach landing.
