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The northern part of Barbados is one of its least developed regions, but it's also among the most beautiful.
From quiet Mullins Bay Beach to the dramatic cliffs and crashing waves of North Point, the region is home to the island nation's oldest greathouse and historic Speightstown, with one of its best new museums.
Harrison's Cave, a limestone cavern inland, is one of Barbados' most popular attractions. But the island's northern tip has the spectacular, though lesser known, Animal Flower Cave. One of the highlights of the cavern, named for the sea anemones that live in its small pools, are the amazing views through the sea-carved rock windows.
Could there be a more suitable venue for a singer with a name like Billy Ocean to belt out a few tunes? Guide Don Archer was here in the 1980s when the performer perched himself by one of these rock ledges and sang The Colour Of Love, one of his signature tunes.
"About 50 people were standing around listening, it was really good," Archer reminisced.
Though it was calm on the day of my visit, waves sometimes spill into the cave with great force. Take extra caution during the hurricane season in the summer months and from late November to January when the sea is roughest. In a few other places, meanwhile, big wave action is the norm. See for yourself on the semi-circular scenic path along North Point or watch the blow holes on the wild east coast at Pico Teneriffe.
From there it's a short drive to St. Nicholas Abbey. The 350-year-old great house is one of only three Jacobean-style mansions still standing in the Western Hemisphere. Guided tours take you through rooms filled with antiques. There's also a museum, a distillery, and a flower and herb garden where you may encounter Lance and Baby, two endangered Moluccan Cockatoos. The once prosperous sugar plantation still contains a steam mill and a windmill.
Getting off the beaten path in Barbados is easy. Just drive about 19 km north of the capitol Bridgetown and begin your adventure!