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Water sports are the highlight of the sporting calendar for April in Barbados.  Starting with the annual Carifta Swimming Championships over Easter weekend.  This year marks the 30th edition of the championships, with the Barbados Aquatic Centre having the honour of being the host venue selected.  Young men and women from across the Caribbean will converge on the Centre to test their mettle against their peers, in this FINA approved competition. Again this year, Barbados will go into the contest as a favourite with top level swimmers in every age group contested. Swimming in Barbados is big business with visiting clubs and universities, primarily from North America, choosing to seek out the warm water and sunshine of our climate during their winter months.  It’s not only the Aquatic Centre which sees action, but also the calm and inviting Carlisle Bay: home of open water swimming in Barbados. To truly get the most out of your swim vacation, visitors rely on their hired car to allow them the freedom of schedule to maximise their training or supporting. Also happening on the sea in April is the Barbados Game Fishing Association’s annual International Competition.  Based in the North of the island at the luxurious Port St. Charles Marina , ‘The International’ is an integral part of the Barbadian game fishing landscape, as it not only serves as a focal point for the local season, but also as a reunion, of sorts. Friends from all over the Caribbean and beyond gather annually for this opportunity to tell fishing tales to rival those from the last regional tournament and build each other up over the prospect of that huge marlin which no one has been able to land, but has been on the hook repeatedly. Given the geographic location of the marina relative to the main hotel belt on the south coast rental of a car is a must for the landlocked support crew.  Families generally pass the days with lazy days on the beach or tours of the island’s many attractions.  Evenings are a family affair, literally and figuratively, as the fishermen bring the day’s catch to the scales, the stories of the ones that got away are told up and down the dock over communal dinners and light libations with loved ones.  So whether your GPS equipped rental car is looking for the pool or the beach, there’s a water sport adventure waiting for your arrival in April.  

The Barbados winter tourist season is the prime opportunity to combine some of your favourite equine pursuits.  The sport of kings kicks off its season with the Annual Boxing Day race programme at the historic Garrison Savannah. Set on the outskirts of the capital city of Bridgetown, ‘The Savannah’ has been home to local horse racing since its introduction to the island in 1845 by the standing British Regiment of the era.  The parade ground became the local race track pitting the best of the Regiment against the Planters from the country and wealthy city merchants. With its spectacular grand and field stands, the facilities at the Garrison Savannah are enjoyed each Saturday of racing during any of the three annual seasons.  However, the true charm of a day at the races in Barbados is to enjoy a picnic around your car on the perimeter of the track while listening to commentary on the radio, Bajan Style. Vendors, selling everything from nuts to snow-cones and everything in between, wending their way through the parked cars and mingling crowd add to the atmosphere and authenticity of your tourist experience. If you prefer your tailgating with posh nosh and exclusive surroundings, then another local favourite equine pursuit is on your vacation agenda: Polo.  Also at the height of its season during the local winter tourist season, polo has been played in Barbados since 1884 and its traditions remain strong to this day, with the island boasting no less than 4 active polo fields! Many visitors will not only want to be mobile to commute to matches, but also to be able to enjoy all the attractions which the island has to offer on those days between polo matches. Local teams play host to many foreign teams from across the polo world. Annual series are anticipated with a fervor usually reserved for the party crowd, mainly because the post-match socials are epic and legendary. It is not unusual to mix it up with celebrities and the odd royal all enjoying the action from the comfort of the clubhouse or just picnicking adjacent to their car on the outskirts of the field.  If the dexterity and speed of horses is your thing, then you’ve come to the right place. Just make sure that you order the GPS option when you collect your car.

Top 10 property safe havens abroad   www.telegraph.co.uk   By Graham Norwood 7.00am GMT 19 Nov 2011   As an economic hurricane rages through traditional destinations in Europe and the US, buyers must look abroad to these top 10 property safe havens.   The euro is in crisis. Stock markets are in freefall. Two prime ministers have been sacked. Italian debt is at record levels, and Spain faces an early election tomorrow. Across the pond, America’s annual budget deficit is measured in trillions. One by one the traditional destinations for British house-hunters are becoming badlands. Rather than stay in the quagmire, it’s time for buyers to seek new pastures. There are always safe havens if you look hard enough. Even when buying outside the eurozone and the United States, the best tactic is still to purchase more expensive homes in prime locations. This means you will see the best the country has to offer, and your investment stands a better chance of securing good returns. Even at the top end, though, you have to be selective. Here is our guide to where, what and why to buy overseas to minimise your risk. 1 Canada The US housing market is in intensive care. One-in-four homes is in negative equity and mortgage foreclosures are rising. But across the border in Canada, the story is very different. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation predicts sales and prices will rise by up to five per cent next year. Brits tend to prefer Eastern Canada, because it is only five to seven hours’ flight from the UK, and has plentiful leisure and ski resorts around Newfoundland and Quebec. The country has a French-style buying process. A notary carries out conveyancing, and transaction costs are often 15 per cent of the price. You pay 25 per cent capital gains tax when you sell but, unlike the rest of North America, Canada is still seeing capital gains. Because space is plentiful, the choice is vast. There are ski chalets in Mont Tremblant, Quebec, for as little as £200,000, while timber lodges in parts of the Rockies can be even less. Websites such as sportfishcanada.ca list private sales of cabins at modest prices. More flamboyant buyers may prefer Nova Scotia’s spectacular coastline. For sale A nine-acre estate with a huge four-bedroom house at Chester, Nova Scotia, is £2.1m (Tradewinds Realty, 020 7467 5330;tradewindsrealty.com). Insider tip Offers are normally made in writing, accompanied by a deposit, so can be hard to withdraw.   2 Hong Kong Crowded, flooded by neon lights over street markets and overlooked by sumptuous tower blocks for expats in the hills. The local housing market is booming, because it is no longer reliant just on foreign buyers. Chinese mainland purchasers now account for a third of all deals. One-bedroom flats go from £200,000 upwards but even so, demand for homes outstrips supply by 20 per cent, according to the Hong Kong Housing Authority. Similarly, Savills says house prices have risen 11 per cent in the past year and about 80 per cent since mid-2005. Yet experts insist this is sustainable. “Given the continual support from mainland buyers and the limited supply of homes – especially high-end ones – we expect prices and rents to grow steadily,” says Knight Frank’s HK representative, Colin Fitzgerland. For sale Azura is a typical high-end new development where four-bedroom apartments, with open-plan kitchens and living areas as well as staff accommodation, start at £3.2m (Jones Lang LaSalle, 00852 2846 5802; joneslanglasalle.co.uk). Insider tip Best-value areas are Southside, The Peak, Discovery Bay and Kowloon.   3 Switzerland Knight Frank says 12 per cent of buyers here are from the UK, with Russia, Germany, France and Asia close behind. They come for three reasons: to improve their skiing, for their tax status and for stable house prices. Though there were falls of 15 per cent in French-speaking parts of Switzerland in 2008, prices have been stable since. But only some locations, such as Vaud and Valais, permit overseas purchasers and prices can be high. “Montreux, on Lake Geneva in Vaud canton, continues to defy the market conditions of its neighbours,” says Alexander Koch de Gooreynd of Knight Frank. “It’s one of the few lakeside locations in Switzerland with permission for foreigners to buy as a secondary residence.” It also hosts a world-famous annual jazz festival. For sale Two two-bedroom apartments in Clarens, complete with pool house, are for sale jointly for £3.2m (Knight Frank, 020 7629 8171;knightfrank.com). Insider tip Each canton has different rules regarding maximum sizes of homes foreign purchasers can buy, so do your research.   4 Mauritius Long a favourite with holidaymakers, this island is now open to foreign buyers for the first time thanks to a new scheme to encourage investment. Most people would be happy enjoying the watersports, unspoilt beaches and charming villages that dot this Indian Ocean idyll, but now there are financial perks too. If you pay £310,000 or more for a villa or apartment in a designated coastal zone, you will also have the right to become a Mauritian resident, and enjoy low levels of personal and business tax. “The political situation is strong,” says Maribeth Davies of Hamptons International. “And the economy has grown at an average of 4 per cent a year for the past eight years.” One new designated scheme is Azuri, a beachfront complex with 169 homes for foreigners and 100 for wealthy locals. Properties come with parking, boat moorings, golf membership and access to swimming pools. For sale Prices start at £311,000 for a three-bedroom apartment and go up to £497,500 for a four-bedroom apartment at the Azuri development. Hamptons International (020 7963 0614; azuri.mu). For details of the government foreign ownership scheme, IRS, see maurinet.com. Insider tip Island transport is slow, so buy near Port Louis, the capital of Mauritius.   5 Gibraltar Little wonder Spain wants to govern Gibraltar. This tiny British colony, still reminiscent of a sunny Sixties Saturday in Surrey, is a haven of stability compared to its mainland neighbour. Better yet, the Rock has no VAT, no capital gains or inheritance tax and relatively low income tax. As well as financial services, shipping and tourism, its economy is geared to telecoms and internet gaming. The latter is a growing sector, that now accounts for 11 per cent of gross domestic product. Buying in Gibraltar is easy, but there are eccentricities. You pay a 2 per cent deposit when you exchange contracts. Many homes are flats, so you should budget for service charges too. Some older houses are freehold, but most homes are leasehold. Do not expect open space. Gibraltar’s tiny size and 30,000 permanent residents put it among the world’s most crowded locations. For sale For a taste of luxury, try the Grand Ocean Plaza in the Ocean Village marina, a complex with seven pools, tropical gardens, a health club, casino and shopping mall. A two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment here costs £424,000 (oceanvillage.gi; 00350 200 400 48). Insider tip Gibraltar has complicated stamp duty rules, varying from zero to 5.5 per cent of the purchase price.   6 South Africa This is a country like no other. Beyond its cities lies endless countryside with vast open plains, unspoilt villages and a burgeoning wine culture. All in the glow of a wonderful year-round climate. The country is also a natural destination for Britons. Cape Town is only two hours ahead of London, and everyone speaks English. To make it even more attractive, house prices are low by global standards. One-bedroom apartments in Cape Town can cost just £60,000 and a three-bedroom house is £200,000. What’s more, local agents say South Africa’s economy has avoided European and North American volatility. “It’s seen as a safe haven due to exchange control regulations. Cape Town and its environs are the most popular areas for Britons,” explains Lanice Steward of South African estate agency Anne Porter Associates. For sale A three-bedroom house on Oakwood Estate at Hout Bay, a Cape Town coastal suburb, shows why the country is so popular. It is in a gated development, has a pool, three bathrooms and plenty of parking. Yet is only £333,600 (Anne Porter Associates, 0027 21790 8897; anneporter.co.za). Insider tip Crime remains high, but most Britons buy in gated estates with private security systems.   7 Barbados Barbados retains an aura of prestige and a reputation as a safe haven. This is because its legal and political systems are similar to Britain’s. There are daily international flights from the UK, Canada and the US, so tourism and rental rates are high for holiday homeowners wanting to earn a living from their investment. Overseas buyers are welcome, and there is no capital gains tax. Mortgage availability, even for foreigners, remains good. John Morphet owns the Royal Westmoreland resort, where British sports stars including Wayne Rooney, Joe Calzaghe and Rio Ferdinand have villas. He says: “There’s been some discounting of property, up to 25 per cent, but on the west coast this hasn’t really been the case. The market for individual beachfront villas and constructed properties on gated communities has remained strong. Purchasers are more risk-averse, so prefer to buy somewhere built rather than off-plan.” Prices are not cheap. Two-bedroom homes can cost £400,000 or more on the west coast, but properties are truly spectacular. For sale A four-bedroom, four-bathroom high-elevation villa at Windfall golf development on the west coast. The property has a stone and marble interior, terraces and outdoor dining areas. There is also the mandatory swimming pool (£1.84m, Savills, 020 7016 3740;savills.com). Insider tip Some homes take years to sell. If you hear that a property has been on the market for a while, bargain hard.   8 St Lucia This Caribbean island has long been popular with Britons, even though its roads are poor and some areas can be crowded with owners and cruise ship visitors. There are rugged mountains, rainforests and coral reefs. Barbados, but with lower prices. Many Britons buy by setting up a company (an estate agent will help you), which eases tax payments. Most popular is the north-west area of the island, especially close to Rodney Bay, where more than 20 developments are underway. It’s hectic, but it means the infrastructure is improving thanks to the arrival of swish hotels and better transport links. In any case, there are plenty of quieter areas too. For sale The Six Senses International leisure resort chain has recently opened Freedom Bay, and buyers can use hotel facilities. One and two-bedroom villas cost £660,000 to £975,000 (020 7959 2393, info@freedombaystlucia.com). Insider tip Castries, the capital, is the most popular location for cruise-ship tourists and is therefore the most crowded part of the island.   9 Kenya Emerging holiday home locations are few and far between, but Kenya is seeing “consistent growth,” according to Bob Woodhams of Knight Frank, despite the financial crisis and fears of terrorism. There is a 40-plus week tourist season in parts of the country, making this an attractive buy for those wanting rental income. Most land is government-owned, so foreigners buy on pre-built resorts, many of which have a mix of beachfront and interior wildlife. Respected British estate agency brands such as Aylesford (aylesford.com) are becoming more common and will guide you through the buying process. For sale Medina Palms is a new development of 50 beachfront villas and apartments at Watamu in a scheme that has a 24-hour reception and extensive private security. Flats start at £195,000 and four-bedroom villas at £452,000. (Knight Frank, 020 7629 8171; knightfrank.com). Insider tip Most homes in resorts have small gardens, but owners have use of vast, private and secure estates.   10 The Cayman Islands The Caymans are home to more than 200 banks and expats from 100 countries. They also boast the world’s 14th highest GDP per capita, and the highest standard of living in the Caribbean. The country has the confidence of many from around the globe. Little Cayman (10 miles by one mile, population 150) and Cayman Brac (11 miles by two miles, population 1,800) are relatively untouched. Grand Cayman is bigger and blingier, attracting tax haven lovers as well as those who want sandy beaches and sun. Flights are plentiful, and it’s easy to hop over to neighbouring Jamaica and Cuba. Some apartments, like those at the Riviera Grand Cayman scheme at South Sound, cost just £110,000 (century21cayman.com), but foreigners are charged six per cent stamp duty. Yet there is no other property tax. For sale Knight Frank is selling a Grand Cayman villa some 30ft above the sea for £1.2m (020 7629 8171; knightfrank.com). Insider tip Many foreigners buy land and build their own homes, but imported construction materials attract up to 22 per cent tax.  

Barbados produced the worlds oldest rum under the Mount Gay label

 The whistling frogs that you hear at night give birth to live young, not tadpoles as with normal frogs. 

 It was the only holiday destination in the world with a scheduled Concord service – up to four flights a week in the winter season As a visitor traveling to Barbados you will need a valid passport to enter and leave the island via Bridgetown Port or Sir Grantley Adams International Airport. The furry little creatures that run out in front of your hire car as you travel the country roads of Barbados are mongooses. 

Originally they were brought to the island from India to control the rat population in the cane fields. 

Being nocturnal, the rats never came into contact with the mongooses  – instead they demolished the snake population who actually did eat the rats. 
 Barbados has the third oldest Parliament in the Commonwealth. Barbados highest point is 1,100 ft above sea level. The first aircraft in Barbados was brought over by ship to Bridgetown, assembled and then flown from the Garrison Savannah in 1913. The oldest Church in Barbados is St. James Parish Church in the parish of St. James. Barbados is the only island in the Caribbean that has daily flights to United States, Canada, and England. Is the birthplace of Rihanna, who moved from Barbados to the United States at the age of sixteen to pursue her music career. 
  Was chosen by Tiger Woods as the location for his wedding in 2004. 
  The name 'Barbados' is derived from the Bearded Fig Trees once found in abundance on the island.  Has never been successfully invaded by a foreign power. 
  When first settled in 1625, was found to be almost totally covered in dense jungle, with a very large population of wild pigs. 
 The English first colonists arrived on the Island on February 17, 1627. The ship landed at site now called Holetown with 80 colonists and 10 African slaves. Britain ruled over Barbados until it gained its independence on the 30th of November 1966. The national flower is the Pride of Barbados or Caesalpinia Pulcherrima, which grows all over the island. Barbados is 166 square miles in size and is divided into 11 different parishes. Barbados has over 3000 hours of sunshine a year and the average daytime temperature is between 29-31degrees Celsius. The time difference in Barbados is 4 hours behind GMT in the winter and 5 hours in the summer, 1 hour ahead of US Eastern Standard Time in the winter and the same during US Daylight Saving Time. Barbados is only 434 Kilometers northeast of the South American country of Venezuela. Its closest neighbours are St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines to the west, Grenada to the southwest and Trinidad and Tobago to the south. Barbados is the most easterly island in the Caribbean and is considered part of the Lesser Antilles. Taxi fares in Barbados are not metered; fares are actually set between certain points. It goes without saying to always ask how much before you get into a taxi. The legal drinking age for alcohol in Barbados is 18.