Due to COVID, many people are under enormous amounts of stress and anxiety but travel to Barbados could be the best remedy. Travel is something that many of us do for entertainment but it also serves as an excellent way to promote happiness and to maintain a good level of mental health. But where can we travel to during this global pandemic?
We all know Tulum is on and popping but Barbados may be the gem that people have overlooked. In fact, it may be an even better look than Tulum if you want to spend an extended period of time. Sorry to my Brits out there…the gig is up. I know many people from the UK that have been hitting up Barbados heavy during COVID!
But first, lets take a look at the overall city score of Barbados to get a feel for that the island has to offer
Barbados has an overall score of 4.6/5 which is really good!! Remember we have 9 different categories that a destination is rated against. If you look above, you can see just about every category has a score of 4.5 or above. The only category that is below 4.5 is Affordability, because indeed Barbados is not that cheap lol. Also, if you are a Black Traveler, Barbados is great! It literally has a 5/5 for Traveling While Black.
If you would like to read some FREE Barbados Travel tips related to Things to Do, Adventure, Relaxation, etc then be sure to click this link. If you don’t know much about this website, think of us like a Black “Tripadvisor” with some unique twists.
So now on to the 3 important things to consider if you are thinking of traveling to Barbados during COVID,
1) BARBADOS HANDLED COVID WELL
Many countries did not act fast enough to address COVID in its early stages and for that reason more people have died or contracted COVID. The hardest hit country is actually Belgium which I did not know per CNN’s Coronavirus Maps and Cases. But then other countries like Italy, Peru, Spain ranked pretty high. Also, the USA and the UK are still in the top tier of most of most deaths per 100K.
I thought the Caribbean islands would do better to manage COVID, but destinations like Sint Maarten, Aruba, and the Bahamas are still ranked pretty high considering their population. They have anywhere between 40-60 deaths per 100K.
What is Barbados’ deaths per 100K you ask? Well the answer is 7.
In fact there have been 263 cases in total and 7 deaths. Of those 7 deaths only a few were locals well the rest were foreigners. Having family from Barbados you get to know what the word on the street.
Barbados was and is not playing games when dealing with COVID. When I was there in early March, they refused to let a cruise dock because people were suspected of having COVID. They will check your temperature upon arrival and if you test positive they will force you to quarantine. They will also check up on you. Also, when COVID peaked, locals like my Dad, could only go grocery shopping on certain days based on their last name. Can you imagine if the US did that? It would be a civil war!!!
Barbados’s Prime Minister did what was needed to keep its citizens safe. So if you are considering travel during COVID this is one factor to consider.
2) YOU CAN WORK REMOTELY IN BARBADOS FOR A YEAR
The cornerstone of the Barbados economy is tourism. Understanding this, Barbados create a program called the Barbados Welcome Stamp that allows you to work remotely for a year.
You have to go through an online application process where you have to submit your passport, birth certificate etc. You also have to verify that you make over $50,000 and pay $2000 for the visa (a pretty high price tag). However, if you can meet this criteria then white sand beaches and clear blue water can be you home for up to a year.
Where you at Tulum?!!!!!
Now if you do decide to do this be sure that you can manage your time well as I am sure those sunny days and beach time may make it difficult to actually do work lol. Read some stories of some people who have already taken advantage of the Welcome Stamp Program.
3) BARBADOS OPENED THE LARGEST WATER PARK IN THE CARRIBEAN
COVID and 2020 are not stopping Barbados from being great. They have now opened the largest water parrk in the Caribbean.
When I go to Barbados, I typically bathe at Brandon Beach because it is close to my Dad’s house. In the latter part of November, my Dad he texted me and said, “You’ll never guess what they are building at Brandon Beach? A Water Park!”
My Dad said he even tried it out as they were starting to build it. It caught me off guard so I ask for some photos and this is one that he sent me.
The water park is called Rascal’s Water Park and it cost about $10 USD for 30 minutes for as much jumping, diving, and playing around as you want. There is a junior side closer to the shore and then an outside ocean side for all ages. Click this link for a video that will give you a good view of what it looks like.
I may be slightly biased since Barbados is where my family is from but I am proud of how Barbados handled COVID. I am proud of the creativity of the government leaders and entrepreneurs had to still allow this tiny little island to thrive during this difficult time. So if you are considering travel during COVID then Barbados should be at the top of your list.
