Cheap Barbados Vacation
"How To Plan An Affordable Vacation In Barbados"

Is a cheap Barbados vacation possible? Contrary to many travelers beliefs an affordable vacation to Barbados can be done.

I know some of you are doubting me... But I will show you how!

Tip 1: Your Local Travel Agent May Not Be Best For Your Cheap Barbados Vacation!

Lets first look at what can make a trip to Barbados rise above your intended travel budget.

cheap vacation Barbados travel agent

When planning a Barbados vacation the first thing everyone does is look for a cheap flight.

You call up your local travel agent and are given outrageous quotes.

You are then told that if you don't book your flight within the next few days you will lose your chance at these ridiculous fares the travel agent is claiming are good for this season in the Caribbean.

So you get home and tell your hubbie how your trusted travel agent says these are the best airfares to Barbados for this time of year.

You guys talk it over at night before going to bed and decide to suck it up and book your $1,400 USD+ seats the next day because of the "fear of losing this one time opportunity".

angry Barbados vacation face

Arrggghhh!!!

As you can tell it upsets me so much when I hear some of the prices visitors to the island pay travel agents for their flights to Barbados.

Don't you know why most travel agents tell you this when you try to travel to the Caribbean?

Local Travel Agencies have been losing business for years because of the Internet !!!

They have been struggling to dig themselves out of the hole that the Online Travel Industry buried them in since the boom of the Internet Age.

You can not experience a cheap Barbados vacation this way because their airfares will usually be higher than online airfares again.

Many local travel agents have even affiliated with large online travel agencies to offer lower, more competitive airfares. In essence they are actually selling you the same ticket you could have bought online for more so that they can make a commission or profit.

So if you were planning to book your airfare through your local travel agent I'm sorry to break this news to you, but save your money!

Tip 2: You Can Fly To Barbados For Cheap!

So how do you find cheap flights to Barbados since airfare is usually the most expensive part of a trip to the Caribbean?

There are three important factors that impact the price of your airline ticket to Barbados and play a major role in finding the cheapest airfare for your cheap Barbados vacation.

cheap Barbados vacation flights

These three factors are:

1. Whether you buy your ticket online.

Like I just mentioned above in order to keep your flight to Barbados as cheap as possible you must find the cheapest flight offered online.

There are hundreds of online travel websites offerring discount airfares to Barbados including the popular CheapTickets.com and Orbitz.com. But don't waste your time searching through all of these travel websites one by one...instead you can search them all at once and find the most affordable flight to Barbados quickly.

2. How far in advance you purchase your ticket.

You should try to plan your trip to Barbados ahead of time, about 6 months in advance. This gives you plenty of time to search for a cheap flight and buying your airline ticket this early generally results in paying a very low airfare.

3. Which season you travel.

Most visitors also travel to Barbados during the winter season to get away from the harsh cold of the northern regions of the world. Airline companies and travel agencies are obviously smart enough to know this and raise their rates during this time of year. If you don't mind traveling to Barbados during the summer you can pay less than half what you would pay in winter.

Now thats a great start to a cheap Barbados vacation!

Tip 3: Spend Under $100 USD Per Night For Your Hotel During Your Cheap Barbados Vacation

Now its time to find a cheap Barbados hotel to stay in during your time on the island.

If you want to experience a cheap Barbados vacation you can not stay at the luxurious beachfront Sandy Lane or Colony Club Hotel on the Platinum West Coast. These Barbados vacation resorts can be anywhere from $300 USD to over $1,000 USD per night. This is just too pricey if you want to keep your Barbados trip cheap.

How does under $100 USD per night sound???

There are plenty of great cheap Barbados hotels lining the more affordable, yet just as beautiful, south coast of the island. Many of these hotels offer rates under $100 USD a night. There are also some cheap hotels you can choose from along the west coast of the island if your heart is set on staying on the platinum coast.

I have created an extensive list of cheap hotels in Barbados offering rates this low. I personally recommend the Butterfly Beach Hotel.

However if you are not interested in staying at any of these cheap Barbados hotels you can also compare the current rates offered all of the hotels in Barbados and choose what you consider to be the hotel rate that best fits your travel budget.

Tip 4: Combine! Combine! Combine! For Your Cheap Barbados Vacation

Another great way to experience a cheap Barbados vacation that I want to mention is with cheap all inclusive vacation packages to Barbados.

The name of the game here is COMBINE, COMBINE, COMBINE!.

The reason these Barbados vacation packages work out to be such a great option is because they "combine" your flight and accommodation costs to create cheap Barbados vacation deals for you. This way you will know exactly how much your trip to the island will cost before leaving home.

However remember that the flight and hotel aren't the only things you can combine. There are a number of extra costs that many visitors forget come along with a Caribbean vacation. These include meals, attractions and car rentals.

Many all inclusive Barbados vacation packages include these additional vacation expenses and allow you to put together your own Caribbean travel package. They therefore further reduce the overhead cost of your vacation once you have arrived on the island.

This option is also great for busy folks. Most of us work 9 to 5 jobs and have a family and kids to attend too. Planning a trip to the Caribbean can therefore become tedious and overwhelming.

That is why cheap Barbados vacation packages were created..to make vacation planning hassle free. They allow you to choose your vacation package to the all inclusive resort of your choice, pay one set package price, receive your online booking confirmation and begin counting the days down till paradise!

Tip 5: Rent The Barbados Minimoke Not The Benz During Your Cheap Barbados Vacation

Now that you have gotten the flight, accomodation, meals and even attractions out of the way it is time to save even more money and make your Barbados vacation even cheaper!

How?? By not renting a large vehicle or luxury car!

Lets talk cheap Barbados car rentals...

Remember you are taking a vacation in Barbados, a very tiny Caribbean island. You definitely do not need a large van. A cheap minimoke for a traveling couple or a 4 door economy car for the visiting family is perfect.

For example choose the cheaper minimoke ...Not the compact or luxury sedan!

Cheap Barbados Minimoke For Your Barbados Vacation

If you need more space because you are a surfer with surfboards or a large family, then you can rent a SUV.

But choose the affordable Suzuki Jimny....Not the fully loaded Toyota RAV4!

Cheap Barbados Suzuki Jimny For Your Barbados Vacation

Little sacrifices like these add up to big travel savings! There might be a little less space in your vehicle but your wallet will be a little bit thicker.

Now on to the next cheap Barbados vacation tip!

Tip 6: Eat In Not Out During Your Cheap Barbados Vacation

Whether you are on a vacation in the Caribbean or in your home town eating out is always more expensive than making your own meals. The only difference between the two is eating out during a vacation in the Caribbean can be twice as expensive as eating out in your home town!

Most visitors take a trip to Barbados to relax and enjoy the sun and therefore don't want to lift a muscle...They want to lie on the amazing beaches and stare into the beautifu turquoise waters.

I am not blaming them! I love doing the same thing..But once you have absorbed your day's dose of sun rays and are getting hungry eating in can be one of the most over-looked ways of saving money during your Barbados vacation.

This really works well for families with small children travelling to the island since it can be very tiring taking the kids out to a restaurant every night.

So how do you eat in during your Barbados trip?

It is not as hard as you think...

You just have to stay at a Barbados hotel in walking distance to a grocery store or supermarket.

And since there are supermarkets in most of the major cities and districts on the island you just need to stay in one or as close to one as possible.

Here are a few such hotels in Barbados:

• Accra Beach Hotel, Blue Horizon Hotel and South Beach Resort & Vacation Club are in walking distance to a 99 convenience store in Rockley, St.Michael.

• Little Arches Hotel is in walking distance of a Supercentre supermarket at Southern Plaza Shopping Centre in Oistins, Christ Church.

• Sunswept Beach Hotel, Mango Bay Hotel, Discovery Bay, The Sandpiper Hotel and Settlers Beach Hotel are in walking distance to a Supercentre supermarket in Holetown, St James.

• Worthing Court Apartment Hotel, Blue Orchids Beach Hotel and Coral Mist Beach Hotel are in walking distance to a Supercentre supermarket in Worthing, Christ Church.

And these are just to name a few.

If your hotel happens to be a bit too far to walk to a supermarket and back then consider walking there and taking a taxi back once you've bought your groceries. This will save you having to spend money on a taxi both ways.

Then all you need to do is make a meal plan to follow for each week of your trip. You can even leave the weekends free for dining out and cooking your own meals Monday to Friday.

If you really hate cooking while on vacation and your hotel does not have a kitchenette then consider buying some cold cuts, cheese, bread and vegetables from the grocery store. This way you can make yourself a sandwich a couple nights of the week. Many Barbados hotel rooms come equipped with a mini refrigerator or one can be rented for a small charge.

I promise you will be shocked at the amount of money you will save this way.

Tip 7: Eat Local and Cheap During Your Cheap Barbados Vacation

So where do you eat in Barbados during those days of the week when you aren't eating in??

You eat local and cheap rather than upscale and expensive.

Many of the restaurants in Barbados cater toward tourists who are either on a romantic vacation or honeymoon who are willing to pay big bucks for a captivating Caribbean dining experience.

But if you do your research you can find some cheap gems throughout the island. If you are staying on the west coast in the Holetown area Angry Annie's in 1st Street is a great choice. If you are staying along the south coast Sweet Potatoes in St.Lawrence Gap is worth a try.

These cheap restaurants in Barbados may not provide you with a lavish setting but are easy on your wallet while still providing you with a friendly taste of Bajan cusinie.

I also recommend eating dinner at The Oistins Fish Fry on Friday nights. This night in the fishing village of Oistins on the south coast will offer you meals as low as $15 to $20 USD for large dinner portions of locally caught and fried Bajan fish. You will also get to dine in the open air while enjoying local music, arts and craft.

A Summary Of The Seven Tips To Planning Your Cheap Barbados Vacation

• Tip 1: Don't book a flight to Barbados through your local travel agent.

• Tip 2: Find your cheap Barbados flight.

• Tip 3: Find a cheap Barbados hotel for under $100 USD per night.

• Tip 4: Consider a cheap vacation package to Barbados.

• Tip 5: Rent a cheap rental car (not a luxury car).

• Tip 6: Eat in some nights of your Barbados vacation.

• Tip 7: Eat out local and cheap.

So I hope these tips have helped you and that you are starting to see the picture I am painting here??

The cheap picture that is!

Now go take the first step to planning your cheap Barbados vaction!

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