Barbados in August - Mosquitoes?

lady1964

We've been to Barbados in August for the last 2 years and yes it rained, but really only short, sharp showers that lasted no more than about 15 minutes, apart from 2009 when it did rain for about half the day, but we went into Bridgetown, got a bit wet on the way back mind, but we were chilled out about it.
As for mosquitos, I'm usually a magnet for them, but used plenty of spray containing DEET and hardly got bitten at all last August. I personally found the worse time was around dusk when we'd go back to our room and I sat on the balcony for a short while before showering etc, I realised after the first evening that I needed plenty of spray.
We stayed at the Almond Casuarina Beach, which is located very close to St. Lawrence Gap. There's bars, shops and a beach area with watersports etc within 10 minutes walk of the hotel. The hotel has a kids club but my girls didn't use it as they are older teenagers so made plenty of friends within a day or two when they were in the pool/on the beach. The staff are great, really friendly and warm, food was ok, not the best I've ever eaten but decent enough. We had a standard room in '09 but a one bed suite last year, very roomy, very comfy beds, decent shower. Trip Advisor has plenty of reviews, most good, some not so but overall, it comes out quite well.
Be nice if you post what you've decided to do

Angelmouse

lady1964 wrote: »

We've been to Barbados in August for the last 2 years and yes it rained, but really only short, sharp showers that lasted no more than about 15 minutes, apart from 2009 when it did rain for about half the day, but we went into Bridgetown, got a bit wet on the way back mind, but we were chilled out about it.
As for mosquitos, I'm usually a magnet for them, but used plenty of spray containing DEET and hardly got bitten at all last August. I personally found the worse time was around dusk when we'd go back to our room and I sat on the balcony for a short while before showering etc, I realised after the first evening that I needed plenty of spray.
We stayed at the Almond Casuarina Beach, which is located very close to St. Lawrence Gap. There's bars, shops and a beach area with watersports etc within 10 minutes walk of the hotel. The hotel has a kids club but my girls didn't use it as they are older teenagers so made plenty of friends within a day or two when they were in the pool/on the beach. The staff are great, really friendly and warm, food was ok, not the best I've ever eaten but decent enough. We had a standard room in '09 but a one bed suite last year, very roomy, very comfy beds, decent shower. Trip Advisor has plenty of reviews, most good, some not so but overall, it comes out quite well.
Be nice if you post what you've decided to do

Thanks so much for this had got my heart set on Barbados and was disappointed when others said not the best time to go. Almond Casuarina is one of our short listed hotels along with Escape at the Gap. Will let you know how I get on

travellerboy

Over the last twenty years I have been to Barbados 8 times. I have been many times in January and March, but once in August.
Barbados is definately the best Caribbean Island for Brits, relatively safe, friendly people and fabulous beaches. Like everywhere I suppose it has become very expensive.

I agree that risk of a huricane is small, but tropical storms are frequent. The main problem is not the temperature which is almost constant all year, and not the rain, it is the humidity.

You can sit comfortably in a sauna at 80 degrees C, add a little water and you will run like hell. Humidity is the killer.

That is why Barbados off-peak season is July and August, anyway hope you have a good holiday. You can buy Aloe Vera plant leaves off the locals for sunburn and mosquitoes.

travellerboy

Angelmouse wrote: »

Our holiday dates cannot be changed - any suggestions on where to go that time of year if Barbados is not ideal in August

If you are set on August and have discounted a cruise, then a very good choice is ARUBA. It has better weather than Barbados at that time of the year, with a fresh breeze all the time, it is still hot but less humid. The best beaches in the World are in Aruba.

minimad1970

I've looked at going to Barbados, but it is much dearer than a lot of other caribbean resorts. I think Almond Causarina and Escape would be over your budget unless you can get a really good deal somewhere. If you don't go AI I've been told it's very expensive to eat and drink. I also wouldn't mind going to Aruba, the beaches look great, but we are going to Mexico this year.

Moneybot

minimad1970 wrote: »

I've looked at going to Barbados, but it is much dearer than a lot of other caribbean resorts. I think Almond Causarina and Escape would be over your budget unless you can get a really good deal somewhere. If you don't go AI I've been told it's very expensive to eat and drink. I also wouldn't mind going to Aruba, the beaches look great, but we are going to Mexico this year.

We didn't go AI and I'm glad we didn't as we would have missed some of the best experiences of the holiday eating at Surfers Shack and Gigi's. It was more expensive for eating out than say Spain or Greece but much the same as France. It would depend on what level of restaurant you went for as well there are some very expensive ones. We had a hire car and shopped for beers etc in the supermarkets.

mickey234

The quality of food on All Inclusive deals whether Tenerfi or Barbados is very poor in my experience.

Tenerfi AI are normally buffet and it is like watching the Gannets feed, and mostly second-rate (it turns my stomach)

Barbados AI is more controlled and generally not self-service but the quality compares to KFC or Macdonalds.

minimad1970

We've been to 3 All inclusives and the food was really good at all of them, both A La Carte and buffet.

chancesare_2

If you are set on Barbados, why not mix it with a week in Florida first. It will give you the best of both worlds. You can make the first week as hectic or quiet as you like. Your son will love it. Plus, if you are looking to keep costs low you can choose a cheaper hotel in Florida in order to offset the Barbados week. Eating in Florida is cheap, but the humidity will be much like Barbados. I have stayed at three Almond resorts and would put Barbados at the bottom of the list with Casuarina the lowest, it was dirty, abysmal food and only the lovely staff got us through. We had a pool suite which was not cheap.

bouncydog1

August in Florida is very humid and you will get violent rainstorms - you can see them coming - but they generally pass quite quickly. As for the mossies, it can help some people by taking brewers yeast tablets for a couple of months before you go - apparently it changes the "taste" that mossies like!

We went to Jamaica many years ago and hubby got bitten one night 35 times on one foot - he won't venture that way now!