7 reasons Barbados is the ultimate couples holiday destination

Sun, sea, and bottomless rum punch – the Caribbean has long been the epitome of tropical romance. But Barbados is no ordinary sun-soaked island getaway, with fine dining, exclusive hotels, active adventure and a rich cultural scene that lets you and your other half get fully immersed in local life.

With up to twice daily, direct flights from Heathrow with Virgin Atlantic, this tropical paradise is easy to reach. And the team of experts at Virgin Atlantic Holidays are on hand to help you dream, plan and book the ultimate couples getaway. Here are just a few ways to make it unforgettable...

If you’re a couple who loves adventure, you’ve come to the right place. Journey to the very northern tip of the island where you can take a tour of natural rock caves, filled with tranquil pools featuring plunging blue depths – the perfect place for an unforgettable swim. Afterwards, fuel up in the onsite restaurant on a lunch of breadfruit tacos and Bajan-style jerk chicken.

With powdery white sands, reliably sunny weather and ocean breakers that can accommodate everything from casual dips to surfing, Barbados is famous for its heavenly beaches. But if you’re not content sticking to the lounger, sign up for a couples’ yoga session early in the morning, savouring a vinyasa while the sun rises or meditating to the sound of rushing waves.

Many of the island’s luxe hotels offer private yoga sessions, but independent instructors run classes on the beach too.

Whether your twosome’s preferred tipple is a zingy mojito or a fruity punch, a tour of one of the island’s four rum distilleries will give you access to top-notch tasters and a boozy history lesson too.

St. Nicholas Abbey in the north-east pairs rum touring with a Jacobean mansion dating from 1658. In the south, Mount Gay’s slick tours detail its over 300-year history, and can include cocktail-making workshops or ‘sip and paint’ sessions for would-be artists.

If you're looking for a child-free escape, Barbados is not short of premium adults-only hotels. For a taste of luxury, head to Sandals Royal Barbados, which boasts nine world-class restaurants. Or if water sports are your thing, try The House Barbados where these are all included – water skiing, anyone?

And for those after a boutique hotel experience, Soco Hotel has a perfect beachfront location and just 24 rooms, with great service and facilities to match.

From intimate pads serving gourmet dinners of creamy Bajan fish stew to luxe all-inclusive resorts where the fizz is free-flowing, Virgin Atlantic Holidays have plenty of options for you to choose from.

While the turquoise swathes offshore are enticing enough from above, for wildlife-loving twosomes nothing beats a swim with the kaleidoscopic array of marine life below the surface.

Join a snorkelling trip in secluded coves near Holetown on the west coast, and you can observe schools of colourful fish, darting stingrays and endangered sea and hawksbill turtles. The crew will snap pics of you in aquatic action, so you can focus on being in the moment.

Sprawling across 53 acres, Coco Hill Forest – squirrelled in the heart of the island, overlooking the raw east coast – houses 70 species of tropical fruit, herb and spice. The regenerative project’s main aim is to increase island biodiversity through agroforestry, but visitors are welcome to explore along 3km of hiking trails, flanked by palms, moringa, noni and sapodilla.

Spend a couple of hours wandering, then crown it all off with a picnic for two with a view, at the lookout point.

Given the glittering ocean surrounds, it’s perhaps no surprise that Barbados has sublime fish and seafood.

The lively Friday night fish fry at Oistins Bay Gardens is a great way to try the bounty unbuttoned, with music, beers and local hubbub to accompany alfresco eats. But if you really want to impress your better half, book into The Cliff restaurant on the west coast for seriously seductive fine dining. Perched above pristine beach, overlooking blue Atlantic rollers, you’ll munch through sushi and Caribbean lobster thermidor.