Whether you want to feel zen on the beach, indulge in a massage, or challenge your abs – Barbados has plenty of places to pamper or push you, with a range of spas, yoga or pilates studios and gyms.

The best spas are in the upmarket all-inclusive hotels, offering everything from body wraps in tropical oils to steam rooms, couples massages to pedicures. Some venues include yoga classes too and have a gym. Otherwise, a smattering of cheaper independent spas and studios lie along the west and southwest coasts.

And if all that sounds too tame, you can challenge your core with yoga on – or falling off – a stand-up-paddle board! (see below)

Note: Several places offer online classes that you can enjoy from the comfort of your hotel room or villa.

Practical Info

Several of the upmarket all-inclusives have an onsite spa, often open to non-residents for a fee. The Coral Reef Club (BD$95), beside the Folkestone Marine Reserve is a West Coast favourite.

Sunshine Kula Yoga in Holetown has a delightful airy studio and offers sunrise yoga on the beach. For a fusion of pilates and yoga, it’s hard to beat the professionalism of Bodymekanix while Yoga Samudra offers sea views and stand-up-paddle.

The biggest gym is Surfside, on the outskirts of Bridgetown.