Hot spot of the week: BarbadosISTOCK Barbados parties hard for the three-week Crop Over Festival beginning in mid-July. Now the Caribbean nation's most popular festival, Crop Over harks back to the 1780s when Barbados was the world's biggest sugar producer. Calypso and soca music lie at the heart of the festival and musicians compete to be crowned Party Monarch, Sweet Soca Monarch, Road March Monarch and Pic-O-De-Crop Monarch. The grand finale - the Grand Kadooment - sees revellers parade toward Spring Garden in elaborate costumes, the designers competing for the coveted title of Designer of the Year. Refresh yourself the next morning with a swim at Brandons Beach, just a short stroll from the harbour and everything you imagine a Caribbean beach should be.

Source: Stuff July 28, 2017 16:52 UTC