Oistins Guide
Oistins, Barbados, is a smallish fishing town on the island's southern coast, population 2,200. With the gorgeous nearby Miami Beach and very friendly natives, Oistins is a relaxing holiday alternative to the bigger towns like Bridgetown.
Oistins History
Oistins is named for an English settler named Austin, a wealthy landowner and early colonist. Over time, “Austin's” apparently became “Oistins”. Interestingly, Austin was no prim and proper English gentleman; apparently, he was a trouble-making drunk with a reputation for being a little on the mad side. Austin would have fit right in if he lived in today's Oistins, which is now considered one of the best places on the island to party, as we will see below.
Austin wasn't the only unruly resident in the early colony. Oistins was also one of the sites of the stand-off between Cromwell's forces and the Royalist English Barbadians. The stalemate eventually led to Barbados having its own parliament, making it one of the most independent colonies in the British Commonwealth from the very beginning of its history.
Friday Night Fish Fry and Fish Festival
Each Friday night in Oistins, tourists and locals alike hit the beaches for live calypso music, traditional dancing, cold lager, and hot fried fish. The fish is incredibly fresh, easily as good as any seafood served at any Barbadian restaurant. The ambiance is friendly and welcoming, with that devil-may-care, laid-back attitude only ever found amongst the Caribbean Islands.
As if the weekly fish fry wasn't enough, Oistins holds an annual Fish Festival, which is not unlike the annual Holetown Festival on the island's western coast. With merchants selling their crafts, amazing homemade food, a 10k race, and a beauty pageant, the Fish Festival is an enjoyable event for the whole family.
If you can't get enough of the fish in Oistins, try getting a local fisherman to take you fishing with him for a small fee. It's not as fancy as professional deep sea fishing, but it will give you a taste of how the locals live, and you might get to try your hand at catching your own marlin.
Miami Beach
This Miami Beach is not the famous American beach, but a much quieter beach around the corner from Oistins. Voted one of the best beaches in Barbados, where many of the beaches are already considered some of the best in the world, both locals and tourists visit for a picnic, relaxing swim, or a weekend party. During most weekdays, the beach isn't even that crowded.
This isn't the beach you'll want for surfing; the sea is flat and gentle here, making it boring for surfers but great for those who just want to take a dip in the warm Caribbean waters. Vendors are happy to rent you a beach chair, beach umbrella, or boogie board to aid in your relaxation.
While the tides are low, the kids will have fun looking through the brightly coloured sea shells left behind on the beach.
For the family, Oistins offers a quiet time and safe, uncrowded beach. For the younger visitor or couple, Oistins has plenty of action happening every Friday night, but with a relaxed atmosphere. Between the powdery, white sands of Miami Beach and the weekend social scene, Oistins is one of Barbados's best holiday destinations.
