Saturday in Barbados: A Day Like a Fabletics Photo Shoot

I had told my mom our trip to Barbados would be an active vacation, and on Saturday I made it happen. We had our relaxing day in the sun on Friday, so I was ready to try out the activities at the hotel.

Yoga:

My sister-in-law and I started Saturday with a yoga class, which turned out to be in a studio above the resort restaurant and not on the beach—I like the idea of doing yoga on the beach, but, realistically, I need a hard surface. The class was vigorous and I got a chance to stretch my arms, which ached from tubing the day before. Yoga was the only time I wore any of the workout clothes I brought: an incredibly old pair of cropped gray leggings, my most tropical sports bra (white with a black palm tree print), and the same pink tank top I wore for our first travel day.

From the second-floor yoga studio, we could just see the beach, where my parents had claimed three chairs for us at six in the morning. My brother joined us for a sweaty post-yoga breakfast, and then we headed out to our spot on the beach.

yoga on the beach barbados — Me doing some solo beach yoga to console myself since the class wasn’t on the beach

A Walk on the Beach:

I tore through my third book, having polished off my second Agatha Christie the day before, then explored the beach near our hotel, trying to map out potential places to go for a long run on the beach. To the right, I walked along the clean, sandy beach, past mansions, until I got to a big stretch of boulders I wouldn’t be able to pass without diving in the ocean. To the left, I saw more hotels, a stretch of public beach access where people could snorkel over an old shipwreck, and beach houses.

For our second day on the beach, I wore this American flag bikini. I like that the colors are more muted, flattering shades of red and blue than the actual American flag, but they’re still instantly recognizable. It’s also more secure than a string bikini, so I could wear it for paddleboarding later that day. I paired the swimsuit with these classic but inexpensive aviators—I have a habit of losing sunglasses so I don’t like to splurge on them.

Beach Lounging:

We ate lunch at the outdoor hotel restaurant, just a few feet away from the beach. Afterwards, I spent some time in the shade on the private terrace that both bedrooms of our three-person room opened onto. (If you’re challenging the relevance of my title around now, imagine Kate Hudson hanging out on this terrace wearing a tropical sarong and tell me that doesn’t belong in a Fabletics photo shoot.)

Paddleboarding:

Back on the beach, I went over to the watersports hut to ask about paddleboarding or kayaking. When the staff said it was pretty windy and the water would be rougher than usual, I decided to try the next day instead. Twenty minutes later, though, one of the guys I had talked to came and got me on the beach, saying that paddleboarding would be easy and I should try that day. Laughing, I agreed to try.

The watersports guy showed me good paddling form and helped me push the paddleboard into the clear Caribbean water. I stood up once I was past the breaking waves and then turned to paddle parallel to the shore, staying close to the beach at the hotel to not terrify my parents. Everyone congratulated me for coming back with dry hair—I didn’t fall off, even though I came close when the wakes from boats cruising nearby rocked my board.

Dinner on the Beach:

Saturday night we went to a highly recommended Italian place, and after a full day of activity at the beach I was ready for it. The restaurant, Zaccio’s, was right on the water, and we watched the sun set over the ocean as we ate. After dinner, we walked back to the hotel and sat outside on our terrace, listening to the steel drum band playing at the hotel restaurant and the waves lapping at the beach.

For Saturday night I chose a blue and white striped off-the-shoulder dress with, of course, the same brown leather sandals I wore the night before. The dress was perfect for the beach—loose and casual but still stylish. I got the dress to try out the off-the-shoulder trend and became an instant fan. I didn’t take pictures that night, but here’s a picture of me wearing the same dress in Virginia Beach later that month.