On The West Coast -- A lot of the evening entertainment around here revolves around the big resorts, all of which have lovely bars and many of which host bands and beach parties in the evening.

Some say the green-and-white Coach House, Paynes Bay (on the main Bridgetown-Holetown road, just south of Sandy Lane, about 10km (6 miles) north of Bridgetown), St. James (tel. 246/432-1163), is 200 years old. Attracting mostly visitors, this is a Bajan version of an English pub, with an outdoor garden bar. From 6 to 10:30pm you can order bar meals, including flying-fish burgers, priced at $9 and up. Starting at 9pm on most nights, there's live music -- everything from steel bands to jazz, pop, and rock. The lunchtime buffet, offered Monday through Friday ($15), is popular.

John Moore Bar, on the waterfront, Weston, St. James (tel. 246/422-2258), is the most atmospheric and least pretentious bar on Barbados. It's the nerve center of this waterfront town, filled day and night with a congenial group of neighborhood residents, and a scattering of tourists. Most visitors opt for a rum punch or beer, but you can order up a plate of local fish if you don't mind waiting.

At Upstairs at Olives, Holetown, St. James (tel. 246/432-2112), you can order excellent drinks while surrounded by potted palms and old-fashioned ceiling fans in an atmosphere straight out of Casablanca.

In Bridgetown -- For the most authentic Bajan evening possible, head for Baxters Road in Bridgetown, where there's always something cooking on Friday and Saturday after 11pm. In fact, if you stick around until dawn, you'll find the party's still going strong. Some old-time visitors have compared Baxters Road to the back streets of New Orleans in the 1930s. If you fall in love with the place, you can "caf crawl" up and down the street, where nearly every bar is run by a Bajan mama.

The most popular "caf" on Baxters Road is Enid's (she has a phone, "but it doesn't work"), a little ramshackle establishment where Bajans come to devour fried chicken at 3 in the morning. This place is open daily from 8:30pm to 8:30am, when the last satisfied customer departs into the blazing morning sun and the employees go home to get some sleep. Stop in for a Banks beer.

The Rusty Pelican, The Carenage (tel. 246/436-7778), is an atmospheric choice if you're in Bridgetown at night on the waterfront. The Boatyard, Bay Street, Bridgetown (tel. 246/436-2622), has a pubby atmosphere, with a DJ and occasional live bands.

Harbour Lights, Marine's Villa, Lower Bay Street, about 2km (1 1/4 miles) southeast of Bridgetown (tel. 246/436-7225), is the most popular weekend spot for dancing, drinking, and flirting on all of Barbados. In a modern seafront building with an oceanfront patio (which gives dancers a chance to cool off), the place plays reggae, soca, and whatever else is popular until the wee hours nightly. The barbecue pit/kiosk serves up grilled meats and hamburgers. Monday is beach party night; the $49 charge includes transportation to and from your hotel, a barbecue buffet, drinks, and a live band. On Wednesday and Friday, the cover ranges from $15 to $18. The place attracts a large local following, with a few foreign visitors showing up.

On The South Coast -- The bustling activity at Cafe Sol, St. Lawrence Gap, Christ Church (tel. 246/435-9531) attracts a very convivial crowd. As a specialty of the house, the bartender rubs the margarita glasses with Bajan sugar instead of the usual salt.

Plantation Restaurant and Garden Theatre, Main Road (Hwy. 7), St. Lawrence, Christ Church (tel. 246/428-5048), is the island's main showcase for evening dinner theater and Caribbean cabaret. It's completely touristy, but enjoyable nonetheless. Every Wednesday and Friday, dinner is served at 6:30pm, followed by a show, Plantation Tropical Spectacular II, at 8pm. Expect elaborate costumes and lots of reggae, calypso, and limbo. For $68, you get dinner, the show, and transportation to and from your hotel; the show alone costs $38. Reserve in advance.

The Ship Inn, St. Lawrence Gap, Christ Church (tel. 246/435-6961), recommended above as a restaurant, is now among the leading entertainment centers on the south coast. The pub is the hot spot: Top local bands perform nightly, offering reggae, calypso, and pop music. The entrance fee is $7.50; free if you're eating dinner. The place draws an equal number of visitors and locals.

One of our favorite bars in Barbados is Olives Bar & Bistro, Second St. at the corner of Hwy. 1, in Holetown (tel. 246/432-2112). Not only is it a fine restaurant but it's also a good place to spend 2 or 3 hours before or after dinner -- maybe both. Found on the second floor in a Casablanca-like setting of potted palms and whirling fans, it draws a convivial international crowd, mostly ex-pats, Americans, and English visitors in their 30s and 40s.

Bert's Bar, at the Abbeville Hotel in Worthing, on the Main Road in Christ Church (tel. 246/435-7924), is known for the best daiquiris on the island. Sports fans head for Bubba's Sports Bar, Rockley Main Road, Christ Church (tel. 246/435-6217), which offers a couple of satellite dishes, a 3m (10-ft.) video screen, and a dozen TVs. Wash a Bubba burger down with a Banks beer. The longest bar on the island is at After Dark, St. Lawrence Gap, Christ Church (tel. 246/435-6547), where you can often hear live reggae, soca, Bajan calypso, and jazz.