Oistins Fish Fry

Oistins is a working fishing town on the south coast, and on Friday nights its market area becomes the island's biggest social gathering: rows of stalls grilling and frying the day's catch - flying fish, marlin, mahi mahi, snapper - served with macaroni pie, rice and peas, and coleslaw on paper plates, while sound systems play soca and old-school calypso and people dance in the street. Saturday runs a quieter version. It is the rare Caribbean food event where locals substantially outnumber visitors, and the flying fish, the national symbol, is the thing to order.

What you actually see

• Grilled flying fish - the national dish at its source.
• The stall rows - dozens of competing grills and fryers.
• Friday night street dancing - soca and calypso sound systems.
• The fish market - the working side of the town by day.

When to go

Friday night is the main event, starting around seven and running late; Saturday is a smaller version and the fry operates in reduced form on other nights. Year round, though the crowd is biggest in the winter high season. Go hungry and go early to avoid the longest queues.

Honest expectations

Queues at the popular stalls run long and service is unhurried - part of the experience, frustrating if you arrive starving. It gets extremely crowded and loud by mid-evening. Prices have risen with fame but remain reasonable by island standards. Seating is limited plastic chairs; many people eat standing. Cash is easiest.

Nearby

Miami Beach at Enterprise, the south coast boardwalk and Bridgetown.