BARBADOS IN A NUT SHELL

Getting there
You can fly direct from many gateway cities including: 5 hours from Toronto or Montreal, 9 hours from Frankfurt or London, 3 ½ hours from Miami, 4 ½ hours from New York 1½ hours from Puerto Rico; 2½ from Caracas; 3½  and 8 Hours from Rio.  Scheduled carriers include Air Canada , British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, American Airlines, Delta & US Airways.  Many charter flights come to us from gateways in North America , Great Britain and Europe .

 

Entry Requirements

Effective March 1st, 2004 all visitors to Barbados will be required to travel with a valid passport, to gain entry to the island.

 

Money Matters

Currency: The Barbados dollar is fixed to the US dollar at US$1.00=BDS$1.98 (The Canadian dollar is currently valued at approximately BDS$1.45).  The US Dollar is widely accepted and most restaurants, hotels, shops and taxis will accept Canadian dollars or Pounds Sterling at the daily bank exchange rate.  Credit cards and travellers cheques are widely accepted. 

 

Banks: The Barbados National Bank, Caribbean Commercial Bank, Royal Bank of Canada , First Caribbean and Scotia Bank all have branches in Barbados .  ATM machines will accept any bank cards on their network.  Banking Hours: 8am until 3pm Monday to Thursday and until 5pm on Friday.  Closed Saturday and Sunday.  The airport exchange counter is open daily from 8am until the last plane leaves or arrives.

 

Barbados Departure Tax
Effective December 1, 2006 Barbados Departure tax will increase from BDS $25.00 to BDS $55.00 per person.  Children under the age of 12 years old will be exempt from paying the Departure Tax until February 1, 2007 after which they will be required to pay the full tax of BDS $55.00.  Children under the age of 2 years old will be fully exempt from paying the tax.

 

Water

Barbados boasts the purest water supply you will find anywhere.  Rainwater is filtered naturally through nature's own coral filter system, and eventually collected underground.  You can drink water from the tap anywhere on the island.

 

Geography

Barbados , the most easterly of the Caribbean islands, 13 north° of the equator, is 21 miles long and 14 miles wide.  The relatively flat southern end of the island eventually rises up through a series of coral terraces to Mount Hillaby , the highest point, 1,116 feet above sea level.
Capital City : Bridgetown .  Other major towns are Oistins in the south and Holetown and Speightstown in the west.
Climate: The constant cool breezes of the Trade Winds do an excellent job of keeping an average daytime temperature of 29°Celsius and night time average of 23°Celsius.

 

Festivals

Jazz Festival - January   
Holetown Festival - February   
Holder’s Opera - March
Congaline Street Festival - April         
Oistins Fish Festival - March   
Gospelfest - May
Crop Over July - August
National Independence - November

 

Marriages

A wedding in Barbados is easy to arrange. Barbados has no residence requirements, and the ceremony can be performed within 24 hours of arrival.  Non residents pay a BDS150 (US75, about CDN110) license fee to the Ministry of Home Affairs.  The actual marriage ceremony can be performed by a minister of religion or a magistrate of the courts. Click here for more details.

 

Medical Services

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital has 600 beds with 24 hour emergency services.    Also several private clinics offer excellent medical facilities.  There is a recompression chamber for scuba divers on island that is manned 24 hours a day.

 

What to See & Do

Shopping: An impressive selection of duty free shopping is available when presenting the appropriate travel documents and offers a savings of approximately 1/3 off the regular price. By showing your travel documents and return ticket you may take certain purchases with you prior to your departure date. Locally produced handicrafts are widely available, and make the perfect souvenir.
Sightseeing: Island excursions are available from local suppliers.  Sights include Nicholas Abbey, the Barbados Museum , Farley Hill, Welchman Hall Gully, Harrison 's Cave, the Flower Forest , Andromeda Gardens , and the rugged East Coast.
Watersports: Windsurfing, water skiing, jet skiing, sailing, snorkelling, scuba diving, deep sea fishing and surfing.
Entertainment: Dinner shows run year round.  Clubs with live entertainment are open nightly to the wee hours of the morning.
Restaurants: A wide range of prices and cuisine appeals to every personal taste: casual to extremely elegant, and everything in between.
Transportation: Taxis and car and mini moke rentals are readily available.  Driving is on the left hand side of the road.  A temporary driver's permit is required and may be obtained from any Police Station or the car rental company you are renting from.  A valid driver's license from your home country is required.  Bus service is frequent and runs on regular schedules along the coastal and interior routes.

 

What to Wear

Casual and comfortable is the rule, but please cover up when not on the beach.  For men, dress shorts are acceptable in casual restaurants but slacks are always appreciated.

 

Other Useful Information

Children: Barbadians love children and make great babysitters.  All hotels can arrange babysitting or nanny service, and a few offer organized children's programs.
Electricity: 110 volts AC and 50 cycles.  Plugs tend to be 2 prongs flat.  Any North American electrical device, except those with a time mechanism, will work without adaptors.
Government: A Parliamentary democracy based on the Westminster model.  Barbados ' first parliament was established in 1639, and political independence from England was achieved in 1966.  Political parties are well organized and share similar ideals.
Language: English
Time: One hour ahead of Eastern Standard ( Barbados does not observe daylight saving time).
Churches and Religion: Barbados is predominantly Anglican but boasts over 100 faiths and an impeccable record of religious tolerance.  Comprehensive lists of churches and services are available at all hotels and in the Yellow Pages.