Festivals

Barbadians love nothing more than having a party and there are lots of festivals to enjoy throughout the year. Click on the small images on the left to get a flavour of the fun.

Travel

By Bus - Every part of Barbados is accessible by public transport and taxis. There is a government owned fleet of busses in Barbados, these are called Blue and Yellow, and there are privately operated minibuses which are yellow and have a B licence plate.

Finally there are route taxis which are white with a ZR licence. The flat fare on any of these is $1.50 and only the taxis will offer change. Bus destinations are clearly displayed at the front of the bus. The minibuses and route taxis display their destination by a sign in the bottom left hand corner of the windscreen. You need to put your hand out to stop the bus.

By Taxi - Taxis have regulated meters, you should agree the cost of your journey before you start.

Scenery

Barbados has beautiful white sandy beaches with a combined length of 110 km, and lush tropical vegetation. In the garden of Villa Marie there are mangos and lime trees for you to pick and eat. With year round water temperatures of 25 to 28 degrees Celsius (74-80F), you can swim every day of the year.

These ideal water temperatures also create the best conditions for corals to grow, especially on the west coast. The north and south of the Island are flat, and the interior is covered in low hills. The highest point is Mount Hillaby, in the Scotland District in the North East corner. Click on the small images on the left to get a better view.

Money

Money - The Barbados dollar (BDS) is the official currency. Click here for an on-line currency converter. There are six denominations of note, $2 which is blue, $5 which is green, $10 which is brown, £50 which is orange and $100 which is grey. We suggest that you exchange your foreign currency is Barbados as have found we get a better rate.

Banking - The usual range of banking services is available in Barbados. Banks open from 8am to 3pm Monday through Thursday and 8am to 5pm on Fridays. There are plenty of ATMs which will accept the major credit cards.

Tipping - Most hotels and restaurants add a 10% service charge to the bill, so tipping is entirely up to you. Where there is no service charge, it is normal to add a 10% tip.

Shopping - Duty-free shopping offers a wide range of brand name products at very low prices. Except for alcohol and cigarettes most items can be taken immediately on purchase. You will need your passport, immigration form and ticket to make a purchase. Stores are available across the island and are open from around 8.30am to 4.30pm Monday through Friday and 8.30am to 1pm on Saturdays. They do not open on Sundays.