What you need to know!
How to Get There
Flights to Barbados from Montreal & Toronto are approximately 5 hours. Air Canada has daily flights to Barbados to Toronto and direct flights from Montreal Saturdays & Sundays in high season. NEW – Westjet from Toronto four days per week.
Connections on US Airways via Philadelphia & Charlotte and American Airlines from New York and Miami.
Entry Requirements
Effective March 1st, 2004 all North American visitors to Barbados will be required to travel with a valid passport, to gain entry into the island.
Money Matters
Currency: The Barbados dollar is fixed to the US dollar at US$1.00=BDS$1.98. 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. Canadian visitors may bring Canadian dollar travellers cheques or cash.
Banks: The Barbados National Bank, RBTT, Royal Bank of Canada, First Caribbean International Bank (Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce/Barclays Bank) and Scotia Bank all have branches in Barbados. Interac 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.
Taxes & Service Charges: Departure tax is BDS$55.
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 the 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 and average daytime temperature of 29°Celcius and night time average of 23°Celcius.
Marriages
A wedding in paradise is easy to arrange. Barbados has no residence requirements, and the ceremony can be performed within 24 hours of arrival. Non residents pay a BDS$150 (US$75) 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.
Medical Services
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital has 600 beds with 24 hour emergency services. A decompression chamber for scuba divers is manned 24 hours a day. Also several private clinics offer excellent medical facilities.
What to see & do
Shopping: An impressive selection is available at excellent duty free prices; as much as third off prices in Canada. By showing your travel documents and return ticket you may take certain purchases with you.
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.
Golf: The island boasts of seven golf courses, two- 9 holes and five- 18 holes. Two of these courses are certified by Tom Fazio, one by Robert Trent Jones Jr. And one by Ron Kirby.
Watersports: Windsurfing, water skiing, jetskiing, 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.
Transporation: Taxis, cars and moped rentals and are readily available. Driving is on the left hand side of the road. A temporary driver’s license 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 organised 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 1939, and political independence from England was achieved in 1966. Political parties are well organised and share familiar ideals.
Language: English
Time: One hour ahead of Eastern Standard (Barbados does not observe daylight savings 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.