Barbados Travel Tips: Things to Know Before You Go
There are travel secrets everywhere you travel. This article will tell you about the key travel you need to know before traveling to Barbados. Don’t miss the travel tips at the end!
Barbados is a beautiful island and a great vacation spot. It is one of the best islands in the Caribbean.
Money
The currency of Barbados is the Barbadian dollar or the Bajan. It is 1.98 US dollars. So basically $20 Barbados is around $10 US, give or take a bit.
cost of goods
Items and services in Barbados are not cheap. They are roughly the equivalent of items or services in the US.
A nice dinner for two with wine will set you back $100 US. Souvenirs are $20-$35 for t-shirts, $10-$14 for towels, mugs, etc.
Naturally, as is almost anywhere you travel, domestic products are much cheaper than imported items.
Traveling to and from and while in Barbados
When you arrive in Barbados at the airport and collect your bags, you will walk out of the terminal towards buses, taxis and shuttles. It is best to pre-arrange a transportation service to and from your hotel. The taxi ride from the airport will cost $20-60 depending on the distance to your hotel and the size of the taxi you need. The shuttle will charge for surfboard bags and some other large oversized items. Don’t pay more than $5.
If you rent a car it will cost about $50-$60 per day. Don’t let anyone charge you more than that. If you are from the US and are planning to rent a car while in Barbados, please note that you will need to drive the car. This may sound simple, but the steering wheel is on the wrong side of the car, and cars drive on the wrong side of the road. This takes a bit of getting used to, but it also makes for quite the adventure!
dress
Barbados is a British colonized island and therefore adopts British conservatism in dress code. Daytime attire is casual tropical beach travel attire. In the evening and for dinner the men wear pants and collared shirts and the ladies dresses and skirts. Due to the weather, it is best that they be made of light materials.
Barbadians, or Bajans as they are more commonly known on the island, dress casually most of the time. In the city, business attire is the norm for the locals and there are many men in ties and even jackets.
When dressing for shopping, beachwear is not appropriate. Swimsuits and swimwear are reserved for the beaches and beach bars.
dining room
There are some good restaurants in Barbados. Cliff restaurant is one of the best restaurants on the island. The view, as you can imagine from the name, is beautiful. The restaurant is located on the side of a cliff overlooking the ocean.
In St. Lawrence Gap, Bellini’s is great. It is right inside a cove with small boats and it is incredible at sunset. Salmon is my favourite.
Most hotels will have an island restaurant book in the lobby area or at the concierge desk. It will have a photo of the restaurant and the menu with prices. This is a great way to pick out a few places you’d like to eat during your stay.
Hotels
There is a wide range of hotels to choose from. It all depends on how much you want to spend.
Budget
If you’re looking for a bargain, try the Sandy Bay Beach Club. The hotel itself is nice enough, 3 stars. But the staff is very friendly and helpful, and the beach in front of the hotel is arguably the best on the island. It’s all-inclusive, so all meals, alcohol, tips, and non-motorized sports activities are included. This makes it an excellent offer.
Breakfast and lunch are served buffet style and there is a snack bar for moments in between. Dinner is your choice of buffet-style dinner or 5-course dinner in the dining room, reservations are required. They will tell you that they are reserved for the dining room when you ask, but you can always go inside. Just ask when you can come and see if there has been a cancellation or if you can try to come in the last seat which is at 8:30 pm
You can snorkel, kayak, and paddle boat and it’s all included. The one hour massage at the spa is only $65. For $5 you can have a giant umbrella stuck in the sand next to your lounge chairs. The activity center offers a $50 Turtle and Shipwreck snorkel trip. It’s a great boat ride and really reasonable cost.
If you try to book this hotel, use www.cheapcaribean.com and you may get an even better deal.
Moderate
The Hilton is a beautiful hotel located on a peninsula, so the view from every window is crystal blue water.
This hotel has all the amenities, valet, room service, diving excursions, restaurants, bars, spa, swimming pool, children’s programs, everything you may need.
Rooms range from $450 – $1500 per night.
It is a beautiful hotel and if you have some money to spend on a good vacation this is the resort to choose. In fact, you don’t even need to leave the hotel much. You have the views, the pool and the beaches while having all the hotel amenities just steps away.
Expensive
Sandy Lane Hotel is the place to stay if cost is not a concern. It is the site of Tiger Woods’ wedding and it is impressive.
This hotel is awesome. It is by far the most luxurious hotel on the island. You name it and that’s it. Spa, golf, horseback riding, 5 star dining, concierge service, luxury sedan from the airport. They will have it or find it for you.
The children have a summer camp-style center called the Tree House Club. It’s a kid’s dream with arts and crafts, movies, pool time. Parents always spend some alone time on vacation, too. They also have a Den for teens to enjoy away from parents and little ones.
Room rates range from $850 to $10,000 per night.
attractions
Snorkel with the turtles and shipwreck
Catamaran and boat snorkeling excursions are offered all over the island. The Snorkel Turtle trip was nice, but you may or may not see turtles in the water. Keep an eye out because you can see some from the boat.
The wreck snorkeling is beautiful. There are lots of colorful fish and clear water. There is an old shipwreck and then a newer man made wreck where a party boat was sunk, not as authentic but draws some exotic marine life.
wildlife reserve
If there is something to get out and do in Barbados, head to the Wildlife Reserve. It is at the northern end of the island and you can take the 4×4 Adventure Tour, taxi or rental car. The cost of the entrance is $13 USD and is worth 3 times the price.
When you walk in there are big turtles everywhere. The reserve does not have cages in the main area. Only snakes, giant pythons, and iguanas are caged in a separate area. Monkeys, rabbits and other wild animals run free. The reserve is heavily shaded with trees that look like rainforest and hanging vines that provide swinging tools for the monkey. You walk through the reserve on brick paths. There’s even a crocodile in a pond, with high rock walls so it can’t escape.
It is a unique experience and something not to be missed.
Atlantis Submarine Tour
If you choose to do the submarine tour, book this at www.magicaljourneys.com. They offer discounts including some two-for-one booking deals. That’s $90 for two people instead of $180.
Other attractions on the island include a rum tasting tour, cave exploration, golf, and horseback riding.
IMPORTANT TRAVEL TIPS:
– Check the weather before you travel to know how to pack
– You can search and claim your unclaimed money to have extra money to spend on your trip!
– Use traveler’s checks. If they are lost or stolen, they can usually be replaced within 24 hours, from virtually anywhere in the world by most banks, service establishments, and a large number of merchants.
– Do not leave valuables in your hotel room or if you choose to activate and use the safe in the closet.
– Do not call home from the hotel room. There are stores you can walk into and dial from your computer, use a phone to talk, and call home for $0.50 per minute. The hotel will charge you $5.00-35.00 to connect and then $2.90-7.90 per minute! If you use your cell phone, it can cost you between $2 and $5 per minute.
– Travel with great people and HAVE FUN!