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Barbados Information
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Barbados, a popular destination for many years, especially with Europeans, lies east of the Windward and Leeward Island chain in the Caribbean.
It is 21 miles long and 14 miles wide and is more populated than many of the other Caribbean islands. Its major airport serves not only the island but is a "jumping off point" for many other destinations. The majority of the population lives around the capital, Bridgetown. Most visitors choose to stay on the fashionable west coast where the luxury resorts with their white sand beaches and private villas abound. The east coast is less developed as the Atlantic waves can be very rough. In the interior there are fields of sugarcane while along the south coast there are numerous restaurants, shopping and an active nightlife. Having remained under English cdonial rule in the 17th and 18th centuries, Barbados has retained much that is British. Bajans speak with a British accent and afternoon tea, dressing for dinner, polo and cricket are traditions which are heartily embraced.
Island Inns specializes in luxury hotels and villas throughout the Caribbean and the Bahamas.
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INFORMATION ABOUT BARBADOS
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CURRENCY: The official currency of Barbados is the Barbadian dollar (Currency Code: BBD). The Barbadian dollar is tied to the U.S. dollar on a rate of exchange that is fixed at $1USD=$2BBD. American Express, Barclaycard, Carte Blanche, Diners Club, Eurocard, MasterCard and Visa are accepted in the resorts, but cash is preferred for customs duty payment.
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| TIME ZONE: Barbados is in the Atlantic time zone, which is four hours behind Greenwich Mean Time. It is one hour ahead of Eastern Standard Time; however, the island does not observe daylight-saving time. This means that from April to October, the Eastern time in America is the same as the time in Barbados. From October to April, the East Coast of the United States is one hour behind Barbados. |
| INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS: Grantly Adams International Airport (BGI) is on the south side of the island and there are direct flights from many areas...USA, U.K., Canada |
| CLIMATE: The balmy, tropical climate is cooled by the continual trade winds blowing in from the east. The fresh breezes, warm sunshine, and sufficient rainfall make the year-round average daytime highs of 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit (24-29 degrees Celsius) very comfortable. The dry season spans from December to June, and during the so-called wet season (July to November) some brief rain showers are likely. Most showers in the Caribbean are quick, and simply act to wash the dust away and cool things off a little before the sun comes back out. Hurricanes usually miss Barbados. Instead, the island experiences some spectacular tropical rainstorms. These are usually short and heavy spells that dry up quickly. |
| ELECTRICITY: The electrical service in Barbados is110 volts/50 cycles, similar to that found in the United States. Standard plugs found in Barbados are also similar to those in the United States with the exception of one. In addition to the usual 2 flat blades or 2 flat blades with a round grounding pin, there are also some plugs one single flat blade. |
| DRIVING LAWS: Driving is on the left side of the road, as in Britain. Drivers should obtain a temporary visitor's permit. |
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All contents of this web site are copyright (c)2002 by Island Inns LLC. All rights reserved.
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