B a r b a d o s

Country OverviewCountry: BarbadosCapitol city &code: Bridgetown: BGI (Grant-

ley Adams International Airport)Major cities

Bathsheba, BarbadosBlackmans, BarbadosGreenland, BarbadosOistins, BarbadosCrab Hill, Barbados

Country Overview (Continued)Currency: Barbadian dollar(Bds$)1$= 0.49-

cents in CAN$Official Language: EnglishOther Languages: some African words are

also spoken with English (Bajan Creole)National Airline:

Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI) is the only airport in Barbados

Major Religion: the majority (63 percent) of Barbadians are Protestant Christians.

Climate/Weather PatternsThe tropical climate provides an average year-

round temperature of 29°C.

The temperature can get in to 15-22C at night in the winter

Hurricane Season (July-October)

Cultural PatternsHolidays and Celebrations

- Holetown Festival (a week in February) : Cele-brates the arrival of the first settlers

-Oisins Fish Festival (held on Easter weekend) : Tribute to the fishing industry

-Crop Over Festival (June- early August): Cele-brates the end of the sugarcane harvest

-National Independence Festival of the Creative Art (November): Celebrating Barbadians’ talen

Culture pattern (Continued)Barbados Staples (rice, peas, potatoes,

chicken, and fish)Cou Cou (made of okra and cornmeal)Seafood (Lobster, Shrimp, Red Snapper, Tuna)Conkies (cornmeal, coconut, pumpkin, raisins,

sweet potatoes, and spices steamed in a ba-nana Leaf)

Cultural Patterns (Continued)Customs

-They greet people by handshaking and a smile (not doing so is considered rude)

-Sunday lunch is a traditional family meal.-(For most people)the traditional teatime has

been replaced with midmorning and midafter-noon

-Friends and relatives may visit at home unan-nounced, usually on weekend afternoons.

-Visits often take place on the patio or front porch.

Travel AdvisoriesDon’t leave valuables unattended (most

common crimes)Lock your carBe aware of surroundingsAvoid dark, deserted and remote areas

(beach)Be polite but stay firm with street and beach

vendors

Miscellaneous Considerations for Travellers

- Allow to dress casually- Shirt suit generally is accepted everywhere but

formal suit is required for certain events- Swimwear is limited to the beach and is not

worn in the city or other public places- Often theft and street crime occur in Bridetown- Avoid the rainy season (June to November)- Most rain with tropical rainstorms is in Novem-

ber- High seasons are December to May

Lodging Options Include: location, near attractions, price (high and low

season), hotel amenities, meals included, What type of traveler would this hotel appeal

to?

1. Crystal Cove HotelLocated in Saint JamesLocated along the coast of the Caribbean Sea Just 20kms from Grantley Adams International AirportAll inclusive resortOutdoor pools, snorkeling, windsurfing, and kayakingRoyal Westmoreland Golf Club is 15 minutes’ drive from hotelPrice staring from $389.26

Area TransportationAir - only one airport located in Barbado. - Grantley Adams International Airport is located 8 miles

southeast of Bridgetown. (BGI)      - Entrance and check in area is has a open concept (basically

outside, but with a roof). - Airport has everything from shops to restaurants- There are no boarding bridges, but when passengers are

existing the aircraft, there is a shuttle bus located outside for passengers to be picked up to be brought to customs and area of pick up of luggage. 

Area Transportation(Continued)Bus

- Large public buses.  - Small minibuses.  - Route Taxis - privately owned white vans   - Flat rate of BDS$1.50 (Approx. CND$0.75) on

all busses. - Usually full during rush hour (Monday - Thursday

7-8:30am, 3:30-6pm) due to locals coming home from work and school.- Beachwear is not appropriate on the buses.

Area Transportation(Continued)Car

- Most house holds have a car    - Drives on the left side of the car (like london)    - There are many locations for car rentals, though it is no

ideal to drive.    - Must have a valid drivers licenses and must register with

police for a Barbados drivers licenses for BDS$10 (Approx. CND$5)

    - Rental pricing starts from BDS$160-$185 (Approx. CND$80-$92.50) to BDS$225 (Approx. CND$112.5) a day

    - Roads are very narrow in the city and congested     - Only recommended if you want to explore the countryside

Area Transportation(Continued) Ship

- Majority of Ships dock at Deep Water Harbour     - 1 mile west of Bridgetown Taxi

- Can be expensive but fare can be negotiated before hand    - Taxi drives are very kind and friendly and know a lot of history and in-

formation about the country which makes them great tour guides- Official rate is about BDS$90/hr driving time and BDS$14/hr waiting time (per car)

Flex Bicycle  - Available for BDS$40 per day

Rentals         - Hard to ride if you are not use to the roads, because they are very nar-row and not all roads are paved.

Major Attractions (Continued)Sunbury Plantation House & Museum—

More than 300 years old but completely re-stored after a fire, this is the only plantation home in Barbados that opens all of its rooms to the public.

Andromeda Botanical Gardens—Contains the private gardens and botanical collection of the late Iris Bannochie, who was a world-renowned horticulturist.

Geographic Features•Ocean - Barbados is a small island that is located in the middle of the

ocean all by itself. Atlantic ocean surrounds the East coast of Barbados, while the Caribbean Sea covers the West side.

•Rivers - Bruce Vale River, Joes River, Long Pond River, Constitution

River, Indian River •Lake - Barbados do not have lakes on their island•Mountain - Mountain Hillaby - located in St. Andrew outlooks Eastern and

Northern sections of the island- highest point of the island (1,115 ft. above sea level

DetailsLocal food

jug-jug (Green peas, meats and corn flour)Local drink

Mauby (A bittersweet local drink made from tree bark and sugar)

Local shopping itemFinest rum (Mount Gay being the best-known brand)

Work citedhttp://www.weissmannonline.com/http://online.culturegrams.com/