BARBADOS TRAVEL REPORT.

  

Punctual as never before leaves from George FL Charles Airport, located in the northern suburbs of Castries (St. Lucia) at 11.20 my plane n. 371 of the LIAT Airline Company in the direction of Grantley Adams Airport (Barbados), (ticket price including taxes: USD 80.01).

 

Free drinks and snacks are not served on the plane.

 

I therefore arrive at 12.05 am, at Grantley Adams Airport (Barbados), located about 20 km south-east of Bridgetown, the capital of Barbados. There are 5 hours of time zone, compared to Italy.

 

A visa is not required to enter Barbados for tourism purposes and for a period not exceeding 90 days. It is sufficient to be in possession of a passport, with at least 6 months of residual validity at the time of entry into the country. Sometimes you are asked for a return or onward flight ticket and hotel reservation.

 

It is necessary to fill out a form to be delivered to customs, part of which must be returned when leaving the country.

 

At the airport it is possible to withdraw cash by debit or credit card.

 

The Currency of Barbados is the Barbados Dollar (B $), but American Dollars (USD) are accepted everywhere (Hotels, Buses, Taxis, Shops, Restaurants, Supermarkets, Ferries, etc.), even if using the latter. they are considered with the following value 1 USD = 2 B $ instead of the official rate which is 1 USD = 2.1 B $.

 

In Barbados, the official language is English.

 

In Barbados, driving is on the left and is driven by minivans, medium-sized buses and actual buses. All have written on the windshield containing the route number and the final destination. They run from 6.00 to 19.00. The service is significantly reduced on Sundays except in the south of the island which is the most touristic part. The ticket price is always 1 USD or 2 B $, for any type of bus and for any destination. The difference is that if the minivans give change, they do not have fixed timetables and have very frequent runs, the other 2 types of buses do not give change, they have fixed times and less frequent runs. Reasons why you probably find yourself traveling almost always with minivans, where you pay the attendant before getting off.

 

There are three terminals in Bridgetown:

 

• River Bus Terminal, only for minivans, located in the east area;

• Fairchild Bus Terminal, only for buses heading to the south and east of the island, located in the east on the river bank;

• Princess Alice Bus Terminal, only for buses heading to the north of the island, located in the west;

 

In Barbados I slept at Rio Guest House, located in Paradise Village, Saint Lawrence, BB00000 Christ Church, about 10 km south-east of Bridgetown. Free Wi. At 200 mt. from the sea and 200 mt. from the bus stop. Price per night: 44,89 Euros. To reach it from the airport, take a minivan or bus from the main road just beyond the parking lot to Bridgetown and get off near Divi Southwinds Resort in Paradise Village and walk for 200 meters. approximately towards the sea. Travel cost 2 B $ or 1 USD.

 

Antigua is a mountainous island in the north and flat in the south and therefore the roads are sometimes winding and there is no shortage of challenging climbs and therefore for those who have it it is nice to ride a bicycle. To this end, Paradise Scooter rents mountain bikes for USD 20 per day. Mandatory deposit to be left in cash or credit card of 150 USD. The shop is open from Monday to Friday from 8.00 to 17.00. On Saturday from 8.00 to 14.00. It is located in the north of Bridgetown on Masonhall Street.

 

Bridgetown, the capital of Barbados, is a World Heritage Site and can be explored on foot. However, Sunday is deserted and appears a bit disturbing.

 

The best beaches and nightlife are located in the southern part of the island, in the area between the airport and the capital.

 

One of the most visited attractions on the island is St Nicholas Abbey, one of the oldest Jacobean-style buildings in the Caribbean, located on Cherry Tree Hill, in the north-east of the island. Entrance from 10.00 to 15.30 from Sunday to Friday. Admission price: 45 B $ or 22.5 USD.

 

Those who set foot in Barbados cannot fail to visit at least one of the many botanical gardens on the island. For example, I visited the beautiful Hunte's Gardens, located in Castle Grand, in the center of the island. Admission every day from 9.00 to 17.00. Admission price: 30 B $ or 15 USD.

My complete travel report with map, photographs and videos is available at this link:

http://vivendosalendo.blogspot.com/2017/11/traversata-dei-caraibi-da-nord-sud.html