Education
According to
UNESCO Barbados’
education level is
ranked within the
top 5 countries in
the world partially
because the literacy
rate is estimated
to be very close
to 100%. A Large
part of the island’s
GDP is spent on
education and all
children under the
age of 16 must
attend Primary
and Secondary
Schools. Notably a
large percentage
of the population
also attends one of
four Tertiary Level
Intuitions on island.
Health&Safety
Barbados is a safe place to visit with no need to worry
about vaccinations and disease. You may be on vacation,
but safe guard your health as you would at home. Wash
hands, and be sure to protect yourself from mosquito bites
by using insect repellent to avoid itchy insect bites & wails
or to protect yourself against the possibility of dengue fever.
Barbados is relatively safe, but be careful when traversing
the island. Don’t leave valuables unattended, lock your car
and hotel room doors and stay within the areas that are well
lit or are heavily trafficked.
Illegal
Drugs
The island’s water supply is clean, tasty
and perfectly safe to drink straight from
the tap. The coral formation of the island
acts as a natural filter for the island water
and ensure that it is amongst the purest
in the world.
EMERGENCYNUMBERS
Police 211
Fire 311
Ambulance 511
Postal
System
Having an Illegal drug
in Barbados is a serious
offence and the penalties
can be severe. In fact a
person caught with even
marijuana can be sentenced
to as much as 20 years in
prison.
DrinkingWater
You can easily obtain
stamps from the hotel front
desk or hotel boutique,
however the General
Post Office is located in
Cheapside, Bridgetown and
there are 17 other district
post offices island wide.
Electricity
The voltage is 110 volts,
50Hz cycle. Consider
bringing your converter if
necessary or asking your
travel agent if your hotel
provides one, as many of
them do.
FMH Emergency Medical
Clinic 246 228-6120
Sandy Crest Medical
246 419-4911(Open 24 hours)
Sparman Medical Center
246 624-3278 (Open 24 hours)
Hospital
246 436- 6450(Open 24 hours)
Language
The language of Barbados is British
English, however Bajans have a
tendency to speak quickly in a
heavy dialect affectionately called
‘Bajan’. At times this may sound
quite foreign, however its simply
ENGLISH - spiced up Caribbean
style with the flavour of generations
of dialect mixed in.
Weather
ExchangeRates
The US dollar typically has an exchange rate of
$1.00 US - $1.98 US dollars.
Other Exchange Rates
Major credit cards and US dollars are accepted
island wide. Traveler’s checks in U.S., U.K. and
Canadian funds can also be used at many outlets.
Pack your sundress, shorts,
swimwear, casual shirts and
slippers for the day but at night
most restaurants and clubs require
you to be elegantly casual. To
be sure of what’s expected, call
ahead or check here before you
go.
Taxes
&Gratuities
VAT - Value Added Tax (VAT)-17.5%
is charged on most items
Tax on your hotel or
accommodation is 8.5% and at
some locations another 10% is
added for service charge.
Gratuities are normally 10% - 15%
Tele
communications
Want to check in with your family
or the office at home?
Make a Direct Call to
•North American / Canada
territories Dial 1, the area code,
and the telephone number.
•United Kingdom – Dial 011 44,
the area code (Omit the usual 0
before the area code), and the
telephone number.
Local Calls
Feel free to rent a cell phone
locally or utilise your “unlocked”
international cell phone by
purchasing a LIME Smart Card
/ Digicel SIM card from marked
retail outlets’ island wide.
From The hotel/
Accommodation
Check to see if any fee is
attached to this before you dial.
Caribbean Dreams | 91