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.
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.
POSTAL SYSTEM
You can easily obtain stamps from the cruise terminal, 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.
EMERGENCY NUMBERS
POLICE 211 FIRE 311 AMBULANCE 511
FMH EMERGENCY MEDICAL CLINIC
SANDY CREST MEDICAL
SPARMAN MEDICAL CENTER
QUEEN ELIZABETH HOSPITAL
228-6120
419-4911
( Open 24 hours)
624-3278
( Open 24 hours)
436- 6450
( Open 24 hours)
WEATHER
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.
DRINKING WATER
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.
TAXES & GRATUITIES
VAT- Value Added Tax( VAT)- 17.5 % is charged on most items Gratuities are normally 10 %- 15 %
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.
ILLEGAL DRUGS
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.
EXCHANGE RATES
The US dollar typically has an exchange rate of $ 1.00 US- $ 1.98 US dollars.
OTHER PAYMENT METHODS 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.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
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 FLOW 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.
GO BARBADOS | 87