BARBADOS

Barbados is an island in the Caribbean, northeast of Venezuela. The island is portrayed as the Little Britain of the Caribbean because of its long association as a British colony. Culturally, Barbados seems to be closer to England than to her Caribbean counterparts. Barbados is beautifully landscaped with rolling hills, open pastures, sugar cane plantations and spectacular stretches of sand. The limestone cap that covers most of the island is riddled with caves – don’t forget to explore Harrison’s Cave, an intricate network of limestone caverns. Good infrastructure and well equipped to handle tourist traffic; Barbados is one of the popular Caribbean islands. Capital: Bridgetown Best time to visit: 1.Mid December to mid April is the peak tourist season. The weather is cool, tempered by the trade winds and the oppressive humidity experienced during the rainy season is also over. 2.However, prices are at their highest during this period with a noticeable drop during the off season. Also, the beaches and other local attractions are pretty crowded. 3.The official hurricane season is from June 1 to October 31 though September poses the worst threat. Min Days Required: 3 Days Places of Interest: 1.Sandy Lane 2.Andromeda Garden 3.Harrisons Cave 4.Miami Beach 5.St Nicholas Abbey 6.Crane Beach 7.Juju’s Beach Climate: 1.The strong Caribbean sun would be quite unbearable were it not for the trade winds that act as a natural air conditioner. 2.The temperature varies little through the year and the so- called winter month’s means a marginal fall in the temperatures. 3.Barbados receives its fair share of rainfall with July being the wettest month. Late winter, February to May, is the dry period. Currency: Barbados Dollars Things to carry: 1.Top of your list should be sunscreen lotion as the Caribbean sun is your worst health hazard. In addition to sunscreen, carry a hat and an umbrella. 2.Swims wear follows next. Carry comfortable shoes; preferably open-toed sandals for the beach. 3.Make sure your baggage includes casuals; shorts and tees should suffice for excursions. 4.Carry formals in case you plan to visit any of the swanky restaurants, otherwise you’ll feel out of place. Sweaters? No way! How to get there: Air 1.Sir Grantley Adams International Airport is a large international airport for Barbados’s size and boasts dozens of flights arriving in the high season from the UK and Canada, as well as the United States. 2.British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have many flights to Barbados while American Airlines is the dominant carrier from the United States (Dallas, Miami, and New York). 3.Air Canada and Westjet fly from Canada. The airport is 13 km (8 mi) east of Bridgetown.