The history of Barbados includes Arawaks, Carib Indians, Portugese, Spanish and the British. When sugar cane was introduced to the culture in the 1630s, a slave market began. Barbados was the leader in the sugar cane production for many years. Slavery was abolished in 1834. In 1961 the colony was granted autonomy from Britain, gaining full independence in 1966.

While Barbados is now a free country, it is still a member of the Commonwealth and many British influences can be seen throughout the island: it is common to see Cricket matches, afternoon tea being served, and the police dressed in British uniforms. The local accent is a mix of British and Caribbean. Listen carefully, though; we found that many people speak rather softly.

General Facts:
Barbados falls in the Atlantic Time Zone, which is four hours after Greenwich Mean and one hour ahead of EST. However, since they do not follow daylight savings, while we are down there in May we will be on the same time as Eastern Time.

Getting Around:
Taxis are easy to find and very convenient. There is also a bus system, which runs frequently and covers much of the island.

If you want to rent a car, remember that Bajans drive on the 'other' side of the road (the left). You can rent anything from a Mini Moke to a luxury car. In order to rent a car in Barbados you need a Barbados driver's license, which they give you for US $5 when you pick up your rental.

Attire:
Wearing bathing suits on the beach is perfectly acceptable, as are shorts during the day. However, even though Barbados is warm, many restaurants don't accept shorts as eveningwear.

Dress for the tropics. While we may be used to wearing black everywhere up north, black isn't so fashionable on the island. The women tend to wear colors or patterns.

Currency:
The rate is fixed at US$1.00 = BDS1.98. You can use US dollars on the island and most places will give you a 1:2 exchange.

See our photo tour through Barbados!

Helpful Links:

Barbados Tourism Organization
Fun Barbados Travel Guide