Barbados is the top holiday destination in the Caribbean, and for good reason. It boasts of some of the best beaches in the world, as well as top-class accommodations such as a Barbados travel hotel. The people are as warm as the island weather, and there are a lot of great things to experience. Many people come back frequently for it truly is a paradise on earth.
However, like most foreign countries, there are certain things first timers must be aware of in order to avoid jeopardizing their much coveted and very expensive vacation trip. Here are examples of important Do’s and Don’ts when checked in a Barbados travel hotel or simply on the island in general:
Do’s
Do cross roads carefully because the traffic is extremely fast and there are hardly any sidewalks around.
Do bring tennis rackets, hockey sticks and balls. Almost every travel hotel there offer amenities such as tennis courts, basketball courts, and so on. A current gracious trend amongst tourists is to even leave unwanted equipment with the local children.
Do take buses for they are the best option for getting around the island. Although renting a car is not a bad idea, buses are extremely efficient and cost only around 1.50 BDS. There are two kinds of buses, the blue public ones, and yellow “reggae” private ones. The reggae buses play loud soca music and will take passengers to the same destinations as the blue buses.
Do apply insect repellant because the mosquitoes on the island are really small and fast. And like every member of their specie, they can carry deadly diseases.
Do wear sunscreen because it is almost always sunny throughout the coast. The sun is substantially hotter, and may cause serious skin damage if ignored.
Do shake out footwear before putting them back on. Since it is a tropical area, there are a lot of poisonous insects, spiders, and scorpions that may seek the cool comfort of the inside of a shoe.
Do keep important documents and valuables safe in hidden spots in Barbados travel hotel rooms. These can also be left in the able hands of the front office in case there are no safes in the room.
Don’ts
Don’t bring rollerblades or bikes because the roads are very narrow in Barbados. Also, pedestrian sidewalks are very rare and almost non existent, making such activities very dangerous for any person.
Don’t go to the beach at night especially if there are no companions. The island has a relatively low crime rate, but it’s basically common sense to avoid harm.
Don’t drink excessive amounts of rum because it is a religion in the island. In fact, local superstition explains that the island is where the alcoholic beverage was first developed. The problem with drinking it is that it goes down too easily especially in the popular drink, rum punch.
Don’t wear camo because it’s illegal. The police are kinder to tourists and visitors and will simply give a warning and confiscate the offensive apparel.
Don’t touch or eat the small green “apples” on the beach because these are fruits from the Manchineel tree which are deadly poisonous to people. The trees are marked with a red stripe around its trunk to warn everyone to stay away.