Barbados
LORRAINE T LOCKHART
Bahamas numerous times, and this past Easter, Jamaica. What should I
expect? Are the "all inclusive the way to go or should I stay in a villa or
hotel? What are the people like? What does the island look like? My
travel friends are set on this island, and I need to know what to expect.
Any political unrest? (I encountered such in Jamaica). I would really
appreciate knowledgeable responses.
Diane
Lorraine,
Your travel friends have chosen a wonderful island to vacation on.
There is no political unrest...it is a friendly island. The landscape
can be very different depending on where you are. The east coast is
very "Atlantic"...lots of hills, the ocean is much darker, and not a
place where you would want to swim. The waves can be huge. The south
coast is probably the most densely populated part of the island. The
beaches are beautiful and you are quite central to everything you need.
The west coast is more "upscale", and more expensive as far as
accommodations go. We have been 7 times in the last eight years and I
missed it this year. It's a great place to recharge the old batteries.
Many different things to do for all ages. Personally, I wouldn't do the
all-inclusive way. You miss out on so much of the culture and
especially the different restaurants. There are many websites but this
one is quite good:
http://www.caribguide.com/ronstoute/links.html I am not affiliated with
it...was reading up on it due to another posting I replied to regarding
car rental. They have cars, villas, etc. on their site. We have rented
mokes from them in the past and they were great. Another place I can
recommend to stay at is the Cacrabank. We have never stayed
there...found out about it after our last trip. My sister did though,
and I have recommended it since with good results.
Regards,
Diane
Kim Leighton
island and of its people. The Barbadians are the friendliest and most charming
I have met in my travels. They are more than willing to help you enjoy your
stay any way they can. The island is different in that it's a coral reef
instead of volcanic like the other Carribean islands. The color of the water is
a beautiful clear green that is unlike anywhere else I've been.
I opt for resort, not all-inclusive. Food is pricey though, we usually take
quite a bit with us to cut down on expenses. No political unrest, the
government is stable and has been for quite some time. Used to be British
before becoming independent, so similar to England/US in many ways.
Lots to do--catamarans, diving, sailing, flower forests, underground caves,
shopping, etc, etc. The island is easy to get around and public transportation
is available and inexpensive.
I could go on and on. Feel free to e-mail any specific questions. Will be
there the middle two weeks of June.
Kim L. kl2...@navix.net
s3
can get quite good deals and that way you don't feel tied in to eating at
the hotel restaurant(s).
A good site for yout to check out would be www.barbados.org The official
site of the Barbados Tourism Authority. That'll give you a good idea of what
to do and what to expect.
No political unrest whatsoever!! Just peaceful, funloving people!
As far as activities are concerned I would recommend strongly a catamaran
sail, swimming, the flower forest / botantical gardens . . . and the east
coast of the island.
regards
s3
LORRAINE T LOCKHART <LTLOC...@prodigy.net> wrote in message
news:7hia99$3ei2$1...@newssvr01-int.news.prodigy.com...
Leif & Petal
Hi Lorraine,
I have been to Barbados several times, and here is my view of what you can expect
Barbados to be like:
Barbados is a very small island. Only like 27x34 kilometer. That means that every
place you want to go, is within about one hour drive away.
Barbados has a population of about 260.000. And that means it is one of the highest
populated countries in the world compare to the size of the country.
The landscape is very different from one place to another. The south coast is high
populated. Very busy. West coast is more quiet, and as on the south coast, you find
many nice places to stay.
East coast is the place the big atlantic wawes comes in. Not so good for swimming,
but there is actually some very nice good beaches there too. But you have to be able
to handle wawes to swim there. Bottom Bay, Crane Beach and around there is nice. But
other thant that: Many cliffs on the east coast. North of Batsheba on the east coast
you will find "Scottish landscape"
It is nice and not high populated on the east coast, but because of the wawes: Not
many hotels or other things tourists like to do.
Barbados is a very popular place to go for people from almost all over the world.
That makes it a bit touristy. Over halv a million people come to the island every
year by plane, and plenty people also come with cruise ships.
You have plenty activities in Barbados: Sailing, diving, party boats, helicopter
tours, submarine tours, floor shows, a museum, golf fields, deep sea fishing etc.
etc. Plenty to fill your vacation. But when you go back from Barbados you certainly
have to fill up your wallet again. Barbados is very expensive. You are smart if you
go for a villa or a apartment with kitchen.
A simple brekfast at a ordinary hotel will cost you about 8 USD pr. person.
But there is some few cheaper places to eat too. Among my favorites is Shells, The
Melting Pot and to eat at the fish market in Oistins on a friday night.
Nightlife: My parents (mid fiftees) did not enjoy Barbados nightlife. But I do. They
like piano bars etc. and that is not easy (impossible) to find.
It is calypso and modern music most places. Limited nigthlife on the west coast.
Several good places on the south coast.
You can feel pretty safe in Barbados. It is rare that tourists are given serious
trouble. But it is not a perfect paradise either. You can not leave your wallet on
the beach while you are out swimming, you can not leave your apartment unlocked, and
you have to close windows and the door at night. I recomment to take a taxi in the
late night if you are in places where there is not many people.
The people in Barbados is very nice. Very nice! If you ever have trouble finding
your way when driving a car, people stop to help you right away.
And they are always open for a joke. As a woman you can expect the men to wistle to
you, or give you comments if they like you. Some times they can go over the line
though. Like last summer a person approched my wife asking if she like it "deep
throat". That is not nice. If that happens, just answer back like I did to a man: He
called my wife from the other side of the road saying "Hey woman. I have 10 inches
for you". I called him back and said: "He he, Why should she go from 12 to 10???).
He laughed a lot.
I do not know what happens to me when I come to Barbados, but people down
there say I am more local than the locals themselves....
Expect nice weather all the time. But in the monts from july to december it is more
rainy than the rest of the year. Barbados is in the hurricane risk area. But has not
been hit fully since mid fiftees. So I do not think there is a big risk to take
going there then.
I do not know if you like Barbados. People in Norway are very splitted in their
view. Up here we have 3 big charter operators that bring about 1 million norwegians
all over the world every year. All 3 canselled Barbados on their program recently,
but one of them are trying back next winter. Most people here think it is a bit too
touristy and too expensive. Too many have taken a combination holliday with one week
in Barbados and one week in Tobago or Grenada. And all come back and say
Tobago/Grenada is nicest.
Therefore Barbados has a bit of a bad name in the travel agencies over here.
But I like it a lot. It all depends on what you expect, and what you want your
holliday to be like. If you want the untouched paradise, go somewhere else. If you
are looking for a place with nice beaches, nice people, good food, no health
problems (malaria etc., then just go!
)
Barbados + Barbados -
Short distances Expensive
Nice weather A bit touristy (good for some)
Many activities A bit too a bit too much crime
Good beaches
Good public transport
Things works....
Frienly people
Banks Beer
= Go for it!
Leif Arild
Norway
Joe Harkins
I was there about 10/12 weeks or so ago for 10 days. Love the country
and the people.
As a former resident of another Caribbean Island for three and half
yeras, I was impressed by a number of differences.
The country is clean. No trash laying around. All was orderly. in
fact, I have not seen public restrooms so clean anywhere as those,
especially along the east coast.
Even the labor strike picketing against a local TV station was orderly
and calm although the crowd of supporters was large.
While highway traffic was heavy, I saw none of the insane behavior
I've encountered elsewhere in the islands. No crazy macho driving.
Drivers were courteous to each other and waved each other into
back-uped traffic with smiles and eloquent shrugs of "what can you
do?".
The roads, in general are well maintained, complete with directional
signs, a concept that so far is not widely established in countries
such as Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and parts of Massachussets or
New Jersey.
Store clerks were polite. At one point, when I was alone in the
downtown area and could not find a certain store, someone insisted on
walking me the two and half blocks to the front door of that store and
shaking my hand at departure.
With the exception of one slow waiter who kept disapperaing, all the
meals were well attended with professional dispatch. The quality of
the food was excellent. In tourist guide's remarks, I heard occasional
nationalist remarks that were remindful that this was once a nation of
slaves, but these were comments that reflected positive acheivments,
not resentful remarks. I saw not one bit of racial arrogance.
(Frankly, were I to come from a slave heritage, I'd be pretty bitter.)
I agree Barbados is more expensive than some other islands, but it
also seemed less so than others. Since the country, according to my
sources, has the highest standard of living in the Caribbean, I
considered the expense understandable and acceptable. I did not
encounter anything especially high in cost other than imported items,
which seems reasonable.
The children one sees are friendly and gracious without either
excessive shyness or forwardness. It was comfortable to visit a
vacation destination where I did not have guilt that the bargain I was
enjoying was at the expense of the children. They were well dressed,
looked healthy and all seemed to be enrolled in school. The schools I
passed seemed well maintained and had comfortable grounds.
In getting to know the driver who served myself and associates for our
visit, I learned that the medical care system is more supportive than
the one in the USA. While we here have a higher standard of care,
Bajans (as they call themselves) have greater access to sound and
basic medical and dental services.
I stayed at the Turtle Bay Club Resort, which I admit is upscale, but
not anywhere near as upscale as it gets in Barbados. The rooms were
definitely first class in every way. I noticed that virtually every
staff member made it a point to introduce themselves by name to guests
and then remember the guests' names. More than once, the manager, a
very attactive woman I might add, went to every guest and satisfied
herself that all was being handled well.
TBCR is one of a group of commonly manged properties. The exchange
program that permits guests of one property to eat at and use the
facilites of the others is a great way to avoid the monotony of eating
every meal in the same place, a potential problem, even if the food is
as good and plentiful as it was at TBCR.
For children of all ages, I highly reccommend the spectacular
submarine ride down to a coral reef that teems with breathtakingly
beautiful fish in great abundance. Although i'm not a golfer, the
greens I saw looked excellent. The beaches, even those labeled public,
were clean.
A walk though the national gardens in a canyon is delightful and the
East coast scenery is wonderful. I visited some of the Great Houses
and they are charming relics.
A few nights I walked some distance away from the hotel. As a resident
of New York City metropolitant area and world traveler, I think I know
what is safe and what is not. The streets of Barbados are at least as
safe as the one where I live (According to FBI stats published
yeterday, NYC has the lowest crime rate in the USA of all cities above
1 million population.)
All in all, I rate B'dos highly.
Joe Harkins
Diane
head right back there. Barbados is definitely a place you can love.
Diane
Leif & Petal
Diane wrote:
> What a great trip report, Joe. You make me want to jump on a plane and
> head right back there. Barbados is definitely a place you can love.
> Diane
Yes, me too. I am thinking about calling British Airways one day to see if
they have a good price for me in december. That is a time when it is very
very dark, and cold up here. Not nice at all.
About crime in Barbados: I think it has become better than it used to some
years ago. But you still have to be careful walking the streets at night in
areas without many people. I have been stabbed once, and I was held up by
two men last summer. An italian couple were attacked with cutlass recently,
and some other incidents has occured. So I still recommend taxi at night.
I am happy to see that NY is getting better. I was there just weeks ago, but
did not feel too comfortable. But that is because I come from a very very
quiet place (what crime consern). A man on the subway asked if this train
goes to this and that station. I answered, "sorry I am a tourist, I do not
know". Later a person came over to me and said: "NEVER say you are a
tourist". I thought he was overdooing it, but other people told me the same.
But I never got into any trouble, and I was happy for that.
Leif Arild
Norway
G. Sample
at the end of June and your post was very helpful. BTW, as a NJ
resident, you really gave me the laugh of the day with your comment:
>The roads, in general are well maintained, complete with directional
>signs, a concept that so far is not widely established in countries
>such as Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and parts of Massachussets or
>New Jersey.
Again, thanks for your comments.
Gail
G. Sample
heading that way at the end of June and it's been terrific to get all
this inside information on rec.travel.caribbean
I especially appreciated your summary <g>:
>Barbados + Barbados -
>
>Short distances Expensive
>Nice weather A bit touristy (good for some)
>Many activities A bit too a bit too much crime
>Good beaches
>Good public transport
>Things works....
>Frienly people
>Banks Beer
>
>
>= Go for it!
We surely will!
Thanks again, Leif.
Gail
>
The Millennium Travel Specialists
"LORRAINE T LOCKHART" <LTLOC...@prodigy.net> wrote:
> I am planning a trip to Barbados during the spring "00. I've been to
the
> Bahamas numerous times, and this past Easter, Jamaica. What should I
> expect? Are the "all inclusive the way to go or should I stay in a
villa or
> hotel? What are the people like? What does the island look like? My
> travel friends are set on this island, and I need to know what to
expect.
> Any political unrest? (I encountered such in Jamaica). I would
really
> appreciate knowledgeable responses.
>
>
I just got back from Barbados. It is a very nice, but also very flat,
island. One of the safest islands I have been to and no political
unrest at this time and has not been for a very long time. I stayed at
the St. Lawrence Gap area which is the place to be since it has the
best nightclubs, shopping and is accessible to other parts of the
island. All-inclusive is not the way to go since there are so many nice
restaurants around.
If you are looking for a good 3-star hotel try "Time Out at the Gap"
which has been recently renovated. I can book it for you if you contact
me at: pra...@nexusds.com
Have a nice trip!
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