The people who plan on vacationing in beautiful Barbados for the first-time are usually more anxious than excited. Aside from the fact that it would be an unfamiliar place, they are too excruciatingly worried about the money they’d have to spend to enjoy the thrill of the anticipatory excitement of going there. Luckily enough, there are always traveling secrets to all vacation hot spots around the world. This article will provide an array of useful information and tips that will help any person plan and enjoy a trip to one of the most beautiful islands in the Caribbean.

Money and Cost of Goods. The currency in Barbados is the Bajan or Barbados dollar and is equivalent to US $1.98. Be guided accordingly: items and services here do not come cheap and are, give or take, pretty much equal to their prices in America.

Traveling. Upon arrival at the island’s airport, simply walk out of the terminal with luggage in hand towards the buses, taxis and shuttle transportation lined outside. The easiest way to go is to pre-arrange the services of a shuttle going to and from the hotel of choice. Taxis can run $20-60 depending on how far away the destination is, and shuttles would charge $5 (do not pay more than that) for surfboard bags and other over sized items. If a rental car is preferred, take note that it would cost around $50-60 a day. Don’t forget that the steering wheel is on the ‘wrong side’ of the car.

Dress. Do not think that just because it is a beach paradise that a person can don his swimsuit anywhere the whole day. Swim wear is reserved for beaches and beach bars. Casual wear is the preferred, appropriate clothing in most places here, except at night, or at dinners. It would be best if the material of the clothes is lightweight and ‘breezy’.

Barbados Travel Hotels. There is wide array of hotels and other accommodations to choose from on the island. The crux of the matter is how much money is going to be willingly spent on one. A popular choice, of course, is the cheaper lodging available. Bargain hotels are usually nice enough and have three-star rankings. The staff is guaranteed to be warm, hospitable and helpful. There are some that would feature a pristine beach out front for customers to conveniently enjoy. Like majority of these bargain hotels, everything is all-inclusive. This means that all meals, beverages, gratuities, and non-motorized sports are part of the deal.

It would be interesting to note that breakfast and lunch are served in a buffet style, and snack is likewise conveniently served in-between. People can choose whether their dinner would be in a buffet style or a 5-course one in the dining room, which requires a reservation of course. The hotel staff will inform guests whether or not their dining room is booked and allow guests to go in and see if there are cancellations during the day.

Here are some other noteworthy travel tips:

(1) check the weather before any journey so you will have an idea as to what to bring, and how to pack;

(2) make use of traveler’s checks if there are any. If they somehow get lost or stolen, remember that they can still be usually replaced within 24 hours almost anywhere in the world by most banks and service establishments;

(3) never leave valuables in the hotel, unless a safe is requested;

(4) refrain from using the hotel room telephone because they can be extremely expensive. It would be better to use a cell phone or a phone card.

Source by Joel Owens