Barbados

Barbados is warm all year, and the sea is good for swimming in every month. The dry season runs from about December to May, with the most settled weather from February to April. June to November is wetter and more humid, and it is also the Atlantic hurricane season. Direct hits are rare, but check forecasts if you travel then. Crop Over, the island's biggest festival, ends with Kadooment Day in early August.

English is the official language, and almost everyone also speaks Bajan, an English-based creole, especially in casual conversation. Visitors can get by in English everywhere, though the local accent and creole expressions can take a day or two to get used to.

Tap water is treated to safe standards and is normally fine to drink. Barbados draws its water from natural coral limestone aquifers, and it is generally well rated for quality in the Caribbean. If water tastes off in an older building, bottled water is sold everywhere. Pharmacies are widely available in Bridgetown and the main resort areas, with normal daytime hours and limited service on Sundays. As elsewhere in the Caribbean, mosquito-borne illnesses such as dengue occur from time to time, so use repellent, especially around dusk. No special vaccinations are required for most travelers; a yellow fever certificate is only needed if arriving from a country with yellow fever risk. Check current recommendations with a travel clinic before you go.

Citizens of the US, UK, Canada, most EU countries, and many other nations can enter Barbados without a visa as tourists, for stays ranging from a few weeks to several months. Nationals of some other countries need to arrange a visa in advance. All visitors need a passport valid for the length of their stay, plus proof of onward or return travel.

Visa and entry requirements change frequently. Verify current requirements with the official immigration authority or your country's embassy before travel.

Camouflage-patterned clothing is illegal for civilians in Barbados, including tourists — customs can confiscate it on arrival, and wearing it in public can lead to a fine. Leave camo clothing, bags, and accessories at home.

Dress is casual, but beachwear like bikinis and bare chests is expected only at the beach or pool — cover up when walking through towns, restaurants, or Bridgetown. Modest dress covering shoulders and knees is expected at churches.

Bajans are generally polite and appreciate a greeting — "good morning" or "good afternoon" — before starting a conversation or transaction, even a quick one in a shop or taxi.

Public holidays can close banks, offices, and some shops for the day. Kadooment Day, the costumed street-parade climax of the Crop Over festival, is one of the biggest holidays on the island and affects traffic and parking around the parade route.

Most shops keep standard daytime hours and close early or stay shut on Sundays outside the tourist areas; supermarkets and pharmacies near the resorts tend to stay open longer.

• By taxi: fares aren't metered, so agree the price with the driver before you get in. Taxis wait at hotels, the airport, and the cruise terminal.
• By ZR van or bus: privately run minibuses, known locally as ZRs, and the public Barbados Transport Board buses cover the whole island cheaply. Flag them down anywhere along their route and pay in cash on board.
• By rental car: renting a car is common and requires a temporary local driving permit, which the rental company issues on the spot for a small fee.

Barbados drives on the left, so if you learned to drive on the right, take it slowly at first, especially at roundabouts.

Bajan food centers on fresh fish. The national dish is cou-cou and flying fish: a cornmeal-and-okra side dish served with fish steamed in a light, seasoned gravy. Macaroni pie, a baked and heavily seasoned pasta bake, shows up at almost every gathering. Pudding and souse is a spiced pickled pork dish traditionally eaten on Saturdays. Fish cakes, a fried saltfish snack, are sold everywhere from bakeries to roadside stands.

Barbados is often credited as the birthplace of rum, and it stays central to Bajan drinking culture today. Small roadside rum shops are a genuine social institution, not just a tourist activity. Friday night at the fish fry in Oistins, a fishing town on the south coast, is a long-running local tradition of fresh grilled fish, sides, and music that draws both residents and visitors.

Bridgetown, the capital, holds the country's parliament and government offices, its cruise port, and the UNESCO-listed Barbados Garrison area, with its 19th-century military buildings and horse-racing track.

The west coast parishes, often called the "Platinum Coast," have Barbados's calmest beaches and most upscale resorts, centered on the small towns of Holetown and Speightstown.

The south coast, around Worthing and Oistins, is livelier and more budget-friendly, with a strip of bars and restaurants and the Friday-night fish fry at Oistins.

The east coast, facing the open Atlantic around the village of Bathsheba, is wilder and better known for surfing and dramatic scenery than for swimming.