Barbados – one of the most colorful islands in the Lesser Antilles chain – was discovered by Portuguese sailors in 1536. Because of the huge banyan trees with roots that form a real beard around the trunk, the island was given the name – “Los Barbados” (can be translated as “bearded”).

Money:
Barbados dollar (BBD, Bd$ or B$) equal to 100 cents. The local currency is rigidly pegged to the US dollar at an approximate ratio of 2:1. In circulation there are banknotes in denominations of 100, 50, 20, 10, 5 and 2 dollars, as well as coins in denominations of Bd$1, 25, 10, 5 and 1 cent. In the tourism industry, the US dollar is almost universally in circulation.

Currency exchange:
Currency can be exchanged at commercial banks, exchange offices and hotels. The island is served by the National Bank of Barbados and at least six branches of international banks, so there are usually no problems with currency exchange.

Estimated exchange rate
Barbadian dollar (BBD) / United States dollar (USD)
1 USD = 1.98 BBD
10 BBD = 5.06 USD
Barbadian dollar (BBD) / Euro (EUR)
1 EUR = 2.75 BBD
10 BBD = 3.64 EUR

Time:
Behind Moscow by 8 hours in summer and 9 hours in winter.

Official holidays and days off:
January 1 – New Year.
March-April – Errol Barrow Day.
March-April – Easter.
April 28 – Heroes Day.
May 1 – Labor Day.
August 1 – Liberation Day.
the first Monday of August is Kadumen Day (the end of the Crop Over festival).
The first Monday in October is UN Day.
November 30 – Independence Day.
December 25 – Christmas.
December 26 – Boxing Day.

Communication and communications:
International country code – +1-246. Cities do not have their own telephone codes. The outgoing international code is 011.
Cellular communication of the GSM 900/1800 standard is well developed. Roaming with Russia is available to subscribers of the largest Russian operators.

Entry:
Russian citizens do not need to apply for a visa in advance to visit Barbados for up to 28 days. It is issued upon entry into the country. To obtain a visa, you must provide: a valid passport with a validity period of at least 6 months and the owner’s signature; invitation (tourist, private or official), voucher or hotel booking confirmation; round trip tickets.
When departing from the country, an airport tax of 25 Barbados dollars (about $13) is charged.

Flight: from 15 hours + time for connection (depending on the schedule of the airline)

Customs rules:
Import of local and foreign currency is not limited, declaration is required. The export of local currency is prohibited. The export of foreign currency is limited to the amount declared on the customs declaration upon arrival.
Persons over the age of 18 are allowed duty-free import of up to 200 cigarettes or 450 grams of tobacco products, up to 0.75 liters of spirits and up to 0.75 liters of wine, up to 150 ml of perfume and up to 300 ml of perfumes, as well as gifts and any other goods and articles with a total value of up to Bd$100.
Meat and meat products are imported only with the permission of the Ministry of Agriculture of the country. It is forbidden to import imported rum and drinks based on it, fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as any types of clothing made from camouflage fabric. The transit of weapons, ammunition and drugs is prohibited.

Tips:
Hotels usually add 10% to the bill for services. Tipping in most restaurants is 10-15%, although it is usually included in the bill. If the service surcharge is not included in the invoice, it is recommended to tip the maids at the rate of $1 per room per day, taxi drivers – up to 10% of the payment amount (before the trip, you should agree with the driver in what currency the fare will be paid). Porters at airports and hotels expect to earn $1 for every piece of luggage carried.

Security:
Barbados is a very calm and safe island with a low overall crime rate, but personal property theft and street crime do occur. You should especially beware of pickpockets, often “working” at the airport, in ports, in public institutions and in crowded places. You should not carry valuables, documents and large sums of money with you, there are hotel safes for this. Do not take out your wallet in crowded places or leave things in the front seat of the car during stops. It is recommended to avoid isolated areas, including remote shores, after dark. Bridgetown is an extremely safe city, even at night, although it is still recommended to avoid the area southeast of the bus station on Fairchild Street, around Nelson Street and Jordan Lane,

Medical:

It is recommended to have international health insurance with you.
A certificate of vaccination against yellow fever is required for tourists who have been in infected areas for more than a year.
Tap water is usually taken from underground sources, so it is safe and even considered one of the cleanest in the world, but bottled water is still recommended.

Electricity:
Mains voltage 110-115 V., 50 Hz. American style plugs with two pins.