U.S. dollars are freely accepted throughout Barbados. (Just remember to check whether prices are being quoted in U.S. or Bajan dollars.) The rate of exchange is fixed at about US$1=Bds$2. Most major credit cards are accepted at major resorts, department stores and finer restaurants, but plan on using cash at smaller establishments. Note that credit cards are not accepted at Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

Most banks around the island have ATMs. Expect to find branches of major banks along the western and southern coasts. Those will readily make cash advances on credit cards. Banks are commonly open Monday-Thursday 8 am-3 pm and Friday till 5 pm. A few branches are also open Saturday 9 am-noon.

A value-added tax (VAT) of 15% is added to all purchases except certain food items in markets. Hotels charge a 7.5% VAT and often a 5%-10% service charge.

Tip about 15% in restaurants when a service charge is not included in the bill. Tip taxi drivers 10%-15%.

The climate in Barbados is ideal for much of the year. The only time not perfect is July-October, during the hurricane season, when it gets a bit more rain. But even then it isn't bad, as long as a hurricane doesn't come calling, and they rarely hit Barbados. Daytime temperatures are almost always in the 80s F/28-32 C, with nights in the 70s F/23-27 C. Temperatures can get into the 60s F/15-22 C at night in the winter.

Bajans are conservative and do not appreciate seeing swimsuits anywhere except the beach and pool—a sarong or coverup is needed even for a poolside cafe. Do not wear shorts and halter tops or skimpy clothes on the buses or in town.

You'll want to wear a hat and sunscreen to protect against the hot Caribbean sun and beach footwear to protect against the hot Caribbean sand. Nights can get a tad cool year-round, especially if you're out on the water, so take a light sweater or jacket.

Covered but casual (no shorts at dinner) is the rule for Bridgetown and for most restaurants. Pack light cotton dresses and light jackets for more formal occasions. Wear your Sunday best if attending church. For business meetings, shirts and ties for men (and sometimes jackets) and dresses for women are the norm; despite the warm climate, short-sleeve shirts are not normally worn at business functions.

There are several Internet cafes on the island, and most hotels also offer high-speed Internet access, both wired and wireless. Internet cafes include the Global Business Centre; the Bean-n-Bagel Internet Cafe in Christ Church (phone 420-4604); and the Netsurf Internet Cafe at the Osterley Inn, Maxwell Main Road (phone 420-8079).

Mail service is fairly reliable, with at least one collection a day, but anything you send will take a considerable amount of time to reach its destination. There are post offices in every parish and mailboxes dotted around the island. The main post office is in Cheapside, Bridgetown, and it has a good philatelic department. Hours are Monday-Friday 8 am-3 pm. http://www.bps.gov.bb/intro.html.

There are also courier services, both local and international.

Both daily newspapers, The Barbados Advocate and the Nation/Sunday Sun, are tabloids. The weekly Heat is inflammatory. The weekly Barbados Business Authority is what the name says.

For visitors, the monthly Friends provides tips, articles and listings. Although there is some overlap between events listed in Friends and those advertised in the Nation, it takes both to cover everything and even then you might miss something. Two Web sites help fill the gaps: http://www.totallybarbados.com and http://www.funbarbados.com.

Select Barbados, a general-interest monthly magazine geared to residents, provides considerable insight into island ways, activities and personalities, as well as a calendar of main events. Published annually, Ins & Outs of Barbados gives a comprehensive picture of the island's culture, attractions, shopping and regular annual events. The smaller Barbados in a Nutshell is a useful pocket guide. All visitor publications are available free at hotels and many other locations.

Phone service on Barbados is provided by Cable & Wireless (http://www.candw.com.bb/barbados) and is generally good. If you're calling from outside Barbados, dial your country's international access code followed by the country code—246—before dialing the local phone number. From the U.S. or Canada, the international access code is unnecessary.

Cell phones have taken the island by storm. If you don't have one, you can rent one from many places for the duration of your stay, such as Global Business Centre at West Coast Mall (phone 432-6508). Rates are about Bds$70 per week, plus a refundable deposit.

Public phones are either card- or coin-operated and widely available in all towns. In rural areas, they can be found at gas stations. You can easily find calling cards in tourist areas.

Several major air carriers serve Barbados on a regular basis. Once on the island, rental cars, buses and taxis are the principal ways of getting around.

The island's airport, Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI), is located 8 mi/13 km southeast of Bridgetown and can be speedily reached by the ABC Highway. Public buses, minibuses and route taxis all service the airport, and rental cars and taxis are available as well.

The entire airport has been expanded and upgraded, from runways to check-in, public courtyard, shops, restaurants and amenities, to immigration and customs processing, baggage claim, parking, and arrival and departure halls. Three car rental companies have offices on the premises. Boarding bridges are not yet in place, but a shuttle eases the long walk between the terminal and the planes. With its translucent membrane roofs, whose shapes are meant to resemble whitecaps, Grantley Adams International is one of the most striking airports in the region.

Large public buses, small minibuses and privately owned white vans called route taxis run daily 6 am-midnight. All can be packed when local residents are going to and coming from work and school (rush hours are Monday-Thursday 7-8:30 am and 3:30-6 pm, all day Friday). A flat rate of Bds$1.50 will get you anywhere on the island on all three types of vehicles. (Exact change is required on all but the route taxis.) The bus routes radiate out from Bridgetown like spokes in a wheel, which means you will have to change buses at terminals to get to the different coasts. The terminals are often hot and crowded, but even so, the buses are a great way to hop from place to place, particularly up the west coast. In the countryside, all bus stops are marked either "into city" or "out of city." (Remember: Beachwear is not appropriate on buses.)

You can rent a car in many locations, but you may want to take public transportation instead. Local drivers are, to be polite, aggressive; gasoline is expensive; and it's very easy to get lost on the congested, narrow, winding roads (the exception is the ABC Highway from the airport to the west coast). It's only worth renting a vehicle if you want to explore the countryside. Although Bridgetown is congested and difficult to negotiate, the rest of the island is a bit easier. Maps are readily available, though they tend to lack detail, and bus signs can help you navigate—"into city" means toward Bridgetown, "out of city" the opposite. Luckily, getting lost can be fun; just allow time. Lost drivers will find that people give directions readily, but they are often confusing.

If you do rent a car, expect to pay about Bds$160-$185 a day for one of the island's signature vehicles, the minimoke (a small, open recreational vehicle with optional canvas overhead), or about Bds$740 a week (including all taxes) for a small hatchback with air conditioning. Rates for larger cars start at about Bds$225 a day or Bds$880-$926 a week, including value-added tax and insurance. You will need a valid driver's license. You must register with the police and pay a fee of about Bds$10 for a temporary Barbados driver's license. Driving is on the left.

Many cruise lines include Barbados as a port of call. Most ships dock at Deep Water Harbour, 1 mi/2 km west of Bridgetown (http://www.cruisebarbados.com/index.cfm). The most convenient way into town from the port is to take a taxi.

Taxis can be expensive because the fares are set by the government, gas prices are high, and the island's roads and climate are unkind to vehicles; be sure to establish the price before you get in a cab. Bargain hard if you're hiring a driver for a tour. Taxis are easy to find at hotels and shopping centers along the western and southern coasts. Arrange for pickup if you are going farther afield. Most taxi drivers are honest, friendly and a goldmine of information. They make excellent impromptu tour guides, especially if you remember them during your stops for cold drinks. The official rate is about Bds$90 an hour driving, Bds$14 an hour waiting. The average rate for a five-hour tour is Bds$450-$550 (per car, not per person).

Flex Bicycle Rentals

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Bicycles are available for Bds$40 per day. Be extremely careful in heavy traffic and on narrow roads. Phone 419-2453 or 240-5554.

Tourist Offices

Barbados: Barbados Tourism Authority, Harbour Road, Bridgetown. Phone 246-427-2623. Fax 246-426-4080. http://www.visitbarbados.org.

Canada: Barbados Tourism Authority, 105 Adelaide St. W., Suite 1010, Toronto, ON M5H 1P9. Phone 416-214-9880. Toll-free 888-227-2236. Fax 416-214-9882. http://www.visitbarbados.org.

U.S.: Barbados Tourism Authority, 800 Second Ave., New York, NY 10017. Phone 212-986-6516 or toll-free 800-221-9831. Fax 212-573-9850. http://www.visitbarbados.org. There are also offices in Los Angeles and Coral Gables, Florida.

Barbados Embassies

Canada: High Commission for Barbados, 130 Albert St., Suite 302, Ottawa, ON K1P 5G4. Phone 613-236-9517. Fax 613-230-4362.

U.S.: Embassy of Barbados, 2144 Wyoming Ave. N.W., Washington, DC 20008. Phone 202-939-9200. Fax 202-332-7467.

Foreign Embassies in Barbados

Canada: Canadian High Commission, Bishop's Court Hill, Bridgetown (mail address: P.O. Box 404, Bridgetown, Barbados). Phone 246-429-3550. Fax 246-429-3780. http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/bridgetown.

U.S.: U.S. Embassy, Wildey Business Park, Wildey, St. Michael (mail address: P.O. Box 302, Bridgetown, Barbados, BB11000). Phone 246-436-4950. Fax 246-429-5246. http://barbados.usembassy.gov.

Pigtails 'n Breadfruit by Austin Clarke. A culinary memoir of the author's childhood in Barbados. Clarke also wrote Growing Up Stupid Under The Union Jack, in which he reminisces about growing up in Barbados' colonial past, and The Polished Hoe, about relations between a planter, his kept woman and their daughter.

Ancestors by Kamau Brathwaite. An anthology of works by this well-respected Caribbean poet.

In the Castle of My Skin by George Lamming. The work of Barbados' most famous writer deals with the Caribbean colonial experience and the struggle for self-rule.

It So Happen by Timothy Callender. A collection of comic short stories capturing Bajan village life.

How to Be a Bajan by Harold Hoyte. Explains the Bajan way of life, with some good laughs.

Barbados in Bloom (Miller Publishing). The private and botanical gardens of Barbados, in a beautiful coffee-table book. An excellent reference, too.

Bygone Barbados by Ann Watson Yates (Black Bird). Black-and-white photos of yesteryear, lovingly explained.

Side by Side by Ann Watson Yates. Characters in the Barbadian landscape, in words and photos.

Architecture & Design in Barbados (Miller Publishing). This coffee-table book reveals splendid residences.

Historic Houses of Barbados by Henry Fraser (Barbados National Trust).

Jill Walker's Barbados by Jill Walker. The richly illustrated story of the artist's 50-plus years on the island.

A Concise and Illustrated Military History of Barbados, 1627-2007 by Major Michael Hartland (Barbados Books).

Barbados: Experience the Authentic Caribbean by Arif Ali (Hansib Publishing). Comprehensive coffee-table book.

A-Z of Barbados Heritage by Carrington, Fraser, Gilmore and Forde (Macmillan Caribbean). Heritage is broadly defined in this useful, highly readable compendium of information.