Barbados: Getting there & around

Barbados' Grantley Adams International Airport is on the island's southern coast, 16km (10mi) southeast of Bridgetown. Over the next few years, the airport is undergoing massive expansion. When complete, it will be the main gateway to the south and southeastern Caribbean, especially for flights from Europe. From the North American mainland, - American Airlines, Air Canada, Air Jamaica, Air Sunshine, Continental Airlines and US Airways operate services from major US and Canadian cities. BWIA (British West Indies Air, based out of Trinidad) has flights from London, Frankfurt and Zurich, while British Airways and Virgin Atlantic fly to Barbados from London-Gatwick. Condor makes the trip from Frankfurt. Several airlines - including LIAT, BWIA and Caribbean Star - offer flights from Barbados to other Caribbean destinations. In season, a steel band and complimentary rum punch greet arriving passengers; a modest airport departure tax is the island's kiss good-bye.

Few car rental agencies have booths at the airport, but most will pick customers up. Otherwise travellers have a choice of catching a taxi to their destination or simply walking out onto the road and catching a local bus.

About 500,000 cruise-ship passengers arrive in Bridgetown's harbour each year.

The best and cheapest transport option on Barbados is the bus. There are three kinds of buses: government-operated public buses, which have the most extensive routes; a privately operated minibus system; and route taxis.

Renting a car is another good way of getting around. None of the island's many car rental agencies is affiliated with a major international rental chain, so just call to book a car and someone will swing by your hotel to pick you up. Temporary driving permits are required; they can be obtained for a small fee through your rental agency. In Barbados, you drive on the left.

Taxis are also available and fares are fixed by the government. However, vehicles are unmetered so establish a fare in advance, especially if you hire a taxi for a sightseeing tour. Rent bicycles in Hastings and Maxwell. Because of Barbados' easterly position and challenging sailing conditions, it's well off the main track for most sailors and there's no local yacht charter industry.