Money - The Barbados Dollar ($BDS) is fixed to the US Dollar at a rate of 1.98 – at the time of writing this fact sheet you would get an average of 3.5 BDS$ to the UK£.

Doctor – Dr Persaud’s surgery is based at the Trent Medical centre at the entrance to the road that leads to Art Studios. Tel: 432 0830

Power - the voltage in Barbados is 110 volts
Water – is safe to drink from the cold water tap.

TRANSPORT
Buses – our preferred method of getting around. There is an excellent bus service that runs up and down the Highway from Speightstown to Bridgetown all day and quite late into the night. All buses cost BDS $1.50 per journey. The blue buses are government run and do not give change so have your money ready. Yellow buses are more exciting and play loud reggae music and tend to drive too fast, but are a great experience. We have been advised by locals not to use the small white taxi bus and tend to drive even faster than the yellow buses.
Taxis – are relatively cheap. There is a taxi rank outside the shopping mall and there are usually a few to be found during the day at the Discovery Bay hotel next door to Art studios. Tel: 432 1030 and 432 1006.
Car Hire – You need a Barbados driving permit to drive / hire a car. This can be obtained in the Licensing Authority located next to the Police station for BDS$ 10 and lasts for 12 months. You need to take your UK driving license as well. They drive on the left in Barbados.
Drive –A –Matic is a car hire company based in Holetown at the back of the Texaco garage – Tel: 422 3000. Others are Leisure Rentals 423 5377 and Coconut Rentals 437 0297. Most will deliver and collect the car to and from the apartment. Always remember to check the excess and collision damage waiver when comparing prices as these can differ greatly.