One of the best things about travelling in the islands can be a stopover or even a lengthy delay. Now if your flight is delayed by 2 hours, then you wont have much hope of doing anything but waiting in a generally crappy Caribbean airport. However, if you have about 5-6 hours between segments, then you can leave the airport and head to the beach for some swimming and maybe a couple drinks.

Think about it … why stay in the airport when great sand and beaches are simply a 10 minute taxi ride away? As it stood, I had a couple hours in Barbados and there are a couple reasons why hopping to the beach in Barbados is a good idea … aside from the fact that it is Barbados :

• Taxis from the airport are cheap – if you walk outside the airport, you can be at Hastings for as little as $3USD in maxi taxi.
• Barbados is safe and no one will try to rob you upfront unlike Jamaica or Trinidad
• People are actually really friendly upfront in Barbados unlike Jamaica or Trinidad – there is no culture of fear or suspicion.
• Did I mention a beach in Barbados … see below

So if you have 4 hours to kill in the airport in Barbados … here is a sample plan.

• Head to any hotel and ask if they will keep your bag in storage for you. I happened to use my Marriott Platinum status at the Courtyard Marriott – Bridgetown – simply showing the card got me fantastic service. They offered me storage for my bag, a travel bag and a beach towel to use, along with use of their facilities … for FREE!!
• Note : I only went to the Courtyard with the expectation that they would treat a Marriott Platinum this way … but I assume that you can try this at any hotel but the Accra Beach Hotel – since they wanted to charge me 25$USD to store my bag – they can “haul dey ass“. I’ll be writing a “nice” note on Travelocity … you can bet!
• From dropping your bags off, take a wander along the boardwalk from Hastings to Rockley Beach. There are a couple bars along the boardwalk … the water is phenomenal and the sand is awesome.

Walking along the boardwalk is awesome in the sun with the water at your beck and call, with a police presence patrolling the boardwalk … you don’t have to worry about anything else!

Finally, at Rockley Beach … head over to one of the stalls and grab a cold one … or 6 … tell Tara at the “De Rock Beach Bar” I sent ya!

© rishiray for Rishi Sankar: Ah Trini Travelogue / Ah Trini Traveller, 2011. | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: 4 hours in barbados, how to layover like a boss, how to spend 4 hours in barbados, layover in barbados

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© rishiray for Rishi Sankar: Ah Trini Travelogue / Ah Trini Traveller, 2004. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Barbados