Public Holidays

Date 2005 Occasion
January 1 New Year's Day
January 21 Errol Barrow Day
March 25 Good Friday
March 27 Easter
March 28 Easter Monday
April 28 Heroes Day
May 1 Labour Day
May 16 Whit Monday
August 1 Emancipation Day
August 1 Kadooment Day
November 30 Independence Day
December 25 Christmas Day  
December 26 Boxing Day

You should know:
If a Bank Holiday falls on a Sunday then the following Monday is given as the holiday.
Weekend -Saturday,Sunday

Health & Safety

Health wise, there’s not much to worry about except sunburn. Be careful of over exposure: apply sunscreen liberally, and try not to step out during the afternoons. Restaurants usually maintain high levels of hygiene, so you needn’t worry about food poisoning. Tap water is safe to drink, though don’t drink directly from fresh water streams !  There is no list of required vaccinations as all major tropical diseases have been eradicated.

On the beach be careful of trees with shiny green leaves called Manchineel trees. Don’t sample the crab-like fruit of these trees, as it is poisonous. Also, in case it rains, don’t seek shelter under these trees as the bark gives off a poisonous sap that can cause blisters. If you plan to splash around in the waters, watch out for the black sea urchins that are covered with spines.

Medical facilities are easily available all over the Island. Queen Elizabeth hospital in Bridgetown is equipped to cope with almost any calamity, so rest assured. There are also a number of private clinics and health centres as well as pharmaceuticals. 

Safety

Though much safer than most Caribbean cities, crime is on the increase. If you’re in a crowed tourist area, there’s a fair chance of your bag being snatched even in broad daylight so be aware. Keep away from isolated sections of the beach, especially at night – forget that romantic moonlight stroll! Avoid Nelson Street at night. Overall Barbados is a safe island but it’s better to take precautions and be safe then sorry!

Usually police patrol beaches and other places to tourist interest.

Electricity

 120 volts and 50 cycles per second is used on the island. 

Post & Communications

 The General Post Office is in Bridgetown and each district has it’s own post office. If you want to post a letter, just pop it into one of the red boxes on the roadside. You can make international calls from hotels or from Barbados External Telecommunications. Alternatively you can purchase phone cards, which is a cheaper option that calling from hotels. Local calls are free unless you use the pay phone.