Barbados Getting There. Getting to This Caribbean Island Paradise is Easy.

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Our "Barbados Getting There" page gives you all of the ins and outs of getting to the beautiful Caribbean island paradise of Barbados.

Many people are surprised at how easy Barbados getting there actually is, whether you are traveling by air or by boat.



Barbados Getting There: In the Air

Barbados Getting There: Flights

By far the most popular way of getting to Barbados is via the air. There are many direct flights to Barbados from both North America and the United Kingdom. The majority of the flights are on Saturday and Sunday each week to coincide with weeklong vacationers.

From North America, there are direct flights to Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI) in Barbados from:

  • Atlanta (ATL) on Delta Airlines (approx travel time 4h 20m)

  • Charlotte (CLT) on USAir (approx travel time 4h 30m)

  • Indianapolis (IND) on ATA (approx travel time 5h 00m)

  • Miami (MIA) on American Airlines (approx travel time 3h 40m)

  • Montreal (YUL) on Air Canada (approx travel time 4h 55m)

  • New York (JFK) on Air Jamaica (approx travel time 4h 40m), American Airlines (approx travel time 4h 40m)

  • Philadelphia (PHL) on USAir (approx travel time 4h 40m)

  • Toronto (YYZ) on Air Canada (approx travel time 4h 55m)

From the United Kingdom, you can fly directly into Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI) from

  • London (LGW) on British Airways (approx travel time 8h 50m), on Virgin Atlantic Airways (approx travel time 8h 45m)

  • Manchester on Virgin Atlantic Airways (approx travel time 8h 45m)

In addition to the many direct flights above, there are many more flights that make connections at the Caribbean Island airports of San Juan, Puerto Rico or Montego Bay, Jamaica.



Getting There: The Airport

Your flight will arrive at the only airport in Barbados, the sir Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI). The Barbados airport is a spectacular, modern facility with nice long runways, which are rare in the Caribbean islands. As a result, may airlines use Grantley Adams International as a regional hub.

The airport, which handles about 2 million visitors each year, is located in Seawell, Christ Church on the south side of Barbados. This is convenient to hotels the south coast (15 minutes or so), the capital of Bridgetown (about 10 miles and 30 minutes away), and the west coast hotels (about 45 minutes).

Barbados Getting There: On the Water

Barbados Getting There: Cruise on In

The deep-water harbor just outside of the capital city of Bridgetown is a port of call for many cruise ships, and each year, over half a million people take advantage of this form of "getting there" when visiting Barbados.

A few of the cruise lines calling Barbados a "Port of Call" include:

  • Carnival Cruise Lines on the Carnival Destiny (weekly) and the Carnival Victory (seasonally). The Carnival Victory offers many cruises that begin and end in Barbados.

  • Celebrity Cruises on the Constellation (seasonally, 10-day cruise), and the Galaxy (seasonally, 10 and 11-day cruises).

  • Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL) on the Norwegian Jewel (seasonally, 9 and 14-day cruises), the Norwegian Pearl (seasonally, 9 and 14-day cruises), the Norwegian Gem (seasonally, 10-day cruise), the Norwegian Dawn (seasonally, 13-day cruise).

  • Royal Caribbean International on the Serenade of the Seas (seasonally, 7-day cruise), the Legend of the Seas (seasonally, 7-day cruise), the Adventure of the Seas (off season, 7-day cruise), the Vision of the Seas (seasonally, 7-day cruise), and the Explorer of the Seas (seasonally, 12-day cruise).

Getting There: The Terminal

The Bridgetown Port can accommodate five mega-cruise liners simultaneously. The cruise ship terminal itself is a bustling, air-conditioned marketplace containing over 20 full duty-free shops accompanied by 15 or so pushcarts selling everything from fine jewelry to local hand crafts.

Other amenities of the terminal include a post office for sending those "Wish You Were Here!" postcards to those not fortunate to be on this Caribbean island getaway, a telecommunications center to make calls around the world (when the postcard will not suffice!), and the Barbados Tourism Authority offices for useful advice for your stay and directions to those "must-see" attractions.

Note, there are no ATM's available in the terminal. The nearest ATM is in Bridgetown proper, approximately one mile from the cruise ship terminal.

Barbados Getting There: Setting Sail

Due to the rough waters and plentiful coral reefs, it is not recommended that you use your own boat to sail in to Barbados. That is not to say that you cannot sail your way in to Barbados, though. Boats are allowed into either of two ports on the island.

Due to the rough waters, however, those on the island are not allowed to charter their own boat. Having dove off the coast and seen the many shipwrecks myself, I can understand why.

Barbados Getting There: Documentation and Entry Requirements

Everyone who visits the island should have a valid passport and return ticket. People arrive from the island from outside the Caribbean islands, United States, Canada, and Britain should obtain a visa before traveling to Barbados.

As you can see, there are many, easy options for Barbados Getting There, meaning that your adventure starts when you arrive, not before!



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