Arriving & Departing
The only airport in the Barbados is the Grantley Adams International Airport. If you get by plane there, you can then take a bus from outside the airport and go everywhere you want on the island. You can go to St. Philip or through Christ Church and then into St. Michael. Usually, when you are arriving or departing, it is safer to use a taxi. It is also easier if you have luggage. But even if you use a taxi, you can not avoid the traffic. So, if you are departing, go to the airport a bit earlier so you don’t miss the plane.
You should also know that usually the international flights arrive between 1and 6 in the afternoon and because of this, in that period, the highways are very busy. Take that into consideration also. The airport is located in the south part of the island. You can also be taken by a helicopter from the airport but that is expensive. It all depends on your budget. The helicopter service runs between the airport and the West Coast.
By using the helicopter, you only make 10 minutes instead an hour in the traffic. Just like on any other airport, you require to fill in the customs declaration and have the embarkation/disembarkation card. The standard customs form is blue and it is simple to fill out. The embarkation card/disembarkation card is white and can be split in two.
You fill the embarkation section and then hand it to Immigration when you arrive. If you are going away, you fill the disembarkation section and give it to the Immigration.
The tax for departing is around BD$60.00 for each person that has 12 years or more and has spent more than a full day on the island. If you are just passing by, you don’t need to pay the tax.