When it is your first time to go to a different country, everything is new to you; the culture, food, and language. You want to experience all of these and in a country like Barbados there are so many things to do, food to eat, places to go to and other fun filled activities. I am sure that the moment you leave your apartment hotel, Barbados will surely take your breath away because of the country’s beautiful sceneries. However, visitors beware because tourists and travelers are the perfect prey for crimes. Even though the crime rate is relatively low, it still advisable for tourists, to be cautious while visiting the Caribbean island.
The most prevalent offense against tourists that is reported is robbery, which accounts for 50 percent of all crimes in this group. According to a survey, out of the 1.2 million persons that visited the country last 2008, a total of 242 crime incidents were reported. The crimes range from robberies, home burglary and car theft. Tourists are warned to keep a watchful eye on suspicious characters when they are traveling. This is to avoid being victimized by the culprits. Here are some things to remember to be safe while traveling in this tropic country.
Upon arriving in the airport keep a watchful eye on your belongings. Allow only authorized airport porters to carry your baggage and belongings from customs terminal to the street outside. Suggested tipping is USD$1 per bag. Do not bulk store your money. Keep in mind to distribute your money among family members you are traveling with. This will help you just in case you lost your wallet or be victimized by pick pockets. If you are traveling alone and have a small budget, ZRs, yellow Mini buses and Blue transport board buses is the cheapest way to travel. A ride from any of these vehicles just cost BBD$ 1.50. Remember ZRs and the yellow minibuses can give change but the government operated Barbados transport board system cannot, so make sure you have smaller bills and coins with you before you take a ride on these transportations. ZRs or route taxis take the most scenic routes on the island; however, tourists beware since these minibuses are often crowded. Drivers do not turn down any passenger, despite the minibus’ full capacity. They will still pick up passengers along the way even if you think there’s no possible way a person can fit anymore. If you still insist on riding ZRs, keep an eye on your wallets and pockets. With crowded places like these, anyone can be easily be victimized by pick pockets.
Property and home burglary is the next highest crime in this Caribbean country, most burglars study tourists and picks the one who stays in a low security inns or lodges. Before checking in a hotel, better check if there are areas which can be an easy access to thieves, a hotel with built in security cameras is an advisable place to stay at. When leaving your hotel, make sure all passages are tightly locked and this includes windows too. Make sure your valuables are safely stored before you leave. Double check if you have locked everything before leaving the hotel. Carefully choose your apartment hotel, Barbados is a very nice place to spend your vacation but always be cautious so that you won’t be a victim of any crime during your stay.
