In search of a LOCAL DRIVER

[NoNoNanette]

This is awfully premature, but having been trying to plan my day in Barbados in December.

 

Here's the scenario.... We'll be on the island from 8-6 on a Monday. Docking in Bridgetown.

 

2 people for sure. Possibly 4 or 6 of us.

 

I'd like to hire a driver to pick us up at pier, stop at a grocery store for beer and ice, and then spend the day hitting a few beaches.

 

Was thinking of going up to MULLINS for awhile, then venturing down to SILVER SANDS, then heading back to town, stopping at maybe MIAMI or DOVER.

 

Any takers???? How about a quickie quote (estimate). Shoot me an email if you'd rather discuss it that way. Many thanks!

[texancruzer]

Well here's my suggestion..... we used Cameron Reid. His website is www.scenicbarbados.com

 

There are some tour ideas on his website but we did not want to do the "tourist" stops (the caves, the gardens etc) but rather see as much of the island as possible. You know, the postcard picture stops. But also get history and other info about Barbados and their people. So we planned a tour itinerary with him of our very own.

 

Four adults for 6+ hours in a brand new car with him. $ 150.00 total. We did buy his lunch as we asked him to take us somewhere for some real Bajan food....... also we tipped him at the end as he was worth it !! He loves his island and knows everything......

[NoNoNanette]

Thank you for the name and website! I've bookmarked it.:)

 

Business must be BOOMING in Barbados... I didn't get ONE reply.:confused:

[TSECRUISER]

Hi Texancruzer

Knowing U Just Spend $150 . Could U Tell Me More Abt How The $150 Was Spend ??

U Also Visit Few Places , Are The Entrance Fee Included ??

Thks

[texancruzer]

Hi Texancruzer

Knowing U Just Spend $150 . Could U Tell Me More Abt How The $150 Was Spend ??

U Also Visit Few Places , Are The Entrance Fee Included ??

Thks

 

 

As I posted we had decided we DID NOT WANT TO VISIT THE TOURIST SPOTS but rather see as much of the island as possible.

 

The 150.00 was for a private tour for 4 adults from 9 am until 3 pm in a brand new car with a very knowledgable and charming guide. This did not include any entrance fees as we did not go anywhere that required fees. If you do the math = this works out to 37.50 per person for our tour. Try and find a cruiseline excursion for 6 hrs. for that price ;) I would do this again in a heartbeat. We saw sooo much of Barbados and I have gorgeous picture postcard pictures to enjoy from it.

 

NoNoNanette: Very unusual...he responded to all my emails right away.

[joybaby]

As I posted we had decided we DID NOT WANT TO VISIT THE TOURIST SPOTS but rather see as much of the island as possible.

 

The 150.00 was for a private tour for 4 adults from 9 am until 3 pm in a brand new car with a very knowledgable and charming guide. This did not include any entrance fees as we did not go anywhere that required fees. If you do the math = this works out to 37.50 per person for our tour. Try and find a cruiseline excursion for 6 hrs. for that price ;) I would do this again in a heartbeat. We saw sooo much of Barbados and I have gorgeous picture postcard pictures to enjoy from it.

 

NoNoNanette: Very unusual...he responded to all my emails right away.

 

I will be there in mid March and this looks good. Did you pay him in cash?

 

Thanks.

[bdruzin]

Your tour and price is interesting because he quoted me $125.00 for a 3-4 hour tour with extra for different admissions.

[texancruzer]

joybaby: yes we paid him in cash after the tour when he returned us to the pier. As I posted above.... we also tipped him and bought his lunch.

 

bdruzin: We originally had planned to be back around 2:00 (5 hrs) but lunch took a while and we didnt get back until almost 3:00. He did not charge us any extra but we did buy his lunch and we did tip him on top of the 150.00. With gas priced at $4.50+ a gallon

 

in the Caribbean we still feel we got a good deal since it was a private tour....we had control over when we stopped and for how long..... something you do not have on a cruise excursion. He also told us that to import his brand new Toyota Camry with the really high import fees and taxes it ran @ $65,000.00 Whew ! I believe this to be true. Since this time we have made two trips to the Bahamas to look for property to buy and discovered to bring in furniture or anything else (vehicles, household items etc) there is a H-u-g-e tax - outrageous tax !!!!!

 

Once again....we did not visit any tourist sites that required paying an entrance fee.... but he told us up front that those would be extra if we decided to stop at one.

[rjscott]

I second Cameron Reid. He and I corresponded via email several times to work out our itinerary. We did go to Harrison's Caves and Gun Hill, and yes, the admissions were extra. When we'd seen the spots we'd wanted to see, we asked our driver, Herman, to show us what he thought was exceptional and he did. We did ask him to take us to a nice restaurant for lunch and he took us to an oceanfront restaurant in Bathsheba. I think it was called Round Top. Very good food. Herman had planned to sit at the bar and have coffee while we dined, but we insisted he join us and we purchased his lunch, which pleased him greatly. He later took us to a hotel where we could enjoy the beach for a bit, and, at our request, stopped at a grocery for us to pick up some supplies to take back to the ship. A very enjoyable day, and, although we had contracted for 4 hrs, we were gone over 5 hrs and there was no additional charge. We did tip our driver generously.

[loisswanson]

GREAT TAXI DRIVER: Emerson Clark – cell: (246) 228-6192

Mr. Clark is very knowledgeable, polite and reasonably priced. Book him for your needs or for a private tour, you won’t regret it. Just tell him what sites you would like to see and he will get you there. Tell him that Lois Swanson recommended him. I don't think he has any website. He was #1 driver by the Tourism Board a few years back.

 

Lois