Basic facts you will need to know about arriving and staying on the island in a point form for easy reference.
Currency: Eastern Caribbean Dollar (EC) but the US Dollar is also widely accepted
Language: English
Time Zone: AST (same time as EST)
Capital: St. John's
Climate: tropical with little seasonal temp variations. Hurricane season is July to Oct
Airport: VC Bird International Airport
Cruise Ports:
Heritage Pier that connects to Heritage Quay - most used pier
Nevis Street Pier that connected to Redcliffe Quay
Banks:
most places will take credit cars
ATM's (will dispense EC) are available at the banks and the airport
Electricity: 110 volts
Food: safe to eat
Water: safe to drink
Medical: good and easy to find
Safety: Stick with normal tourist recommendations (ex. avoid flashy jewelry). As always, be aware and respectful of locals and you'll have no issues. Women can travel solo here and feel safe. Theft is uncommon but does happen - secure your purses and wallets.
History:
Inhabited by the Siboney in 2400 BC
Arawak and Carib Indians populated the island shortly after until 1493 when Columbus landed
Spanish and French started early settlements English formed a colony in 1667
Slavery abolished in 1834
Became an independent state within the British Commonwealth of Nations in 1981
