Arriving and leaving: airport, cruise pier and the last morning

The middle of a trip here looks after itself. The stress, when there is any, is concentrated at the beginning and the end — and almost all of it is avoidable with a little arranging.

Arriving by air

The airport is small and the process is quick. What makes the difference:

• Arrange the transfer beforehand where you are staying — most places will do it and it removes the only decision you have to make while tired
• Otherwise take a taxi and agree the fare first
• Get cash before leaving, as covered in the material on practicalities
• Have your accommodation address written down for the arrival card and for the driver
• Complete any online arrival form in advance if one is required

The last is worth checking a week before travel. Requirements change, and an online form that takes five minutes at home takes considerably longer standing in a queue with poor signal.

Arriving by cruise

Different, and simpler. You walk off into the capital rather than being driven in from an airport.

• The town is right there, and walkable
• Taxis and tours wait at the pier, and prices are negotiable
• Agree everything in advance, including the return time
• Watch the clock — the ship does not wait
• Consider walking rather than taking a tour if you only have a few hours; the town rewards it

An honest suggestion for a short call: one thing done properly beats three things rushed. A morning walking the town and eating a proper lunch is a better memory than a coach itinerary covering half the island through a window.

And see the material on customs for the position if you are joining or leaving a ship here rather than just visiting for the day.

The last morning

Where the avoidable problems live:

• Confirm your flight the day before, and the terminal
• Arrange the transfer the day before, not on the morning
• Allow more time than you think — the roads are unpredictable and there is no second flight later
• Check any departure tax situation, and whether it is already in your ticket
• Keep some local cash for the last day, and do not change it all early
• Check passport validity rules for your onward destination, as covered in the material on documents

The third is the one that matters most. Flights off a small island are infrequent, so missing one is not a matter of catching the next — it may mean waiting a day or more, at short notice and full price.

Taking things home

• Spices and rum are the obvious choices, bought locally rather than at the airport
• Local chocolate, which travels well and is genuinely good
• Craft work bought directly from the maker
• Check your own country's import rules before buying plant products or anything from the sea
• Never buy coral, shell or turtle products — see the material on customs for why

On liquids in hand luggage: rum bought in town has to go in the hold, so buy it before you pack rather than on the way to the airport.

Leaving well

A small thing that costs nothing:

Say goodbye to the people you have met — where you stayed, the place you ate at three times, the driver who took you somewhere. This is a small island and personal relationships matter. It takes two minutes and it is the right way to leave.

And if you enjoyed somewhere, say so publicly in a review. For small family-run places here, that has a real and direct effect on their business in a way it does not for a hotel chain.

Frequently asked questions