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West Indies 2025 Tour Information

Australian Cricket Tour To The West Indies 2025 | Official Confirmed Schedule | 1st Test Barbados June 25 - 29 | 2nd Test Grenada July 3 - 7 | 3rd Test Jamaica July 12 - 16 | T20's Jamaica July 20 & 22 | T20's St Kitts & Nevis July 25, 26 & 28 | Australian Cricket Tours

Welcome to West Indies 2025

Many thanks for choosing to join our 30 Years Anniversary Tour of the West Indies.

It is going to be awesome!

**Two seats remain at the Gala Dinner on June 22 in Barbados. Book Here to enjoy this special night!**

**A handful of places remain on our SUNSET CATAMARAN CRUISE on June 23 in Barbados. Book Here to enjoy this relaxed, all-inclusive event!**

**Our Barbados Rum Trip on June 24 is limited to just 20 per bus, to visit the birthplace of RUM. Book Here.**

From starting in our much-loved St Maarten for blow-your-hair-back planespotting, through to perennial favourite Barbados, the first Aussie test match in Grenada, to the heady and rhythmic Jamaica, on to lush Antigua and ending in delightful St Kitts, we have 43 grand nights ahead.

We know not everyone can or wants to go everywhere, but we do what we can with what we've been given and trust we will make your time as unique and enjoyable as we make every tour.

You may have left Australia, but are not yet in the Caribbean, so this information (some of it still to be collected (West Indies! 🙄)) is still relevent to your forthcoming trip, no matter how little or long you spend with us.

This is created to orient yourself when you arrive in the islands, when leaving, travelling between islands, getting around, 'how much to spend', day trips, and things to do.

Myself and Darren (Gluv!) will be in St Maarten from June 16, whilst our great friends and colleagues Melinda and Pedro will be in Barbados from June 16 to prepare the land for everyone's arrival, should you be joining us in BGI of course.

We are still waiting on some information from all islands, and have a few things still to confirm. We will update this page as we learn more, so please continue to check back in.

#StayTuned

LAST UPDATED: June 04, 2025.

On This Page:

If there is anything else you need to know that we haven't covered, please ask.

West Indies Immigration

DO NOT LOSE THIS PAGE.

When you land in each Caribbean nation, you must complete immigration 'paperwork' before seeing an immigration officer, albeit fleetingly.

Development of digital technologies sees many (not all) island nations with online immigration forms to be completed up to 72 hours before arrival.

Along with required hotel information and links to each island's tourism websites, the pages below include basic tourism entry requirements and online immigration & customs forms for each island on our Australian Cricket Tour to the West Indies 2025.

For those that love collecting passport stamps, you won't get any in Barbados and other islands may only stamp on the way in!

You may need to produce proof of immigration completion so keep the confirmation at hand. If you don't complete the form prior to arrival there are kiosks in Barbados where you can complete the detail, but on other islands connect to the free airport wifi, scan the QR code, and complete the form before seeing immigration.

If you do not have a mobile phone, complete your immigration form BEFORE leaving the hotel wifi.

We have provided pages and links for  islands included in our tour, and neighbouring islands where we know people are visiting. If you are visiting islands other than these below, do your own research.

These links open new pages so come back to this page to continue:

Your passport, its validity and visa requirements, is YOUR responsibility. Not ours. We will not be held responsible for you not having the correct passport/validity, or you being refused entry.

It is up to you to know if your passport is valid for the duration of your time and if you require a visa. If you have questions about entry to any island, take it up with the relevant government.

If you are travelling through the USA it is imperative that YOU are familiar with ESTA regulations. One lad travelling with us fell foul of not having a flight booked back to Australia before boarding his flight to the USA. Although he has a flight booked to Barbados from the USA, Barbados IS NOT considered a foreign destination by ESTA rules. If you have a question about ESTA take it up with up with ESTA.

On arrival into each island, you may be asked to present:

  • Passport valid for duration of your trip
  • Onward or return ticket to country of residence
  • Intended address in island
  • Evidence of personal financial support
  • Letter of authorization from parent/guardian if under 18 years of age or if you are travelling as a single parent/guardian with a person under 18 years of age

DUTY FREE: Each island, being independent nations, has their own duty free limits & restrictions. What you can carry into one island, you might be able to bring to the next. I certainly would stack my bag with commerical quantities of Bundaberg Rum to save 75c. After a day in the islands, you may wonder why Bundy has not been banned from using the word rum; or simply banned.

Before You Leave

  • Email a copy of your passport to yourself and a trusted soul
  • Update your device with an ICE (In Case of Emergency) number. You are welcome to share that number with us
  • Tell you bank & card issuer that you are headed to the islands
  • Ensure you have adequate travel insurance

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What To Bring

Aussie Flag: We will have a pole of flags to use at the cricket, but are boomerangs at the end of the day. If you have your own, please bring it along

Jumper/Fleece: I'd be surprised if you need anything more than two-ply tissues to blunt an evening Atlantic breeze but it won't hurt to bring a light sweater.

Travel Plug | Cables: All hotels use 2-prong flat US, and some 3-prong square UK sockets, so pack a universal travel plug (see images below). Don't forget back-up phone cables and USB plugs; now the most forgotten/left behind items in hotel rooms. 

Power Board: There may only be one convenient plug in your room so pack a power board so you can use your hairdryer & curling wand whilst charging your phone

Sunscreen (Diabolically expensive in the islands) | Swimmers | Goggles

Insect Repellent: Bring your favourite roll-on or pump spray (see roll-ons) repellent. Mozzies are known to love the tropics, and we don't want your time on the teal to be disrupted by pesky bites

Wet Wipes: Do not underestimate the value in wipes to keep you refreshed on a smoking hot day at the cricket

Personal Medication: Paracetamol, ibuprofen and off-the-shelf medicines are not cheap across the islands so pack what you feel you may need. Prescription medication may not be available so bring what you need to cover your time

Toiletries: These may not be cheap to replace, so depending on your time away, before or after the tour, bring what you need so as to not run out in the islands

Cooler (esky) Bag: There is nothing we yet know that says you cannot bring your own rum to the game, as per every West Indies tour in the past, so long as it is in a plastic bottle. If you are so inclined, bring a cooler bag or small esky with ice from the hotel

Old Sneakers or Reef Shoes: Some beaches are beautifully soft however the water may be littered with coral. If you intend to snorkel or swim in the reefs, bring some old clogs.

Golf Balls: If you're going to tee-up, bring a few loseable dimples to avoid mortgaging your house to enjoy 18 holes

Roll-Ons: When flying between islands, you may get called by airport security to undergo a random luggage search. They DO NOT LIKE aerosols in checked bags. My 'flammable' deodorant was OK but my 'flammable' industrial strength elephant repellent was not. I argued by saying my book was also flammable, which, like repellent, only when exposed to naked flame. He didn't agree.

Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, St Maarten Use Socket B (below).
There are no USB ports in the rooms. 

Accra Beach Hotel Rooms Electrical Sockets

Accra Beach Hotel, Barbados Use Socket B (below).
There are no USB ports in the rooms. 

Accra Beach Hotel Rooms Electrical Sockets

Radisson Grenada Use Both US & UK Sockets (below).
There are no USB ports in the rooms.

Radisson Grenada Electrical Sockets
ROK Hotel Kingston Use Socket B (below).
There are USB ports in each room.
Accra Beach Hotel Rooms Electrical Sockets 

Caribbean Currency

Do not seek any Caribbean currency before you leave. #MadnessIfYouDo

If you have nothing else in your purse, have USD$ in small demoninations.

Each island has their own currency, though many share the Eastern Caribbean Dollar (XCD):

St Maarten: USD | Euro | Netherlands Antilles Guilder
Barbados: Barbados Dollar (BBD)
Grenda: XCD
Jamaica: Jamaican Dollar (JMD)
Antigua & Barbuda: XCD
St Kitts & Nevis: XCD
St Lucia: XCD
St Vincent & The Grenadines: XCD

Saying this, do not bring $000's of US$. Cards are accepted everywhere, except public transport, and you can easily convert AUD in the islands to local currency.

I use cards for everything where possible, and very rarely pilfer an ATM for that one-off cash injection. Everyone has their own argument or preference for using cards, travel wallets, cash, or traveller's cheques, and it remains each to their own. No matter which way you go, you lose money when converting.

You will need currency at the cricket as not every concession stand has card facilities.

St Maarten | St Martin:

US$ is the prime currency on the Dutch side, with Euros on the French, though USD is accepted EVERYWHERE. Do not worry about Netherlands Antilles Guilders though when using ATM's, it does ask if you'd like to withdraw them. I'm interested to know if any one does use them. Although we are staying 'all-inclusive', you need USD to travel in the bongo buses to/from Phillipsburg & Marigot.

Barbados:

Barbados is a dual currency nation. US$1 = BB$2. That's it. DO NOT, as some have done in the past, 'exchange' US$ for BB$. You do not have to. If you do, you will deservedly ONLY get BB$1.96 or less. Unless otherwise stated, everything is priced in BB$, such as Banks Beer $5 (or US$2.5).

When you pay in USD$ you will receive Bajan in change.

You need small US$10/5/1 notes when using bongo buses (see 'getting about') and 'exact change' when using the public buses as you deposit cash into the box.

Grenada (Antigua | St Kitts):

Like Barbados, the XCD is pegged to the US$ though with a little fluctuation. USD$1 = XCD$2.70-$2.65. All you need is US$ to get going. And again, do not change USD for XCD. No matter who you give USD to, they will give you change in XCD.

Unless otherwise stated, all pricing is displayed in XCD$.

Jamaica:

The Jamaica dollar is not pegged to the USD so fluctuates as any currency. Thus, and this is only a suggestion, if you are coming to Jamaica ONLY bring your card and a handful of home currency. There is no need to pay 7% exchange to get USD$ to pay 7% exchange to get JMD$. You can exchange AUD$ for JMD$.

If travelling independently, you can use USD$ if taking a taxi to/from the airport.

When in Jamaica in May 2024 for 4 days, I did not use/handle Jamaica dollars. I used credit card everywhere I spent, though I did pay USD$ cash to/from the airport.

The Jamaica Dollar is easiest to convert to AUD$. At roughly JMD$100 to AUD$1, just knock off the zeros to know how much your J$500 Red Stripe is.

ATM

The simplest means of getting cash as we all know is withdrawing from an ATM. If prompted select USD$ as you can use it across multiple isles. Hang the expense of whatever it costs to use the ATM, get your US$ and know in all likelihood you will spend it before you leave!

ATM's are plentiful across the islands and though connected to CIRRUS and PLUS networks, your withdrawal may still come off your credit card even after selecting Current or Savings, so get online and have a check.

Credit cards widely accepted at restaurants, cafes, shops, bars, supermarkets, food trucks and liquor stores. You need cash for your public buses, and the cricket.

ATM safety protocols apply, specifically, put your card in and before pressing any number, cancel the transaction. If your card comes out, the machine hasn't been tampered with.

How Much To Spend

Have a browse of these menus of places we have been, and will go again, for an idea of what to pay (they open to a new page):

There are supermarkets close to our hotels on each island where you can find for approx:

  • Cheap Rum 1litre US$10+
  • Good Rum 1 litre US$15+
  • Top Shelf Rum 1 litre US$30+
  • Bottled Water 1 litre US$1+
  • Pain Relief US$4+

Visit Massey Stores Supermarket Barbados website to give a broad concept of costs across the islands when shopping retail.

Communication In West Indies

  • We communicate tour information, changes to transfer times, function details, and where we go each night after play, among other things, by WHATSAPP ONLY. Install it on your phone if you haven't already and stay connected with us, when your device is connected to the internet of course

  • DO NOT CALL OR TEXT MESSAGE our Australian number. The SIM card WILL NOT be in the phone so it will not ring, and text messages will not be received

The advent of public wifi, eSIMs and roaming packages connected to your home network, limits the need for connecting to a local network. The Caribbean is a different story, so we will still connect locally using DIGICEL.

Digicel will have our SIM cards available for collection, so to save you looking for a local store, all you need to do is buy your SIM card here:

So, before deciding you can't be bothered and turn on mobile data to freely rack up the debt of tinpot African dictatorship, first check roaming availability and costs in the Caribbean with your home Aussie network.

The only Australian roaming (per per day) package available with Telstra is in Jamaica.

The two primary networks across the islands with physical & eSIMs are:

Otherwise, subscribe to your preferred eSIM global operator which includes, but not limited to, and certainly not any recommendation:

In May - July 2024, I travelled for 6 weeks without buying a local SIM card for the first time, but I had no one to call or share information with, so it wasn't imperative.

Aside our hotels, wifi is readily available in public areas, restaurants, supermarkets, bars, and cafes, so you won't be totally disconnected.

Wifi at the cricket during Cricket World Cup 2024 was hit and miss, even with a sprinkling of users at Australia vs Oman & Bangladesh. Whether that was generic stadium wifi or ICC World Cup only wifi, I don't know.

All that said, aside face to face, we will be contactable by phone via  Whatsapp ONLY so it is imperative your phone can connect to the internet and you have Whatsapp installed.

For those that don't know, you do not need your Australian SIM in your phone to use your Australian Whatsapp. With Whatsapp installed, any internet connection can be used.

If you install a new SIM and are prompted to change your number, DON'T! You do not need to change numbers.

Our Whatsapp Number:

  • +61.402.222217

Please send us a message (letting us know who you are!), as we may not yet have your number in our phone. We'll confirm any date or time changes via Whatsapp.

Airport Pick-Ups

As part of your tour, we will meet you at the airport and transfer you to the hotel, but please understand, these are group transfers, not individual. Once you leave the airport and enter the tropics, unless arriving BEFORE our designated pick-up dates, look for the ACT cricket field:

Australian Cricket Tours ACT Cricket Field Logo

 

There is likely others on your flight or flight/s arriving at the same time, who we are also meeting, so please be patient as not everyone will exit at the same time. If you do not wish to wait you are welcome grab a taxi at your expense and we'll see you at the hotel.

We know your flight details into the islands, but should these change, or you miss your flight, you need to let us know. We don't need to sit around if we don't know that you weren't on the plane.

To reconfirm, our transfer dates are:

St Maarten: Arrival June 16, 17 | Departure June 21

Barbados: Arrival June 21, 22, 23 | Departure June 30

Grenada: Arrival June 30 & July 1 | Departure July 8, 9

Jamaica: Arrival July 9, 10 | Departure July 17

Antigua: Arrival July 17 | Departure July 22

St Kitts: Arrival July 22 | Departure July 29

Unless otherwise stated directly with you, if you are arriving or leaving outside of these dates, please make your own way from/to the airport with local transport services.

Group Flights

If an inter-island flight is included in your tour, or you have booked one our seats, the depart on these dates and times:

  • SXM - BGI | June 21 | Caribbean Airlines BW457/BW448 | Dep. 1810pm Arr. 2255pm

  • BGI - GND | June 30 | Flight 1 | interCaribbean Airlines JY0748 | Dep. 1400pm. Arr. 1455pm | Names Still To Be Allocated

  • BGI - GND | June 30 | Flight 1 | interCaribbean Airlines JY0764 | Dep. 1825pm. Arr. 2025pm | Names Still To Be Allocated

  • GND - KIN | July 9 | Caribbean Airlines BW450 | Dep 0810am. Arr. 0955am

  • KIN - ANU | July 17 | Caribbean Airlines BW419 | Dep. 1455pm. Arr. 1820pm

  • ANU - SKB | July 22 | British Airways BA2157 | Dep. 1430pm. Arr. 1520pm

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Hotels in West Indies

As a reminder we are staying at these hotels. When completing your online immigration forms, you need the addresses of where you are staying. The addresses for each hotel are on the immigraiton links above, or by clicking the hotel links below.

A room/bed has been booked in your name at the hotels on the islands you are enjoying with us. There is no need to produce confirmation. Check-in as you would any other hotel by handing over your passport. We will be at the hotels to assist on all days, based on our 'airport pick-up' dates.

Pre- & Post Test Functions

Barbados:

  • Pre-Test | June 24 | Accra Beach Hotel | 6pm - 10pm
  • Post-Test | June 29 | Accra Beach Hotel | 6pm - 10pm

Grenada:

  • Pre-Test | July 2 | Radisson Grenada | 6pm - 10pm
  • Post-Test | July 6 | TBC | 6pm - 10pm

Jamaica:

  • Pre-Test | July 11 | ROK Hilton Kingston | 6pm - 10pm
  • Post-Test | July 16 | TBC

Antigua:

  • No Function| All-Inclusive Resort

St Kitts:

  • Pre-Series | July 24 | Royal St Kitts Hotel | 6pm - 9pm
  • Post-Test | June 27 | Shipwreck Beach Bar | 6pm - 9pm

Unknown post-Test Functions will be confirmed during each match.

If you cannot make it to the pre-test function to collect your tickets, please let us know, but DO NOT CALL OUR AUSTRALIAN MOBILE. WhatsApp +61402222217 ONLY.

Match Tickets

We aim to deliver you physical match tickets, to break from the current norm of electronic. We are waiting on confirmation from Cricket West Indies.

Physical tickets will be given when you check-in to the hotel/s, or at the pre-test match function if you have booked our match tickets package.

In the advent that we can only distribute electronically, these will be done via Whatsapp. If you do not have a mobile phone, we will email the tickets.

If you cannot make our pre-test function to collect your tickets, please let us know well-before we ask, "where are you?" at 11pm the night before the test.

If you haven't already received your cool apparel you will receive them at the pre-test function.

Match Days

    • Test Matches start 1000am
    • T20's start 1900pm

Transfers to/from the venue are included.

    • Day 1 - 0800am
      • Toss 0930am | 1st Ball 1000am
    • Day 2, 3, 4, 5 - 0900am
      • 1st Ball 1000am
    • Return To Hotel Straight After PLay

0800am on Day 1 is not leaving early, it is ensuring we are not late. It is ensuring we get through morning traffic, have time to walk to the ground from where we get off the bus, and have time to go through 'over-zealous' Day 1 security. We have not waited 10 years to be late. Get in early, get settled, and leaving time to wander about and look forward to a ripping day's play.

We won't wait until 0801am and you won't be the first person we've left behind, if you think 'it's only 1 minute, they'll wait'. You do not have to take the bus, this is an included service. You are welcome to make your way at your time and your own expense. 

Getting About

St Maarten

Rent-a-Car.

Renting a car is great way to see the furthest reaches of St Maarten, but, to be blunt, you will only drive to see another beach, that isn't accessed by bongo bus. There is not a lot in St Maarten that isn't reachable by bongo. If you want a beach that isn't Maho, walk a sor distance to the Mullet Bay Beach on the other side of the hotel, or take a Bongo bus to Simpson Bay on other side of the airport, or Great Bay on your trip to Phillipsburg.

Buses

Bongo Buses to Phillipsburg, for a plethora of duty-free electonics and tech shopping, are outside our hotel, with P.Burg or Phillisburg or Ph.Burg written on the sign in the front window. Coming back you take a bongo heading to Mullet Bay!

If you want to go to the French side and sip cafe au lait in Marigot, take a bongo towards Phillipsburg and get out the T-Junction, before the bongo turns right to Phillipsburg. The , road straight goes to Marigot, with the name in the front.

There are no bongos between Marigot and Maho.

It cost US$2 per ride.

Barbados

Rent-a-Car.

Ryan from GoCars BB has offered 20% off the base price of car rentals. With 2-3 days up the sleeve before the 1st Test, consider getting yourself some wheels to see an island that has more to see than any other island.

Buses

Conversely, if there is one island which you don't really need a car, it is Barbados as the public bus network is 2nd to none in the Caribbean.

Three types of buses, and you can get around the island using all three. No one bus does it all, but you can do the lot!

Route (ZR) Taxis (or Bongo Bus): private min-vans you see and hear everywhere
Yellow with blue stripe: called a mini-bus are also privately operated
Blue Barbados Transport Board Buses with yellow stripe: the big ones

They all cost BB$3.50 or US$1.75 no matter how far you travel. #Perfect

Bongo Buses and mini-buses have conductors, who take fares and give you change. If there is no conductor, pay the driver. Blue buses do not offer-change as you pay your fare into the box on entering. Other passengers may help you with change if needed.

Stop a Bongo anywhere by shouting "Bus Stop" or tapping on the roof. A mini-bus has a 'stop' button to press.

Bongo bus #11 plies Worthing Main Road past our hotel between Bridgetown & Oistins (weekend fish fry!). Some go to the airport; look for the sign in the front window.

Bongos pass every few minutes. Hold your hand out to stop them anywhere you like, if they don't stop to ask if you want a ride. It's a cut-throat industry and every fare is fair.

Some bongos go around Bridgetown, so be sure to check the sign in the front window, such as Black Rock (9A); this will get you closest to Kensington Oval.

Yellow buses and blue buses only pick up at bus stops, which are in themselves a wonderful quirk of Barbados. You cannot lose your way as bus stops are simply labelled, To City and Out of City, so you know which side of the road stand if you know where you want to go.

If travelling independently, you can take bus #12A from the airport to Bridgetown, and #27 from the airport via Bridgetown to Speightstown (Spates Town). Both buses run along the south coast to St Lawrence Gap and our hotel in Rockley. Bus 27 only operates to/from the airport seven scheduled services Mon-Fri to Speightstown. Otherwise take the 12A to Oistins and change to #27 there.

#27 will take you closest to Kensington Oval. Get off at 'BLACK ROCK' bus stop and walk down President Kennedy Drive.

The buses are super-efficient and super-safe. Where the taxis in the car-park next to our hotel will try to charge US$10 to get to St Lawrence, jump in a bongo for US$1.75 for the 5-10mins drive (traffic dependent!).

Grenada

Rent-a-Car.

Richard from Rental Cars Grenada has offered us 5% off the base price of car rentals. It's not a lot, but it could be 0%. With 2-3 days to invest before the 1st Test, consider renting some wheels as bus options are very limited, by comparison to Barbados.

    • Email Richard at "yrcarrental@gmail.com" letting him know you touring with us.

Buses

Quite simply, bongo buses for US$1 per ride to/from St Georges are flagged down on the main road outside our hotel, travelling to the left.

All bongos go the main bus terminal, from where it is 750m to National Cricket Stadium. So, if you want to go to the weekend markets, get a bongo bus after breakfast, and then walk at your leisure up, over, and the hill to the ground. #Easy

If you want to leave the cricket early, walk up, over, and down the hill to the bus terminal and grab a bongo to 'Grand Anse'. Ask the conductor to throw you out at the Radisson.

For the healthy, it is a 6km walk to the cricket from the hotel.

Jamaica

Personally, I would not rent a car in Jamaica, and I would be very surprised if you wanted to take public transport in Kingston. I never have, except the Knutsford Express.

Your best and safest option to get around Kingston is to contact our well-known and respected female taxi driver, Sandra Gordon on Whatsapp: +1.876.9990762

If you are travelling to/from the north coast, Ocho Rios or Montego Bay (including Airport), book your seat on the popular, safe, and affordable, Knutsford Express.

Things To Do

For a broad idea of what to do, visit each island's official tourism website, otherwise here is a brief list of things to consider on the three Test islands.

Barbados

Grenada

  • Grenada Tourism
  • Rent A Car | Email Richard At "yrcarrental@gmail.com" For A Small Rental Discount | Unlike Barbados, Grenada does not have the vast public transport network so you may need wheels to get deeper into the lush interior and points further north
  • Tri-Island Chocolate | Grenada Is Known For Chocolate, And Tri-Island Is A Great Place To Start, Including Learning About Life As A Rastafarian
  • Illustrious Tours | Waterfalls, Rivers, Lakes, Rum, Chocolate, Nutmeg, And All Things Grenada, Our Man Donney Is Putting Together A Collection Of Tours For Us | Book Soon
  • More To Come

Visit Jamaica

STILL WAITING FOR INFO.

Health & Safety

Please ensure you have adequate travel insurance to cover your time in the islands and all the time you are away!!

"If you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel!"

To get health issues out of the way, please be safe with your nocturnal activities as unfortunate illnesses are rife across the region. For ALL medical related questions, speak to your Quack!!

That said, there are not too many places in the world where a Government doesn't offer some kind of 'be safe' advisory so you can relax knowing this is the Australian Government understanding of life in the islands:

"The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade does not produce travel advisories for Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, (St Vincent & The Grenadines), and Suriname, or any of the non-independent Caribbean territories at this time."

Suffice; when it comes to watching cricket, be careful in Jamaica, Guyana, and Trinidad!

Over years of touring and preparing to tour West Indies we've not experienced anything that would cause us to reconsider, nor have received any reason to wish we weren't there, except Jamaica where we always remain 'fully alert'.

My experience in Kingston in May 2024 however was a 'deep breath of relaxed air'. Not one pang of anxiety. No intimidation. No threat of violation. Highlighted by our staying 'downtown' at the fresh from the showroom, ROK Hilton Hotel, in the art district!

Downtown Kingston was a place you only went with at least 3 mates, a local to keep 'local elements' at bay, and US$20 in your sock; enough to keep villains happy without stabbing you as punishment for not having more.

Times have finally changed.

Meeting Marlene at ROK Hilton, I said Kingston no longer felt the badland it used to be and that Hilton would not establish a property 'downtown' if there was inherrent risk to their guests.

"Luke, I am so pleased to hear you say that, because you are right, we wouldn't!"

As comfortable as I am staying at ROK, this does not mean you swan about Kingston after dark on your own. Please don't. The Test Match is day/night, so we are back to the hotel straight after play.

We have been contacted by the Australia High Commission to register our touring numbers, and they will contact me to share impending risk or danger.

All will be good, but visit Smartraveller and register to receive updates:

Itinerary

AUSTRALIAN CRICKET TOURS: