Book and Go
Go for a swim in Paynes Bay
© Creative Commons / Pierre Mangin
Holetown beaches
Holetown, the original British settlement, lies at the centre of St James Parish, at the centre of the island's so-called Platinum Coast. This is where you'll find the island's most expensive and exclusive resorts, and also a few more down-to-earth spots.
Beaches on the west coast have fine white sand. With little surf and smooth, sandy bottoms, these beaches are excellent for both swimming and sunning; however, the beaches of St James Parish are somewhat narrower than those along the southern coast or further north. The best area is Paynes Bay, which is south of Holetown; the bay is lined with luxury hotels, but if you are not staying in the area, there is public access near the Coach House, a popular beachfront bar.
Beaches on the west coast have fine white sand. With little surf and smooth, sandy bottoms, these beaches are excellent for both swimming and sunning; however, the beaches of St James Parish are somewhat narrower than those along the southern coast or further north. The best area is Paynes Bay, which is south of Holetown; the bay is lined with luxury hotels, but if you are not staying in the area, there is public access near the Coach House, a popular beachfront bar.
Some of the large resorts in St James Parish have organised programmes for kids. Folkestone Marine Park, in Church Point just north of Holetown, is a favourite family attraction with a museum and aquarium; offshore is a snorkelling trail and glass-bottom boat rides for those who don't want to get wet.
Nature is in full bloom in St Joseph at the Andromeda Botanic Garden or at the Flower Forest in the Richmond Plantation, on Highway 2. Gun Hill Signal Station, in Gun Hill, offers both a history lesson and magnificent views. For those more interested in the history of drink, both the Malibu Beach Club (in Black Rock, Brighton) and Mount Gay Rum Visitors Centre (on the Spring Garden Highway in Brandons) offer tours of their respective distilleries.
Remember the Concorde? Well, the Barbados Concorde Experience at Grantley Adams International Airport offers visitors the opportunity to see the plane which once flew from between London and Barbados at the speed of mach one.
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