The parish of St. James is located on the west coast of Barbados and has a number of tourist attractions for you to enjoy while you are vacationing on the island.
The parish of St. James runs from Paynes Bay up to Mullins Bay and takes in the historic town of Holetown, which is where the English first settled in Barbados back in 1627.
Heading down the coast from Mullins Bay, the first point of interest that you will come to is St. Frances of Assisi RC Church, a beautiful church whose alter looks out over the calm Caribbean Sea. This church has seen many a famous worshiper attend mass including former English Prime Minister Tony Blair and his family and the late singer Frank Sinatra.
A few doors down from the church you will find the world famous Lone Star restaurant, which is a must if you appreciate fine dining.
St. James is also home to a few world-class restaurants such as The Cliff.
The oldest church in this parish is St. James Parish Church, which was built in 1628 by the first English settlers as an Anglican church.
A great part of Barbadian history has been based on the sugar industry and one of the tourist attractions in St. James is the Portvale Sugar Museum, which traces the history of sugar in Barbados through the ages.
Just before you reach Holetown you will see signs for Folkestone Marine Park on your right, this park has a great beach and beach facilities such as seating, toilets and showers. Underwater there are some great dive sites and you can arrange from here for a boat to take you out.
There is also a large coral reef running along this stretch of shore, which is great for snorkeling, and equipment is available to rent from the visitor centre, where there is also an educational display on marine life in the area.
As you continue southward down the coast you will come to Holetown, one of the liveliest parts of the west coast. Here you will find restaurants and bars and a good selection of things to do.
There are a few duty free shopping centres here, which are perfect for buying holiday gifts. This is also where the Holetown Festival is held each February; please see the links below for more information.
Just down the road from Holetown on your left you will see Royal Westmoreland, an excellent golf course for both visitor and locals. Continuing down the road will being you to Sandy Lane Golf and Country Club, the world famous hotel of the celebrities and stars. It is open to the general public for dining and it boasts an excellent golf course as well.
Further down the west coast main road you will come to Holders on your left, which is a plantation house and polo ground. They also hold a month long festival showcasing music and theatre. Please view the links below for further information.
Another place of interest on this stretch of road is Paynes Bay, where you will find a local fish market selling fresh fish. This is also a nice bay for swimming and sunbathing. In fact anywhere along this coast is ideal for swimming as it is all the Caribbean Sea and the waters are calm and tranquil.
