Your Ultimate Guide To Barbados

Holetown Beach

Holetown is on the West Coast of Barbados, in the parish of St. James, with Folkstone Beach and Marine Reserve, Heron Bay and Alleynes Bay to the north, and the exclusive Sandy Lane Hotel and Beach, Paynes Bay and Fitts Village to the south.

The lively beach at Holetown is opposite the Super Centre shopping mall and then behind the Police Station, Post Office and well stocked library. Situated on a lovely stretch of beach with lots of shady areas, there is usually a market stall at Holetown Beach where you can buy locally made beach clothes and jewellery.

You can rent beach chairs and umbrellas on Holetown Beach, and you may periodically be approached by a beach vendor hoping to sell you jewellery, wire craft, coconut bird houses or aloe leaves to use for your sunburn.  You can even get your hair braided Bajan style, or have a foot massage!

The sea at Holetown Beach is usually calm and clear, with safe swimming areas clearly marked out by buoys, but there can be a difficult slope from the sand into the water. There are some bathroom facilities here and there is a lifeguard on duty. Holetown is a popular tourist area on the west coast of Barbados, so the beach can get quite busy at times. A number of water sports operators at Holetown Beach offer trips in glass bottom boats where visitors can observe the underwater sea life, or snorkel and swim with the turtles. There are also quite a few jet skis available for rent at Holetown Beach. 

If you're feeling thirsty or hungry, there are two beach bars/restaurants at Holetown Beach, Zaccios and Surfside. Try and visit these in the late afternoon to benefit from 'happy hour' prices. 

Holetown is an area of great historical importance for Barbados. When the British first landed at this village in 1625 it became the first Barbados settlement and was named Jamestown after King James I of England. Holetown's current name can be attributed to the small stream next to the settlement nicknamed 'The Hole', which not only provided a safe docking site for ships but also provided a place where ships could be unloaded, cleaned and repaired. A monument commemorating the first settlers can be seen in the centre of Holetown, and the momentous initiation of the first settlement is celebrated annually at the Holetown Festival that takes place each February.

Just over a small bridge to the north of Holetown is St. James Parish Church. Constructed in 1628 only three years after the arrival of settlers in Barbados, this church is one of the oldest buildings in Barbados even after being rebuilt in 1680, and some of the first settlers are buried in its cemetery.

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