St James Holidays

You’ll spy St James on the west coast of Barbados. And it’s a good place to park up. The so-called Platinum Coast lives up to expectations, with a load of silver-sand beaches and swanky shopping malls. And this parish throws a golf course, a historic heavyweight and a couple of polo clubs into the ring, as well.

You might think Barbados = beach, but St James brings back-up. You’ve got a hat-trick of malls, where the shops cosy up next to art galleries, cinemas, and restaurants and bars. Designer-wise, you’re looking at everyone from Michael Kors to Ralph Lauren. Meanwhile, history fans can check out a still-churning sugar factory or drop in on Holetown, where the first English settlers landed in 1627.

There’s a pick ‘n’ mix of beaches up for grabs in the parish. They range from long, curvy numbers to itsy-bitsy coves. One of the busiest is Holetown Beach. Here, the sands look like they’ve just seen a ghost. And there’s a small reef, a play park and tennis courts at one end – part of the Folkestone Marine Park and Museum.