It may not be the biggest location. But if you want understated luxury, then the best things to do in Holetown have you covered.
You’ll find the best things to do in Holetown over on the vibrant west coast of Barbados. The small city is part of the wider parish of Saint James but, despite its size, the incredible location packs a real adventurous punch.
In this blog, we’ll introduce you to the wonders of Holetown and let you know the top activities to fill up your itinerary.
Top things to do in Holetown
- Harrisons Cave
- Holetown beach
- Folkestone Marine Park & Visitor Centre
- Watersports
- Nightlife
- Sandy Lane Green Monkey Golf Course
- Shopping
- Hamilton’s Pottery
A quick guide to Holetown
Before we get into those activities in more detail, we should probably give you a brief overview of the place.
Barbados is renowned for being one of the friendliest islands in the Caribbean, and if you’ve ever been to Holetown you’ll understand why. The chic location offers some of the best bars, restaurants, and beaches on the island. While the people provide the good vibes.
With those incredible stretches of sand, awesome nightlife, and this list of great things to do, it’s no wonder many people choose the west coast for their break. So, why don’t we start telling you more about those amazing activities?
1. Harrisons Cave
Forget being one of the best things to do in Holetown, this is one of the best spots in all of Barbados. The Harrison’s Cave Eco-Adventure Tour is a perfect way to get to know more about the island’s natural beauty.
On the tour, you’ll journey under the earth to a subterranean environment where stalagmites and stalactites dominate the landscape. Witness stunning waterfalls and underground river systems before stopping in the 15m high Great Hall cavern. On the other hand, you might like to ride through the site on the Signature Tram Tour.
Once you’ve completed the sightseeing trip you can head back topside where you can choose to explore the flora and fauna of the island on a nature trail.
2. Holetown Beach
We couldn’t talk about an amazing location in the Caribbean without bringing up a beach or two, could we?
As we mentioned above, Holetown benefits from some of the best white sand beaches on the island and its namesake is no different. Framed by a lengthy boardwalk, the picturesque location makes it perfect for chilling out on the sand or enjoying a subdued stroll in the sun.
Meanwhile, the gentle Caribbean Sea is ideal for swimming, snorkelling or other water sports – but more on those in a moment.
3. Folkestone Marine Park & Visitor Centre
If you find yourself on Holetown beach, stroll north along the boardwalk. You’ll soon come to our next destination, Folkestone Marine Park.
A centre dedicated to the beauty and diversity of marine life in the waters surrounding Barbados. The museum features a visitor centre in which you’ll find a public viewing area where colourful and rare marine species can be seen.
4. Water sports
While we’re on the subject of marine life, snorkelling and diving are prime things to do in Holetown. In fact, experienced divers will love experiencing the artificial reef that has been created in the Folkestone Marine Park.
Stavronikita is a ship that was purposefully sunken and now rests 120ft below the surface. The depth of the wreck makes it a challenge for more adept divers.
However, there is an abundance of snorkelling sites around the area. Barbados Snorkeling Tours by Hayden Browne is the number 1 ranked tour in the area on TripAdvisor for a reason. During this excursion, you’ll cruise along the west coast on a glass-bottomed vessel before swimming with sea turtles and snorkelling over shipwrecks.
5. Nightlife
Barbados is known for its vibrant nightlife island-wide. Places like Oistsins are especially lively with events and weekly parties. However, Holetown can hold its own when it comes to cutting it up when the sun goes down.
Chic locations like the Duke’s Night Lounge, the Red Door Lounge and TML One Love Bar are perfect for soaking in the incredible atmosphere. Plus, if there are any celebs in Barbados at the time, then chances are you’ll catch them here.
Elsewhere, if you time your trip right, you won’t need to wait for the sun to go down to have a party. The Holetown Festival happens in February every year and celebrates the anniversary of the first English settlement in the town. Prepare for dancing, singing and, of course, plenty of rum.
6. Sandy Lane Green Monkey Golf Course
Meanwhile, if you’re up on your golf, there’s even something for you in Holetown.
Located just 5 minutes from central Holetown, the ultra-exclusive Sandy Lane Green Monkey Course is a picture of golfing heaven.
Developed by legendary course designer Tom Fazio, the 72-par location features manicured greens and fairways, as well as dramatic Caribbean Sea views to offer challenging contrasts.
7. Shopping
However, if all those water and land sports aren’t your thing, how about some retail therapy? The Limegrove Lifestyle Centre is one of the main hubs for picking up a bargain in Barbados.
Located in the heart of the city, shopaholics will have a great wandering the stores here. Fill your duty-free quotas with treats from huge names like Cartier, Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Ralph Lauren.
When you’re all shopped out or if you just fancy a break to restock the energy levels, there are a world of culinary options on offer in the centre too.
8. Hamilton’s Pottery
While we’re on the subject of shopping, we needed to talk about this quaint pottery shop in St Thomas, only 15 minutes from Holetown. Just up the road from Harrison’s Cave, Hamilton’s Pottery Shop and studio is where Hamilton Wiltshire creates his authentic ceramic wonders.
Visit the studio and get a unique view of how Hamilton produces stunning works of art out of red clay from Barbados’ Scotland District.
The talented potter creates everything from traditional monkey pots to candle shades and tableware. Plus, he only uses environmentally-friendly glazes. What’s not to love?!
Explore Holetown today
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