The Bushy Park Racing Circuit adds a motorsport touch; along the coast, Bottom Bay and Crane Beach offer contrasting beach scenery. Together with Sunbury Plantation House and St. Philip Parish Church, motorsport, the coast and history shape the character of Saint Philip. Saint Philip is the largest of Barbados’s eleven parishes and covers the island’s southeast coast.
Beaches and Coastal Spots
Bottom Bay, a white-sand beach beneath coconut palms on the cliff-lined east coast of Barbados, is located in Saint Philip. The beach is considered a popular picnic spot. Crane Beach in Saint Philip has pink sand and blue water. Beach activities include swimming and relaxing on a beach lounger beneath an umbrella. The two coastal spots therefore differ both in their scenery and in the beach activities described.
Shark Hole is a secluded coastal spot on the east coast of Barbados in Saint Philip. Local knowledge or a map can help you find it. This tip offers practical guidance if Shark Hole is one of your destinations to explore.
Historic Buildings
East Point Lighthouse stands in Saint Philip, on the edge of Ragged Point. It was built in 1875 and is no longer in operation. Sunbury Plantation House dates back to 1660. St. Philip Parish Church is among the oldest buildings in Barbados. While Sunbury is associated with a specific year, the church’s significance is conveyed by comparing it with other old buildings on the island.
Motorsport and Rum Production
Bushy Park Racing Circuit is a Grade 3 FIA racing facility with a 2.2-kilometre track. It has hosted Global RallyCross races, among other events. Its classification and track length give a concrete impression of the facility; the races reflect its connection to motorsport.
Foursquare Rum Distillery and Heritage Park features exhibitions and paintings. A self-guided tour takes visitors through the rum-making process from beginning to end. The park therefore offers a different focus from the circuit: here, it is about the production process, while the circuit is about motorsport and a specific racing facility.
A Wider Look at Barbados
Across Barbados, Bridgetown and its Garrison are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Historic Bridgetown is a well-preserved old town dating from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, and an outstanding example of British colonial architecture. The galleries of the Barbados Museum are housed within the World Heritage Site in 19th-century military prison buildings. These places broaden the view of Barbados’s history and architecture beyond the buildings of Saint Philip.
The botanical gardens also offer another perspective on Barbados as a whole. Andromeda Botanic Gardens lies between the parishes of St. Joseph and St. John, about 300 yards from the Atlantic coast on the east side of the island. The grounds cover six acres and are home to more than 500 different plant species. The garden was created both as an ornamental garden and as a botanical garden for research. Hunte’s Gardens is located on the grounds of a former sugar plantation. Barbados is therefore home to gardens with different connections: a diverse plant collection and a historically used site.
Discover more destinations: Ruby, Wellhouse, Ocean City, Work Hall, St James, St Andrew, Saint Joseph, Saint John.
Return to the main travel guide: Barbados.
