Saint James (Barbados)

Saint James, a parish on the western side of Barbados, is Barbados' premier tourist magnet. Frequented by the rich and very rich, Paynes Bay (known alternatively as the Platinum Coast) is dotted with luxury hotels, resorts and mansions, and attracts visitors to its popular shopping areas and excellent cuisine. Historically, it is also significant for being the site of the first European landing in Barbados, which occurred at Holetown in 1625.

There is one road, with barely two lanes, that runs up the coast in this parish. Perpetually packed with traffic, it makes for a slow but not unpleasant drive. Watch out for pedestrians (there are practically no sidewalks)!

Buses, both public as well as private, run continuously up and down the west coast road and it is easy to get around without a car. Bus number 12P (about every 20 minutes) connects this area with the airport, albeit slowly.

There are plenty of restaurants ranging from beach-front shacks to high-end chef run restaurants. Holetown has the highest concentration of restaurants in this Parish but there are others dotted along the West Coast Road, including a cheap but good Roti place at Paynes Bay.