Port Antonio

A magnet for foreign visitors during the 1950s and 1960s, the quiet town of PORT ANTONIO feels more like an isolated backwater these days. But that may change following the recent redevelopment of the harbour, which now boasts a waterside promenade and increased marina facilities; across the bay, the hotel and beaches at Navy Island (currently closed) are slated to receive some much-needed attention, too. At this point, however, there's not a lot to see, but "Portie" remains a friendly and beguiling place, with a bustling central market and a couple of lively clubs.

Comparing Resorts

Unlike Montego Bay, Negril, and Ocho Rios, less visited and much more remote Port Antonio is an elite retreat-long a favorite of visiting celebrities such as Bette Davis, Ginger Rogers, Harrison Ford, and Denzel Washington.

Although much of Jamaica is overbuilt, Port Antonio lies in a relatively undeveloped area. As one local vendor put it, "Ocho Rios attracts the tourist; we attract the traveler."

The area's white-sand beaches are among the island's finest and least crowded. Only a few resorts here can be described as upmarket; most of this region is a haven for the frugal traveler seeking modest digs. Port Antonio lacks the all-inclusive megaresorts of Ocho Rios or Montego Bay; if that's what you need, head elsewhere. The same goes for shopping, nightlife, and deluxe dining: If they're absolutely essential to your vacation, hit the road. And if you like to run naked on the beach, your hair in braids, Negril is more your speed; Port Antonio, quite frankly, is perhaps the most staid of the major Jamaican resort towns.

Americans tend to go for Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, and Negril (in that order). In Port Antonio, by contrast, you're much more likely to encounter European visitors, especially from Germany.

The good news is that you can link up with other resorts or attractions on day trips while staying here. Port Antonio is within easy driving distance of Ocho Rios; the Blue Mountains and John Crow Mountains are at the southern edge of the town.

And if a movie star still sneaks into town on occasion to chill out, well, that's okay with the locals, too.

Charms of this Region

Blue Lagoon
The lagoon’s mysterious waters fascinate visitors with seductive hues, seemingly endless depths and brisk temperatures. Truly a natural wonder, it defies imagination...

The Beaches
Cradled between lush tropical vegetation and the translucent Caribbean Sea, Port Antonio’s beaches are, perhaps, the most spectacular on the island.

Villas
Indulge in a private vacation in paradise. Whether a family holiday or romantic getaway, these beautiful villas promise to leave you feeling pampered, relaxed and rejuvenated.

Hiking
Don your boots and explore the Rio Grande Valley. Bursting with colourful flowers, hidden waterfalls and healing herbs, there are many exciting worlds to discover.

Boston Jerk
A scotch bonnet affair; sprinkle more sauce if you dare. Sample seasoned meats and mystify your palates with the tongue-tickling flavours of Jamaican jerk dishes.

Navy Island
Former hideaway of royalty and celebrities, this small offshore cay still retains the power to charm and entice modern day visitors.

Surfing
Find the perfect swell, brave the wave and ride into the time of your life at Portie’s awesome surfing spots.

Sport Fishing
Toss your line and wait for a bite; the waters of Port Antonio have wooed avid sport fishers for decades. There’s prize catch waiting for you…

Reach Falls
Plunging into a jade-coloured pool, this secluded waterfall is one of Jamaica’s best-kept secrets. Come, renew your spirit and refresh your soul in the cool mountain spring water.

Rafting on the Rio Grande
Jamaica’s original rafting trip…relax on a bamboo raft made for two, with pleasant surprises around each picturesque bend.

Annotto Bay

General History: In northeast St. Mary, acres and acres of banana plantations seem to stretch forever, but just between the swaying banana leaves and the sea is the small, coastal highway town of Annotto Bay. In the early twentieth century, Annotto Bay was a thriving shipping town on the north coast, with one of the most important banana shipping wharves operated by the St. Mary Banana Company.

In the town centre, a handful of early twentieth century Jamaican vernacular buildings house government social service offices such as the Post Office, the Tax Office and the Police Station. Most of the town lies between two tributaries of the Pencar River that flows into the sea on the east and west sides of the town centre. A small one-lane bridge over the Pencar marks the entrance to the town from the west, and where river meets sea, fishermen string and repair their nets between the lofty coconut trees that line the waterfront.

One of the most interesting sights in town is the Baptist Church, which stands proudly beside the Tax Office and market. The red-brick church, with stained glass windows and elaborate fretwork, is a late nineteenth century ‘village baroque’ structure with scripture quotes engraved in the building’s yellow trim. Ask around for the history of the church; it is said that the minister who built it, painstakingly cut and installed all the panes of stained glass himself!

Interesting Story: Annatto, a fruit native to the Caribbean has been used in Jamaica for hundreds of years. Annatto, called ‘roucou’ in the southern and eastern Caribbean islands, produces spiny seed pods which, open to reveal a bright orange seed coating that is almost tasteless. Many Amerindian peoples used the pigment as face paint and a food and cloth dye, while enslaved people from West Africa used the dye as a substitute for palm oil in cooking, a practice still observed today in many Jamaican kitchens.

Famous For: In and around Annotto Bay, passers-by will see many roadside stalls selling yellow straw-like seaweed, washed, dried, bleached and hung on stalls and shopfronts along the way. This is called Irish Moss, a potent health supplement said to have aphrodisiac properties. The Irish Moss drink is extremely popular in Jamaica, and is highly recommended for men who want to build their sexual stamina. The weed is boiled and strained, and the liquid seasoned with spices and sweetened to taste. A number of local companies have canned or packaged the drink for retail sale but, as with many similar products, the homemade version usually tastes better!

Must See: Ras Bingi, aka Jah Bings, runs a small ‘pastry shop’ along the highway approximately 5 kilometres outside the Annotto Bay town centre. Interestingly enough, Jah Bings has not actually sold pastry for a while, but he does sell beautiful conch shells, Irish Moss, ice-cold jelly coconuts and a range of herbs and refreshments!

Buff Bay

General History: Some consider the town centre of Buff Bay, a small seaside community on Jamaica’s north-east coast to be one of the best laid out towns on the island. Within the town there are a number of modest representations of nineteenth century architecture including the interesting St Georges’ parish church on the seaward side of town. The Buff Bay river and Spanish river valleys inland from the town make up one of the most fertile agricultural regions on the island, cultivated diligently by hundreds of small coffee and banana farmers. For travellers heading west, Buff Bay marks the first of a series of small picturesque bays ideal for surfing and fishing.

Interesting Story: The Anglican church in Buff Bay is called the St George’s parish church, a relic from the time when Buff Bay was the capital of the similarly named parish. The parish of St George no longer exists, split into today’s parishes of St Mary and Portland, but the church remains, lording it over the ocean front with its cut-stone clock tower and belfry.

Famous For: About a mile east of Buff Bay is the small community of Blueberry Hill, perhaps named for the Fats Domino hit song of the mid-1900s! The thrills of Blueberry Hill, however, are not hard to miss – along the main north coast highway is a lone blue and white bamboo hut with spicy Jerk smoke pouring from the roof. This is the famous Blueberry Hill Jerk Centre, a popular stop for travellers and a favourite local hangout. Blueberry Hill specializes in Jerk pork and Jerk chicken, but during the appropriate season, ask for of their delicious conch stew, some say it’s the best in Jamaica!

Must See: Crystal Springs, a few kilometres from the Buff Bay town centre is a private botanical garden and recreation site. The entire site is open to the public, however, with prior reservations and for a small admission fee. Popular with Jamaicans for group events such as picnics and weddings on the rolling lawns, or amidst the acres of well-manicured gardens, Crystal Springs is also ‘kid-friendly’, with a fish pond, a small river and marked trails running through the forest. For the keen ornithologist as well as the amateur bird watcher, there are many species of exotic tropical birds in and around the area. Look out for Jamaican ‘Doctor’ birds (humming birds) flitting in and out of flower beds!

Across from the Anglican church is the Pacesetters Cafeteria, a fixture in the Buff Bay landscape for many years. Pacesetters serves hearty Jamaican meals, natural juices and hot Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee. It’s the ideal place to catch up on community gossip, and to meet new and old friends as the restaurant hosts a constant stream of Portlanders.

Manchioneal

General History: Tucked sensuously away in a cove bathed by pellucid seas, Manchioneal is the most easterly town in the parish of Portland. Unhurried, bucolic and breathtakingly picturesque, Manchioneal was one of the first banana shipping ports in Jamaica. Today, colourful canoes of the large fishing community have replaced the trans-Atlantic steamers of yesteryear.

In the past, this coastal community was heavily populated with manchioneel trees, pretty green trees with small round fruit that look like crab apples. As many sailors and other visitors to the area soon realized, the tree is highly poisonous, and even sitting beneath its branches is a dangerous prospect since the dripping sap can cause blisters and burns. The fruits, although enticingly sweet-smelling, must not be eaten or touched. There are still a few trees left in the village, and residents identify the trees to visitors to prevent unfortunate mishaps.

Manchioneal is a favourite destination for Jamaicans and eco-minded tourists; the former mainly for the wide selection of seafood available, the latter for the beauty and mystique of the secluded and undeveloped Reach Falls, two miles away from the town centre.

Interesting Story: Indigenous Caribbean peoples discovered the poisonous properties of manchineel tree sap and used it as a weapon. It is said that Carib warriors would tie their prisoners of war to manchineel trees and then make strategic incisions in the bark of the tree, allowing the sap to flow and burn the skin of victims until they died. Sometimes, arrows would be tipped with the sap, poisoning targets on contact.

Must See: Without a doubt one of the most exotic and beautiful places on earth, Reach Falls on Portland’s Driver’s River are made up of a series of thundering cascades and deep emerald pools. The falls appear at the end of a two and a half mile drive down a winding bumpy road lined with coconut trees and small country homes. Here, it is not uncommon to see goats or chickens sauntering contentedly about or to see children climbing any of the numerous fruit trees of the well-irrigated valley. A small contribution at the concession stand allows entry to the falls, and an assigned falls guide will take you down bamboo-tipped steps to the falls themselves. The falls are extremely popular with incognito celebrities, and are used often for video and photo shoots. Unfortunately, there are no words to truly describe the Reach Falls experience, but visitors are encouraged to express themselves creatively in Frank Clarke’s guest book. Who knows, you may see names there that you recognize!

Say Hello To: Mr Frank Clarke, who also operates a small concession stand at the entrance to the falls, is the unofficial operator of Reach Falls. For more than thirty years, Mr Clarke has farmed the land adjacent to the falls and has employed a small staff to serve as groundsmen, lifeguards and guides for tourists. Before or after a visit to the falls, spend a few moments with Mr. Clarke. He is an incredible character and a grassroots community activist dedicated to preserving the virgin rainforest and the pristine waterfalls from large-scale development.

Port Antonio

General History: Port Antonio is today’s grown-up playground for mature free spirits. The old seaside town has long been a favourite resort for the rich and famous who, attracted to the seclusion, the sophistication and the serenity of the place, built elegant villas in the surrounding areas. Port Antonio is one of the most accessible towns in Jamaica.

Within the town itself, few places are out of walking or bicycling distance. From end to end, graceful old buildings with Jamaican gingerbread verandas and elaborate fretwork transoms evoke illusions of grandeur from a time when the banana trade was at its zenith, and movie stars mingled effortlessly with the local elite.

Starting at the market, where visitors are encouraged to support local craft vendors, a short walk through the town is a most interesting and revealing trip. Do stop at the Demontevin Lodge, the Portland Parish Court House, the ornate and amusing Village of St George shopping centre, and the old Fort George (now Titchfield High School). A short boat ride away is Navy Island, a tiny cay in the middle of the harbour with a beautiful golden-sand beach and its own tropical rainforest. On the hill just behind the town are some sights worth seeing. The Portland parish church with its brick entrance tower and tall arched windows is an impressive structure, while the vistas from the Bonnie View Hotel are sure to take your breath away.

A few kilometres east of the town, the lavish villas, hotels and private homes of the village of San San are tucked sensuously away within lush emerald forests. Here also are the world-famous Frenchman’s Cove Beach and San San Beach, together a once highly exclusive enclave of royalty and the very wealthy, now open (for a small fee) to all connoisseurs of the idyllic life and tropical splendour.

Interesting Story: Port Antonio, the retreat of the rich and famous, has its share of scandals and tales, based on the lives of those that live or have lived there. Many of these stories concern the origins of buildings in and around town. It seems, perhaps, as if every building has an elaborate story. The ruins at Folly, on the promontory of the east harbour, for instance, are associated with a sad tale of unrequited love. Further along the road, residents say the dazzlingly white Trident Castle is shrouded in the tawdry scandal of a painful separation, and the Village of St George Shopping Centre, where eastern European architecture meets eastern Jamaica has a humorous history. Residents are always ready to spin and relate a tale – whether it be true, not so true, or complete conjecture – so ask around, and be entertained by the nuances and idiosyncrasies of a neighbourhood peopled by eccentric personalities and fascinating celebrities.

Famous For: Rafting on the Rio Grande is the ultimate vacation treat. The practice began in the early twentieth century when flamboyant celebrity, Errol Flynn, noticed banana farmers from the interior highlands strapping the much valued fruits to bamboo rafts and floating them down the river to the wharf at Port Antonio. Since then, privileged tourists have followed suit, becoming part of what is certainly one of the most magical experiences available anywhere in the world. The trip from the town of Berrydale in the hills to Rafter’s Rest on the coast, at times takes two and a half hours, a slow idyllic meander through rainforests and farmland on a thirty-foot raft steered expertly by a local ‘captain’. Along the way, stop for a cool dip, enjoy a cold beverage, or stop to chat with singing washerwomen and giggling children. There’s always a pleasant surprise along the way, so do indulge your senses in an afternoon of luxury, and soak up the natural tropical beauty.

Must See: The Blue Lagoon, called ‘Blue Hole’ by residents, is a small, almost land-locked cove, long reputed to be bottomless. A myriad shades of blue are surrounded by lush foliage, kept green by hundreds of tiny, underground mineral springs. The attraction is certainly one of the most scenic spots in Jamaica, as well as one of the most romantic places to enjoy a gourmet meal. Visitors are permitted to swim in the lagoon, and it is quite safe, despite the fanciful fables spun by locals about marine monsters lurking in its depths!

Say Hello To: Port Antonio is filled with interesting characters and colourful personalities, all of whom would be delighted to chat for a while about… anything! The names are too many to list, but some that come to mind at once include Marguerite Guaron, acclaimed journalist, community activist and ‘Porti’ resident – a good person to touch base with. She knows many, many people in the area, and is familiar with the day-to-day happenings around town. Sista P, a Rastafarian woman, and Barbara and Shireen at Mockingbird Hill Hotel also have the ‘in’ on Port Antonio, and can put you in touch with tour guides for the surrounding areas. Barbara runs Gallery Cariacou, which exhibits fine works by Jamaican and occasionally international artists. Ask about their outreach programme, maybe you can contribute to the development of the community while you holiday!

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Links & Sources:

• WCities
• Wikipedia
• Frommers
• Rough Guides
• Lonely Planet
• Jamaica Touristboard