Jamaicans are unpretentious when it comes to place names. Therefore, it’s no surprise that this beach gets its name from being located at the end of a dead end street in Montego Bay, St. James parish. When I started this blog back in December 2016, I said I’d make it my point of duty to highlight free beaches across Jamaica since I resent the privatization of our best pieces of coastline and the need to pay for enjoying the natural resources of sun, sand and sea. My two beach posts in 2018, namely Frenchman’s Cove and James Bond Beach, strayed from that commitment but here I am, back in 2019 with the free beach link!
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How to Find Dead End Beach
As is customary, I give directions from my hometown of Kingston but by no means am I suggesting you travel as far as from Kingston just to visit this beach! You’d be better off combining it with a visit to other Montego Bay spots. Anyway, from Mandela Highway in Saint Catherine, take the Edward Seaga Highway linking the north and south coasts of Jamaica. From St. Ann where this highway ends, the road is virtually a straight one all the way out to Sunset Boulevard in Montego Bay. Take the second exit at the Sangster’s International Airport roundabout, then at the T-junction where the road ends, turn right to end up on Kent Avenue. You’ll pass a few popular hotels such as Toby Resort and Sea Garden, the UWI Western Jamaica Campus student accommodations then voila! You’re here.
It’s a free beach so don’t come expecting amenities like restrooms or a shower. However, if you ask nicely across the road at the Dead End Beach Grill and Bar (formerly Mystery Grill), I’ve seen them allow non-customers entry into their restrooms. Curbside parking is allowed on both sides of the road. Where there’s people, there’ll be vendors therefore you can purchase refreshments such as coconuts, chips, Jamaican style lunches, beers, juices and even cocktails.
Dead End Beach & Watching the Planes
There isn’t much sand but there’s just enough to spread out a towel and sunbathe if that’s your fancy. The water is gentle and shallow for quite a bit out, and oh so clear, warm and inviting! The sand is coarse in a few places so water shoes would come in handy. Of course, no one’s employed to clean the seaweed so you’ll be swimming with it but this wasn’t ever a problem for me– nothing harmful about mingling with a bit of aquatic sea plant!
What’s unique about this beach though is the perfect vantage point it provides for watching planes coming in to land. The Montego Bay Airport is just behind it so you’ll see the planes coming in up close and be able to read the names of the international carriers– quite a treat. I was staying at the student accommodation across the road so I got to see the sunset day after day for several weeks, whether on the beach itself or from my balcony. Dead End Beach has the dreamiest most romantic sunsets in Montego Bay!
With such beautiful sunsets, it’s no wonder that that was the most crowded time of the day to visit, and the crowd is a mixture of both locals and foreigners. It also gets a bit crowded on weekends and you’re bound to run into someone playing music for all the beach-goers with a boombox, perhaps from a car stereo.
Wrap Up
Thankfully there’s a free beach left for the locals in Montego Bay! It isn’t the best beach in Jamaica, but it’s still a nice spot for budget travelers and locals who can’t afford day passes to enjoy the private ones. Watching the planes is a nice treat. Check out some more Jamaican beaches below.
‘Til next time, ✌.
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1 of my go-to spots in MoBay. Got a few perspective plane photos previously (say 3x fast), I wanna go back for more now than my photography skills/standards have increased lol. I’m still surprised and happy that it’s free, especially based on its location. Hoping it stays that way!
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Hahaha, Jhunelle with the tongue twisters. 😂😂 That would be a great photography opportunity indeed, and yes! Surprised there are still free beaches anywhere close to the hip strip too. I hope it remains that way as well. Too many of Jamaica’s best spots are slowly kicking us (the locals) out.
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I hear you! Might visit a free beach in Kingston tomorrow if I can convince myself to leave the yard and go into the sun.
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That sun! 😭 Not sure how I’ll face it next month. Guess I’ll end up relaxing at rivers and waterfalls as per usual instead 😊
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I echo your sentiment on the privatization of coastlines. It is happening in my country, too. I fear that someday I may have to pay for something that I’ve enjoyed for free even since I was a child.
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Gosh, that’s terrible. In Jamaica, they’ve taken over nearly all the good spots and our people seemed to have already accepted this as normal. That’s one of the negatives of increased tourism sadly, because the high prices keep locals out.
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I know. And the saddest part is that many of the lands near the beautiful coastal areas are now owned by some big corporations or some foreigners who have decided to settle here. And the local people have to pay for used to be theirs.
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Exactly! It’s really horrible what privatization can do, especially since most of those earnings are repatriated and never benefit the local economy.
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Ohh how I miss Jamaica! Wish I knew about this beach about …. 10 years ago when I was in Jamaica for school. Anyways, hopefully on my next visit 🙂
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Awww, I hope so too! I love free beaches. 🤗
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I agree…you know most in Trini are free…but for some access is through private property and persons some time block access.
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Oh yes, I heard that most of your beaches are free and I was like whoa! Really wish i could say the same for ours.
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The beach is quite amazing, fact it’s free is exceptional.
I’m thinking the airplanes are a good view but you sure they won’t make too much noise.
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The planes are a good view but you sure he beach won’t be quite noisy
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The noise wasn’t too bad actually, well for me at least. It was only an occasional interruption. 🙂
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Poor girl 😉 Education never ends… 🙂
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3 weeks in MoBay? So I think, we will read more about the area next time… 🙂
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Haha, was fully for educational purposes.
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We haven’t made it to Dead End Beach yet. But girl- our bucket lists may be quite similar. 🙂 If someone is interested to know, what to do in MoBay and around – your invited check my “Doctor’s Cave Beach” post.
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That’s great! Doctor’s Cave was just up the road from this beach and my dorm/home for 3 weeks but I decided to be cheap. 😂 I’ll check out Doctor’s Cave when next I’m in MoBay though. For now I’ll live vicariously through your blog. 🙂
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Beautiful photos
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Thank you!
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I have been to Dead End Beach on a couple of occasions. It is not bad, for a free beach. In fact, if you live in the vicinity of the beach it’s perfect for a quick ‘dip’ or getaway.
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So true! That’s one perk of living in Montego Bay– the beach is definitely closer than my 1 hour drive to Hellshire for instance. I didn’t think I was missing out before in the least.
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I once made a short stop at Dead End Beach after a business meeting In Montego Bay. On another occasion I stopped there after taking a family member to the airport.
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