Winnifred Beach in Portland, Jamaica is a success story of what can happen when a community works together and fights for a worthy cause. Majority of Jamaica’s best coastline is in the hands of private owners, auctioned off and sold by the Jamaican government to large hotels and investors who rather keep the beaches of their beachfront hotels and resorts exclusive for paying guests. This practice prevents citizens from enjoying most of the country’s best beaches. It’s a prevailing notion in Jamaica that only tourists get to see and enjoy Jamaica’s finest attractions since the prices charged for us to visit these places, even with cheaper rates for locals, still make them inaccessible to many. This wasn’t something I thought much of until visiting another Caribbean island last December and realizing that not a single one of their beaches had an admission fee, and for the other attractions which did, both locals and tourists were charged the same. In fact, many Jamaican businesses which cater for tourists often ignore locals when we enter their establishments so it’s an interesting turn of events that many of these places are now trying to attract and capture support from locals since tourist arrivals are at an all-time low for obvious reason.
Anyhow, Winnifred Beach is different. Located in Fairy Hill, Portland, the government has made several attempts through the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) to privatize this stretch of coastline and displace local vendors and food establishments which have operated there for many years. However, the residents put up a strong fight and enlisted the pro bono services of attorneys from the parish to represent them in court, and they won. For that reason, Winnifred Beach is free to all and still accessible by ordinary citizens.
Related: Boston Beach
Getting There
From Kingston, Portland is best approached from the Junction roadway which links the St. Andrew and St. Mary parishes. The drive is long and the roads are winding, but the views are absolutely spectacular and worth it. Google Maps can direct you quite well to the Fairy Hill community and the beach. Also, the road to the beach itself is now paved! I’ve heard that that was an issue for years but the donations which have been raised from visitor contributions covered that cost some years ago. There are a few shops on the beach which sell food, so your girl was quick to get a coconut to “wash off the heart” as we say.
Aside: Coconut water is rich in potassium which is good for lowering blood pressure and protecting heart health, so there’s some truth to the Jamaican adage that “coconut wata good fi wash off yuh heart!”
Entrance to this lovely beach is free, but there’ll be someone by the car-park entrance requesting a donation. Leave a tip! The beach is community-run, so every dollar will go a far way in maintaining the beach’s cleanliness and infrastructure. Using the showers and restrooms come at a cost though. ( I didn’t use either on this trip).
Related: Blue Lagoon & Monkey Island
The Beach
White sand, cool breeze, shady trees. Wow! The makings of a perfect day! 😍😍😍
This beach is good for relaxing with friends and family, playing football and frolicking in the water which was cool and refreshing– a bit rough but not unpleasantly so. There was an almost 100% local crowd on the day I visited, and the beach was large enough to accommodate us all with enough ‘social distance.’ I barely took any pictures guys. I just jumped right in!
Related: Frenchman’s Cove
Wrap Up
Winnifred Beach is a lovely spot which I’m glad Fairy Hill was able to protect for the community. Let’s hope it remains that way. I rate this lovely beach five stars, ☆☆☆☆☆.
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‘Til next time, safe & happy travels. ✌🏽
Adventures from Elle 
Wonderful story and photos, thank you for sharing it with us.
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Thank you, too, for reading! 🤗🤗
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Beautiful!
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I also visited Winnifred Beach a little while ago and I loved it. The beach was well kept and gorgeous. I’m definitely glad that the community got it because I loved the fact that it’s still a free beach.
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Beautiful!! I hope to visit Jamaica soon…I live for a good beach anywhere!!
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Awesome! I really hope you get to. You’ll love Jamaica 🙂
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This was a great read! I felt as if was there enjoying the scenery and and beaches. I too have a love for my country even here abroad. It cuts mi deep fi hear how the island’s most treasured places are been auctioned off, developed and taken away from US JAMAICANS there at home. I’ve been a victim of it first hand visiting Dunn’s River Falls. Thanks for writing and please continue. I miss mi yaad!
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Thank you so much! 🙂 I hope you get to come home soon, even if to visit, and please stay safe wherever you are in the world. It’s such a shame how our treasures are being sold away right? Glad wi got likkle luck with this beach.
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You’re welcome. The plan was to be there this summer😔. I’m doing my best to stay safe and healthy, I hope that you are too. It’s very sad, very, very sad. And yes those lawyers mus get big’up! What’s the deal with the Cockpit Country, have you heard anything on that?
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Man, ‘rona has destroyed so many plans in her wake. Yes, I’m safe snd healthy too! I do my best to protect myself despite the daily exposure to ill people. Also, I actually haven’t heard anything much since that petition which went viral about 2 years ago. I know the boundaries of the Cockpit Country which the PM granted to be declared protected were inadequate and the maroons, environmentalists and other interested stakeholders were petitioning for more land to be included in the act, but no word since.
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It’s very sad to hear these things. Growing up I never knew the importance of the land we called home Jamaica. Now everyone was to build and destroy its natural beauty.
Side note, I hope you have so far enjoyed the our country’s 🇯🇲58 so far.
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Unfortunately I didn’t do a thing. Spent the whole day at work (still there too 😦 ). With the spike of coronavirus cases today, I’m not keen on going out during the holiday weekend either, but once Andrew doesn’t order a 2nd lockdown (there are rumours he may) then I’ll be enjoying it pretty soon hopefully (belatedly). And so true. On a whole we don’t have a culture of environmentalism but that’s slowly changing
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Well you live to see another healthy and safe day so it’s all good. I didn’t do anything myself and I’m now at work also. So we’re kind of in the same boat. If he does then I’ll say it’s for the best. I wonder what shoes he’ll be putting on to give that heads up🤔DWL!
Schools nowadays will have to play a huge part in guiding this upcoming generation although it’ll be a tough challenge.
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You’re welcome. The plan was to be there this summer😔. I’m doing my best to stay safe hope that you are too.
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Gracious! I also read Vanessa Hartley’s visit to Winnifred Beach and I like both of “y’alls” take on this gorgeous destination. Great backstory too. The locals here are strong!
Ever heard this myth that coconut wata fi make kids dull Rochelle?
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Thank you! I agree. 🙂
And ha! No thankfully we don’t have that myth in Jamaica because our people would believe it and stop giving their children! 🤣
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Haha. Funny.
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