16 Photos Showcasing Manchester, Jamaica

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by Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle

Manchester is one of Jamaica’s south central parishes. It’s often said that the north coast in Jamaica is for the tourists, while the south coast is for the locals. Of course, no parish is out of bounds for tourists, but it’s just that tourists seldom visit our quiet south coast when it’s more exciting up north. Manchester was formed in 1814 and is named for the Governor of Jamaica at that time. Manchester is primarily mountainous. Over 90% of Manchester’s surface is limestone which gives it an abundance of cockpits, sinkholes, caves and underground passages. That’s why most of the parish’s rivers run underground but form delightful swimming holes during the wet season. The longest and deepest caves in Jamaica are found in Manchester, namely the Gourie Cave near Christiana and the Smokey Hole Cave in Cross Keys. Manchester has large bauxite deposits, the raw material for aluminium production. Important crops in the parish are coffee, potatoes and citrus. Ortanique, a cross between the orange and tangerine, was developed here in Manchester, Jamaica.

Manchester was my home for two years, so I’m quite fond of the parish. I’m grateful for its doctors, nurses, allied HCWs and the patients which shaped my early career. I miss the clinics of south Manchester and its generous residents who made sure I was never short of ground provisions, spices and fruits. Mandeville, the capital of Manchester, is located at 2,000 feet above sea level. Temperatures fall to as low as 12.7 °C (55 °F) in December and January, which is very cool for a tropical island. The parish experiences hailstorms and gets misty after heavy rainfall, even in the peak of summer. There aren’t a lot of things to do in Manchester, but there are a few destinations. Here are 16 photos which celebrate the beauty of Manchester.

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Jamaican travel guidebook in front of waterfall

16 Photos of Manchester, the Cool Breeze Parish

  • Black sand beach in Alligator Pond
  • River meets sea in Alligator Pond (Sea Riv)
  • Little Ochie Seafood Restaurant
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  • Swimming Hole in St. Toolis, Porus
  • Cecil Charlton Park in Mandeville, Manchester
  • Gut River
  • Old railway track in Porus
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  • Noisy River in Oxford, Manchester
  • Another view of Noisy River
  • Tranquil setting in Oxford
  • Country life is nice! Porus, Manchester
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  • Another look at Little Ochie
  • Little Ochie Fishing Beach
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Wrap Up

I hope you enjoyed these photos of Manchester. Let me know in the comments which one was your favourite. Share this post with your friends and family, and don’t forget to subscribe for new posts which publish each Friday.

‘Til next time.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle

Adventures from Elle is a travel blog for locals & visitors who want to experience the best of Jamaica, one adventure at a time. The blog is curated by Rochelle Knight, a junior resident (M.D.) in internal medicine and published author. She began the blog in 2016 as a medical student & wants to see the world, starting with her home country. Purchase her book 'SIGHTSEE JAMAICA' on Amazon and join her in Jamaica!

22 thoughts on “16 Photos Showcasing Manchester, Jamaica”

  3. Thanks for your post of Manchester, the Parish of my birth! You were only in Manchester for two years so I would not have known you! I grew up in Pratville and I do not know if you served at the Clinic as a doctor at any time? You did take time to visit every area of the parish in your time, I noticed. Thanks again for highlighting my Parish – Trevor Bolton

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Hi Trevor. I actually did. I worked at the Pratville Health Centre for 4 months, along with Crosskeys, Downs and Newport. I really enjoyed my time there, and Manchester now holds a special place in my heart. Thanks for your kind words, Trevor and I’m glad you enjoyed the article. Take care!

      Like

  4. Everything I go, I go somewhere different. My husband being Jamaican also enjoys the roots of his country. We live in Highfield, Spanish Town, St. Catherine. America, also. I just love Jamaica, there’s so much to see!!

    Like

  5. I had a chance to visit Port Antonio in October. My first time in Jamaica. I will never forget my experience. It was so beautiful. I even got a chance to go to church in Hector River. Good people, great food. Beautiful Island. Can’t wait to come back.

    Liked by 1 person

  8. I especially love the photo of Alligator Pond, with its tides coming in and almost reflecting the sky. Manchester is certainly teeming with vegetation, and it’s certainly paradise for the locals! The question is whether to keep it local or have more tourists visit this parish (at the risk of over-tourism)? Whatever the case may be, it’s a gorgeous place!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. That’s such a delicate topic. We love tourists and showing them around (+ it’s our biggest income earner) but at the same time, tourism causes a lot of harm. If we can develop the south coast without the deleterious effects of tourism on our ecosystem, culture etc then I’d certainly welcome it 🙂 I’d also like to see the local owned boutique hotels remain instead of getting replaced by the large generic all-inclusive hotels of the north coast.

      Thanks for reading Rebecca! And I’m happy you had a great trip. I enjoyed all the stories. Looking forward to the blog posts

      Liked by 1 person

    2. Yes, keep things locally-sourced! Whether hotels, restaurants, etc. While it won’t all be perfect, trying to avoid as much over-commercialization can benefit tourism of the country. 🙂

      …and thanks! Honestly, with my blog posts backlogged, expect the posts to come next fall…be patient, haha!

      Liked by 1 person

    1. That’s amazing! I hope you’ve had the Devon House ice cream or plan to try some soon (specifically soursop, Devon stout, strawberry cheesecake, rum&raisin or the Christmas flavours of sorrel and eggnog if they’re available yet. As you can tell, it’s hard to choose a favourite 🤭). Have fun and be safe!

      Liked by 1 person

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