Galina Lighthouse, Saint Mary

The only time it’s acceptable to combine business with pleasure is on a business trip, of course. St. Mary is home to several beaches, waterfalls, swimming holes and historic sites. I visited the parish recently for a practical reason, but stopped at the Galina Lighthouse on my way home. Jamaica is home to eleven lighthouses, nine on land and two offshore. These lighthouses are all operational, and maintained by the Port Authority of Jamaica. Lighthouses are erected close to navigable waters in order to guide incoming sea and aircraft. They serve as visual guides based on their physical characteristics in the day, then deliver characteristic flashes of light by night.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle17 Comments
Colbeck Castle

Colbeck Castle: A St. Catherine History Gem

Colbeck Castle is a huge mansion located near to Old Harbour in St. Catherine, Jamaica. Details about the mansion are sparse, but it is believed to have been built in about 1680 by Colonel Jon Colbeck. Colbeck came to Jamaica at 25 years old in 1655 with the invading British army that took control of Jamaica from the Spaniards. The Crown granted Colbeck 1340 acres of land as reward, which he used to build his castle. At one point, Colbeck Castle even had a moat and was the largest building in Jamaica. The estate once produced sugar and tobacco. Colbeck went on to have a distinguished career as a member of the Jamaica Assembly, but is believed to have lived a solitary life. He died at age 52 years, leaving his fortune to his executors and the church. Over time, the building fell into ruin and became property of the Jamaican government. The castle became a national heritage site in 1990, and can be visited by tourists today for free.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle26 Comments

16 Photos Showcasing the Beauty of St. Ann in Jamaica

Saint Ann is the largest parish in Jamaica, located on the island’s north coast. It is named for  Lady Anne Hyde, the first wife of King James II of England. You may know this parish for the resort town of Ocho Rios or perhaps even Runaway Bay or Discovery Bay. St. Ann lies almost smack in the middle of Jamaica and is also called the Garden Parish in light of its floral beauty. St. Ann is one of Jamaica’s oldest populated areas, tracing back to 600–650 AD. It is believed to be the earliest settlement in Jamaica. The Tainos, Jamaica’s pre-Columbian aboriginal people, were its first settlers. Christopher Columbus first landed in Jamaica at Discovery Bay, St. Ann in 1494. He eventually lived there for a year after being marooned in the Caribbean on his fourth voyage to the New World. The first Spanish settlement in Jamaica was at Sevilla la Nueva, and you can explore its colourful history today at the Seville Heritage Park. Today we take a look at 16 photos which showcase the beauty of this parish. See why we call St. Ann the Garden Parish of Jamaica.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle34 Comments
Hiking trail with 3 cows and 2 people

Bull Head Mountain, Clarendon

The Bull Head Mountains is a 545-acre mountain range located in north Clarendon. The mountain is named for its shape of a bull head when seen out from sea. Bull Head Mountain Peak is located at 3600 feet (1097m) above sea level, and the gentle trail which leads to it is one of the best hiking trails in Jamaica. The Rio Minho, Jamaica’s longest river, originates in the Bull Head Mountains and its natural spring water is bottled straight from the source. What’s even cooler about these mountains is that they contain the geographical centre of Jamaica and there’s a marker to prove it. This post covers how to find the geographical centre of Jamaica and the Bull Head Mountain Peak.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle23 Comments

Retreat to Nature at Neita’s Nest

Neita’s Nest is a creative nook tucked away in the hilly outskirts of Kingston and St. Andrew. Located in Bridgemount, a quiet suburban and historic neighbourhood, Neita’s Nest began as a private dwelling where the Neita family would often entertain relatives and friends. However, in 2010 its proprietor and host, Michelle Neita, opened her charming home to guests as a local homestay and bed & breakfast. Michelle’s gracious willingness to share her knowledge of Kingston’s rich history and culture to guests makes Neita’s Nest a useful resource and base for visiting creatives, researchers and scholars. As they would say, the rest is history. Neita’s Nest is far removed from the hustle and bustle of Kingston but close enough to all its amenities, making it a desired place to stay for visitors to Kingston, Jamaica’s capital city.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle22 Comments
Sign at Chukka White River Valley

It’s Time to Play at Chukka Cove in Ocho Rios

Chukka is the Caribbean’s largest eco-adventure tour company. Its founder Danny Melville would host polo matches on weekends, then take the horses for a refreshing swim afterwards. In 1983 Melville opened a local equestrian centre and complemented it with an opportunity for tourists to ride and swim with horses along a scenic coastal trail. Chukka’s signature Horseback Ride ‘N’ Swim at Llandovery was the first adventure tour of its kind in Jamaica and the rest is history. Chukka now operates over 60 tours with locations in Jamaica, Belize, Turks & Caicos, the Dominican Republic and Barbados.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle12 Comments
Exterior of home with garden

Escape to Runaway Bay, Jamaica With These 3 Villas

Runaway Bay on the north coast of Jamaica is said to be one of the island’s most beautiful towns. The town consists of hilly terrain which gently slopes towards charming white sand beaches, pristine reefs and imposing all-inclusive resorts. Runaway Bay is an important tourist hub. It lies 27km away from the bustling resort town of Ocho Rios, and is an hour’s drive away from the island’s largest international airport in the city of Montego Bay. The meaning of the town’s name isn’t clear. Some say it is so-called because of slaves who used the beach to escape to Cuba; others say the name has to do with the Spanish soldiers who fled Jamaica from this beach after invasion by the British. Nonetheless, people would rather pay money nowadays to escape to Runaway Bay; not from! Here are three delightful villas in Runaway Bay at which one can enjoy a great vacation.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle28 Comments
River surrounded by greenery

Calypso Rafting & Tubing on the White River

Bamboo river rafting is one of the most relaxing and scenic tours you can take in Jamaica. There are four main rivers in Jamaica used for rafting, namely the Great River, Martha Brae, White River and Rio Grande. I’d planned to make White River my third rafting adventure, however all the rafts were booked when I arrived! Therefore, I ended up tubing down the White River instead which turned out to be just as fun, if not more. Read on to learn more about this adventure + how to plan your own White River rafting and tubing trips. White River is located mere minutes from the Ocho Rios Pier in St. Ann.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle28 Comments
Girl sipping from coconut on a bamboo raft at Martha Brae

Bamboo Rafting on Jamaica’s Martha Brae: A Complete Guide

Lethe set the bar high for my rafting expectations last year and Martha Brae matched it. Martha Brae is a 32km long river which originates deep in the hills of Trelawny, a parish on Jamaica’s north coast. Bamboo rafting on the Martha Brae is rated as one of Jamaica’s top attractions. During colonial era, the river was used to connect the sugar plantations in Trelawny to the port of Falmouth. Bamboo rafts were used to float sugar and other crops to the coast where they would be shipped to Europe. Today, those identical 30-foot bamboo rafts are used to peacefully float visitors down a three-mile stretch of river through a lush rainforest and under the canopy of bamboo, coconut, fruit and flowering trees. The tour lasts approximately one hour and fifteen minutes, but can be more if you stop to purchase crafts and drinks during the trip.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle28 Comments

Dine & Climb Waterfalls ‘Pretty Close’ to Kingston

Known as the Land of Wood and Water, Jamaica is home to rich biodiversity and over 100 rivers. These rivers create lovely recreational opportunities for swimming, fishing, bamboo rafting and riverside dining. Many Jamaicans enjoy cooking outdoors on woodfire or coal stoves as this old-fashioned means of preparing Jamaican dishes results in better taste. Cooking outdoors by the river is great but eating by or in the river is even better. Pretty Close 1876 offers an authentic Jamaican riverside kitchen and dining experience in Gordon Town, St. Andrew, and I couldn’t recommend it more. Here’s how to find it and what to expect in 2025.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle27 Comments