Salem Beach, Saint Ann

Salem Beach near Runaway Bay is perhaps not much of a swimming beach but is worth a visit if you’re dining at the restaurant which has made it popular– Sharkies Seafood. Sharkies is located on Salem Beach and what they lack in speed, they make up in deliciousness by producing seafood that’s comparable to all the great seafood eateries in and around the corporate area with which I’m familiar. Besides, if you time your visit near to sunset, the setting is glorious. With that, let’s talk about:

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle11 Comments

Columbus Park, Saint Ann

Columbus Park is a historic open-air museum which sits by the side of the road in the north coast town of Discovery Bay. The park overlooks the expansive bay and features ruins from Jamaica’s Spanish colonization period and other relics & replicas from times past. Sadly, the park has fallen into a state of disrepair but the concept is a good one. Hopefully some improvements and repairs are made in the near future but in the mean time, let’s take a look at the park’s current state.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle6 Comments

Green Grotto Caves in Jamaica: History & Adventure Await

Named for the green algae which once covered their walls, the Green Grotto Caves in Discovery Bay blend ecotourism and history into a 45-minute tour. These caves, secret passages and caverns have played a pivotal role in Jamaica’s history– first used by Jamaica’s earliest inhabitants the Tainos for hundreds of years as a home, source of food and sacred ground, by the Spanish and later runaway slaves as a hideaway, by smugglers running arms to Cuba between the two World Wars then in more recent times as a rum barrel storehouse.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle7 Comments

Little Dunn’s River, Saint Ann

Little Dunn’s River in Ocho Rios was the last remaining span of free north coast between Portland & St. Ann’s Bay in Jamaica. Attempts have been made in the past by the government to shut it down, citing that the property was a safety hazard to patrons but really with the motive of handing over the property to private developers. In 2013, the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) posted guards at the site, erected a fence with a locked gate, placed no trespassing signs on the property and mounted no parking signs on the adjacent strip of road on which patrons would park. Unfortunately, in 2022, history repeated itself and Little Dunn’s River closed to the public once more. However, as of December 2023, Little Dunn’s River is set to reopen on Sundays only for the time being.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle21 Comments

Island Gully Falls, Saint Ann

I try to demystify Jamaican off-the-beaten-path places on Adventures from Elle because usually not much useful information is available about these places online or by word of mouth. Island Gully Falls is one such place despite becoming very popular on social media and perhaps more recently popularized as Blue Hole. A detailed search turned up conflicting prices ranging from free to expensive US$ prices and its location in St. Ann was often quickly corrected by others to St. Mary. Well, Island Gully Falls is a scenic cascading portion of the White River set upstream under tropical rainforest-like canopy and it straddles the parish border of St. Ann and St. Mary. Also, there is a rate of JM$500 for locals but as to the cost they charge foreign tourists I can’t say. It seems to vary depending on whether you find your own transport there or if you come with a tour group. Nonetheless, here’s how my adventure went:

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle13 Comments

Turtle River Park, Saint Ann

Turtle River Park is a cool oasis in the busy heart of resort town Ocho Rios. This small park is perfect for a picnic, stroll or jog, for reading, watching the fish and turtles in the stream which runs through the grounds and for entertaining bored children on its playground in the heat of the day. If you’re from or familiar with Kingston, you should know of Emancipation Park. It’s a similar spot except with fish, turtles, a pond/river and playground but minus the formidable 11-foot tall Redemption Song sculptures symbolizing our freedom. I made the comparison to imply that this park is only worth checking out if you’re in the area and isn’t a tourist attraction per se. However, once you find yourself in Ocho Rios and want a beautiful well-tended green space in which to relax, consider checking out Turtle River Park.

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Here’s Why You Should Visit Jamaica’s Seville Heritage Park

Seville Heritage Park in Saint Ann’s Bay marks one of the first encounters between Old and New World. Unless you’re Jamaican or took Caribbean history classes, you’re likely hearing for the first time that English-speaking Jamaica was first colonized by the Spanish hence the town Sevilla la Nueva was named for Seville, Spain. Christopher Columbus first set foot in Jamaica in 1494 making the already well-known inhabited island first known to Europe. In 1503-4 he lived at the well-developed Taino town of Maima for over a year with his men after getting shipwrecked. However, it wasn’t until 1509 that Sevilla la Nueva was established becoming the first permanent European settlement in Jamaica and changing Jamaican, European and World History forever. Today, let’s talk about the history of the Seville Great House & Heritage Park, as well as why you should visit.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle11 Comments

Cardiff Hall Beach, Saint Ann

I can’t help but ruin the surprise at the start. I’ve finally found a free Jamaican beach which I rate full stars! I had the opportunity of spending time in Saint Ann as part of my medical training and with what free time I had, my colleagues & I went beach-hopping on a budget like true A.f.E. style. What better place to go beach hopping than on the north coast! I couldn’t let my time in St. Ann pass without doing so even if I prefer rivers to beaches. On one overcast afternoon we sought out Cardiff Hall Public Beach in Runaway Bay, also called Flavour’s Beach because of a restaurant on the property by the same name. Here’s how that went:

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle8 Comments

Fantasy Beach, Saint Ann

Fantasy Beach, also called Priory Beach, is a large strip of coastline for the tiny Saint Ann town of Priory. This sleepy public beach just outside of Ocho Rios wakes up on weekends to mostly local families who stop by to swim, play football, have dinner and unwind.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle8 Comments