Treasure Beach, Jamaica Reopens with Strength & Heart

After weathering the passage of Hurricane Melissa, I’m proud to announce that Jamaica is open once more! Treasure Beach has always held a special place in my heart because it represents the quieter, authentic side of Jamaica where community, resilience and simplicity shines bright. I love its laid-back energy, the warmth of the people, the sense of safety, and the way life there feels unhurried and deeply connected to the land and sea. Seeing Treasure Beach reopen to tourism after Hurricane Melissa fills me with genuine happiness and pride, because this South Coast community has weathered hardship with resilience and grace. With that said, I’ve teamed up with these Treasure Beach locals to share where’s open and why their community ought to be on your travel radar.

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Here’s How To Join A Baby Sea Turtle Release In Oracabessa, Jamaica

Oracabessa, a Jamaican coastal town and Ian Fleming’s favourite getaway, has become a focal point in Caribbean sea turtle conservation. Through the efforts of the Oracabessa Bay Sea Turtle Project, the survival rate of hawksbill sea turtle nests has increased from 37% in 2005 to an impressive 80% today by providing protection from predators and human interference. Each year, between 12,000 to 20,000 hatchlings are released into the Caribbean Sea, contributing to the recovery of this critically endangered species. I finally had the rare opportunity to join a baby sea turtle release earlier this month, so here’s how to enjoy a similar experience and support the work of the Oracabessa Bay Sea Turtle Project.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle10 Comments

A Guide to the Two Turtle Bays of Portland, Jamaica

Portland is my favourite place in Jamaica as the parish is home to some of the most breathtaking views I’ve ever seen. This northeastern parish has been spared from the gigantic all-inclusive hotels and over-commercialization of our other resort towns. I find it amusing (– and confusing) that they named two places Turtle Bay in the Manchioneal district of Portland, and they are ten minutes apart from each other. This trip, I visited the two Turtle Bays of Manchioneal so read on for more details and pictures of these delightful destinations.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle19 Comments

Discover Sea Riv: Tips for Visiting Alligator Pond

I originally hail from Kingston, but the parish of Manchester has been my home for the past two years. There’s a chance I may leave Manchester soon, but I’ll cherish the experiences and friendships I’ve built here forever. One of the things I lamented while reflecting on the end of my first year in Manchester is that I’d barely explored the parish, and I vowed to change that for my second year. One year later, I’m pleased to have explored almost all the places worth seeing in this cool mountainous parish– from Noisy River up north to Alligator Pond by the coast. I went to Little Ochi in January this year for the first time, and while the wait time was horrendous, I appreciated the experience a lot. However, who knew that another gem was so close by! I heard of the Alligator Pond River, also known as Sea Riv, just a few weeks ago and decided to check it out before my stint in Manchester expires. Read on to learn about Sea Riv, an estuary where the Alligator Pond River meets the Caribbean Sea.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle18 Comments

Here’s Why You Should Visit Treasure Beach

There is a little corner of Jamaica which is stuck in an era before the crime, high-end tourism and commercialization. That little corner is known as Treasure Beach. Treasure Beach is a small coastal town which prides itself on community tourism where foreigners co-exist with the locals in harmony. Mom-and-pop shops reign supreme and there are no large all-inclusive resorts. The accommodations are only small boutique hotels, Airbnbs and villas. Crime is almost non-existent in this side of Jamaica. Sounds utopian, doesn’t it? Well, even in 2023 it’s true.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle15 Comments

Little Ochie, Manchester

Jamaica is blessed with a tropical maritime climate, so we enjoy easy year-round access to freshly caught seafood. Several mom-and-pop stalls and restaurants will prepare this seafood to order, but a few stops have become cultural landmarks cemented in the homes and hearts of most Jamaican households and are even marketed to foreigners as must-see stops. Like most Kingstonians, my usual seafood stops are Port Royal, Hellshire or Port Henderson Road due to their closer proximity, but I’ve always heard of Little Ochie Seafood Restaurant in Alligator Pond, South Manchester. Why? Well, they are said to be one of the best and the oldest so Little Ochie has become somewhat of a household name. Thus, I was more than excited to turn what was originally intended to be a Treasure Beach stop into dining at this seafood stalwart and quintessential Jamaican restaurant.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle26 Comments

Winnifred Beach, Portland

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 I visited another Caribbean island last December and realized that none of their beaches had an admission fee.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle38 Comments

Bob Marley Beach, Saint Andrew

When one thinks of going to the beach in Jamaica, St. Andrew is perhaps the last parish that comes to mind. Some go as far as to ask if this parish even has a beach to begin with, and I’m always happy to educate and say yes, SEVERAL! 🙂 All 14 of Jamaica’s parishes are washed by the Caribbean Sea so it’s a little weird that people assume St. Andrew doesn’t have any beaches just because it’s a largely urban parish and commercial centre. Three years ago I took a trip to the Carib and Wickie Wackie beaches which I wrote about here, and now I’m back with another lesser-known St. Andrew beach.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle35 Comments

Maracas & Las Cuevas Beaches, Trinidad

Northern Trinidad is home to several beaches, inlets and bays. I beach-hopped at two beaches located roughly an hour’s drive from the capital Port-of-Spain. Maracas Beach is Trinidad’s most famous beach and rightfully so. It’s a long beautiful stretch of coastline touted as the best spot to get bake and shark, a local fried fish sandwich topped with various condiments and popularly eaten at the beach. However, visiting the most popular beach equals a crowd, thus it’s worth checking out its more peaceful and equally as scenic sister a mere five minutes’ drive away, Las Cuevas Beach.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle31 Comments

Negril, Westmoreland

Negril is a resort town in the westernmost end of Jamaica, home to luxurious powdery-soft white-sand beaches and craggy picturesque cliffs. Negril’s Seven Miles Beach has been rated as one of the top ten beaches in the world by several travel magazines for years. Similar to my Dunn’s River Falls post from last April, I may potentially get my Jamaican card revoked by revealing that this was my first time visiting Negril but that’s okay. There’s a first time for everything and I thoroughly enjoyed this daytrip. Not even a flat tire on the way back after falling into one of Jamaica’s infamous potholes could ruin the mood. It was also my first time going parasailing, an experience I’m excited to share with you, my readers.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle15 Comments