Unearth Taino History at These 5 Sites in Jamaica

If you’ve been following my blog for some time, you’ll realize that I love history. I’m very fascinated by ancient civilizations, especially the people who lived in the Americas before Columbus changed World History forever in 1492. This explains why visiting the Incan citadel of Machu Picchu was high on my bucket list. Another group of people who fascinate me just as much are the Tainos, one of Jamaica’s first people. That being said, today I’ll talk about the Tainos and five Taino sites which still exist in Jamaica today.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle16 Comments

Five Enchanting Places for Bamboo Rafting in Jamaica

Rafting showcases the resourcefulness of Jamaicans, symbolized by the black on our flag’s saltire of black, green and gold. The main kind of rafts in Jamaica are made from 30-foot bamboo poles lashed together with wire, and are as beautiful as they are functional and buoyant. Rafting was once the only way possible to move goods from our deep mountainous interior to the coast for export, but it soon became a tourist activity as there is no better feeling than floating down Jamaica’s tranquil rivers while surrounded by lush greenery. Bamboo rafting provides a serene and immersive way to connect with Jamaica’s natural beauty and unwind from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. In this guide, we will explore five of the most enchanting places to go bamboo rafting in Jamaica. I’m happy to have visited all five, so I’ll add my own commentary and comparisons as we go along.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle27 Comments

Where to Use PayPal in Jamaica: Useful for Freelancers!

In an era of digital payments and online shopping, PayPal has emerged as a convenient and secure way to send and receive money worldwide. In fact, as a part-time freelance writer myself, PayPal is often the only method by which I can accept online payments in Jamaica. That being said, it can be difficult to access that income in Jamaica because we can’t simply withdraw to a local bank account (third world problems!). Sure, you can request a cheque but that will take weeks to arrive by mail and foreign cheques take up to six weeks to be cleared by local banks. There are third party businesses which cash out your PayPal dollars into Jamaican bank accounts, but they charge hefty fees and often use measly exchange rates (been there, no longer willing to do that!). Thus, how can Jamaicans benefit from PayPal? By figuring out which businesses will accept your hard-earned PayPal dollars in Jamaica! (Updated for 2025)

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle20 Comments

No Passport Needed to Fly With A.S.W.I. in Kingston

From the beginning of time, humans have been fascinated by air. Since we have no wings, we’ve used our well-developed frontal cortices to create our own way to fly and in 1903, the Wright brothers executed the world’s first successful airplane flight. One century later, airplanes are now the modus operandi for moving goods and people, and gets the task done in hours instead of days by land or sea. Within Jamaica, however, land transport reigns supreme on a dense road network of over 20,000km. Nonetheless, Jamaica has three international and three domestic airports, which makes it possible to fly within Jamaica without needing a passport! Here’s how I took a recreational flight with the Aeronautical School of the West Indies (A.S.W.I.) in Kingston recently, and how you can too.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle19 Comments

Salt River, Clarendon

Salt River is a free public mineral bath located in a community by the same name near the coast of Clarendon, one of Jamaica’s south central parishes. Jamaica’s south coast isn’t popular with tourists because this part of the country isn’t marketed nor developed for tourism. Nonetheless, there are several gems here worth visiting and I aim to visit and write about as many as I can. Here’s how my recent family trip to Salt River went.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle41 Comments

Exploring the Cultural Ties Between Scotland & Jamaica

This lush and culturally diverse Caribbean island carries within its history various influences, including that of Scotland. Our Scottish connection dates back to 1656 when Oliver Cromwell banished 1200 Scottish prisoners-of-war to Jamaica, England’s recently acquired colony. Subsequently, the practice of banishing Scottish exiles to Jamaica continued, and several thousand more Scotsmen came to Jamaica as indentured and skilled labourers with the promise of land and other riches. Eventually, Scottish settlers became involved in the slave trade and used enslaved Africans as their labour force on the sugar plantations. As such, Scottish and Jamaican history are intricately intertwined, albeit ghastly in many ways. Today, I’ll share five tangible ways in which Scotland has shaped Jamaican society.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle26 Comments

A Local’s Guide to Spanish River in Portland

Oh Portland, my favourite parish! I recently celebrated my birthday by rafting on the Rio Grande, followed by a weekend stay at the Orange Bay Camp Ground. Before visiting, I’d scanned the area for hidden gems I could combine with this trip and realized that the Spanish River would be in close proximity. A section of it which we wanted to visit is now unfortunately commercialized and closed to the public unless previously reserved and in groups of 20+ persons. However, by local tip I discovered this inexpensive section at the mouth of the Spanish River where it meets the sea. Here’s how it went.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle26 Comments

Rafting on the Rio Grande in Portland, Jamaica

Rio Grande was the final river to complete my Jamaican bamboo rafting bucket list. This rafting experience is the most meaningful, as the Rio Grande is the birthplace of rafting in Jamaica. Originally designed to transport bananas from deep inland to the coast for export, these bamboo rafts were made popular by Errol Flynn in the early 1900s for recreation. The Rio Grande is one of Jamaica’s largest rivers at 3034km and lies in a beautiful valley. Rio Grande was named by early Spanish settlers in the 1500s, and rafting down a 10-km stretch of it is now one of Jamaica’s top tourist attractions. Here’s how my birthday rafting trip to the Rio Grande went.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle36 Comments

Culinary Delights on Jamaica’s North Coast

Although I seldom visit because I’m too busy discovering gems closer to home, Jamaica’s north coast is lovely! Our north coast has breathtaking white sand beaches, beautiful waterfalls cascading through lush rainforests and also a vibrant culinary scene. With a rich blend of flavours influenced by indigenous ingredients, our African heritage, European legacy and Asian fusion cuisines, the North Coast offers a gastronomic journey like no other. In this article, I’ll take you on a culinary tour of four restaurants on Jamaica’s North Coast. Each of these establishments brings a unique perspective to the island’s culinary offerings, celebrating local ingredients and traditions while also introducing innovative twists. The atmosphere at these four restaurants is also a treat.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle26 Comments

Forgotten Footprints: Welsh Legacy in Jamaica

Last week’s article on Oktoberfest & Jamaica’s German legacy was so well received that I decided to continue this history series. Plus, this research is super fun! Similar to the Germans, the Welsh migrated to Jamaica in smaller droves but their presence is a lot more tangible today. The Welsh arrived to Jamaica alongside the British in the mid-1600s, but even before then Welsh pirate Henry Morgan was already raiding settlements and shipping bases in Port Royal. In fact, Henry Morgan was one of the richest pirates in the Caribbean and served as one of Jamaica’s earliest Lieutenant Governors under British rule. Most Welsh migrants to Jamaica were ministers of religion and plantation managers especially from the Anglican, Moravian and Methodist faiths. Others were artisans, sailors and labourers. With that said, let’s share five facts about Welsh legacy in Jamaica.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle24 Comments