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

Why Do Jamaicans Run So Fast?

Athletics is Jamaica’s favourite sport. Our love for athletics is inculcated from the primary school championship level to watching international meets on TV while banging pot covers to support, to watching the races at the corner shop bar or even in the middle of Half-Way-Tree. You can’t not love athletics as a Jamaican. Track and field is an immeasurable source of national pride at every major meet and we have produced the world’s fastest man and woman alive. For that reason, people often wonder why do Jamaicans run so fast. Ahead of the 2025 World Athletics Championships, here are five secrets behind Jamaica’s global excellence in athletics.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle31 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

10 Cuisines to Enjoy in Kingston, Jamaica

Do you want to travel the world but don’t have a lot of money to do so currently? Well, let me let you in on a secret. A good restaurant is like a vacation. Its food can transport you to another part of the world. I’m not discounting that the best place to eat authentic food is in the actual country of course, however it is still possible to get food close to the real thing nearer to home. That’s especially true in Jamaica which has a melting post of cultures– a legacy of our colonial past as well as a recent booming culture of expatriates and internationally trained chefs settling in Kingston. Here are ten international cuisines you can enjoy in Kingston without a passport, updated in 2025.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle15 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. I’m also pleased to announce that they’ve reopened in January 2026 since the passage of Hurricane Melissa.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle27 Comments
Close up of vegan food in Kingston Jamaica

Where to Get Vegan Food in Kingston, Jamaica

The traditional Jamaican diet is centered around meat, poultry and fish but there is a growing subculture of vegans and vegetarians across the island. Many persons choose to become vegan for health, environmental and ethical reasons, but others are driven by religious reasons. Seventh Day Adventists and Rastafarians are two such religious groups in Jamaica which adhere to a vegan diet. Whatever the persuasion, vegan restaurants have sprang up in response to the growing market for vegan cuisine in Jamaica. Here are nine eateries which cater to vegans in Kingston & St. Andrew, Jamaica. Some are strictly vegan while others are omnivorous with vegan-friendly options.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle22 Comments
Girl looking at llama

9 Ways Peru Reminded Me of Jamaica

My favourite thing about traveling to a new country is being able compare their culture to my own. I’d done this for Trinidad in 2020, and now I’m doing the same for Peru. This time, I decided to compile a list of nine ways in which Peru reminded me of Jamaica (and five differences). This lighthearted post is written from my own observations after a week in Peru, so I hope not to offend anyone. Despite the negative features this post may highlight, I must say that I truly enjoyed my time in Peru and I appreciated the genuine warmth, curiosity and love that the Peruvian people expressed for Jamaica.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle19 Comments

10 Affordable Places to Stay in Jamaica

Over the past few weeks I’ve shared lists of the best places to stay in Jamaica under categories such as hotels, villas and eco-lodges. Those lists were not necessarily budget-friendly, so I knew I had to make one for the average traveler. Most travelers are not traveling because they are rich, myself included. We travel because we have an insatiable desire to see the world around us, experience new cultures and meet new people. As a result, it is important for frequent travelers to spend wisely. Staying at budget-friendly accommodations is a good way to stretch those travel dollars. Here are 10 affordable places to stay in Jamaica (prices included).

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle19 Comments

Seven Annoying Things Bloggers Do

A lot takes place behind the scenes when creating a blog, vlog or even an Instagram post which non-creators may never fully appreciate. Thus, there can be a bit of friction and eye-rolling from non-creators when they are around creators in their element. Over the years, I’ve met and interacted with dozens of different personality types that coexist in the blogosphere and some interactions are better than others. Also, since I often travel with non-creators, this means I’ve probably been the annoying blogger to someone else too, ha! A bit of introspection is good for the soul. Here are the seven annoying things which bloggers do.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle26 Comments

8 Easter Traditions in Jamaica You Should Know

Easter is here! Easter is a Christian holiday and over 60% of Jamaicans identify as practicing Christians. As a result, Good Friday is a solemn national holiday in Jamaica where all businesses are closed. Good Friday commemorates Jesus Christ’s crucifixion and devout Christians observe the day by fasting, re-enacting Christ’s last hours and attending church. On the other hand, Easter Sunday is a joyous day commemorating Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the grave. The day after Christ’s resurrection, Easter Monday, is a national holiday in Jamaica as well. Jamaicans eagerly look forward to this four-day Easter weekend each year, and there has been an increase in secular Easter weekend events too. That being said, here are eight ways in which Jamaicans celebrate Easter holidays– past and present.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle28 Comments