5 Fun Things to Do in Portmore, Jamaica

Portmore is a large urban town located on Jamaica’s southeastern coast in St. Catherine. Much of Portmore is built on reclaimed swamp to offset the overpopulation and housing challenges of Kingston. Over time, Portmore has grown from merely a low-budget housing solution for Kingston’s working class to achieving municipality status in 2003. One day, it may even become Jamaica’s fifteenth parish! For that reason, shrewd investors have brought malls, restaurants, hotels, bed and breakfasts and entertainment activities to Portmore– rewriting Portmore’s history from dormitory town to promising metropolis. Today, let’s highlight five fun things to do in Portmore, Jamaica. While not marketed as a tourist destination, Portmore’s rapid growth may change that one day!

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle15 Comments

Mountain River Cave & Falls, Saint Catherine

If at first you don’t succeed, try again, right? I tried visiting this waterfall one lazy afternoon in November 2022, but my travel partner and I were warned by three different residents in Cudjoe Hill that the river “come down” (was swollen) after recent heavy rainfall so that wouldn’t be a good idea. We heeded their warning and went home feeling despondent that we didn’t get to cross this one off the list. One month later we returned mid-morning and achieved success! Thus, now I can tell you all about the Mountain River Cave and Cudjoe Falls in St. Catherine. There’s some interesting Taino (Amerindian) history behind this one.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle36 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