Situated in the northeastern part of Jamaica, is the beautiful capital of the parish of Portland, Port Antonio, also the third largest port in Jamaica. It is well known for it’s shipping of bananas and coconuts while it also makes for the largest contributor to Port Antonio’s economy through tourism. The exotic lagoons and beaches and the mesmerizing waterfalls are some of the beautiful things that tourists seek in this charming town.
Port Antonio grew in prominence when in the 1880’s Lorenzo Dow Baker came to Jamaica and began the banana trade and became responsible for the growth of this untouched coastal town. It began to be visited by rich American tourists and soon Port Antonio became a busy tourist destination for the wealthy. In the 1940’s, Hollywood considered Port Antonio as an ideal place to show as paradise in their movies and the results were ‘Cocktail’ and ‘Club Paradise’.
The town has some beautiful places of tourist interest, most popular of which is the Blue Lagoon, called so because of its deep blue color that is the result of the depth of the sea in that area. The sea shows different hues of color as the sun lights it up from various angles. Other attractions include the Frenchman’s Cove, which is a peaceful resort cozily tucked away amidst exotic flora and fauna and provides a picturesque view of fresh water streams and the white sandy beaches that are found there.
Folly’s Lighthouse built in 1888 and the ruins of the Folly Mansion, a Roman-style villa that was built as a home for his wife and himself by Alfred Mitchell in 1905, are also worth visiting. The DeMontevin Lodge is another historic building that is a must see place. When in Port Antonio, not visiting the Rio Grande Valley is certainly out of question. This extremely alluring valley offers the grandest views of the Rio Grande River, which provides a variety of water sports to adventure enthusiasts. Boston Bay and Reach Falls are also nearby and can be visited too.
For food lovers, there are plenty of restaurants here where they can get sumptuous foods that include Caribbean, European and Continental cuisines to wet their palettes. As for transport in Port Antonio, you will have to rely on bus transport, as this is the only mode of transportation available here.
Photo by Hans Sterkendries provided courtesy of Panoramio.com
Photo by Jennifer Eurell provided courtesy of Panoramio.com
Photo by thannesi provided courtesy of Panoramio.com
Photo by thannesi provided courtesy of Panoramio.com
Photo by thannesi provided courtesy of Panoramio.com