Uncommon Beauty: The Beaches of Portland, Jamaica
Beauty and the beach go hand-in-hand in Jamaica big time, especially in Portland. Jamaica’s 7th largest Parish (area: 314 square miles), Portland is home to some of JA’s most valued treasures.
The Best of Jamaica
Here you’ll find the highest peaks of the mystical Blue Mountains. The legendary Blue Lagoon, Rio Grande, and a series of seaside caves, bays, waterfalls, and hills also make Portland an eco-lover’s dream.
The place is just downright gorgeous. So much so that swashbuckling Hollywood star, Errol Flynn, who lived in Portland after his yacht shipwrecked there in the mid-1940’s, called the area…
the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.
Indeed, there’s a lot to love about Portland. I didn’t even mention the quiet charm of Port Antonio, Portland’s capital!
Today, though, we’re all about the beaches.
Portland’s Bevy of Beautiful Beaches
Frenchman’s Cove, San San, and Winnifred (also known as Fairy Hill) all offer excellent swimming and snorkeling, with pristine white sand and clear-blue waters. Winnifred even has a mineral spring at its eastern edge allowing for a uniquely natural freshwater rinse.
Portland’s longest beach, the aptly-named Long Bay, also boasts pristine white sand and stunning turquoise water. The difference here is the surf, which kicks up consistently thanks to a strong offshore wind.
Birthplace of Jerk
Small, rocky, and rough, Boston Beach is another prime surfing spot. The bigger attraction here, though, is the food. Boston Beach, you see, is the birthplace of jerk cuisine. Beachside jerk stands here are the stuff of culinary legend!
Just imagine a nice warm plate of jerk chicken and festivals, a cold Red Stripe and the surf crashing at your feet.
Yeah, I’d be jumping for joy too.