Mandeville and the South Coast - Jhana copy

Mandeville and the South Coast

The parishes of Clarendon, Manchester, and St. Elizabeth make up the south-central part of Jamaica. It's the place to get away from the tourist hubs and see some of the country's farmland and less-frequented coastline. Locals in these parishes are less dependent on tourism and accordingly less pushy in soliciting business. While the region doesn't boast grandiose or glitzy resorts, the accommodations often make up for it with their rootsy charm, and there's still plenty of comfortable lodging options, especially in Treasure Beach, where villas and cottages range from rustic to unpretentious luxury. Languid fishing villages dot the St. Elizabeth coast, the most popular of which are found in Treasure Beach, and farther east in Alligator Pond, which straddles the St. Elizabeth\Manchester border. High above the plains, the cool air of Mandeville has been a draw in the heat of summer for centuries and is often referred to as the "retirement capital of Jamaica" for the number of repatriating Jamaicans who settle here. Over the past 50 years the bauxite industry gave Mandeville a strong economic base, while the 1970s saw the flight of many of the town's gentry during the Manley administration, when the prime minister's socialist lean drove fear into the wealthy class. The old moneyed families in Mandeville were somewhat replaced by an influx of nouveau riche, some allegedly owing to drug money, who have arrived over the past few decades to fill uptown neighborhoods with conspicuous concrete mansions. A lull in Jamaica's bauxite industry hit Mandeville especially hard after half the country's production ceased in early 2009. As the global economy recuperates and the world market price of aluminum rebounds, so too will Mandeville's economy. Independent of cash-flow considerations, the town's temperate climate and relatively well-developed infrastructure make it easy to forget you're in Jamaica. Mandeville boasts several noteworthy restaurants, making it a worthwhile place to stop for a bite on trips between Kingston and the South Coast. Other than that, it's not a place that keeps many tourists for any length of time, which makes it an attraction in itself for those seeking the "normal" Jamaican experience, not found so readily in Negril or Ochi where tourism dominates the economy.

PLANNING YOUR TIME

If your goal is to hit the main sights and take in a bit of the South Coast culture, a night or two in Black River, a few days in Treasure Beach, and a night in Mandeville is probably sufficient. Treasure Beach is one of those places where a certain type of person falls into the groove immediately and finds it very difficult to leave. Others find that the area is too popularly off-the-beaten path and prefer seafront communities that are even more sedate, like Black River, a few kilometers away, or Belmont and Little Bay in Westmoreland. What is certain is that Treasure Beach has a unique feel with a land and people unto itself and the length of time visitors deem sufficient depends on how easy they are entertained by the rough-edged natural beauty that gives the area its charm. The immediate surroundings of Treasure Beach lend themselves to long walks, hiking in the Santa Cruz Mountains, boat rides, and cautious swimming.

Most people visiting the South Coast choose Treasure Beach as a base, making easy day trips to surrounding attractions. This is probably the best option with the most varied accommodation options, a hip-cum-chic vibe, and several beaches and unique scenery to enjoy. Decent accommodation options are also available in Black River farther west, but it's not a magnetic destination for most. Mandeville also has a smattering of decent hotels, and for those set on getting as much curative power as possible from the hot baths at Milk River, the hotel on-site has basic affordable rooms. Clarendon's capital, May Pen, also has a few decent hotels, but there is little here that draws visitors.

Both Treasure Beach and Black River make convenient bases for exploring the interior with attractions like Accompong Town, Appleton Estate, and Y.S. Falls all within about an hour's drive. Apart from laying low with the alligators and hanging out at Pelican Bar, there's little to keep visitors long in Black River.

Safety

Thankfully, Jamaica's South Coast is a welcome respite from the hustling that goes on in virtually every other area of the island that participates in the tourism industry. The most important dangers and annoyances in the region are accordingly more nature-oriented than human-related. Beaches along the South Coast are commonly deserted, and swimming alone is therefore not the safest activity, especially in Treasure Beach, where every year the list of drowned anglers seems to grow. The current and undertow in all the bays of Treasure Beach can be quite dangerous, and it's wise to ask the locals about conditions before getting too comfortable in the water.

Also related to the sea, there are times when jackfish contains high levels of toxins. It is better to avoid this fish altogether to be safe. Lobster is widely available on the South Coast and is the specialty at Little Ochie restaurant. Nevertheless, spiny lobster has a designated closed season (Apr.\June), established to protect the species from over-harvesting. The ban on lobster fishing during this time should be acknowledged and supported first and foremost by visitors to discourage any potential breach of the seasonal ban by fishermen--who ultimately are more prone to respond to the market rather than government regulations. It is illegal to land lobsters smaller than 76.2 millimeters, the established minimum size for a mature female.

Black River to Parottee

An important economic center in years past, especially for the export of logwood and mahogany, Black River is today a quiet literal and littoral backwater parish capital, with the main tourist attraction being the river at the heart of town that serves as the entry point into the Great Morass. There are a few popular tourism attractions within a half-hour's drive and plenty of forlorn stretches of mediocre beach just east of town along the coast toward Parottee. A few minutes west, Font Hill offers great swimming on a beautiful small tract of sand surrounded by coral reef. A few interesting buildings around town are worth a look, most notably Invercauld Great House.

SIGHTS

Invercauld Great House along the waterfront between town and the hospital is the most striking structure in Black River, with well-preserved Georgian architecture. The great house was built in 1894 by Patrick Leydon. It was for many years a hotel but has fallen out of use and sits idle within its gated compound.

Luana Orchid Farm (contact Dr. Bennett, cell tel. 876/361-3252, admission US$5) offers formal tours by appointment only to check out the 150,000-odd local and foreign orchid plants at the 1.5-acre farm. Dr. Bennett has bred several new varieties himself. The farm is located on the northern outskirts of Black River along the road between Black River and Middle Quarters, opposite Luana Sports Club and quarry.

Lower Black River Morass

The Lower Black River Morass is one of Jamaica's largest wetlands, with 142 square kilometers of mangrove and swamp providing a rich habitat for a variety of animal and plantlife. Turtles and crocodiles are still abundant, while manatees, once relatively common around the mouth of the river, are gone today. It's the largest remaining undisturbed wetland in the English-speaking Caribbean at 7,285 hectares. The Black River Morass has 113 species of plants and 98 species of animals. The Anchovy Pear (Grias cauliflora) of the Brazil Nut family (Lecythidaceae) grows in the morass. Sawgrass, or razor grass (Cladium jamaicensis), first described by botanists in Jamaica and thus given the Latin name jamaicensis, covers about 60 percent of the wetlands area. Sable palm (Sabal jamaicensis), or thatch palm, is another wetland plant abundant in the reserve that was first described in Jamaica.

The crocodiles along the Black River are quite accustomed to being around people, to the point where many tourists think the ones sitting on the river's edge next to the restaurant are tame. While it's not recommended, some people swim in the same water as the crocs, which, according to one seasoned adventurer, are more afraid of us than we are of them. It's best to respect their space, however, and not give them the chance to prove they are anything but friendly.

The Black River and the Lower Black River Morass are best accessed by taking one of the river safari tours that start in the town of Black River, where three tours are offered from the river banks on pontoon boats.

Black River Safaris

Charles Swaby's Black River Safari (tel. 876/965-2513 or 876/965-2086, jcsafari@hotmail.com, www.jamaica-southcoast.com/blackriver, US$16.50 adult, US$8.25 children), run by parent company South Coast Safari, has a pontoon boat tour up the Black River for 75 minutes with a commentary by the captain. Tours run daily at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m, 2 p.m, and 3:30 p.m Swaby started the tour in 1987. Lunch is served at the Bridge House Inn and at Riverside Dock.

St. Elizabeth Safari (tel. 876/965-2374 or 876/361-3252, donovan.bennett07@yahoo.com, US$16 adults, US$8 children under 12) runs on the opposite side of the river, with local businessman Dr. Bennett operating a virtually identical 75-minute tour up the Black River.

Irie Safari (12 High St., tel. 876/965-2211, lintonirie@hotmail.com, 8:30 a.m.\5 p.m Mon.\Sat., 9 a.m.\4 p.m Sun.) offers a narrated tour on pontoon boats lasting 75 minutes (US$17 per person, minimum charge of US$40 per boat with two people). Proprietor Lloyd Linton is a wetland biologist who leads many of the tours himself. Irie is the smallest of the three tours, which can help avoid the long wait sometimes found at the competitors, which get more large groups. Irie Safari also offers sportfishing for tarpon and snook. The tour was established in 1993.

Lost River Kayak Adventures (www.lostriverkayak.com), also run by Lloyd Linton from the Irie Safari location, has two three-seater, four two-seater, and two single-seat kayaks. Tours venture into the upper reaches of the Black River, where there are blue holes suitable for swimming, birds that wouldn't be seen from a motorized craft, and no crocodiles, thanks to the fresh water. The tour lasts about two hours at US$40 per person.

Pelican Bar

One of the most exceptional attractions in all of Jamaica, Pelican Bar is a ramshackle structure less than 1.5 kilometers offshore on a sandbar off Parotee Point. Run by the charismatic Denever Forbes, known by everybody as Floyde (cell tel. 876/354-4218), Pelican Bar serves drinks and cooks up excellent plates of fish (US$10) and lobster (US$15) accompanied by rice, bammy, or festival. The sandbar is an excellent spot to spend the day relaxing and snorkeling. The best way to reach the bar is by calling Daniel McLenon, known as Dee (cell tel. 876/860-7277), who offers round-trip shuttle service in his fishing boat (US$10 per person) from Parotee. Dee leaves from near his yard past Basil's, just after some houses with blue roofs. Turn right and park along a little lane that leads to the beach. Call Floyde before heading out to make sure he's around. Generally he keeps hours starting at 9 a.m.until the last customers are ready to leave in the evening. The bar is closed when bad weather requires. The only land tour operator servicing Pelican Bar on a regular basis is Barrett Adventures (contact Carolyn Barrett, cell tel. 876/382-6384), which offers transport from Mobay or Negril and can also arrange snorkeling equipment.

ENTERTAINMENT AND EVENTS

Calabash Literary Festival (www.calabashfestival.org) is a fun, free event held the last weekend in May at Jake's in Treasure Beach (tel. 876/965-0635, 800/OUTPOST (800/688-7678), jakes@cwjamaica.com, www.islandoutpost.com/jakes) that draws writers and attendees from across the Caribbean and African diaspora, as well as featuring some of Jamaica's own lyricists and authors.

Jake's Jamaican Off-Road Triathlon and Sunset Run (contact Tamesha Dyght, tel. 876/965-0748 or cell tel. 876/564-6319), organized by BREDs, sponsored by Jake's, and held the last weekend in April, consists of a 500-meter swim, a 15-kilometer mountain bike ride, and a seven-kilometer cross-country run. It draws Jamaicans from across the island as well as international competitors. The winner typically receives a weekend for two at a sponsoring hotel.

BREDS (Kingfisher Plaza, Calabash Bay, contact Sean Chedda, assistant project manager, tel. 876/965-0748, info@breds.org, www.breds.org, 9 a.m.\5 p.m Mon.\Fri., 9 a.m.\1 p.m Sat.) is a community-based organization engaged in community betterment activities and staging events. The nongovernmental organization (NGO) is currently involved in bringing a couple of benchmarking organizations to test for environmental integrity to keep the community green and sustainable. It is also working to have lifeguards posted along the beaches. The group has already trained lifeguards who are posted at Frenchman's Beach, one of the area's most notorious, which has claimed the lives of many locals. There is no reef protection at Frenchman's Beach, and thus the currents tend to be very strong. Jason Henzell, of Jake's, is the BREDS chairman.

BREDS also organizes the Hook 'n' Line Canoe Tournament held at the Calabash Bay Beach on Heroes weekend in October (second weekend of the month). The popular event starts on Saturday and goes into Sunday, when all the boats come in by noon to weigh in their catch. Whoever gets the largest fish (by weight) wins. Any kind of fish is fair game. Tourists may participate by renting boats. The entry fee is kept low (around US$7 per boat) to ensure that the event remains decidedly local. The top prize ranges from an inflatable boat with an engine (2006) to other fishing-related equipment in past years. Contact the BREDS office (tel. 876/965-0748) for details.

Little Ochie Seafood Festival (tel. 876/961-4618, thelkar@cwjamaica.com), held in August, is a definite must and worth traveling from the other side of the island for the lobster, fish, oysters, and cultural activities that range from traditional dance to popular reggae acts.

ACCOMMODATIONS
Black River

The options for staying in Black River are not highly varied. Most visitors come to town just for the day from either nearby Treasure Beach or Negril.

Waterloo Guest House (44 High St., tel. 876/965-2278, US$29\47) is really the only option in town. Once the home of English racehorse breeder John Leyden, who made the Waterloo the first building to have electricity in 1893, the amenities seem to have changed little since then. Basic rooms have ceiling fans, double beds or two single beds, and private bath. There are also rooms with queen-size beds, TV, and air-conditioning; some rooms have a small fridge and coffeemaker. The guesthouse has a popular restaurant and bar (7 a.m.\11 p.m daily, US$2.50\7) serving chicken, pork, oxtail, fish, and fried rice.

East Toward Parottee Point

South Shore Guest House Bar & Restaurant (Crane Rd., tel. 876/965-2172) is wedged between the road and the beach with decent basic rooms facing the water (US$21 with fan, no hot water or TV; US$28 with TV, fan, and hot water; US$46 for two double beds, hot water, TV, and air-conditioning). South Shore is owned by Rose Williams.

Bridge House Inn (14 Crane Rd., tel. 876/965-2361, US$21\26) has 13 basic rooms with either fan or air-conditioning. Private bathrooms have hot water. A restaurant on the property (8 a.m.\10 p.m daily) serves chicken, beef, pork chop, curry goat, and fish (US$3.50\6).

Port of Call Hotel (136 Crane Rd., tel. 876/965-2360, US$31\36) has a variety of rooms, some with one double bed, others with one double and one single. All rooms have private bathroom with hot water and air-conditioning.

Parottee Beach Resort (Crane Rd., tel. 876/383-3980) is a no-frills property toward the end of Parottee Point with four two-level buildings that have combinations of two rooms with two single beds or one king-size and two single beds (US$95). One half of the duplex suites can also be rented alone (US$50).

Idlers' Rest Beach Hotel (Crane Rd., tel. 876/965-9000, US$100 d), owned by attorney Courtney Hamilton, has spacious and well-decorated rooms with king-size beds and all the amenities (air-conditioning, ceiling fans, cable TV, mosquito nets) on a pleasant and quiet beachfront stretch along the road to Parottee Point.

Ocean View Restaurant and Resort Cottages (74 Crane Rd., tel. 876/634-4602, U.S. tel. 404/402-3257, njgravity@yahoo.com) owned by Neville Jackson, has a restaurant serving fish tea, vegetable soup, steam/escovitch/brown stew/fried fish, shrimp, conch, lobster, chicken, curry goat, and chow mien. Cottages are small and basic (US$50).

North Toward Middle Quarters

Ashton Great House & Hotel (tel. 876/965-2036, US$75), located just outside Black River along Central Road in Luana, has 22 rooms with hot water and air-conditioning. Meals are cooked to order for guests. The only negative is the dated linoleum floors in baths. Otherwise there are wood floors throughout, gorgeous views, and a sizable pool near a spacious covered area used for parties and functions. The house was built in the late 1600s by a sea captain, Earle from England, who married a Jamaican woman and raised hogs and cattle.

West Toward Whitehouse

Font Hill Villas Guest House (contact guesthouse manager Ian Blair, tel. 876/462-9011, US$40) has comfortable and well-appointed rooms, all of which have hot water, air-conditioning, and a kitchenette. Some have ceiling fans. This is a great place to get away from it all on the grounds of the expansive Font Hill Estate, with ample room for walking and hiking. The Font Hill Beach Park is just minutes away. The guesthouse was temporarily closed in 2009 and no reopening date is yet on the horizon.

FOOD

Northside Jerk Centre (5 North St., tel. 876/965-9855, 8 a.m.\7 p.m daily, US$2.50\5) a.k.a. Alvin's Fish & Jerk Pork Center, serves fried curry, stew, jerk chicken, stew jerk pork, curry goat, and steamed, brown stew, and escovitch fish.

Tasty Foods (2 Market St., tel. 876/634-4027, 8 a.m.\9 p.m Mon.\Sat., US$2.50\7) serves ackee and saltfish, salt mackerel, chicken (stew, fried, baked, and curry), cabbage, callaloo, oxtail, sliced brown stew fish, whole fish, garlic or curry shrimp, and fries. Eulalee Bennett runs the restaurant.

Tern's Cafe (tel. 876/965-2685 or 876/634-0084, 7 a.m.\11 p.m daily, US$2\4.50) serves Jamaican dishes like escovitch fish, fried and baked chicken, curry goat, and pork and beans right along the waterfront in the heart of town. Tern's also sells Devon House and Nestle ice cream.

Bayside Restaurant and Pastry (19 North St., tel. 876/634-3663, 7 a.m.\9 p.m daily, US$3.50) serves curry goat, stew pork, and fried chicken. Cakes are also served by the slice (US$1.25) or whole (from US$10). Dahlia is the helpful supervisor.

The Fish Pot Bistro and Indies Irie Pizza franchise (riverside on the Black River, adjacent to Riverside Dock, tel. 876/965-2211 or contact Lloyd Linton, cell tel. 876/472-4644; 9:30 a.m.\5 p.m Mon.\Sat., US$6\15) predominantly serves fish: escovitch, steamed, and brown stew--fried and cooked back down in a sauce accompanied by rice, festival, or bammy. It also has curried or garlic shrimp, as well as jerk chicken at times, and lobster in season. Pizza is also served at the same establishment (US$6\20). Toppings include pepperoni, ham, ground beef, and pineapple.

Basil's Seafood Restaurant (cell tel. 876/369-2565, 7 a.m.\midnight daily, US$6.50\13) in nearby Parottee has good seafood. The restaurant serves excellent fish, conch, and lobster. Basil Bennett is the congenial proprietor.

Yellowtail Restaurant (1 Brigade St., tel. 876/634-1319, tel. 876/887-5160, 8 a.m.\11 p.m Mon.\Sat., noon\9 p.m Sun., US$3\15) serves good Jamaican fare with a menu that includes curry goat, cow foot, fried or curried chicken, stew beef, brown stew, and steamed fish and shrimp.

Cloggy's on the Beach (22 Crane Rd., tel. 876/634-2424, www.cloggys.com, US$3\11) is the quintessential beachfront bar and restaurant, serving a range of dishes from chicken to steamed fish, brown fish stew, fried fish, and lobster. This is a great place to kick back and unwind, even if the beach along this stretch out to Parotee Point is a bit muddied by the mouth of the Black River.

Las Vegas Cafè (70 Crane Rd. 504-2396/373-1028, 11 a.m.\midnight, or until last person leaves) serves seafood including conch, shrimp, and lobster and typical Jamaican dishes to order (US$4.50\9).

Pelican Bar is the most interesting restaurant around, but it requires a boat ride to reach. It's offshore on a sandbar off Parotee Point. Run by Denever Forbes, known as Floyde (cell tel. 876/354-4218), Pelican Bar serves drinks and cooks up excellent plates of fish (US$10) and lobster (US$15) accompanied by rice, bammy, or festival.

The Barn Jerk Centre & Grill (107 Main St., thebarnjg@gmail.com, 11 a.m.\11 p.m daily, US$4\20) is housed in a barn-like structure--keeping with its name--on the north side of the main road through Whitehouse. Jeffrey Jameison (cell tel. 876/583-9787 or 876/298-6599) opened the place in April 2009. The jerk center serves jerk chicken and pork, grilled shrimp and lobster, steamed and roasted conch and fish, conch soup, spare ribs, BBQ ribs, and jerk sausage.

Queen Diamond Sports Bar & Club has a pool table and TV. Peter Tennent keeps the joint open from 3 p.m till you say when Thursday\Sunday, and on select Mondays. A shop next door to the sports bar sells Devon House Ice Cream out of a freezer.

Duke's Mile Post 99 (Main St., contact Boris "Duke" Samuels, cell tel. 876/584-0210, 2 a.m.\midnight daily, US$10\20) sits next to the road on a little rise unmistakably plastered with green Heineken branding. Founded in December 2006, it has a club license so it can go all night and usually goes till around 4 a.m.on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights, when selectors are brought in from the greater area to play mostly dancehall. A restaurant specializes in seafood dishes like lobster, shrimp, conch, octopus, and fish. The bar makes for a good pit stop, as Duke welcomes passersby to come in, use the bathroom, and spend some money.

INFORMATION AND SERVICES

The post office (35 High St., tel. 876/634-3769) is open 8 a.m.\5 p.m Monday\Friday. DHL is at 17 High Street (tel. 876/965-2651, 9 a.m.\5 p.m Mon.\Sat.).

The Internet Shop (13 North St., tel. 876/965-2534, 10 a.m.\6 p.m, US$2.25/hour) has DSL Internet access. Surf D Net (12 High St., tel. 876/634-4535, 9:30 a.m.\6 p.m Mon.\Fri., 10 a.m.\6:30 p.m Sat.) also offers Internet access. The St. Elizabeth Parish Library (64 High St., 8:45 a.m.\5:15 p.m Mon.\Fri., 8:45 a.m.\3 p.m Sat.) also offers Internet service (US$1.50/hour).

The Globe Store (17 High St., tel. 876/965-2161) sells souvenirs and computer parts.

Both NCB (13 High St., tel. 876/965-2207) and Scotiabank (6 High St., tel. 876/965-2251) have branches with ATMs.

GETTING THERE AND AROUND

Black River is easily reached by route taxi from Sav-la-Mar in Westmoreland (US$3) or from Santa Cruz in St. Elizabeth (US$2). If you're driving, there's a dodgy but interesting road along the coast to Treasure Beach that's much shorter and not too much more potholed than the long way around. To take the coastal route, head over the bridge east of Black River along Crane Road and turn off the main road toward the water after passing the communications tower east of Parottee. A left turn at a Y intersection leads along the coast to Treasure Beach.

WEST OF BLACK RIVER
Scott's Cove

One of the best road stops along the South Coast, Scott's Cove on the Westmoreland\St. Elizabeth border has several stands with friendly competition between vendors of fried escovitch fish, conch soup, shrimp, and lobster. Check Ras Collie-Bud for an excellent cup of conch soup or any of the vendors for escoveitch-style fried fish and bammy.

Font Hill Beach Park and Wildlife Sanctuary

Owned and operated by the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ), Font Hill has a beautiful little coral-lined sandy beach (Ian cell tel. 876/462-9011, 9 a.m.\5 p.m daily, visitors can stay later, but no one is admitted after 5 p.m and lifeguards are not on duty, US$5 adults, US$3 children) with picnic tables, grills, and bathroom facilities. The beach attracts a predominantly local crowd and is busy on weekends. Across the road, the Font Hill estate extends deep inland.

The nature reserve is not officially open to the public and the PCJ makes clear that those who enter do so at their own risk. In addition to the healthy birdlife found in the sanctuary, there's quite a crocodile population. Not long ago, a scientist member of a research team, with years of observing the area's crocodiles under his belt, inadvertently stepped on one and received severe gashes to his leg. Crocodiles are not generally aggressive, but avoid stepping on them at all costs.

Newmarket

Straddling the Westmoreland\St. Elizabeth border and best accessed by turning inland along the road just east of Whitehouse and just west of the South Sea Park subdivision, Newmarket has the best weekly market in the area, generally held on Mondays. When the incline levels out, turn right to reach Newmarket, passing the striking Carmel Moravian church sitting on a hill. It's well worth stopping to have a look around. The church is in a good state of repair with an impressive organ in its modest interior.

EAST OF BLACK RIVER

Middle Quarters is a favorite motorist stop, where women line the road selling "pepper swimps" (shrimp), and Howie's HQ (contact Howie Salmon, cell tel. 876/860-5733 or 876/860-5396, open 24/7) roadside restaurant serves up typical Jamaican dishes out of huge pots to motorists.

Marcia Williams' Rasta-Colored Roadside Shop (tel. 876/363-7242, 10 a.m.\

7 p.m daily) is an excellent choice for fresh-out-the-pot swimps. Ms. Williams also serves beer at her shop and has a good fruit and vegetable stand out front.

Bubbling Spring (contact proprietor Lincoln Fagan, cell tel. 876/850-1606, 9 a.m.\6 p.m daily, admission US$15) is a natural mineral spring impossible to miss thanks to the bright rainbow colors painted on the compound's outer walls, located along the main road on the western side of Middle Quarters. Patrons can take a dip in a small spring-fed pool of water said to have healthful properties, hang out, and sample food and drinks at the restaurant and bar. Visited predominantly by locals, Bubbling Spring hosts an annual "Swimps" festival in mid-October.

Y.S. Falls

Y.S. Falls (ysfalls@cwjamaica.com, www.ysfalls.com, 9:30 a.m.\3:30 p.m Tues.\Sun., US$15 adults, US$7.50 children 3\15 years) on the Y.S. Estate is by far the best conceived and organized waterfalls destination in Jamaica. It's been operated by Simon Browne since 1991. The Y.S. River changes with weather--crystal clear blue normally, and swelling after rain in the mountains to make the perfect venue for tubing (US$6). There is a bar and grill on the property, as well as gift shops with an excellent array of books, crafts, and Jamaica-inspired clothing. There is also a swimming pool just below the falls.

A series of ziplines traverse over the falls (US$42) and is operated by Chukka Caribbean Adventures. It is a rush, to say the least, and perhaps the most exhilarating of Chukka's three canopy tours in Jamaica.

The origin of the name "Y.S." is somewhat disputed: one version is that it comes from the Gaelic word "wyess," meaning winding and twisting. The second version is that it comes from the last names of the two men who ran the estate in 1684, John Yates and Richard Scott, who branded the cattle and hogshead of sugar with "Y.S." The 3,238-hectare property was bought out of bankruptcy from the list of Encumbered Estates in London by Simon's great uncle, John Browne, in 1887 for £4,000--without Browne ever having seen the estate. Some of the land was sold, leaving 809 hectares today where champion thoroughbred racehorses are bred and Pedigree Red Poll cattle graze the Guango tree\lined fields. Sugarcane production was discontinued in the 1960s.

The Y.S. River originates in Cockpit Country and is fed by many springs on its course to where it meets the Black River. A spring on the estate is the original source of water for the town of Black River, 13 kilometers downstream.

Bamboo Avenue

One of the most beautiful four-kilometer stretches of road in Jamaica, running from Middle Quarters to West Lacovia, Bamboo Avenue is also known as Holland Bamboo. The stretch is lined with Jamaica's largest bamboo species, the common bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris), brought from Haiti by the owners of the neighboring 1,780-hectare Holland sugar estate, which once belonged to John Gladstone (1764\1851). Gladstone went on to father 19th-century British prime minister William Gladstone. Bamboo Avenue provides shade for several jelly coconut and peanut vendors. On the eastern side of Bamboo Avenue is Bamboo Ville, a vibesy jerk center with big pots on open fires.

Lacovia

Just about all that's noteworthy about Lacovia, other than being the turnoff for Maggoty, Accompong, and Appleton Estate, are a few restaurants and a gas station.

Kingmon's Restaurant (tel. 876/966-6705 or cell tel. 876/425-6721, US$3.50\5.50), run by Kingsley and Monica, serves natural juices and Jamaican staples like baked and fried chicken, cow foot, curry chicken, and curry goat.

Tropical Jerk Center (contact proprietor Neville Douglas, tel. 876/845-3814, 9 a.m.\10 p.m daily) serves jerk chicken and pork, food, soup, and jerk and steamed fish next to the Texaco station.

Southern Cockpit Country

The interior of St. James, St. Elizabeth, Manchester, and Clarendon parishes is rugged terrain, much of it forming part of Cockpit Country, which blankets pitted limestone hills full of caves and underground rivers. As the impassible interior descends to the sea, ridged hills taper down around lush valleys, which have proved some of the most fertile in Jamaica. The Y.S. and Appleton estates remain prized lands. The Nassau Valley, where Appleton Estate is located, is still heavily planted in sugarcane to feed the healthy rum business.

From Maggoty the main road (B6) heads east, skirting a large wetland area fed by the upper reaches of the Black River before rejoining the main south coast "highway" (A2) just east of Santa Cruz. From Balaclava, a turn to the north (B10) leads deep into the interior to Troy and then Warsop, passing by Ramgoat Cave before hitting Clarks Town, Trelawny. North of Clarks Town the road emerges on the coast in Duncans. For extreme adventure-seekers, the Troy Trail is a challenging traverse of the most rugged part of Cockpit Country. The trail is best accessed with the help of a guide, which can be set up through the Jamaica Caves Organization (info@jamaicancaves.org, www.jamaicancaves.org).

Hiking excursions in the vicinity of Accompong can be arranged by contacting Maroon Colonel Ferron Williams (cell tel. 876/850-9567).

MAGGOTY

Apple Valley Park (contact Lucille Lee, cell tel. 876/487-4521 or 876/963-950, or Andrea, cell tel. 876/449-7718, www.applevalleypark.com, 10:30 a.m.\5 p.m daily, reservations are imperative as the park is closed when none have been made) is one of those places where even locals aren't entirely sure whether it's open or not. Nonetheless, pedal-boating around a man-made pond, swimming pools, a cold-water whirlpool tub, rope swing, and picnic area make it a potentially entertaining affair. The park offers a tractor tour and meals. Admission is US$8.50 adults, US$7 children under 12 with a jerk or fried chicken lunch included or US$5 adult, US$3.50 children for admission alone. Visitors may bring their own food. Four cabins on the property (US$14) offer basic accommodation for up to three persons with private baths and cold water.

Apple Valley Guest House (contact Lucille Lee, cell tel. 876/487-4521 or 876/963-9508) has slightly less basic double-occupancy rooms (US$36) than those at the park, with hot water in private baths and air-conditioning or fans available by request.

ACCOMPONG

Home of the Leeward or Trelawny Maroons, Accompong (derived from Achumpun, or Acheumpun, from the Twi language of Ghana) was named after a brother of the famous leader Cudjoe (Kojo) who signed a peace treaty with Great Britain that granted his people autonomy from the crown on March 1, 1738. In exchange for their sovereignty, granted 100 years before emancipation, and freedom for the rest of the black population, the Maroons were called on repeatedly by the British to assist in the suppression of slave rebellions and to help capture runaways. Accompong falls within the borders of St. Elizabeth Parish, but it's really outside the confines of any parish--the land occupied by the Maroons predates the establishment of parishes by the British. Today Accompong is led by Colonel Ferron Williams (cell tel. 876/850-9567), a police inspector with the Jamaica Constabulary Force elected for his first five-year term in 2009. It's best to check in with the colonel so he can anticipate your arrival, as he'll help with the logistics and ensure fair treatment by representatives of the community.

The best time to visit is for the annual Accompong Maroon Festival (Jan. 5\6), when the village comes alive with traditional Maroon music and dance as well as stage shows more typical of the rest of Jamaica. During the rest of the year it's a great destination for getting some fresh air and spectacular views of a seldom-visited corner of St. Elizabeth. Guides from the community are available to take visitors to the cave (US$10/person) where the famous treaty was signed, as well to a few other important sights in the community, like a burial ground and the church where English names were given to the Maroons after emancipation.

APPLETON ESTATE

Appleton Estate (tel. 876/963-9215 or 876/963-9217, fax 876/963-9218, appleton@infochan.com, www.appletonrum.com, tour hours 9 a.m.\3 p.m Mon.\Sat., US$22 admission includes a miniature bottle of rum) in Nassau Valley is one of the most popular tours in Jamaica and well worth a visit, both to sample the several grades of rum and to experience the most lush corner of St. Elizabeth and its impressive topography. The distillery at Appleton Estate is run by Wray and Nephew, which makes Appleton's, Jamaica's best-known rum. To get there, turn inland off the A2 toward Maggoty in West Lacovia after passing through Bamboo Avenue from the west or Lacovia from the east. Where the road splits keep right, following well-marked signs for Appleton Estate.

SANTA CRUZ

A bustling transportation hub more than a destination of any note, Santa Cruz can get congested during the day; if you're just passing through there is a very useful bypass around the town center that saves a lot of time. Arriving from the east, veer right off the main road at the Y where the road splits at the Total gas station before getting to town. Take the third left to rejoin the main at the stoplight on the western edge of town. Arriving from the west, follow the reverse route: a left at the first stoplight, and then a right until the road meets the main at the Total station on the eastern edge of town. The dusty bus terminal parking lot in the heart of Santa Cruz is a good place to catch a route taxi for Treasure Beach, Black River, or Mandeville.

Entertainment and Shopping

Toxic Night Club (no phone, Thurs.\Sat.) in Leddister's Plaza is the best spot in town to get your groove on at night should you be stranded in Santa Cruz.

Record Mart (right before Singer in Santa plaza, tel. 876/966-2564) sells both domestic records and imports with plenty of reggae, R&B, and hip-hop.

Accommodations

Chariots Hotel (Leeds, tel. 876/966-3860, US$40\75) has a pool, restaurant, and bar. Heading west through Santa Cruz, turn left at the stoplight onto Coke Drive, pass RBTT bank and then NCB, four kilometers from Santa Cruz on the road to Malvern. The restaurant serves typical Jamaican dishes (US$4\8.50). All rooms have private bath, cable TV, air-conditioning, and floral-print bedcovers on either two double beds or one king-size bed. It's a decent, well-kept place. The more expensive rooms have hot water.

Kool Rooms Guest House (just west of the last stoplight in Santa Cruz, cell tel. 876/312-8735, tel. 876/387-9417, vernonbourne@yahoo.com, US$50) has four rooms with two queen-size or two double beds in each room with air-conditioning, cable TV, and en suite bathrooms with tub and shower. Run by roots rock reggae singer Vernon Bourne, a.k.a. Singing Vernon, the guesthouse is a good place for young travelers looking to unwind and kick back in rural St. Elizabeth. You're likely to "buck up" other popular reggae artists during your stay.

Food

Grills & Frills (39 Main St., across from Rapid True Value, tel. 876/966-3515, Mon.\Sat. 10 a.m.\10 p.m, US$3\4.50) serves Boston-style jerk chicken and pork and roast fish, as well as other Jamaican staples.

Miguel's Cafe (5 Jewel Close, tel. 876/966-4304, 8 a.m.\9:30 p.m Mon.\Sat., until 10 p.m Fri. and Sat., US$2.50\3.75) in the heart of town just below KFC has fried chicken, baked chicken, curry goat, stewed peas, and pork chops.

Hinds Restaurant & Bakery (Santa Cruz Plaza, tel. 876/966-2234, 7:30 a.m.\5 p.m Mon.\Thurs., until 7 p.m Fri. and Sat., US$4\6) has decent Jamaican dishes liked fried, stewed, and baked chicken, as well as oxtail, curry goat, stew pork, and escovitch fish.

Services

G-Link World Internet Cafe is at Shop #21, Jake's Plaza (tel. 876/966-4497).

NCB (7 Coke Drive, tel. 876/966-2204) and Scotiabank (77 Main St., tel. 876/966-2230) have small branches with ATMs.

Treasure Beach

Isolated from the rest of the island by the Santa Cruz mountains, which create the area's distinct coastal desert environment by capturing the westbound rainfall, Treasure Beach is a catch-all name for a series of bays and fishing villages that extend from Fort Charles at the greater community's western edge, to Billy's Bay, Frenchman's Bay, and Great Bay on the eastern edge of the community. Treasure Beach prides itself on offering a different kind of tourism than that found in Jamaica's more built-up tourist centers. Local ownership of the guesthouses and restaurants is more the rule than the exception, and it's impossible not to interact with Jamaicans in a more substantial context than being served your cocktail.

The earth in St. Elizabeth is a deep red, and the people, thanks to a mix of Scottish and African blood, also have a reddish complexion, often with striking blue or green eyes. These Jamaicans are commonly referred to as "red" by the rest of the island's population, with typical disregard for innuendos or connotations outsiders might deem politically incorrect. In spite of St. Elizabeth receiving the least rainfall on the island, the parish is known as Jamaica's "breadbasket," not for any grain produced there per se, but mainly for vast quantities of vegetables it sends across the island.

Many of the bays have decent swimming areas, but it's best to inquire with locals about the safety of jumping in the water at any particular point until you get accustomed to the area. Remain vigilant of rip tides and strong currents.

History

The light complexion generally seen in Treasure Beach and St. Elizabeth is said to owe to Scots who had unsuccessfully settled in Darion Point, Panama, and were forced to flee. It is said that William III sent word that the Scots were not to come into any port, so they beached their ships at Treasure Beach. Treasure Beach started to become an offbeat destination in the 1970s, and fortunately developed at a slow pace, giving the area a chance to define for itself an alternate approach that has been far more equitable for the community than other tourist destinations around Jamaica.

SIGHTS

As an off-the-beaten-track destination, the main appeal of Treasure Beach is the community itself and the infectious sleepy pace that permeates the area. Despite their laid-back nature, residents of St. Elizabeth pride themselves on being extremely hardworking, from the fishermen who spend days out at sea to the farmers who take great care in mulching and watering their crops to fight the perpetual drought. Despite the lack of differentiable sights of interest along the Treasure Beach coast itself, there are several worthwhile excursions within an hour's drive, many of which are around Black River. East of Treasure Beach along the coast there are also a few notable natural attractions.

Lovers' Leap (Southfield, 9 a.m.\9 p.m daily, closing later on Sun.) is a 480-meter drop to the sea less than 16 kilometers east of Treasure Beach along the coast. According to legend, a slave couple leapt to their deaths to avoid forced separation by their master, who was lusting after the girl. As the legend has it, an old woman who witnessed their leap said the moon caught them up in a golden net and they were last seen holding hands standing on the moon as it sank over the horizon. A lighthouse was built on the point in 1979 and can be seen from 35 kilometers out at sea. Admission is US$3, or support the bar and restaurant in lieu of admission.

Lovers' Leap Guest House (Southfield, tel. 876/965-6004, US$36 upstairs, US$50 poolside) has decent, basic rooms with double beds and private bath, hot water, air-conditioning, and ceiling fans.

ENTERTAINMENT AND EVENTS

If you're looking for wild all-night parties, Treasure Beach is probably not the best destination. Romantic sunsets and quiet nights are more the norm than live music. Nonetheless, a few venues see regular activity on weekends. Most of these venues operate as restaurants as much as nightspots.

Treasure Beach comes alive for annual events like Calabash Literary Festival and the Hook 'n' Line Fishing Tournament, with bonfires on the beach and roots reggae pumping from sound systems well into the night. Rebel Salute, a massive reggae concert held annually in mid-February in nearby Port Kaiser, is another exception to the rule of calm and quiet nights along the South Coast.

South Jammin' (contact owner/manager Joe Isaacs, cell tel. 876/291-5364; open daily from 7 a.m. until the last person leaves, US$3\13) is a centrally located restaurant serving as a local hangout and nightspot with darts, billiards, and dominoes. Satellite TV and live music every weekend on Saturday and Sunday (9 p.m\2 a.m.) are strong draws. Ladies' night on Friday (7\10 p.m) avails two-for-one drinks for women.

Fisherman's Bar (cell tel. 876/379-9780) is a club open nightly with dancehall and roots reggae booming. A pool table and domino area around back are popular with locals, while the restaurant out front serves typical Jamaican fare at reasonable prices. The venue occasionally hosts live music.

Wild Onion (contact business manager Lurline Rhodes, tel. 876/965-3619, 3 p.m\2 a.m.Tues.\Sun., US$4\7) is a bar and restaurant serving Jamaican lunch and dinner items like rice and fish, curry goat, vegetable pasta, pork, and chicken. As a nightspot Wild Onion contracts a selector on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. In the high season the venue hosts live music once a month.

Brap Bar (Billy's Bay, 8:30 a.m.\midnight daily) comes alive in the evenings for poker and dominoes; enter the fray if you dare.

SHOPPING

Treasure Hunt Craft Shop (Old Wharf Road, tel. 876/965-3878, 9 a.m.\3 p.m Mon.\Fri., 9 a.m.\1 p.m Sat.), run by the Treasure Beach Women's Group, makes handcrafted items out of calabash and other local materials. The parent organization holds regular meetings and provides a forum for addressing issues affecting the community's matriarchs. Baskets, gourds, post cards, and the signature Star Light candle holders are other nice gift items sold at the shop. The group hosts a variety of events, from summer camps to bingo to fashion shows.

Callaloo Butik (Frenchman's district, cell tel. 876/390-3949, 9 a.m.\6 p.m daily, www.callaloo-jam.com) is an upscale craft and souvenir shop run by Sophie Eyssautier, selling clothing, bags, jewelry, beach wraps, baby items, ceramics, and home decor, 100 percent of it made in Jamaica.

SPORTS AND RECREATION

People come to Treasure Beach to avoid or escape the busy tourist hubs of Ocho Rios, Negril, and Montego Bay. Swimming, fishing, long walks, and yoga may be the most popular recreational activities.

Captain Dennis Adventure, run by Dennis Abrahams (cell tel. 876/435-3779 or tel. 876/965-3084, dennisabrahams@yahoo.com), offers excursions and fishing trips to get to Black River Safari (US$120), Pelican Bar (US$75 for two), or to a white-sand beach called Gallon Beach in Malcolm Bay just past Black River. Dennis also offers fishing (US$60/hour) and excursions to Little Ochie (US$120). Additional passengers can be added for an extra fee (US$45 per person).

Andy Nembhard (cell tel. 876/438-1311, andytours@yahoo.com) rents Trek, Raleigh, and Cannondale mountain bikes (US$25 per day), operates two-hour sea kayak tours (US$60 per person), and rents single-person kayaks (US$45 per day). Andy also runs 2\3-hour hiking and biking tours (US$60 per person) to Great Bay, Fort Charles, and Lover's Leap. Snorkeling excursions are also offered for US$65 per person, including equipment and transportation to Font Hill Beach Park near Whitehouse, where the reefs are more colorful and waters calmer than in Treasure Beach.

Beaches

Wherever you go in the water in Treasure Beach, it's best to have a companion and to inquire with locals to ensure it is safe. Treasure Beach maintains a growing list of locals who have fallen victim to the hungry sea, which can have strong currents and undertows. While Treasure Beach is not sought after specifically for the quality of its beaches (which aren't as suitable for Jamaica Tourist Board posters as those in other parts of the island), the beaches it has are picturesque in an entirely different way and romantic all the same.

Frenchman's Beach is a great beach for body surfing when the sea is a little rough. There is coral aplenty toward the edges of this beach, even in shallow waters. The safest spot to swim is directly in front of Golden Sands Guest House.

Calabash Bay Beach is a fishing beach with a large, clear, sandy area good for swimming. The safest spot to swim is in front of Calabash House before you reach the boats. Great Bay also has a decent beach for a dip.

ACCOMMODATIONS

The popularity of Treasure Beach as an off-the-beaten-track destination has led to a blossoming in the accommodations market. Most of the guesthouses are remarkably affordable when compared with other tourist areas, with comfortable accommodations for two starting around US$30 per night. Even villas rent for considerably less than in other areas of Jamaica, with rates starting at around US$1,200\2,600 per week for 2\8 people.

The only time of year it becomes hard to find a room is during Calabash Literary Festival, when those who haven't booked well in advance happily settle for whatever's available, even staying in Black River, Junction, or as far away as Mandeville if necessary. Rebecca Wiersma has over the past decade created a great online presence with her Treasure Tours website (tel. 876/965-0126, treasuretours@cwjamaica.com, www.treasuretoursjamaica.com), subscribed to by most of the accommodations in the area with prices and amenities listed (www.treasurebeach.net). Unless otherwise noted, all the accommodations listed can be booked through Treasure Tours.

Under US$100

Bebe's Place (www.treasuretours.com, US$50\75) has three cottages, dubbed Yellow House, Blue House, and Brown House, with single and queen-size beds and fans. Occasional dance parties are held next door at Wild Onion.

Ashanti Village (Frenchman's Bay area, contact Alieda Ebanks, cell tel. 876/433-1593 or 876/387-4887) is a great budget option with a one-bedroom (US$45) and a two-bedroom (US$65) seaview cottage and four additional rooms (US$35) in the main house. The rooms come with a private bath, small fridge, fan, and electric kettles, with screens on the windows. The cottages have equipped kitchens and verandas with sea views. Meals are prepared by request. There's lots of garden space and a play area great for kids. Ashanti is well situated in a very quiet location still within an easy stroll to most restaurants and bars and Frenchman's Beach.

Ital Rest (contact Frankie and Jean, tel. 876/863-3481, US$40/night, US$250/week) is about as roots as you can get. The property has limited electricity supplied by solar panels to the smart wood cabins, which are an easy walk from several sandy coves. Mosquito nets cover the beds to keep the bugs out at night. No fans or air-conditioning, and a kitchen on the property is available for guest use. Vegetarian food can also be prepared by request.

Nuestra Casa (Billy's Bay, tel. 876/965-0152, roger@billybay.com, www.billysbay.com, US$45/50 low/high season) is a villa-style guesthouse run by Lillian Chamberlain and her son Roger. It rents three rooms, two with a double bed, and a third with two twin beds. One room has a private bath, while the other two share a bathroom. Amenities include ceiling and standing fans and hot water. Dinner is prepared by request. Anika Elliott is the housekeeper.

Wild Pines (www.treasuretoursjamaica.com, US$65) is a two-bedroom, two-bath wooden cottage near Great Pond set in a charming garden. The two-story building has a bedroom on each floor with a queen-size and a single bed, and a common kitchen at the ground level.

Dolphin's Villa (US$50 per room, US$70 with air-conditioning, or US$290 for entire house) is a spacious five-bedroom, five-bath villa with en suite bathrooms with hot water, screened windows in rooms with fans, satellite TV and stereo in the common living area, and spacious verandas. The house rents through Treasure Tours.

US$100\250

Villa Mutamba (tel. 876/920-8194, cell tel. 876/868-4658, mutabarukax@hotmail.com, www.villamutamba.com, US$150) is a physical embodiment of the minimalist philosophy of dub poet Mutabaruka, who owns the property. African relics adorn the entrance after one of the longest staircases, dubbed the "stairway to heaven." Inside, simple and tasteful bamboo furnishings complement the funky master bathroom, which has a small window looking out to sea from the colorfully tiled tub.

Calabash House (Calabash Bay, tel. 876/965-0126, US$75/85 low/high season per room or US$200/US$250 low/high season for house) is a four-bedroom villa right on Calabash Bay, one of the best spots for swimming in Treasure Beach. Bedrooms have air-conditioning, with hot water in the bathrooms. A housekeeper tidies up during the day while a cook can be arranged to prepare breakfast and dinner (additional US$25 daily for four persons). Two cute mini-cottages were recently added to the yard, where there's also a hammock for lazing the days away and watching the fishermen bring in their catch. Owner Elizabeth Seltzer is an artist who brings a creative vibe to the house and its ambience.

Shakti Home (books through Treasure Tours, tel. 876/965-0126, treasuretours@cwjamaica.com, www.shaktihomeja.com, US$1,750/1,950 weekly low/high season), "your Om away from home" as its owner, Jamaica's number one yoga proponent, Sharon McConnell puts it, is an airy, well-appointed, and tastefully decorated beach house with mosquito nets and fans in two bedrooms. The house sits beachfront, overlooking Old Wharf and includes a great cook and caretaker/gardener. The chef specializes in vegetarian cuisine in addition to traditional Jamaican food. Shakti Home has a beautiful yoga deck overlooking the sea that comfortably fits six people, with yoga mats provided.

Sunset Resort Hotel (Calabash Bay, tel. 876/965-0143, srv@sunsetresort.com, www.sunsetresort.com, US$90\115 garden view, US$135 oceanview, US$150 honeymoon suites) basically defines "Butu," the Jamaican equivalent of kitsch, with its Jamaican nouveau-riche exaggerated decor. Floral bedcovers with matching curtains and plastic flower arrangements seem to be transplanted straight from the home of a Kingston drug don. Nonetheless, it's hard to overlook the charm and care taken to make everything match so carefully, even if it is sorely lacking in taste.

Perhaps the best deal at Sunset Resort Hotel are the small villas adjacent to the main building, which rent for less (from US$97) and have more basic amenities--with appreciably less gaud strewn about.

Treasure Beach Hotel (Frenchman's Bay, tel. 876/965-0110, US$107/$119 low/high season) is the closest thing you'll find to Sandals in Treasure Beach--with split-system air-conditioning in the tile-floor rooms, private balconies, and floral bedcovers matching the drapes. Rooms have either two singles or one king-size bed.

Taino Cove (tel. 876/965.3893, cell tel. 876/845-6103, frontdesk@tainocove.com, www.tainocove.com, US$100\150) is an eight-bedroom boutique hotel located at the far eastern corner of Treasure Beach. Bedrooms have queen-size or double beds, overlook the sea and pool area, and have tile flooring, comfortable linens, and wooden ceilings in the suites. Owned by Winnie Hylton, the large property features a common area on the ground floor of the main building and a pool with an adjacent bar and restaurant. Meals are prepared to order.

Marblue Villa Suites (tel. 876/965-3408, info@marblue.com, www.marblue.com, US$129-285) is an attractive seafront property located on a quiet, windswept stretch of beach along Calabash Bay offering junior, villa, and honeymoon categories. The well-appointed suites have air-conditioning, CD players, fans, attractive decor, and full, king-size, or queen-size beds. Nice sitting areas with day beds overlook one of two pools on the property from the veranda or pool deck.

Andrea's Seaside Restaurant and Steakhouse is a popular upscale restaurant on property, where fellow hotelier Axel Wichterich whips up creative dishes borrowing from Jamaican and international culinary traditions.

Lyric (www.treasuretoursjamaica.com, US$1,100/1,350 weekly low/high season) is a beautiful, cut-stone, four-bedroom, two-bath house; a stone patio and pool overlooking the beach on Calabash Bay is its distinguishing feature. Two rooms have king-size beds and the others have single beds, making the property ideal for families or small groups.

La Sirena (www.treasuretoursjamaica.com, US$1,200 weekly for two, add US$120 per additional person) is a beautiful, airy, three-bedroom villa with queen-size beds in two rooms and two single beds in last room; all bedrooms have private bath, air-conditioning, and ceiling fans. The villa features a private pool on the sun deck and a stairway leading to Billy's Bay Beach. Amenities include a stereo, Internet, and TV/DVD.

Over US$250

Jake's Boutique Resort and Beachside Villas (tel. 876/965-0635 or 800/OUTPOST (800/688-7678), jakes@cwjamaica.com, www.islandoutpost.com/jakes, US$113\385 low, US$136\468 high season) has taken rustic chic to a new level, pouring on the kind of details sought out by those members of the jet set always on the prowl for the next "in" spot. To call Jake's rustic is to ignore the posh bedding and elaborate detailing reminiscent of an Arabian love lair. The honeymoon suites have outdoor showers and sunbathing decks on the roof. The most unpretentiously hip accommodation at Jake's is the two-bedroom Jack Sprat (US$177/230 low/high season), located right next to Frenchman's Beach with its iconic buttonwood tree.

The bold and classy architectural style at Jake's owes to the creativity of Sally Henzell, wife of the late Perry Henzell, who became Jamaica's biggest film icon after directing the cult classic The Harder They Come in the early 1970s. Sally Henzell has an aesthetic that blends the old colonial charm found in the island's historic buildings with a windswept rustic edge one might associate more with the Maine coast of New England.

Sometimes described as "shabby shacks," the cottages at Jake's don't neglect the modern essentials, with hot water provided in all the rooms with solar heaters. The Henzells bought the property in 1991 and opened and developed the rooms and cottages little by little. Jake was a pet parrot of the Henzells', but Jake is also a generic term used to call out to a white person.

Calabash Bay Villa and Cottage is a spectacular property with a four-bedroom villa and adjacent two-bedroom cottage managed by Jake's. The villa has an industrial kitchen, a beautiful pool, and a lounge area outside with direct access to the beach on Calabash Bay.

Hope House, also managed by Jake's and a bit farther to the east, is a new two-story house exquisitely laid out and appointed with aged wood detailing, sleek interiors, and a veranda and plunge pool to die for.

Cave Canem is a four-bedroom property, also rented through Jake's, built in a Mediterranean style reminiscent of Morocco or southern Spain, with whitewashed walls and curvy architecture. Several balconies and terraces help make the most of the serene sea views, while an infinity pool graces the front of the property overhanging the beach. Amenities include four-poster king-size beds, flat-panel TVs, Wi-Fi, a fully equipped kitchen, and housekeeper.

Doubloon Villa (tel. +44 (0) 1543 480612, judy@doubloonvilla.com, www.doubloonvilla.com, or book through Treasure Tours, www.treasuretoursjamaica.com) is a comfortable four-bedroom villa with a small pool and deck overlooking the beach on Calabash Bay. One of the area's premier properties, Doubloon amenities include private baths, a well-equipped kitchen, air-conditioning, complimentary Wi-Fi and three full-time staff members.

Blue Marlin Villas (contact Sandy Tatham, tel. 876/965-3311, cell tel. 876/855-1122, bluemarlinvillas@cwjamaica.com, www.bluemarlinvillas.com) comprises two villas, Blue Marlin and Coquina, located on a 2.5-acre beachfront property at the western side of the beach in Great Pedro Bay. The villas can be rented together or separately. Wi-Fi covers the property.

Blue Marlin (US$1,700 for 1\4 guests, US$2,000 for 5\8 guests low season, US$1,900/2,500 high season) is a four-bedroom, three bathroom, single-story villa with air-conditioning and ceiling fans in the bedrooms. Coquina (US$1,700 for 1\4 guests, US$1,900 for 5\8 guests low season, US$1,900/2,300 high season) is a three-bedroom, three-bathroom two-story villa with ceiling fans. Staff for both villas includes a cook/housekeeper, housemaid, and gardener.

Kouros Villa (US$2,500/week for up to four people, minimum three-night stay) is a four-bedroom villa built adjacent to and in a similar style as Cave Canem, with a whitewashed finish and a pool area overlooking the sea. Kouros books through Treasure Tours (www.treasuretoursjamaica.com).

Sparkling Waters (Billy's Bay, tel. 876/927-8020, reservations@sparklingwatersvilla.com, www.sparklingwatersvilla.com, US$250 for up to four people) is an exquisitely decorated collection of three modern, two-bedroom duplex villas: Villa de la Sable, Villa de l'Ocean, and Villa du Soleil (US$200 per night 1\2 guests, US$1,575 weekly 1\2 guests, US$1,750 weekly 3\4 guests). The three villas share the grounds, which contain a pool, whirlpool tub, and a gorgeous private beach. The villas have comfortable and inviting bathrooms with hot water, plus satellite TV, stereos, and air-conditioning in the bedrooms. Spacious and comfortable living and dining rooms are found downstairs along with the kitchen. The bedrooms are on the second floor at the top of a spiral staircase. Wi-Fi is included.

Great Escape (Fort Charles, tel. 574/707-0132 or 269/641-5451, greatescape@jamaicavilla.com, www.jamaicavilla.com, from US$1,800/2,000 low/high season) is a three-bedroom house well removed from the languid center of Treasure Beach, with queen-size beds in each room. A large pool overlooks the water with a clubhouse area. Great Escape is a good spot for families, with a small private beach and plenty of space to roam about.

FOOD

Thanks to Treasure Beach's popularity as Jamaica's number one off-the-beaten-track destination, a wide variety of restaurants have popped up. They cater to both a local and tourist market, serving a mix of cautious international dishes and local favorites. Few of these restaurants have landlines, and addresses in Treasure Beach are somewhat relative.

Jack Sprat (adjacent to Jake's, tel. 876/965-3583, 10 a.m.\10 p.m) is a favorite for fried fish, conch soup, pizza, and Devon House ice cream.

Sweet Desires (10 a.m.\7 p.m daily) serves homemade ice cream and has an Internet cafè.

Hearts of Love Cafè serves fresh baked goods like pineapple upside-down cake, banana bread, baguettes, and chocolate cake, as well as breakfast items like callaloo, cheese omelettes, and fresh juices.

Frenchman's Reef Restaurant & Cocktail Bar (tel. 876/965-3049, Owen's cell tel. 876/428-5048 or Elizabeth's cell tel. 876/861-4917, jeclarke@live.co.uk, 7\11 p.m daily) serves seafood and pizza, as well as burgers and Chinese and Jamaican staples. Natural juices and local and international-style breakfasts are also served. Frenchman's delivers, accepts credit cards, and offers patrons complimentary Wi-Fi.

Smurf's Cafe (cell tel. 876/483-7523) is named after proprietor Kevin "Smurf" Mills, but his wife Dawn is the cook at this reputable establishment serving Jamaican breakfast and lunch and dinner staples. The roast coffee is excellent.

Pardy's Coffee Shop (Calabash Bay, cell tel. 876/326-9008, 7 a.m.\7 p.m Mon.\Sat., US$5\20) serves Jamaican breakfast with items like ackee and saltfish, callaloo and saltfish, and continental favorites like a Spanish omelette, callaloo omelette, or any other kind of eggs done to order. Lunch and dinner are prepared to order, with items like fish, lobster, and curry goat. Pardy's serves High Mountain coffee and freshly squeezed OJ in season, and you can also grab a beer anytime.

Diner's Delight (across from Swaby's Plaza next to Golden Sands Resort, contact Andrea Wright, tel. 876/839-2586, 9 a.m.\10 p.m, US$3.50\13) serves typical Jamaican dishes including curry goat, peppered steak, brown stew chicken, shrimp, fish, and lobster at reasonable prices. Diner's Delight is a favorite among locals. Takeout is also available.

Natural Vibes (no phone) is a restaurant, bar, and souvenir shop in one serving local Jamaican dishes on an outdoor patio or for takeout. It's open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

The Gold Coast Restaurant (Kingfisher Plaza, cell tel. 876/391-2458) serves Jamaican fare like fried chicken, curry goat, and steamed fish. It's open for lunch only.

Oliver's Dutch Pot Restaurant (Lazza Plaza, cell tel. 876/375-5217, 10 a.m.\11 p.m daily, US$3\12) serves up Jamaican staples like fried, jerk, and sweet and sour chicken, curry goat, cow foot, oxtail, fish, shrimp, and lobster.

Andrea's Seaside Restaurant and Steakhouse (Calabash Bay, tel. 876/965-3408, US$20\50) is an open-air restaurant at Marblue, where Andrea's award-winning chef husband, Axel Wichterich, creates dishes of local and international inspiration.

Jake's Place (tel. 876/965-3000) is the restaurant at the hipper-than-hip accommodation, Jake's, serving Jamaican and international cuisine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily.

Shantz Eating Place (toward Billy's Bay, no phone, open for lunch) serves quality, cheap eats with a rotating menu including items like fried chicken, pork, and fish--plus curry goat on Saturdays--out of a little shack-like restaurant. The food is served for takeout in Styrofoam boxes.

Pot Snapper is a small restaurant located next to the entrance to Jack Sprat. It prepares excellent fish, Jamaican dishes, and decent pizza at reasonable prices (US$5\15).

Sunset Resort (tel. 876/965-0143) serves Jamaican and American fare from steamed fish to pizza, with an all-you-can-eat buffet nights.

M&D Grocery (tel. 876/965-0070, 7 a.m.\8 p.m Mon.\Fri., 4 a.m.\until you say when Sat.), named after proprietors Maureen and Delvin Powell, is a small grocery shop and bar good for basic supplies. Jerk chicken and pork as well as conch and mutton soup are prepared on Fridays and Saturdays.

New Dimension Supermarket and Scoop-A-Licious (Linda's Plaza, tel. 876/965-3875, 6:30 a.m.\7:30 p.m Mon.\Sat., 6:30\10 a.m.and 4\8 p.m Sun.) sells Devon House ice cream (US$2\2.25 cones, US$2\9 container) and basic groceries.

Round the Clock Bar (Frenchman's Bay, contact owner Charmaine Moxam, cell tel. 876/378-6690, open 24/7) is a small grocery shop and bar good for basic supplies and drinks, located next to Jake's.

Strikie-T Craft & Jerk Centre (Billy's Bay, tel. 876/289-9555, 7 a.m.\10 p.m Mon.\Sat.) is run by Christopher Bennett, a.k.a. Strikie-T, with help from Tanice (tel. 876/899-6436). It serves peanut, banana, or hominy porridge until noon, when jerk chicken and pork start coming off the grill.

INFORMATION AND SERVICES

The Calabash Bay post office (five minutes east of Southern Supplies on foot, 10:30 a.m.\4:30 p.m Mon.\Fri., closed for lunch 1\2 p.m) often lacks stamps.

Kingfisher Plaza is a small shopping center and home to The Bird's Nest Bar, which has a billiards table, a grocery shop, and a supermarket.

Treasure Beach Meat Mart & Grocery (Kingfisher Plaza, cell tel. 876/489-3641, 9 a.m.\5 p.m Mon.\Sat.), run by Marjorie Henry-Somers, sells fresh fruit, vegetables, ground provisions, and frozen fish and meat.

Southern Supplies (eight minutes north of Kingfisher Plaza on foot, just before the ice factory) is the largest supermarket in Treasure Beach, selling among other essentials international phone cards, gift items, and music. The store also has an Internet cafè.

Global Camera Technology (cell tel. 876/384-8197 or 876/965-0657, globalcamtech.videopro@gmail.com), based in nearby Watchwell, offers videography and editing services for weddings, funerals, parties, business events, documentaries, and music videos.

L. H. Malahoo & Nephews Fishing Tackles (Kingfisher Plaza, cell tel. 876/409-7305, 10:30 a.m.\2 p.m Mon. and Wed., 10:30 a.m.\1:30 p.m Fri.) is your best bet in the area for fishing gear, but Mr. Malahoo doesn't keep regular hours so it's best to call ahead.

Massage

Shirley's Steam Bath (tel. 876/965-3820 or cell tel. 876/827-2447, smgenus@hotmail.com, open daily by appointment) run by Great Bay native herbalist Shirley Genus, is a local institution offering 15-minute herbal steam baths along with 30- or 60-minute massage sessions (US$70\90).

Joshua's Massage & Bodywork (tel. 876/965-0583, cell tel. 876/389-3698, doctorlee85@hotmail.com, US$70\100), run by Joshua Lee Stein, offers deep and light pressure, gentle movement, and sensitive touch massage therapy on location by appointment.

Jake's Driftwood Spa (Calabash Bay, tel. 876/965-3000, jakes@cwjamaica.com, www.islandoutpost.com, US$75\135) offers a mèlange of techniques and philosophies from around the world, with treatments that include Swedish, aromatherapy, and T'ai Chi energy massages; coffee, wild ginger, and mint scrubs; mocha rum, wild ginger, and lemongrass wraps; and Jake's signature facials.

GETTING THERE AND Around

Treasure Beach is serviced by frequent route taxis from Santa Cruz, direct, and via Watchwell (US$2) and from Junction (US$2). If you're driving, there are three routes to get there. From Black River there is a short, direct road along the coast that is a bit iffy in places, but still passable with a two-wheel-drive vehicle. Turn off the main toward the sea on a road just east of the communications tower east of Parottee. To get to Treasure Beach from Mandeville, take a left at the base of Spur Tree Hill, following signs for Little Ochie, and take a right at the first four-way intersection following signs for Alumina Partners. At the first junction take a left and pass the bauxite and alumina plant, followed by a right at the stop sign to continue up the hill, passing straight through Junction. From Santa Cruz, turn south toward the sea about 1.5 kilometers west of the stoplight on the west side of town. The turnoff is marked by a sign for Jack Sprat.

EAST OF TREASURE BEACH
Junction

A busy stopover point on the way over the Santa Cruz Mountains, Junction is the closest outpost of civilization to Treasure Beach with supermarkets and banks. Junction Guest House offers basic accommodations, and a few restaurants are worth stopping for.

Pine's Plaza has a few bars that can heat up on weekend nights, namely Cheatah's Sports Bar & Lounge (Shop #34-A) and The Gazebo Lounge and Rushours Night Club.

Atlantis Seafood (Main Rd. just before reaching Junction, next to Lunie's Hot Spot, which is plastered with Heineken posters, contact Shay tel. 876/409-3373 or Ms. Lunie tel. 876/436-1057) serves the best seafood in Junction, with fish, lobster, conch, and shrimp (US$700\1700/pound) on the menu.

Hot Pot Restaurant (Shop #8, cell tel. 464-0356, 7:15 a.m.\5 p.m Mon.\Sat., from US$4) serves Jamaican staples.

Top Hill Chinese Restaurant (Shops #5 and 6, Roye's Plaza, tel. 876/458-1738 or 876/578-1634, 11 a.m.\10 p.m Mon.\Sat., 1\10 p.m Sun., from US$4) serves strictly Chinese dishes with chicken, pork, beef, and seafood.

Althea's Bar (Dunder Hill, tel. 876/340-1460) does great outdoor cookouts with advance notice. Althea prepares excellent curry goat and fish dishes.

Heavy's Bar & Grill (on the way from Junction to Bull Savannah) is the hottest club in the area.

Junction Guest House (tel. 876/965-8668, simplepunkie@yahoo.com, US$25\100) has basic rooms with fan, private bath, TV, and air-conditioning. There's also a suite with a kitchen and veranda.

Devon House I Scream is sold at the Texaco station.

The Shopper's Fair and Intown Super Save Supermarket are the best options for groceries.

NCB (tel. 876/965-8611) and Scotiabank (Shop #1, Tony Rowe Plaza, tel. 876/965-8257) have branches with ATMs, as does Jamaica National.

Alligator Pond

One of the busiest fishing villages on the South Coast, Alligator Pond has as its central attraction the seafood restaurant Little Ochie, and the nearby Manatee Hole.

Oswald's, located on the main fishing beach in Alligator Pond, serves excellent seafood in a setting a few notches up on the rustic pole from Little Ochie just down the beach.

To get to Alligator Pond, turn south at the bottom of Spur Tree Hill (a left coming from Mandeville, a right from Santa Cruz) and keep straight until you reach the coast.

Little Ochie

Little Ochie (cell tel. 876/382-3375, tel. 876/610-6567 or 876/610-6568, littleochie@cwjamaica.com, www.littleochie.com, 9 a.m.until you say when daily, US$10\30) is a seafood paradise, serving a wide range of dishes like jerk and garlic crab, fish, and lobster. Over 75 seafood recipes are utilized on a daily basis, with lobster cooked 15 different ways, the best of which could very well be the garlic lobster. Everald Christian, a.k.a. "Blacky," is the founder who built the place in 1989 in a rustic style reminiscent of the good old days in Ocho Rios on the North Coast. At the inception of Jamaica's tourism economy, before it became dangerously over-developed, Ocho Rios (known locally as Ochi or Ochie) had similar rustic thatch huts on the beach as the ones used today as the restaurant's boat-shaped dining areas. Little Ochie has become wildly popular with uptown Jamaicans, who will drive from Kingston or Mobay just for the spectacular cuisine.

The first or second Sunday in July, Little Ochie hosts the annual Little Ochie Seafood Festival, which draws a good crowd for cultural shows and even more seafood than normal.

CANOE VALLEY WETLAND

Canoe Valley Protected Area (contact rangers Devon Douglas, cell tel. 876/578-9456, or Ucal Whyte, cell tel. 876/874-1422) is a coastal wetlands area managed by Jamaica's National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) full of diverse plant and animal life. The manatees that live in semi-captivity along the river in the park are the highlight. Rowboat excursions (US$10/person) to spot the manatees and snorkel in the surreal crystal blue waters are offered from the ranger station, a few kilometers south of Milk River. The rangers at the station also offer hikes to remote Taino Caves (rates negotiable). Turtles and alligators also share the waters; swimmers are advised to keep their eyes peeled.

About five kilometers west of the Canoe Valley Protected Area, or 16 km east along the coast into Manchester from Alligator Pond, the Guts River creates a small pool as it emerges from the rocks with cool, crystal-clear waters said to have medicinal qualities. The deserted beach nearby is great for a stroll. Getting to Guts River requires chartering a taxi if you don't have your own vehicle, or hiring a boat from Treasure Beach if that's where you're based.

Mandeville

Manchester is Jamaica's sixth-largest parish, much of its land located at relatively high altitudes with three mountain ranges: the May Day Mountains, the Don Figuerero Mountains, and the Carpenters Mountains, where the highest peak in the parish stands at 844 meters. Any approach to Mandeville, the parish capital, entails steep climbs, which fortunately feature some of Jamaica's most well-maintained roads.

Manchester has been at the center of Jamaica's bauxite industry, led by Jamalco (Alcoa-Jamaican government joint venture), which has massive mines around Mandeville. It also has processing facilities across the border in Clarendon, as well as in St. Elizabeth, where Port Kaiser along the coast west of Little Ochie is an important export terminal.

The parish was named by the Duke of Manchester, who served as Governor General 1813\1821, after his eldest son, William de Mandeville. The small city of Mandeville was at one time a British enclave where colonial government officials preferred to spend their summers in the high altitude's relatively cool climate.

The 1970s destroyed Mandeville as the gentry left when Manley came into power (they were scared off by his socialist lean). Bauxite has benefited the local economy and has created an income for skilled workers since the industry was established in the 1950s. The bauxite industry has trained and paid many Jamaicans while the lucky were educated at the Belair School, which remains one of Jamaica's best preparatory institutions.

SIGHTS

Mandeville's historic sights are concentrated around the town square, known as Cecil Charlton Park. These include the Mandeville Courthouse, which was built of limestone using slave labor and finished in 1820. The courthouse housed the town's first school on its ground floor. The Mandeville Jail and Workhouse, also among the first public buildings in town, is now in use as the police station. Adjacent to the courthouse, the Mandeville Rectory is the oldest house of worship and the original Anglican rectory in Mandeville, having once also served as a tavern and guesthouse, to the dismay of many parishioners.

Marshall's Pen

Marshall's Pen (contact owner Ann Sutton, tel. 876/904-5454, asutton@cwjamaica.com) has been a popular spot for serious birding for many years. Birders come especially to see the Jamaican owl, which can often be seen in its favorite easily accessible tree. Of Jamaica's 28 endemic birds, 23 have been spotted at Marshall's Pen, with a total of 110 species recorded on the property over the years.

At this point tourism is not the main business at Marshall's Pen. Only experienced bird-watchers should attempt to visit.

Marshall's Pen was built in 1795 at the latest, the exact date being something of a mystery. Originally the estate was about 809 hectares, whereas today is has dwindled to a still-respectable 121 hectares.

The origin of its name is a bit ambiguous, but it seems it does not refer to an identifiable previous owner. The present owner is Dr. Ann Sutton, widow of the late Robert Sutton, one of Jamaica's foremost ornithologists, who created an audio catalog of Jamaican bird songs that was released by Cornell University's ornithology department. Robert Sutton also co-authored Birds of Jamaica, the island's best bird guide. Dr. Ann Sutton is also an ornithologist, as well as being a conservationist and secretary of the Society for Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds.

Marshall's Pen welcomes serious birders, who find warm hospitality and even accommodation sometimes. It is also possible to tour the great house and extensive gardens (US$10/person, minimum six persons) by appointment; visitors can find orchids, anthuriums, ferns, and other indigenous plantlife. It's not a place to show up unannounced; call ahead to arrange a visit and for directions.

ENTERTAINMENT

Beaver's Bar and Grill (contact owner Wayne Wiltshire, tel. 876/469-4922, 4 p.m\close Tues.\Sun.) is the most happening bar/club in Mandeville with a series of weekly theme nights: Seafood Tuesday, Retro Wednesday, Thursday is low key, College Friday (for university students), Beaver's Saturday (a big club night), Classic Sunday (with a live band, attracts an older crowd). Beaver's sometimes charges a US$6 cover. There's a bar menu serving mozzarella sticks, stamp and go fritters, chicken fingers, burgers, and fish (US$2\10).

Odeon Cineplex (5 1/2 Caledonia Rd., tel. 876/962-1354) is the local movie theater and often the most entertaining venue in town for a night out. Movies are typically shown at 5 p.m and 8 p.m daily.

Upper Level (Upper Level Plaza, Caledonia Rd.) is Mandeville's regular nightspot with pool tables.

Shockwave HQ Sports Bar (Willow Gate Plaza, contact owner Mark Haughton, cell tel. 876/866-6216, 10 a.m.till you say when daily) is a bar with a few billiard tables and dancehall music blasting in the speakers. The bar turns on the strobe lights as it heats up into the night.

SPORTS AND RECREATION

Manchester Club (Caledonia Rd., contact Janice Wright, tel. 876/962-2403, manchester_club@hotmail.com) is the oldest golf course in the Western Hemisphere, dating to 1865. It remains the least expensive course in Jamaica (US$30 greens fees, US$12 clubs, US$14 caddy per round), and perhaps in the hemisphere. The nine-hole course is well maintained, even if it is not the bright green of more popular courses on the island. For those staying in the area for a length of time, membership brings the fees down significantly. Beyond golf, the club also offers tennis on three hard courts, the only squash court on the south coast, table tennis, a swimming pool, and the only billiard table with over a hundred years in use. The club also hosts barbecues and luncheons. A golf tournament is held every month where golfers from across the island participate. The All Jamaica Hard Court Tennis Championship is held each summer, attracting over 200 children and adults over a one-week period. There's a resident tennis coach and a golf professional.

Ingleside Wellness & Recreation Centre (Ingleside Dr., tel. 876/961-3632) has tennis courts, badminton, table tennis, weight lifting equipment, and a bar that no longer keeps regular hours. Day membership is available for use of the facilities. Call manager Janice Robinson for more details. Ingleside is the base for the Manchester Table Tennis Association.

ACCOMMODATIONS
Under US$100

Golf View (5 1/2 Caledonia Rd., tel. 876/962-4471, 876/962-4472, or 876/962-4473, gviewrosi@hotmail.com, www.thegolfviewhotel.com, US$94) is a 62-room hotel near the center of town with basic rooms that have a ceiling fan and private bathrooms with hot water. A deluxe room (US$118) and a one-bedroom suite (US$130) have air-conditioning, while the sole two-bedroom suite (US$148) does not. The central location is probably the best feature of this hotel. The hotel claims the same address as the Odeon Cineplex but is actually not adjacent, sitting a bit farther down Caledonia Road at the top of Golf View Plaza bordering the golf course.

Glenrock Hotel (3-A Greenvale Rd., tel. 876/961-3278 or 876/961-3279, glenrockhotel@yahoo.com) has a total of 24 rooms, with additional rooms and features in the works. Standard rooms (US$28) have double beds, standing fans, cable TV, and private baths with hot water. Deluxe rooms (US$39) have queen-size beds, and a junior suite (US$50) has a king-size bed, air-conditioning, a small fridge, microwave, and a couch. The family suite (US$56) also has a small fridge, king-size bed, and microwave.

Astra Country Inn (62 Ward Ave., tel. 876/962-7758, or cell tel. 876/585-8600 or 876/488-7207, skype: diamite1, countrystyle@mail.infochan.com or countrystyletourism@yahoo.com, www.countrystylejamaica.com, US$50\60) offers rooms in a homestay setting. The 10 rooms have cable TV, fans, private bathrooms with hot water, and either two double beds or one king-size bed. The Astra is home to Country Style Tourism, run by Diana McIntyre-Pike, which places visitors in homestays around the island and offers community village tours all over the island. Diana markets the Mandeville Hotel, run by her family, as an alternative to the community tour experience. Wi-Fi is offered free to Astra guests, and there's also a small business center with a computer and office equipment available.

Kariba Kariba Guest House (tel. 876/962-8006, kariba@cwjamaica.com, US$50) was built about halfway in 1997 and has operated since 1998 without any real appearance or sense of completion inside or out. Dobson the caretaker is friendly enough nonetheless, and the four rooms in operation have TV and ceiling fans with double or queen-size beds and private baths with hot water. Rooms, while not immaculately maintained, are a decent value and come with continental breakfast. Derrick O'Connor is the owner.

US$100\250

Mandeville Hotel (4 Hotel St., tel. 876/962-2460, reservations@themandevillehotel.com, mandevillehoteljamaica.com, US$77\242) is the oldest hotel operating in Mandeville. It recently underwent a restoration that left it with nice parquet floors and soothing color schemes in many of the rooms, while it seems details in the bathrooms were overlooked. Clean sheets, ceiling fans, air-conditioning, a fridge, cable TV, and hot water round out this comfortable yet quite basic hotel in the heart of town. Bring your own soap and shampoo. Rooms have full-size, queen-size, and king-size beds. There are also junior suites and one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments.

Tropics View Hotel (Wardville District, off Winston Jones Hwy., tel. 876/625-2452, tropicsview@cwjamaica.com, www.tropicsviewhoteljamaica.com, US$70\98) hotel offers wireless Internet in the lobby. Standard rooms have queen-size beds and private baths with hot water. Two-bedroom suites are also available for US$158, where one room has a king-size and the other a queen-size bed. There is a restaurant and bar on the property by the front gate open 7 a.m.\10 p.m daily. Rooms have ceiling fans rather than air-conditioning, but it rarely gets hot in Mandeville.

FOOD
Jerk, Jamaican, and Fast Food

FJ's Restaurant, Bar and Jerk Center (23 Caledonia Rd., tel. 876/961-4380 or 876/360-2082, 10 a.m.\11 p.m Mon.\Sat.) serves seafood and jerk dishes (US$4\6). Faith Joan Miller, from whence the initials are derived, is the proprietor.

Merv's Restaurant and Cocktail Lounge (4-A Caledonia Rd., behind Juici Beef Plaza, tel. 876/961-0742, 8 a.m.\9 p.m Mon.\Sat., until 6 p.m Mon. and Wed., US$3\4) serves cabbage and stewed, baked, and rotisserie chicken. Merv's has a second branch at Midway Mall (tel. 876/961-6378, 8 a.m.\6 p.m Mon.\Sat.).

Cake, Coffee and Ice Cream (59 Main St., tel. 876/962-6636, 8 a.m.\10 p.m daily) is the local Devon House franchise, owned and operated by Christopher Bird.

Foodz to Go (Shop #8, Elethe Mall, tel. 876/961-8646, 8 a.m.\8 p.m, US$4\6) cooks food for takeout and delivery with dishes like curry, fried, or fricassee chicken, oxtail, brown stew fish, curry goat, and stew peas. Breakfast is served in the mornings with stew chicken, ackee and saltfish, and mackerel rundown.

Sandra's Restaurant (Lane Plaza, tel. 876/625-4149, 7 a.m.\midnight daily) serves a changing menu of Jamaican dishes like fried chicken, curry goat, and oxtail (US$4\8).

D'Palms Sports Bar & Grill (just past the roundabout heading out of town toward Spur Tree Hill, tel. 876/622-0490, 11 a.m.\you say when Mon.\Sat., 3 p.m\4 a.m.Sun.) is a jerk center and bar located by the roundabout on the western end of town heading up toward Spur Tree Hill. Occasional stage shows are held in the parking lot. The bar has a billiards table and Wi-Fi. Retro Thursdays features old hits, Appleton Special Fridays offers 2-for-1 deals on small flask-size bottles of Appleton Special rum, and Wednesday night brings karaoke. Menu items include appetizers like mozzarella sticks, quesadillas, and wings; calamari and shrimp tempura, soups, salads, and sandwiches; and seafood, pasta, beef, pork, lamb and jerk dishes (US$4.50\18.50).

Fine Dining

Regie's Bistro (37 Main St., entrance on Villa Road, tel. 876/285-6605, 11:30 a.m.\10:30 p.m Mon.\Sat., US$3.50\40), run by Patrick Adizua, who runs his private medical practice on the ground level, serves creative Jamaican and Caribbean dishes in a cozy second-floor dining room and bar. The top level has a beautiful outdoor bar area suitable for large groups and parties. The menu includes starters like jerk chicken drumsticks, buffalo wings, shrimp bruschetta, seafood chowder, cream of chick pea, and garden or Greek salad. Sumptuous entrèes range from prime aged steaks, chops, and ribs to lobster thermidor and coconut shrimp beignets with pepper jelly dipping sauce. Named after Patrick's mother and daughter, both named Regina, Regie's also has one of the area's best wine lists, which includes French, Spanish, Chilean, Argentine, and North American brands, among them ice wine from Canada.

Bird of Paradise (1 Brumalia Rd., tel. 876/962-7251, 7 a.m.\10 p.m Mon.\Sat., 10 a.m.\3:30 p.m Sun. for brunch, 5\10 p.m Sun. for dinner, US$10\50) is an upscale restaurant with marble tables and a sleek bar. It serves a mix of vegetarian and meat dishes with appetizers like calamari al aioli, shrimp margarita, and spring rolls. Entrèes range from snapper cutlet pan fried in caper butter to duckling breast. Bird of Paradise is located in Cobblestone Professional Centre, the first set of buildings on Brumalia Road on the left coming up from Caledonia Road.

The Vineyard Restaurant & Bar (61 Manchester Rd., tel. 876/625-6113, 2\10:30 p.m Mon.\Fri., noon\10:30 p.m Sat., 5\8 p.m Sun., US$6\12) opened in 2003. It has Jamaican and international cuisine, with dishes including fish, chicken, ribs, shrimp, and lamb chops.

Bloomfield Great House (tel. 876/962-7130 or 876/383-7130 bloomfield.g.h@cwjamaica.com, noon\10 p.m Mon.\Sat.) is one of the most beautiful colonial-era houses in Mandeville. Bloomfield opened for business in 1997 following a two-year restoration by Aussie Ralph Pearce and his wife, Pamela Grant, whose father became the first Jamaican to own the property when he bought it in the 1960s. The panoramic view over Mandeville is spectacular, and food is excellent, albeit a bit pricey. A good bet is the local snapper, which is prepared in typical Jamaican fashion with onions, pepper, and okra. Bloomfield is a great spot for an evening cocktail and smoked marlin appetizer. There are tentative plans to build rooms off the back.

Chinese

Bamboo Garden Restaurant (35 Ward Ave., tel. 876/962-4515, noon\10 p.m Mon.\Sat., 1\10 p.m Sun., US$7\30) serves Chinese food ranging from sweet and sour chicken to butterfly shrimp to lobster with butter and cola. The restaurant is located upstairs from Cash & Carry Supermarket.

International Chinese (117 Manchester Rd., opposite Guardsman, tel. 876/962-0527, noon\9 p.m Mon.\Thurs., till 9:30 Fri. and Sat., noon\8 p.m Sun., US$6\14) serves items like Cantonese-style lobster, cashew shrimp, and chicken with mushrooms.

Lucky Dragon Restaurant (Shops #9-10, 5 1/2 Caledonia Rd., tel. 876/961-6544 or 876/867-6720, 11 a.m.\10 p.m Mon.\Sat., noon\10 p.m Sun., US$2\8) offers dine-in, takeout, and delivery of standard Chinese fare.

Seafood

Little Ochie Mandeville Seafood Specialist (beside Nashville Plaza, cell tel. 876/625-3279, 11 a.m.\11 p.m Mon.\Thurs., 11 a.m.\until you say when Fri.\Sun.) serves fish, conch, and lobster tail (US$7\20) in an urban outpost of the original Little Ochie in Alligator Pond. It's the best place in town for seafood, answering the call locals were making for years for Blacky to bring Little Ochie to them instead of having to make the trek down Spur Tree Hill to the St. Elizabeth coast. Next door a vendor sells roasted breadfruit, a favorite accompaniment for the seafood.

Gran's Seafood and Bar (tel. 876/603-4254, noon\midnight daily) is located in the Hopeton district between Kingsland and Hatfield going up Spur Tree Hill from Mandeville. Gran's is the best spot on the hill for seafood items including steamed, escovitch, or fried fish, shrimp, and lobster (US$7\17).

Spur Tree Hill

The main road west from Mandeville (A2) rises over Spur Tree Hill, famous for being a dangerous stretch to drive as the road plunges from more than 2,000 feet to near sea level in the span of just a few kilometers, and just as famous for a couple of sumptuous roadside jerk pits and a noteworthy curry goat hut.

From atop Spur Tree Hill, the view of Manchester's lowlands, St. Elizabeth and Westmoreland is spectacular, even if it is dotted with the scarred red earth and smoke stacks of the massive Alumina Partners bauxite processing plant. To the west, the Santa Cruz Mountains can be seen tapering down to the sea.

Claudette's Top Class (Spur Tree Hill, tel. 876/964-6452, 8 a.m.\4 p.m daily) is a favorite local spot to get curry goat. The little sit-in restaurant is across the highway from Hood Daniel Well Company.

All Seasons Restaurant Bar and Jerk Centre (tel. 876/965-4030, 8 a.m.\11 p.m daily) is considered by many to be the best jerk spot in Manchester, with other typical Jamaican dishes served as well. Perched on the steep slopes of Spur Tree Hill, All Seasons commands an impressive view of southern Manchester and St. Elizabeth, down to where the sky meets the sea.

Hill View Jerk Centre is farther down Spur Tree Hill, but it still has a decent view. Hill View also serves jerk, while not as highly rated as its cousin farther up the hill.

INFORMATION AND SERVICES

Diana McIntyre-Pike heads up Countrystyle Jamaica (Astra Inn, 62 Ward Ave., cell tel. 876/488-7207, tel. 876/962-7758, diana@countrystylejamaica.com, www.countrystylejamaica.com), a community tourism outfit that sells "the real Jamaica," organizing community visits and homestays across the island.

The Real Thing Health Food (Shop #33, Mandeville Shopping Center, tel. 876/962-5664 or 876/625-7703, 9 a.m.\5 p.m Mon.\Sat.) sells healthful groceries.

Bookland (Shop 23 Manchester Shopping Centre, 876/926-9051, bookland-mandeville@cwjamaica.com, Mon.\Fri. 9 a.m.\6 p.m, Sat 10 a.m.\5 p.m) has the best selection of Caribbean books, as well as local and international magazines.

SuperPlus has four locations in Mandeville (17 Caledonia Rd., tel. 876/961-1624; 16 Manchester Rd., tel. 876/625-2310; 12 Ward Way, tel. 876/961-5702; and 2 Park Crescent, tel. 876/625-0842).

Shoppers Fair supermarket is located at 5 Caledonia Road (tel. 876/962-6217).

Scotia DBG pays an honest exchange rate at its branch on 6 Park Crescent (tel. 876/962-6000 or 876/962-6001).

FX Trader also observes fair rates at its Heaven's Texaco location at 2 Manchester Road. It has another location in S&V Cambio at 16 Ward Avenue.

Finishing Touches (Shop #2, Midway Mall, tel. 876/961-3217) family grooming center is a convenient place to stop for a haircut.

Express Laundromat is located at 30 Hargreaves Avenue (tel. 876/962-6701).

DHL is at Perth Road, Brumalia Town Mall (tel. 876/961-0744, 9 a.m.\5 p.m Mon.\Fri.).

Gaia Day Spa (1 Brumalia Road, tel. 876/962-1756, 9 a.m.\6 p.m Mon.\Sat.) is located at Cobblestone Professional Centre, offering facials, manicures and pedicures, and massage.

Medical

Hargreaves Memorial Hospital (Caledonia Ave., tel. 876/961-1589) is a private clinic, with many of its staff also working at Mandeville Regional.

Mandeville Regional Hospital (32 Hargreaves, tel. 876/962-2067) is the largest hospital for kilometers around, with a good reputation.

Dr. Patrick Adizua (tel. 876/383-4353) runs a private medical practice in the same building as his Bistro on Villa Road.

Fontana Pharmacy has outlets at Mandeville Shopping Centre (tel. 876/962-3129) and SuperPlus (tel. 876/961-3007).

Money

Both NCB (9 Manchester Rd., tel. 876/962-2083; Mandeville Plaza, tel. 876/962-2618) and Scotiabank (1-A Caledonia Rd., tel. 876/962-2035) have bank branches with ATMs in Mandeville.

Internet

Manchester Parish Library (34 Hargreaves Ave., tel. 876/962-2972, manparlib@cwjamica.com, 9:30 a.m.\5:30 p.m Mon.\Fri., until 4 p.m Sat.) offers free Internet access.

Manchester Shopping Centre has an Internet cafè, along with a food court with a lot of hole-in-the-wall restaurants.

GETTING THERE AND AROUND

Mandeville is served by regular buses from Kingston and May Pen and regular route taxis departing from the square for surrounding destinations including May Pen, Christiana, and Santa Cruz (US$2).

One of Jamaica's best thoroughfares is a stretch of toll road known as Highway 2000, or Usain Bolt Highway, as it was renamed in 2009 in post-IAAF World Championship fervor, begins in Portmore and leads west to rejoin the A2 in Free Town at the Clarendon border. From May Pen the A2 climbs to the upper reaches of Manchester, passing Mandeville along the bypass before descending to the South Coast and extending as far west as Negril. To get between Mandeville and the North Coast, the most direct route can be found by following signs for Christiana heading east towards Kingston, and then toward Spaldings, Cave Valley, Alexandria, and Brown's Town, before hitting the coast in Runaway Bay.

From Mandeville, the drive to Kingston takes about 1.5 hours along the toll road from May Pen, with Treasure Beach within 1.5 hours in the opposite direction. Negril, Mobay, and Ocho Rios are all about a 2-hour drive, and Port Antonio is another 1.5 hours east of Ocho Rios along the North Coast.

CHRISTIANA

A small community near the highest reaches of Manchester Parish, Christiana is a quiet town with one main drag and a single guest house. The most popular attraction in town is Christiana Bottom, a gorge located within walking distance from the center of the small village. Gourie State Park (contact Trevor Anderson for guiding services, tel. 876/964-5088, cell tel. 876/771-4222 or 876/292-4631, trevormanderson@hotmail.com, US$20 per person) is a recreational area on government land managed by Jamaica's Forestry Department, located between Christiana and Colleyville, about two miles past Christiana. Immediately after passing Bryce United Church, take the first left turn and then the first right until reaching the unmanned Forestry Department station and picnic area. Gourie Cave, the highlight of the park, is not actually inside the park but rather about a quarter mile down the hill to the left of the park entrance. By the cave entrance there's a picnic and camping area with a hut and tables and benches. There is one main trail through the park that leads to the community of Ticky Ticky, with excellent views along the way of the Santa Cruz Mountains, Spur Tree Hill, and the historic Bethany Moravian Church.

Gourie Cave was a hideout for runaway slaves. The cave follows the channels of an underground river about three to four feet deep, depending on how much rain has fallen. If you go north from the entrance and upstream against the current, you end up on the other side of Colleyville Mountain. A different route leads downstream along the underground river, deep into the earth where there are several caverns along the way. If you're going to be exploring in the cave, you should monitor the weather and be aware of any fronts on the horizon. It's not wise to venture into the cave alone. Contact Trevor Anderson for his guide services.

In Christiana Bottom, there's a Blue Hole fed from underground streams with two waterfalls dumping into the pool. There's another waterfall at William Hole farther downstream. To get to Christiana Bottom coming from Mandeville, turn right immediately after the NCB bank on Moravia Road, then take the first left around a blind corner, and then the first right, which leads to Christiana Bottom. Continue past the first left that leads to Tyme Town and park at the entrance to the second left, a wide path that leads down to the river. Ask for Mr. Jones for a guided tour (US$20) of Blue Hole and William Hole and his farm, where he grows ginger, yam, potato, pineapple, bananas, and sugarcane.

Sights

The Pickapeppa Factory (at base of Shooter's Hill beside Windalco plant, call in advance to arrange a visit, tel. 876/603-3441, fax 876/603-3440, pickapeppa@cwjamaica.com, www.pickapeppajamaica.com, US$3 adults, US$1.50 children) offers a half-hour educational tour (8:30 a.m.\3:30 p.m Mon.\Thurs.) led by Diana Tomlinson or Noel Miller, which covers the company's founding in 1921 and the process involved in the manufacture of its world-famous sauces. The factory is closed for the first two weeks in August and between Christmas and New Year's, but at any other time of year a sampling of the Pickapeppa sauces is included in the tour. The sauces are made with all-natural ingredients, and include mango chutney, jerk seasoning, and mango sauces in hot, spicy, and gingery varieties. The only preservative agents used in Pickapeppa sauces are vinegar and pepper.

Scott's Pass (between Toll Gate and Porus) is the headquarters for the Nyabinghi house of Rastafari in Jamaica, with the House of Elders based there. The land was bought by Bob Marley and given to the Binghi for that specific purpose. The community members are for the most part welcoming of visitors, but you may get some evil eyes if you fail to recognize their customs for the Binghi celebrations: women must wear skirts or dresses (no pants) and cover their heads, while men must not cover their heads. To arrange a visit or learn about the birthday celebrations or other Nyabinghi events around the island contact the Rasta in Charge, Paul Reid, known as Iyatolah (cell tel. 876/850-3469) or Charlena McKenzie, known as Daughter Dunan (cell tel. 876/843-3227). Arts and crafts are sold throughout the year at Scott's Pass.

Roy "Ras Carver" Bent (cell tel. 876/866-7745, rascarver@yahoo.com) is a Nyabinghi elder and master drum maker associated with the Scott's Pass order of Rastafari who lives in nearby May Pen. Ras Carver fashions, tunes, repairs, and sells the full line of drums used at Nyabinghi ceremonies.

Other important Binghi celebrations throughout the year include Ethiopian Christmas (January 7), one during Black History Month (a couple of days in February), commemoration of His Majesty's 1966 visit to Jamaica (April 21), All African Liberation Day (May 25), Marcus Garvey's birthday (three nights around August 19), Ethiopian New Year's (3\7 days starting September 11) and Haile Selassie's coronoation (November 2).

To get to Scott's Pass, take the first left heading west of the train line in Clarendon Park where the Juici Patties plant is located. Look out for a small bridge crossing the Milk River before reaching Porus.

Accommodations

Villa Bella (tel. 876/964-2243, villabella@cwjamaica.com, www.jamaica-southcoast.com/villabella US$65-80) is billed as "Jamaica's original country inn." Located in a cool setting at 914 meters above sea level, you won't find a more comfortably temperate climate on the island. The hotel has a lot of old-world charm in a gorgeous setting. Its allure as an accommodation is somewhat lessened by the tired state of its rooms. Owner Sherryl White-McDowell has initiated efforts to refurbish the property, which will be ongoing. The restaurant serves Jamaican dishes like ackee and saltfish, roast and jerk chicken, and steamed fish (US$6\12).

Clarendon

The second most-populous parish, Clarendon is a major agricultural region with a lively market (Mon.\Sat.) by the square (or triangle) in its capital, May Pen. The parish, like all others in Jamaica, was originally settled by the Tainos, who were later pushed out by Spaniards who favored the area for cattle farming on their hatos or haciendas. Cotton and indigo became important crops during the early British period, before sugar took over later into the British colonial period. The parish developed as British troops settled on land granted to them as rewards for service by Charles II in the 17th century. Cudjoe, the Maroon leader, is said to have been the son of a slave on Sutton Plantation in Clarendon, the site of Jamaica's slave rebellion of 1690. Following emancipation, large numbers of Indian indentured laborers were brought in, forming the basis of a distinct cultural enclave that still exists today.

Visitors to May Pen will find virtually no tourism infrastructure, as the parish has little developed coastline and scarce attractions to excite the imagination of the short-term visitor. The undeveloped coastline can, on the other hand, be an attraction in and of itself, for the adventurous, and it is known to be dotted with caves in the vicinity of Portland Point. The brush-filled landscape in this same area is a favorite place for hunters to shoot birds in season for about five weeks starting in mid-August. The protected areas along the coast are the last place in Jamaica you have a good chance of seeing a manatee--native to the country's waters but severely endangered. The famous bathhouse in the parish, Milk River, warrants a visit if you're an old-school spa buff; if you're into hanging with the locals and taking a dip, try Salt River, where a spring wells up from the earth and sound systems blast music to bathers' delight.

MAY PEN

Jamaica's second-largest inland town after Spanish Town, May Pen is strictly Jamaican--receiving few foreign visitors compared with other major population centers on the island.

May Pen is the parish capital, with several heritage sites in its vicinity, including Halse Hall Great House, and the birthplace of acclaimed writer and poet Claude McKay, who went on to contribute to the Harlem Renaissance movement after moving to the United States.

May Pen was established on the banks of the Rio Minho and grew thanks to the river, which hampered travelers who took rest in the inns that were established on its banks. In the 1880s a railway station was built, further fueling the town's growth. Clarendon has a disproportionately large population of East Indian descent and is the location for Hosay, a traditional Indian festival that has been Jamaicanized.

The town gets its name from the Reverend William May, who owned the estate that predates the settlement. May served as rector in Kingston, and his son went on to become custos of Clarendon and Vere. The second important annual event held in May Pen is the Denbeigh Agricultural Show, which is a fantastic display of the region's farming prowess.

Sights

Halse Hall Great House (halsehallgreathouse@hotmail.com, http://halsehall.tripod.com) has been owned since 1969 by aluminum mining giant Alcoa. The property was named Hato de Buena Vista (Ranch with a Nice View) by the Spaniards who laid the foundation on which the present structure stands. Major Thomas Halse arrived with the British forces in 1655 and was given the property as a land grant following the British takeover. Halse built the present structure in the fortified style of the time to defend against potential reprisals from the Spanish and their Maroon allies. A second story was added by his heirs in the 1740s. Perhaps the most distinguished owner of the property was Thomas Henry de la Beche, an English geologist who founded the geological survey of Great Britain Royal School of Mines and Mining Record Office and wrote Remarks on the Geology of Jamaica. Ownership passed from the hands of the family in the 1830s to settle debt. Visitors are welcome to pass through to tour the house and grounds with prior notice and approval. Call Vanecia Harris tel. 876/986-2561, extension 4210, to request a visit.

Clarendon Park Garden (managed by Alfred Gayle) is a well-maintained park right across the street from Alcojuice and next to the Juici Patties factory. This is a good place for a picnic and break from the road.

Practicalities

Sweet and Juicy (Swanzey district at the end of Bustamante Highway, contact Jamie Levy tel. 876/359-6158, 7 a.m.\9 p.m daily, US$3\4.50) serves staples like fried and curried chicken, and curry goat.

Murray's Fish and Jerk Hut (Toll Gate, tel. 876/987-1111 or 876/987-1684, 8 a.m.\10 p.m daily, US$5\10) is a roadside hut serving roast tilapia caught on the Murray family farm, as well as jerk chicken and pork.

Alcojuice Restaurant & Bar (Clarendon Park, tel. 876/987-1029, alcojuice@netcomm-ja.com, 6:45 a.m.\8 p.m daily, until 9 p.m on weekends), managed by Madge Bowen (cell tel. 876/876-6250), across from the Juici Patties factory, has excellent juices and typical Jamaican dishes (US$2.50\6.50). Soups are also served (US$0.75\2.50).

Daily Delicious Restaurant & Sports Bar (28 Main St., next door to Island Grill, a Jamaican fast-food joint, tel. 876/986-9842, 8 a.m.\9:30 p.m Mon.\Sat., weekends till 11 p.m, US$2.50\6) serves cow foot, cow head, oxtail, fish, pork, curry goat, and baked, stew, curry, and fried chicken.

Juici Patties (tel. 876/904-2618) has its factory and an adjacent outlet and drive-through in Clarendon Park.

Versalles Hotel (42 Longbridge Ave., tel. 876/986-2775) is reached by taking the second left from Mineral Lights Roundabouts. Suites with air-conditioning and hot water, cable TV, and king-size bed or two double beds run US$56.

Bridge Palm Hotel (Toll Gate, tel. 876/987-1052, cell tel. 876/819-4332, U.S. tel. 905/963-3251, bridgepalmhotel@yahoo.com, www.bridgepalm.com, US$50\67) has rooms with mini refrigerator, air-conditioning, and ceiling fans. Some rooms have balconies and overlook the swimming pool.

Fyah Side Jerk (Toll Gate, contact David Tapper, tel. 876/384-6703, 10 a.m.\midnight Mon.\Sat., 10 a.m.\11 p.m Sun.) serves jerk roadside just past the Bridge Palm Hotel.

NCB (876/986-2343) has a branch and ATM located at 41 Main Street, with a Scotiabank (tel. 876/986-2212) branch at 36 Main Street.

Clarendon Parish Library (Main St., tel. 876/902-6294 claparlib@cwjamaica.com) offers DSL Internet access (US$1.50/hour).

SOUTH OF MAY PEN

The area south of May Pen is the prime agricultural land celebrated in the Denbeigh Agricultural Show each year. The area is dominated by cane production at the Moneymusk Sugar Estate. Few visitors to Jamaica make it to this remote side of Clarendon, and the few who do typically visit the somewhat run-down Milk River Baths. More interesting is the coastal region of Portland, where the Portland Lighthouse stands on the farthest point south on the island, which juts out into the sea. You will need to charter or rent a vehicle to properly explore this remote area.

Alley was the capital of the former parish of Vere and remains the sugarcane-producing heartland of Clarendon. The area was once dominated by the Moneymusk Estate and is still largely covered in cane fields that feed the factory, now located closer to Lionel Town.

Lionel Town is the largest and most bustling community in the region and the starting point during Hosay, which celebrates Jamaica's East Indian heritage with a procession all the way to May Pen.

Jackson Bay has some of Jamaica's deepest coastal caves, where legend has it the pirate Morgan stashed booty. The little-explored coastline around Jackson Bay is dotted with such caves, while the beach is a popular spot with locals on weekends and holidays. A four-wheel-drive vehicle is very helpful for heavy exploring along this stretch of coast.

At Salt River, 10 minutes east of Lionel Town near the coast, there is a public mineral spring that is a favorite among locals. Dances are held on weekends for what they call Early Sundays. This is a far more popular bath spot than Milk River, although it's seldom visited by tourists. Unfortunately the lack of tourists also means upkeep is substandard, as the locals don't seem to mind the rubbish that litters the place. Nevertheless, it's a great spot to soak up the up the scene and eat some fried fish and festival. To get to Salt River, take the left turn before reaching Lionel Town heading south, or a left at the T junction after passing through Lionel Town. When the road splits in a Y about a kilometer from the junction, keep left, and then keep left at the following junction. Salt River will be on your right.

Sights

St. Peter's Church is one of the oldest churches in Jamaica. It was founded in 1671 as the parish church of the former parish of Vere. The present building was erected around 1715 on the foundation of the original. The church bell weighs a quarter ton and was commissioned by the same company that created Big Ben, London's most distinguishing landmark.

The original Moneymusk Sugar Estate windmill in nearby Amity Hall is an interesting octagonal brick structure that now houses a branch of the parish library (tel. 876/986-3128, 11 a.m.\5 p.m Mon.\Fri.); Maxine Reid is the branch assistant. Internet service is offered (US$1.50/hour) on one terminal. The Moneymusk windmill was the only one in Jamaica to be constructed of brick, which raises the question of why the owners went through the trouble of importing such heavy materials from England when other estates were building the structures of locally quarried limestone.

Accommodations

Milk River Hotel and Spa (tel. 876/902-4657, milkriverhotel@yahoo.com) has three types of rooms. There are rooms with two twin beds and either shared bath (US$110) or private bath (US$117), both of which include breakfast, dinner, and bath access. The third room category has either a king-size or queen-size bed with private bath (US$137) and breakfast, dinner, and bath access. These can also be rented with just bath access included (US$48 shared bath, US$55 private bath, US$75 private bath and queen-size bed). One suite has a king-size and a twin bed (triple occupancy, US$112 room and bath alone, US$206 with bath, breakfast, and dinner). Most rooms have air-conditioning and TV. Rooms without air-conditioning have standing fans.

The Milk River Baths (7 a.m.\9 p.m daily, US$4 per 15 minutes for adults, US$2 children 10 and under), located at the hotel, are spring fed with lukewarm water. A bath can be enjoyed whether or not you're staying at the hotel. For curative purposes, a minimum of three baths is recommended, but it is not advisable to stay in the water for longer than an hour because the water is highly radioactive--more so even than the springs at Vichy in France. To get to Milk River, turn south at the roundabout in Toll Gate before reaching Clarendon Park, heading west from May Pen. Continue straight from Toll Gate without turning off until reaching the hotel on the right. Keep heading south in Rest, instead of turning east along the B12 toward Alligator Pond in St. Elizabeth.

Getting There and Around

Route taxis and buses serve May Pen from Kingston and Mandeville. May Pen is located at the western end of Highway 2000, one of Jamaica's best toll roads, making it a quick 45-minute drive from Kingston. From the taxi stand in the square in May Pen, route taxis for points south (like Milk River) leave sporadically as they fill up.