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Hanover

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Hanover is Jamaica's third-smallest parish after Kingston and St. Andrew, with roughly 451 square kilometers of land. It has six major rivers, two of which flow into Lucea Harbour. The Great River, along the border with St. James, has Jamaica's most heart-thumping navigable rapids in the hills of the interior, as well as serene bamboo rafting where it lazily meets the sea.

Lucea, Hanover's capital, sits on an idyllic horseshoe-shaped harbor a few kilometers from Dolphin Head Mountain. Dolphin Head is a small limestone peak at 545 meters, which overlooks some of the most biologically diverse forestland in Jamaica, with the island's highest concentration of endemic species. A few kilometers away, Birch Hill--at 552 meters--is the highest point in the parish. Together the small range protects Lucea harbor from the dominant easterly winds. Both Lucea and Mosquito Cove are well-regarded hurricane holes for small yachts. Hanover is the only parish without a KFC.

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Charis Restaurant

Charis Restaurant (just before the entrance to Round Hill heading west, opens Mon-Sat 9 a.m.\6 p.m, US$5\10) serves jerk chicken and pork, curry chicken and goat, a variety of pasta dishes including alfredo sauce, shrimp and chicken, or Rasta pasta with ackee, in season. Steamed, grilled, or fried fish is done to order. The restaurant reopened in January 2009 under the new ownership of two local couples, Geoffrey and Jackry Harris, and Marcine and Oniel Brown.

In: Food, Jamaican

Dervy's Lobster Trap

Dervy's Lobster Trap (open by reservation daily, US$18\30), owned by the charismatic Dervent Wright, and operated by the whole family, including his wife Gem, daughter Tiffany, and son, Junior. Dervy's has some of the island's best lobster, plus a great view of Round Hill from its vantage point on the waterfront. Be sure to call ahead to make reservations. Reach it by taking the second right in Hopewell, heading west down Sawyer's Road to the sea's edge. A sign for Lobster Trap indicates the turnoff from the main road.

In: Food, Seafood

Sea Shells

Sea Shells (9 a.m.\9 p.m daily, US$7\21), just west of Hopewell, is run by Lorna Williams and serves chicken, pork, fish, and lobster dishes. The restaurant has a rootsy vibe, with the dining area right next to the water and a bar by the roadside.

In: Food, Jamaican

Half Moon Beach Bar & Grill

Half Moon Beach Bar & Grill (7 a.m.-10 p.m or until the last person leaves the bar) serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a laid-back beach shack setting, with typical Jamaican favorites as well as creative international fusion like shrimp with pineapple, sweet pepper kabob, seafood crepes, and lobster  (US$5-18).

Half Moon Beach is a great location for weddings, and the reefs offshore make for great snorkeling.

In: Food