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Treasure Beach, Jamaica
Also see Visitor Information
for general Jamaica visitor topics.
Treasure Beach is the name given to four coves stretching
for several miles south of Starve Gut Bay on Jamaica's south coast. The rocky headlands separate romantically isolated
coral-colored sandy beaches. Treasure Beach is about a two hour drive from Ocho Rios, Negril or Montego Bay. It
is away from the hustle and bustle of other Jamaica tourist areas lying between the Black River and the Alligator
Pond. The lack of the mass tourism development that has transformed the other tourist destinations in the island,
makes of this area one of the most isolated ones in the caribbean. You can get to Treasure Beach via Donald Sangster
International Airport in Montego Bay. Air Jamaica and other major airlines fly from Miami and most major North
American cities.
While many tourists tend to stay at all-inclusive resorts or take guided tours, there's another side to the country,
evident in Treasure Beach. The Treasure Beach area is quickly becoming a popular destination among off the beaten
path travelers. An old fishing village, Treasure Beach attracts an array of visitors - from high fashion to backpackers
- who want to avoid more upscale alternatives that have made Jamaica a major tourist destination.
A beat-up roadside sign welcomes visitors to Treasure Beach, which is actually a collection of villages, home to
several hundred people, located on four small bays. Much of the lodging is owned by residents or people with connections
to the area. Nearly every hotel, villa and guest house donates a small percentage of revenues to the Treasure Beach
Foundation, which funds local school improvements and other projects.
Farmers sell their produce to guest houses and many a fisherman's catch ends up on the plates of tourists. Local
taxi drivers ferry visitors from the airport in Montego Bay to town.
This area is quite drier than the north coast. rain is a very strange phenomenon. this affects the landscape, less
green than on the rest of the island.
Getting Around
Rental cars, motorbikes and public transportation are available.
Dining in Treasure Beach
beach cafes, road-side stands, and several upscale, but far from formal, restaurants. Local cuisine consists of
pumpkin soup, ackee and salt fish, jerk chicken and pork, or even curried goat, plus an incredible array of seafood
such as fresh lobster, fish, crab, conch, and octopus. And if you get homesick you can also find hamburgers, fried
chicken, and pizza.
Local Activities
Volleyball, body surfing, snorkeling, hiking, biking and bird watching. Fishing trips can be arranged.
Nearby Attractions
Lovers Leap, St. Elizabeth Beach, Jamaica
The legend of Lovers Leap is based around the romance of two slaves who to prevent separation from each other jumped
from a 1700' cliff.
Y.S. Waterfalls, St. Elizabeth Beach, Jamaica
The Y.S. Waterfalls is a short distance from the Black River mouth. Here you will see a fully operational Jamaican
farm which has been owned by the same family for over 110 years. A tractor drawn jitney takes you through the fields
of giant Guango Trees, Cotton Trees, flowering Quickstick, Cedar and Papaya with mountians as the backdrop to a
cool, shady corner of the valley where the Y.S. River cascades down it's own gorge to gentle pools of cool refreshing
water. Feel the breeze given off by the water as it forms a fine unspoilt natural beauty spot. A relaxing swim
in one of the pools, created by Mother Nature herself, is a must and listen to the sound of nothing but the countryside.
Black River Cruise
This hour and a half long cruise takes travelers up the Black River, at 44 miles the longest river in Jamaica.
Much of the water comes from the runoff from the peat bogs. The black sediment colors the bottom of the river,
giving it the name. The water on the lower stretch is also brackish, about 15 percent salt water that comes in
and mixes with the fresh water during high tide.
This brackish water allows for the growth of a mangrove forest. The mangroves have roots that cascade from high
branches and reach the water. The result is a curtain of thick roots, an almost impenetrable fence that divides
the river from the marshy swampland that lies beyond the trees.
The forest also creates an environment rich in plant, fish, animal and bird life. The waters here are home to snook
and tarpon, some reaching as large as 200 pounds.
Crocodiles are seen just a few yards from the boat on the Black River Safari Cruise, but no need to be alarmed
because these crocodiles represent no threat. Unlike their cousins on the Nile, the Americanus crocodilius is not
aggressive. Like vacationers on the beach, they're just content to lie in the sun and take life easy.
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