St. Elizabeth: The Home Of Some Of Jamaica’s Finest Attractions
When people talk about Jamaica and the most popular parts of the island, very rarely does that conversation includes mention of St. Elizabeth. The parish known as the breadbasket of Jamaica is located just South of St. James and East of Westmoreland and is one of the island's largest parishes. Filled with mountains, rivers, untouched beaches and farmlands, St. Elizabeth is home to some of the finest natural attractions on the island of Jamaica. You won’t find the massive all-inclusive resorts and luxury boutiques like the ones in Montego Bay, Ocho Rios and Negril, but you will not be disappointed by taking a trip to visit one or a few of these beautiful attractions and experiences found in St. Elizabeth.
YS Falls
YS Falls rivals Dunn’s River Falls for the title of the most beautiful waterfall on the island. Dunn’s River is the more commercially known, but if it were a beauty contest, YS Falls would probably win. There are 7 falls, many of which cascades into natural pools. Some areas are a bit rocky, but there are some spots that are great for swimming and diving. Recent additions to the park include A Canopy ride over the falls, two pools for lounging, shops and restaurants. It will take you about 90 minutes to get to YS Falls from Negril and About 2 hours from Montego Bay.
Black River
Black River is one of the longest rivers on the island, and it was given that name due to the black surface caused by the rotten vegetation on sitting on the river bed, giving the river a very dark colour. Black River is famous for its wildlife which includes, crocodiles, and a variety of birds and aquatic plants that lives in the mangroves along the water. The Black River Safari tour is one of the most popular attractions in the Parish of St. Elizabeth, and on this tour, you get to cruise along the river on a tiny boat and interact with the wildlife, including touching and feeding the crocodiles.
Appleton Rum Tour
Appleton Rum needs no introduction. It is one of the islands most popular global brands and one of the biggest fascinations for many rum lovers that visit Jamaica, is to take a day trip to St. Elizabeth to learn about the history of this incredible rum and to see how it is made. The Appleton Rum Tour is offered at pretty much all the resorts, and the journey to get there will take you as many as 3 hours from any of the major Tourist towns, so plan for this to be an entire day.
Pelican Bar
It’s nothing more than a shack in the middle of the ocean. But to me, and to many others, it is everything you want to feel when you go on a vacation. Just 10 minutes away from the Black River, a few hundred feet off the shores of a secluded beach, you will find the famous “Floyd’s Pelican Bar.” There is nothing I can write that would justify this experience, so I recommend you go and experience it for yourself, and I promise you will fall in love like myself and pretty much everyone else that has gone.
Accompong Town
Located in the hills of St. Elizabeth, in an area known as the Cockpit Country, is one of the Caribbean’s last surviving maroon villages and one of the most precious parts of Jamaica’s history, Accompong Town. The town is named after the brother of one of the greatest Maroon leaders in Jamaica’s history, and this was where a few hundred poorly armed resistance fighters held off several hundred of England’s finest soldiers forcing them into a treaty and granting these Maroons 1500 acres of land. I am no Historian but I love Jamaica, and it’s fascinating to learn about the roots and the history of the Island’s people. If you feel the same way, it’s worth taking a trip to Accompong Town.
Treasure Beach
The area of Jamaica known as Treasure Beach is indeed a treasure still waiting to be discovered. Treasure beach is mostly known as a quiet fishing village, but it is also popular for having one of the most beautiful beaches on the island, incredible seafood restaurants and lovely accommodations such as Jakes Hotel. It is also a great place to go if you are looking to find high tides in Jamaica good enough for surfing.
Santa Cruz Mountain
There is no shortage of beautiful mountains in Jamaica, and among the biggest and most beautiful is the Santa Cruz Mountains, located in St. Elizabeth. The mountain stands at over 2000 ft above sea level and is home to some of the finest and most historic schools in the Caribbean, such as the Munro All Boys Secondary School, that was founded in 1856, along with its neighbouring sister School Hampton High School. The drive up the Santa Cruz mountains boasts many spectacular views and definitely worth doing if you are looking to enjoy some fantastic Site-Seeing.
Lover’s Leap
If you are in fairytales and romance stories, you will find one of the islands most legendary stories about love in the parish of St. Elizabeth at a place called lovers leap, located right off the Santa Cruz Mountain. It is said that in the days of slavery, two slaves fell in love and the plantation owner wanted the female for himself and threatened to sell her male lover. To avoid being separated, the two held hands and jumped this 1700ft cliff overhanging the sea, never to be seen again. That is how that cliff got the name “Lover’s Leap.”
Holland Bamboo
Established by the owner of the Holland Estate to provide shade for travellers and to protect the road from eroding, Holland Bamboo is a 2.5 mile stretch of giant bamboo forming an arch over the road. It is one of the most picturesque sites located on the South Side of the island you should definitely stop and grab a few pictures on your way to the Appleton Rum Tour or after your YS Falls or Black River Safari Tour.
Bubbling Spring
Located in the town of Middle Quarters, just about 20 minutes from Black River, you will find a mineral spring fed by water filtered through Limestone from the Cockpit Country. The water percolates upwards through the sand at the floor of the pool, hence the name “Bubbling Spring.” This water is said to have special healing powers due to the significant levels of magnesium, potassium, chloride, sodium, iron and manganese claimed to be found in the water. There is a 200FT pool for swimming, along with a restaurant and a gift shop.
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