Regions in Brief

Bluefields & Belmont

These twin fishing villages are approached via the A1 highway, 19km (12 miles) to the southeast of Savanna-la-Mar. Bluefields Beach (actually a series of small beaches) is one of the finest in the area, drawing visitors every weekend from as far away as Kingston.

Exploring The Area -- To reach the South Coast, head east from Negril, following the signposts to Savanna-la-Mar along Sheffield Road; the highway isn't particularly good until it broadens into the A2 at Savanna. After passing through the village of Bluefields, continue southeast to the small town of Black River, which opens onto Black River Bay.

From Black River you can take the A2 north and northeast to the city of Mandeville. Or you can continue along the coast to Treasure Beach, though the road narrows at this point. If you'd like to continue to the very end of the road, head east to attractions at quaintly named Lover's Leap, Alligator Pond, and Milk River Bath.

Beaches & Other Pursuits -- Bluefields Bay stretches for 10km (6 1/4 miles) along the coast and is broken up by a number of little coves. Here you'll find a string of sandy beaches separated from one another by mangroves. Walk along and select your favorite spot on the sands.

Along the western fringe of the bay stands Paradise Park (tel. 876/955-2675), a 404-hectare (1,000-acre) cattle-and-dairy farm that has been in the same family for more than a century. It is centered around an 18th-century property on a tropical savanna with luxuriant growth. Horseback riding can be arranged, and afterward explore the grounds of the estate on trails cut through a tropical forest full of bird life. In May and June, you can pick mangoes right off the trees. The waters here are ideal for swimming, and you can picnic in the park: Picnic tables and open barbecue grills are provided. You can also swim in the Sweet River. The park lies 2km (1 1/4 miles) west of Ferris Cross, along the main A2 highway between Negril and Black River. Admission costs $5, riding tours cost $30; the whole experience takes about 4 hours.

At a section called Bluefields Beach Park, you'll find most of the local vendors, terrible toilets, and jerk stalls. Because the fish is likely to be fresher than the pork or chicken, this is a good place to order jerk fish, along with a Red Stripe beer. Locals make highly prized hammocks, which are sold along the road in this area.

Whitehouse

From Bluefields, the A2 road winds south to Whitehouse for 8km (5 miles) along the coast. Local life is expected to change permanently with the opening of a Beaches resort in the future, the first to go up along this coast. If you come before the change eventually occurs, you'll still find a fishing village of small shops and vegetable stalls (busiest on Wed and Sat mornings).

Exploring The Area -- Just off the A2 at Belmont, you can visit the Peter Tosh Museum, in a small green-and-gold building, open daily from 9am to 5pm. Technically, no admission is charged but you'll be asked for a donation. The Bob Marley Centre & Mausoleum at Nine Mile, reached from Ocho Rios, is more interesting, unless you liked reggae star Tosh's music better.

Bluefields was also the home of Philip Gosse (1810-88), an English naturalist who lived here for 18 months beginning in 1844 and wrote two books. His former abode is now privately owned and in poor condition, but you can walk by it, as it lies adjacent to the police station in Bluefields. In the gardens of the house grows a breadfruit tree said to have been planted as a seedling by Captain Bligh of Mutiny on the Bounty fame.

Snorkeling is good right off the shoreline. You can often get the owner of a local boat to take you over to nearby Moor Reef for $35 per hour. Some of the boats hold as many as six snorkelers.

Beachers & Other Outdoor Pursuits -- The best beach is reached by going along a small trail past the Alexander Seaview Shopping Square. It's sleepy here during the day, but comes alive when fishermen return in the early evening, bringing the day's catch.

Black River

The A2 continues to the southeast until you come to the waterfront settlement at Black River, the main town of St. Elizabeth Parish. There are more attractions to be visited from here than anywhere else along the South Coast. Allow 2 days for exploring the entire region if you have the time, including, if you so care, a day trip to Mandeville.

Exploring The Area -- Reached along the A2 directly south of Whitehouse, going via South Sea Park, is Scott's Cove, a deep inlet that forms the frontier between the parishes of Westmoreland and St. Elizabeth. Here you'll find several fish and bammy stalls with vendors hawking their wares. (Bammy, for the uninitiated, is fried pancake-shaped cassava bread.)

Immediately to the southeast stands the 1,274-hectare (3,150-acre) Font Hill Wildlife Sanctuary, strung along 3km (1 3/4 miles) of seafront. Birders from all over the world flock here to see herons, egrets, and much rarer species such as blue-winged teals. Listen for the sound of the whistling duck. This is also a habitat for the ground dove, the smallest bird of that species. Give wide berth to the dozens of crocodiles that still inhabit the district.

You can follow a dirt trail here down to Font Hill Beach, a small strip of white sands set against a backdrop of sea grapes. The swimming is good here, as the waters are clear, which invites snorkelers to the offshore reefs. This is one of the ideal places for a picnic with supplies you picked up at Scott's Cove.

Visitor Information -- The local office of the Jamaica Tourist Board is in the Hendricks Building, 2 High St., Black River (tel. 876/965-2074), open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.

Exploring The Town -- Come here for a glimpse of old Jamaica before it disappears completely. Because the town appears to be in decay during the day, we prefer it under the kind, rosy glow of sunset while walking along its waterfront. You might also walk along High Street (the main street), taking in old colonial buildings, some in the West Indian gingerbread style and others mere rip-offs of Georgian architecture.

At the east end of High Street sits the Hendricks Building, site of the tourist office . This battered old structure dates from 1813. Also on "The High," you can see the old courthouse with its porticoes and the town hall with its pillared facade opening onto a mammoth banyan tree. Nearby you'll spot the Parish Church of St. John the Evangelist, dating from 1837.

Black River & The Great Morass

The second longest river in Jamaica and a vast marshland called the Great Morass are the Jamaican equivalent of the Florida Everglades. This sprawling mass of animals, bird life, and lush vegetation is the most evocative section in Jamaica -- a Tarzan-like jungle setting.

Five Jamaican rivers meet in the 32,374-hectare (80,000-acre) Morass, a soggy mass of crocodile-filled swamps, mangroves, and marshland with plenty of bird life, such as egrets, herons, ducks (both the whistling and ringed-neck species), and the blue-winged teal, among others.

The savanna is also filled with rare plant life such as butterfly ginger, bull thatch, saw grass, water hyacinths, pancake lilies, guaco bushes, potato slips, and wild cane, to name just a few. The red mangrove seen here is especially stunning: It sends its roots as deep as 12m (40 ft.) into the murky swamplands. You can also see royal palms and the remains of the logwood trees that once brought prosperity to Black River.

For a look at the Black River, its mangrove swamps, and crocodiles, the best tours are offered by South Coast Safaris. Tours are led by the town's most popular local character, extrovert Charles Swabey. The 1 1/2-hour tour covers 19km (12 miles) upstream and back and costs $15 for adults, $7.50 for children; tours leave daily at 9 and 11am and 12:30, 2, and 3:30pm. Children under 3 go free but probably shouldn't be taken at all, unless they are held onto firmly. South Coast Safaris is at 1 Crane Rd., Black River (tel. 876/965-2513).

Most visitors come here for a so-called "safari" adventure along the Black River and into the Great Morass. However, it's also possible to see many land-based sights, especially if you take the A2 north and east to Mandeville.

YS Falls -- Among the most spectacular falls in the West Indies, rivaled only by the tourist-trodden Dunn's River Falls at Ocho Rios, these eight falls drop a panoramic 36m (120 ft.) in majestic tiers separated by beautiful pools ideal for swimming. The lush setting is framed by limestone cliffs and junglelike growth. A crew of engineers dug a basin out of the riverbank, thereby creating a large and beautiful freshwater swimming pool whose waters are constantly replenished by the swift-flowing waters. The falls lie on the privately owned YS Estate, 6km (3 3/4 miles) to the north of the A2 highway; the turnoff is signposted 2km (1 1/4 miles) east after you leave the village of Middle Quarters, about 13km (8 miles) north of Middle Quarters.

Kids love this estate, which includes a playground and tractor rides. It's open Tuesday to Sunday from 9:30am to 3:30pm, charging an admission of $12. There's a little thatched dining hut on-site serving chicken and burgers, if you didn't pack a lunch. For more information, call tel. 876/997-6360.

In the hamlet of Middle Quarters, women stand along the roadside hawking peppery shellfish. Fiery hot, these crayfish (locally called "swimps") are caught in the river and then cooked at little open-air roadside grills.

Bamboo Avenue -- Middle Quarters, along the A2 north from Black River, marks the beginning of Bamboo Avenue -- the most beautiful drive in the West Indies. Lying between Middle Quarters and Lacovia, this 4km (2 1/2-mile) stretch of bamboo trees is a grand scenic treat. Planted in the early 20th century to provide a respite from the hot sun for sugar cane workers, the bamboo trees stretch across the road, linking to form a canopy over the road, which narrows to a kind of tunnel that flutters in the trade winds. It's a dramatic sight, and along the road hawkers of coconuts and peanuts ply their trades. Stop anywhere along the way for a snack and a refreshing drink of coconut water.

Cashoo Ostrich Park -- Ostriches are not associated with Jamaica, but they thrive on this 40-hectare (100-acre) estate lying 6km (3 3/4 miles) south of East Lacovia (at the eastern end of Bamboo Ave.). Some of these birds weigh more than 159 kilograms (350 lb.); their eggs alone can weigh 2 kilograms (4 1/2 lb.) or more. The owner has also installed a little petting zoo and playground with rabbits, ducks, and donkeys, among other tame animals. For adults, there's a bar along the riverside where you can rest in hammocks, enjoying a respite from touring. (Crocodiles inhabit the river, so don't be tempted to take a dip.) The park is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 4:30pm, costing J$275 (US$4.40) for admission or J$175 (US$2.80) for ages 12 and under. For more information, call tel. 876/966-2222.

Santa Cruz -- The last town of any importance you'll pass after Bamboo Avenue en route to Mandeville is Santa Cruz, a thriving market town supported in part by a large factory. The best stopover is at Hind's Restaurant & Bakery, Santa Cruz Plaza (tel. 876/966-2234), serving Jamaican cuisine daily from 7am to 6pm (until 7pm Fri-Sat, closed on Sun). Main courses cost J$145 to J$325 (US$2.30-US$5.20). Many locals come here for breakfast, the favorite dish being ackee and salt fish. Main meals include such hair-on-your-chest dishes as stewed oxtail, tripe and beans, and curried goat. The faint-of-heart can order baked goods such as a rum cake. No credit cards are accepted.

Appleton Rum Estate -- This estate is the oldest rum producer in the English-speaking West Indies. The estate has been producing award-winning rums since 1749. At the end of a tour, in which you're shown how cane is turned into rum, you're treated to complimentary samples of cane juice, called "high wine," and all the flavorful rums they can produce. The tour takes 45 minutes to 1 hour and is available Monday to Saturday from 9am to 4pm, costing $14 per person. Call tel. 876/963-9215.

Treasure Beach -- Departing from the main A2 at Black River, a secondary road dips to the southeast taking you to Treasure Beach. This section is very different from the rest of Jamaica, evoking at times the more arid parts of Arizona. Sheltered by the Santa Cruz Mountains to the north, it doesn't get the heavy rainfall that showers over the lusher parts of the island. You are more likely to encounter towering cacti instead of junglelike growth.

Treasure Beach is a catchall name for four beaches: Frenchman's Bay, Great Pedro Bay, Billy's Bay, and Calabash Bay. Beaches here are either coral colored or of black sand. At times you can virtually have a beach to yourself. The sea is at its calmest in the morning, so this is the best time for snorkeling. Be cautious when swimming in the rough currents, however. The waves along here are moderate but good enough for bodysurfing. About 92m (300 ft.) offshore are beautiful coral reefs ideal for snorkeling.

The coastline between Treasure Beach and Lover's Leap is riddled with footpaths that make for ideal hiking. You can often secure a mountain bike at your hotel and can ride along this flat or hilly terrain, stopping perhaps at a small rum bar for a refreshment.

Since the opening of Jake's, which Vogue dubbed the "chicest shack in the Caribbean," more and more international tourists are drawn to this remote part of Jamaica.

Lover's Leap

Eleven kilometers (6 3/4 miles) east of Treasure Beach is Lovers' Leap , Southfield, Yardley Chase (tel. 876/965-6634), the most dramatic and widely publicized attraction along Jamaica's South Coast. It commemorates the Romeo and Juliet story of two runaway slaves who leapt to their deaths hand in hand rather than be separated and returned to captivity. During the 1990s the Jamaican government erected an observation deck, meeting space, restaurant, bar, and gift shop at the site of the famous double suicide -- the top of a 533m (1,750-ft.) cliff, one of the steepest on the South Coast. If you're adventurous, you can follow a rocky and meandering footpath down to the sea, though most visitors opt just to enjoy the view that sweeps out over the coastline from the open-air platform. It's open daily 10am to 6pm, charging J$200 (US$3.20) adults, J$100 (US$1.60) children for a view of the site, lighthouse, and amazing panoramas.

If you have time, you can continue east along the coast, following the signs to Milk River. You'll first pass a small nature reserve called Alligator Hole, which charges no admission and is open daily from 9am to 4pm. This is the Jamaican home of the endangered manatee, called a "sea cow." The best time to see these marvelous but shy creatures is in the late afternoon.

The road continues from Alligator Hole east for 3 more kilometers (1 3/4 miles) to the end of our coastal journey at Milk River, the site of a hot mineral spring.

Milk River Mineral Bath , Milk River, Clarendon (tel. 876/902-4657; fax 876/986-4974), boasts some of the world's most radioactive mineral waters, recommended by some doctors for the treatment of arthritis, rheumatism, lumbago, neuralgia, sciatica, and liver disorders. The cost of a bath is J$200 (US$3.20) for adults and J$100 (US$1.60) for children 10 and under. Baths usually last about 15 minutes (it isn't good to remain too long in the waters). Use of the baths is free if you're staying at the Milk River Mineral Spa & Hotel -- 20 rooms (most with bathrooms, many with air-conditioning, TV, and phone) from $110 to $117 double -- and the waters are changed after use by each bather. A restaurant offers fine Jamaican cuisine and health drinks in a relaxed old-world atmosphere.