10 Undiscovered Gems In Jamaica
Jamaica is well-known for its beaches, resort hotels, vibrant music scene, and much more. But Jamaica doesn't reveal all its secrets at first glance. All over the island, there are delicious surprises — hidden restaurants, hotels known only to connoisseurs, adventures to be had, flavors to be tasted. Here is an inside look at 10 undiscovered treasures on this wonderful island.
Overlooking crashing waves and a superb cliff-side infinity pool, The Veranda restaurant at the Trident Hotel in Port Antonio serves fresh succulent Caribbean food with an Asian twist in a sleek, sophisticated setting.
A romantic Afro-chic getaway, The Great Huts Hotel in Port Antonio overlooks famed Boston Bay with its famous jerk stands and crystal waters. Each uniquely designed hut is reached by meandering pathways through the jungle.
Photo Credit: Jamaica Tourist Board
Offering an amazing blend of Jamaican and French cuisine, Le Vendome in Negril serves a daily-changing five-course dinner; a sample menu would include Jamaican red pea soup, broccoli quiche, and fresh grilled crawfish. There are fresh-baked croissants for breakfast.
There is no road to Belinda's on the Rio Grande River in Port Antonio. Belinda walks four miles in every day over the hills to cook barbecue and curries for the rafters floating past. The food is fresh and as excellent as in any restaurant in Jamaica.
Photo Credit: Jamaica Tourist Board
Chris Blackwell, the famed hotelier and record producer, has recently opened up his own 500-acre cattle farm Pantrepant in Jamaica's Cockpit Country for farm-to-table dinners and an overnight stay for guests of his Island Outpost properties.
Bobsled through the jungle at 45 mph, zip-line through the canopy, then relax with a Red Stripe or two at Rainforest Adventure's Mystic Dining restaurant, which overlooks the Ocho Rios coastline.
Venture out onto Jamaica's Jerk Trail, where 25 restaurants and roadside stands offer all types of jerk, from fiery to volcanic. Order hot at your own risk, but venture to try them all.
Greenwood Great House located in the parish of St. James, on Jamaica's north coast, is a fine example of late eighteenth-century Great House construction in Jamaica, and is said to have the finest collection of old plantation antiques in the country. You can tour the house, ending with refreshments in the Great House bar, called Level Crossing. Among the antiques in the bar is a collection of round-bottomed bottles, many of which were unearthed on the property.
Jamaica's Blue Mountains are the source of the island's world-famous Blue Mountain coffee, farmed in very rich soil at altitudes of between 2,000 and 5,000 feet. Known for its light, fragrant flavor, Blue Mountain is a single-origin coffee, pricey but worth it. Tours of coffee plantations are available.