Portland is a parish located on the northeast coast of the island of Jamaica. It is one of the more rural parishes which makes it home to many picturesque, touristic and white-sandy beaches. Some of these beaches are public and some are private, but what they all have in common is that they capture the tropical paradisiac theme of the country and offer an almost luxurious getaway for visitors locally and internationally.
Here are the top beaches to have a swim in Portland, Jamaica.
BLUE LAGOON
This oasis, which is a combination of fresh and salt water, is popular for its daily changing teal shades. It was featured in the Hollywood movie which gave it its name. Visitors can swim around or enjoy a boat tour while absorbing the surrounding green vegetation.
BOSTON BEACH
This is the famous beach located close to Boston Jerk Centre. This beach is great for snorkeling, surfing, windsurfing and has equipment rentals. It is small and family-friendly with top-notch food.
SAN-SAN BEACH
At 7 miles outside of Port Antonio, this private beach has calming waters good for fishing, boating, scuba diving, windsurfing or snorkeling among the small reefs offshore. Visitors can also take a trip to Monkey Island close by, see colonial mansion ruins and rent nearby villas.
LONG BAY
This is longest beach in the parish, with a presence of soft sand, palm trees and surf spot. Not far from Boston Beach and Jerk Centre, the shore is also dotted with beach bars and vendors to provide you with refreshments to savor your day.
WINNIFRED
This is one of those local beaches that is also quite unpopular yet very peaceful and visit-worthy. There are a few local shops and restaurants on ground. Winnifred is located on the east in Fairy Hill. Though this beach is completely free, a few locals may ask you to make a donation of your choice which will be put towards maintaining and cleaning the beach.
FRENCHMAN’S COVE
This private beach has a cove with pure water that empties into the salty Caribbean Sea and is over 40 acres. There is with a swing by the river and the overall scenery from their pavilion is the perfect backdrop for weddings, yoga retreats, and beach trips. There’s a wide selection of local cuisine available.
BIKINI BEACH
This is a complete city beach within a 10-minute walk outside of the city of Port Antonio in Marina with free access. It is not as picturesque as others but is perfect for an afternoon swim due to its close proximity. Due to environmental changes, over the years the water somewhat washed up to the shore, resulting to less sand.
ENNIS BAY
This is one of the few un-touristy and natural beaches, untouched by developers in the parish. It has a river flowing into it. To visitors who enjoy this attraction it feels like your own private and deserted island. It is in a very remote and rustic location with no food vendors around.
SPRING GARDEN
This is a flat, rural, grey sand beach located near the heart of Portland about 1.7 miles east of Buff Bay. The best features of Spring Garden are the trees that line the shore, the softness of the sand, on-site snack bar and its long length for sunset walks.
UNDER THE ROCK
This is a fairly new beach located about 5 minutes from Zion Country. There are big rocks in the water that you can swim under, it has a nice romantic aura with zero entry fee and there is food on sale.
Congratulation!