South Coast |
Centre of the region is the breezy hill town of Mandeville, founded in 1816 and lying 2,000 feet (610m) above sea level. The genteel British colonial influence is strong here, from the village green bordered by a church and courthouse to the Manchester Club, which boasts Jamaica's oldest golf course founded in 1868.
The surrounding area, and the south coast region, has numerous natural attractions and wildlife refuges. With its natural beauty and slow pace, Jamaica's south is sought after by more discerning visitors intent on secluded relaxation rather than glitz and glamour.
Attractions
Appleton Rum Estate
Nestling in the sugar cane fields of St Elizabeth parish, the Appleton Rum Estate near the village of Magotty offers the chance to find out all there is to know about the production of rum. There is a small museum with equipment and artefacts from the days gone by, and a resident donkey to demonstrate how sugar cane used to be crushed by turning the teeth of a mill. The estate's vast acreage is still planted with sugar cane, and visitors are shown how it is harvested, crushed, fermented, distilled and aged in handmade oak barrels. Then blending is explained, before the bottling is demonstrated and thirsty tourists can end off their visit at the tavern to sample the estate's rums and liqueurs. Tours include a complimentary bottle of rum.
Telephone: 963 9215; Website: www.appletonrumtour.com; Opening time: Monday to Saturday 9am to 4pm; Admission: US$12
Black River
This town in St Elizabeth parish still displays relics of the days when it was one of the most influential in Jamaica, being a major producer of black textile dye before the days of synthetic dyes. Still to be seen along the waterfront are some old wooden buildings with colonnaded verandas and gingerbread trim, and the Invercauld Hotel, built in 1889, gives a hint of what the great houses of the town in its heyday were like. Today tourists stop off here mainly to take a boat safari on the Black River itself, which at 44 miles (71km) is Jamaica’s longest river. Peat moss at the river bottom makes the crystal clear water appear black. The 90-minute boat tours take in the 125-square-mile (324 sq km) area of wetland known as the Great Morass, which is home to crocodiles and diverse birdlife. There are five tours a day leaving from the dock beside the Black River bridge.
Admission: River cruises: US$15 per person
Milk River Spa
The Milk River Spa and hotel, about 30 miles (48km) southeast of Mandeville, is operated by Jamaica’s Ministry of Tourism. Analysis of the mineral waters that flow from the nearby hills apparently show that they are richer than the waters of any of the leading European spas, and are reputed to cure numerous ailments like rheumatism, gout, neuralgia and liver disorders. There are two springs, baths and a public mineral water swimming pool open at weekends. The hotel is built against a limestone cliff above the baths. The mineral springs were discovered during the 18th century by an escaped slave.
Telephone: 902 6902; E-mail: milkriverhotel@yahoo.com; Opening time: The baths are open 24 hours a day for hotel guests and between 7am and 9pm for day visitors
Y.S. Falls
The YS falls, named for the initials of the original owners of the farm on which they are sited, are among Jamaica's most spectacular, consisting of a series of 10 cascades. The YS farm is about 33 miles (53km) west of Mandeville and the falls are reached by walking across meadows and through woods. The falls are unspoilt and uncommercialised, and bathing is possible in the crystal-clear greenish pools. A wooden stairway leads to a platform beside the highest waterfall, and ropes are available for brave bathers who wish to play at being Tarzan in the pools below each fall. It is advisable to take a picnic.
Address: Y.S. Estate; E-mail: ysfalls@cwjamaica.com; Website: www.ysfalls.com; Opening time: Tuesday to Sunday 9.30am to 3.30pm; Admission: US$13 (adults), US$7 (children)