Treasure Beach qualifies as an excellent base for a Jamaican vacation, especially if what you are seeking is peace and quiet, leisurely days on the beach, and enjoying a hidden gem of the island. Treasure Beach is located in an area known as the “breadbasket” of Jamaica because most of the island’s fruit and vegetables are grown here. Fishing communities are also located here, so you can enjoy the freshest seafood along with farm-grown produce.
Day 1 – Treasure Beach, Pelican Bar
On your first day, select one of the four bays that comprise Treasure Beach and just relax on the sand, soak up the sun, and enjoy swimming in the tropical waters. The bays include Fort Charles Bay also known as Starve Gut Bay, Billy’s bay, Frenchman’s Bay (which is a special favorite of families), Great Pedro Bay where you can watch fishermen at work, and Calabash Bay, one of the most secluded of the Treasure Beach areas. After a day on the beach, you can visit the Pelican Bar, which is made from drift wood and, as it is located on a sand bar, it can only be reached by boat.
Day 2 – Coffee Factory Tour, Rum Estate Tour, YS Falls, Little Ochie
Your second day will begin with a visit to Williamsfield in Mandeville and the High Mountain Coffee Factory operated by the Jamaica Standard Products Company. Here you can tour the factory and watch the production of liqueur, peppermint, tea, spices, and some of the 5582.6 kilograms of coffee produced here each year! After your visit to the coffee factory, move on to the Appleton Estate where Jamaican rum is produced. At the estate, you can tour the facilities and see how rum is produced. The best part of the Appleton tour is the chance to sample some of the excellent rum made here!
The next stop of YS Falls, where the waters cascade down a series of seven steps, forming into natural pools at the bottom, which are also fed by natural springs. The venue offers the opportunity for inner-tubing on the river, rides through the jungle canopy, relaxing walks along flower-lined paths and enjoyment of expansive green lawns. The site includes an excellent restaurant where you can have lunch.
On the way back to Treasure Beach in the early evening, the route passes Alligator Pond where you may have dinner at the popular Little Ochie restaurant, and maybe even enjoy a reggae concert. Little Ochie is located on the beach, and diners enjoy their meals as they sit on raised decks covered with palm tree leaves. The laid-back atmosphere is perfect for enjoying the sunset.
Driving back to Treasure Beach after dinner, you will pass dramatic cliff formations and Lover’s Leaps where legend has it that two slave lovers chose to jump to their deaths rather than be separated in life.
Day 3 – Sunny Island or Black River, Bamboo Avenue, Bubbling Spring
Day 3 of your visit to Treasure Beach means even more relaxing along the seashore and a chance to do some snorkeling. From Little Ochie you can take a boat out to Sunny Island where the reefs are perfect for snorkeling fans. If you’d rather view more Jamaican wildlife, travel up the coast to Black River. From here you can take a Black River Safari and watch the incredible animals and birds that make this area their home. Knowledgeable local residents will tell you about the river bank wetlands as you view the environment from a boat. Learn about the ecology along the way, and catch a glimpse of some of the 300 alligators that live in the Black River.
Following your safari, you will make your way along Bamboo Avenue, a roadway lined with towering bamboo, on route to Bubbling Spring. This natural cold-water spring is said to have therapeutic properties.
At the end of the say, relax in one of the local Treasure Beach restaurants or bars to make your visit complete.
