The South Coast

Jamaica > South Coast & Mandeville >Beaches

Beaches & Outdoor Pursuits

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

Bluefields Bay stretches for 6 miles (10km) 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, a 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 a mile (2km) west of Ferris Cross, along the main A2 highway between Negril and Black River. Admission costs $5, riding tours cost $25; 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 a highly prized hammock, which is sold along the road in this area.

Whitehouse

From Bluefields, the A2 road winds south to Whitehouse for 5 miles (8km) along the coast. Local life is expected to change permanently with the 2003 opening of a Beaches resort, the first to go up along this coast. If you come before the change occurs, you'll still find a fishing village of small shops and vegetable stalls (busiest on Wed and Sat mornings).

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