Jamaica - Treasure Beach & Pelican Bar

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 14TH, TREASURE BEACH

We booked an Airbnb accommodation here in Treasure Beach for 3 nights because a friend of ours recommended this chill, small, safe and relaxed place where everyone knows each other. TB is a small fishing village which is not a typical tourist trap located in Jamaica's South Coast about 2,5 hours from Kingston. There are 4 public beaches where you can swim and snorkel and the locals are really friendly and helpful with everything so this is a great place to spend a few days. 

The peaceful Treasure Beach

On our first day here in TB we had to find an ATM since we were running out of Jamaican dollars and on our way to a local bank we met American who told us there is no ATM for travelers and that the machine only works with local banks' cards. He was so helpful he offered us a ride to get the cash from an ATM in the nearest city called Southfield which is 14 kilometers away from TB. This is a great example of the kindness this place is full of! 

We recommend to visit TB if you are looking for a peaceful, laid-back, relaxed and friendly seaside location to chill. Prepare yourself with couple of nice books, snorkel, swim suit, cash (since there isn't ATM in TB) and a laid-back attitude. If you are a party animal and looking for fancy resorts and jet skis this isn't your place. 

These two fellas bout to go one on one.

Nice colors you can find at Treasure Beach.

There is a nice little restaurant here in TB called Mellow Yellow. It is an Italian & Jamaican cuisine where the prices are good and the food, especially pastas are tasty. The service is friendly and quite fast compared to the usual Jamaican. They also have free wifi to use.

Mellow Yellow at Treasure Beach.

THURSDAY DECEMBER 15TH, TREASURE BEACH


Floyd's Pelican Bar in St. Elisabeth, Jamaica

Floyd’s Pelican Bar is located in Parottee Bay on the South Coast of Jamaica and has to be one of the most unique places to eat and have a drink in the Caribbean Sea. Since Pelican Bar is located 3/4 miles from the beach built on a reef you have to hire a captain who takes you to this wonderful bar by boat. It took about 35-40 minutes to get to Pelican Bar from the beach where we are staying. We were the only ones in the boat and it cost us 8000JMD. You may get it for less if there are more people in the boat. To get a boat ride you just have to show up on the beach with cash and the captains will take care of the rest. The prices are negotiable! 

We got to see a few dolphins on our way to the Pelican Bar.

Pelican Bar has a great story behind it: the owner of Pelican Bar – Floyd Forbes had a dream one night about a bar out at sea. The bar is made of driftwood, palm fronds and coconut tree trunks driven down into the sand and that's how Floyd’s dream became a reality in 2001.

On a lucky day you may see stingrays and dolphins by the bar. We recommend to bring a snorkel and swimming shoes. Also remember the cash!

The bar's name came about because large pod of Pelicans rest on the sand banks.

Pelican Bar, Treasure Beach, Jamaica

On a lucky day you may see stingrays and dolphins by the bar. We recommend to bring a snorkel and swimming shoes. Also remember the cash!

TIPS FOR YOUR TRIP TO PELICAN BAR:

1. Make sure your captain isn't in a rush back to the shore. (This happened to us and it wasn't nice to leave after such a short time.)

2. This place is not suitable for kids. 

3. There is no restroom in Pelican Bar so we recommend to use it right before entering the boat.

4. Bring a snorkel, swim suit and cash for a cold beer. 

5. You can bring a business card, t-shirt, key chain or something you'd like to leave as a memory in Pelican Bar. 

6. If you would like to eat at Pelican Bar, ask your captain to call ahead and order.

We truly recommend Pelican Bar for group of friends and this was the first time we both thought how wonderful it would be to spend a nice day with our friends enjoying lovely Jamaican atmosphere and have cool drinks under the Sun in the middle of Caribbean Sea. We miss you all. <3

Thanks for reading & see you soon!

Emmi & Henkka 

Jamaica - Amazing Reach Falls

SATURDAY DECEMBER 10TH

We took a route taxi to Reach Falls. We met a local called Dorrian in crossroads where the taxi dropped us off. Dorrian gives guided tours where you walk, swim and climb up the waterfall by yourself. We hired him as our guide because it was cheaper than the governments tour and he seemed like a nice guy. We also wanted to climb to the top by ourselves and not just go to see the waterfall and take pictures. If you go to Reach Falls on your own you have to pay an entrance fee which is 10USD and you are on your own without a guide at the very top only and don't get to climb from the bottom to the top. Dorrian's tour cost 1000JMD per person and he said one of us could go free so eventually it was 850JMD per person.He also carried everyones backpacks so we could swim. Dorrian has given the tours for five years so he knew every rock and pebble the waterfall had. He was also very helpful on the way to the top and gave good safety tips.

We highly recommend Dorrian as a guide for Reach Falls. Here is his phone number in case you like to contact him: +187 65856481.

This is the outstanding starting point of our tour. Reach Falls, Jamaica

Henkka changing the swimming shoes on.

Taking a little break.

Us at the top. Reach Falls, Jamaica

We both think that the waterfall climb was the best experience on our trip so far. It was physically challenging and super fun. We also got to jump into a few pools on our way back down. Have to say it again: super fun!

Henkka jumping into one of the pools.

Countlessmilesandsmiles would recommend the waterfall climb experience to people who are in good shape and have good swimming skills since some of the swimming parts are challenging because of the stream. Some parts are really slippery so if you have swimming shoes we would recommend you to wear them to make the climb easier. You can also bring a snorkel if you like because there are small fish to see.

Reach Falls, Jamaica

Looks like a nice workout.

Our group at Reach Falls.

One of the many pools at Reach Falls.

The view at the top.

SUNDAY DECEMBER 11TH

We came back to Kingston by mini bus which is the cheapest way to travel around Jamaica. We had an Airbnb place booked till Tuesday so we had still 2 nights to go in Kingston. We really liked our host because she was nice and helpful and gave us good travel tips for Port Antonio. 

Countlessmilesandsmiles doesn't recommend Kingston as a place to spend a holiday since it's really dirty, filthy, dangerous by night and there aren't many nice things to do. 

Getting from a city to another by public minibus in Jamaica is cheap but slow. There aren't timetables because the bus leaves when it's overloaded so the first persons getting in the bus might have to wait for a long time before the bus tables off. You are lucky if you catch a bus with an AC and the person(s) next to you is / are normal weight with not many bags or luggage. The bus fare is charged by cash only and it's collected either before, during or after the trip. The trip usually costs 300-800JMD per person.

The traffic here is quite aggressive and the roads are narrow so the ride can be as wild as a roller coaster and local drivers seem to honk more than use breaks. Our bus back from Port Antonio to Kingston drove down a steep and narrow mountain road about 100 km/h. When we got back to the bus station an old lady yelled "Thank you Jesus we are still alive!"

You don't have to be worried about finding the right bus because when you arrive to the bus station there will be a lot of bus roll-in people asking you where are you going. They also point you the right direction if you are not going in their bus.

NOTE: If you choose to use public transportation make sure you allow yourself lot of time since the buses stop where ever people wanna get out or in. We also recommend you to eat well, not to drink too much water etc. and use restroom right before entering the bus. Prepare yourself for an overloaded bus where someone will propably sit on your lap.

This is just getting started.

Now we are good to go.

ZZZZzzzzz.....

TUESDAY DECEMBER 13TH

Today we took a mini bus from Kingston to Treasure Beach which described laid back and friendly fishing village which is not a typical tourist trap. We are looking forward to see local attractions and spend time in the Caribbean Sea. 

Thanks for reading & see you soon! 

Emmi & Henkka