"Steve-H, making friends in Jamaica." Jamaica by Steve-H

Jamaica Travel Guide: 2,451 reviews and 4,824 photos

Bluefields Beach. A short walk from Belmont.

Great place,great people.

I HAVE PUT ALL MY TIPS UNDER THE HEADING 'JAMAICA' RATHER THAN SCALE THEM DOWN TO JUST THE VILLAGE OF BELMONT WHERE I WAS BASED, THIS IS BECAUSE I STAYED AWAY FROM THE TOURIST AREAS OF THE ISLAND TO GET SOME OF IT'S REAL FLAVOUR AND I BELIEVE THIS HOW YOU WILL FIND THE REST OF THE ISLAND, ONLY THE SCENERY CHANGES, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE REMAIN THE SAME, GOOD PEOPLE, GOOD COMPANY. There is a mention of Savannah La Mar and a few pictures somewhere else on my site, you will need to be familiar with this town if you go to Belmont, it's the nearest place you will find a supermarket, ATM, doctor etc.
WOW! what a country, so laid back im surprised it hasn't slipped into the sea. I managed to stay away from the resorts to get the real flavour of Jamaica and stayed in Belmont, in the parish of Westmoreland, though my host Trevor did take me to see Negril for a little contrast. The guest house in Belmont was basic but clean and had a great pool despite being just across the road from the sea. The people are so friendly I was there almost a week before I paid for a beer and the food is fantastic.
Walking in the hills around Belmont I saw many different trees,all bearing fruit and I got to try some things I had never even seen before. There is a great diversity of birds and a few 'hidden' ganja farms up there, hobby farms?. The people there are very poor but if they can get you stay a while they will feed you and make you welcome. There is so much to tell about Jamaica and it would all be good (except for the mosquitos-dont forget your DEET)
This picture shows Bluefields Beach which was relativly unspoiled when I visited but has now become a destination resort in it's own right; http://www.bluefieldsvillas.com/
It's less than an hours walk from Belmont and has a much better beach.
THANK YOU to everyone who has visited this site, i was thrilled to pass the 5000 hits milestone.
Go there, see for yourself, relax & discover the meaning of Irie! Jamaica was so much than I expected.
As a post script I'd like to tell you all that Pablo the owner of the excellent Pablos Paradise bar in Belmont has married and moved to America, don't go looking for the bar, it isn't there anymore, his wife & daughter have made contact with me via VT. Trevor, my friend and host, who took me to Jamaica and looked after me so well, is living in Kent about an hour and a half south of where I live in London, his family remain in Belmont.

Pablos Paradise

Pablo arrives for work.

Once the hub of social activity in Belmont, Pablos bar is sadly no longer open. It was the venue for some lovely evenings, I met people and learned a lot about Jamaica within it's wooden walls.

The rugged interior.

No TV, no radio, no internet, no roads.

My host and guide Trevor was raised in these parts, one day he declared that we would walk to Robins River where he was raised. It was a four hour hike over the hills behind Belmont, a little wild in places, a few small tracks and I got the feeling of exploring the wild interior for the first time. These are the parts you don't see in the tourist brochures, no buses, no coca cola machines... we marched in the sun & the shade, it was hot but it was worth the effort. On route, Trevor showed me trees, plants and friuts I had never seen before.

Pros and Cons

Pros:Good weather,good beaches, great people.
Cons:Outside of the resorts it's basic, but hey! it's Jamaica.
In a nutshell:Relax, enjoy, learn the meaning of `Irie`

Last visit to Jamaica: Dec 2000
Intro Updated Sep 30, 2008
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Reviews (29)

Natural therapy.... Off The Beaten Path (9)

Take a close look at the picture...yes those are fish. After our walk Trevor took me down to the river where he had... more travel advice

The end of a long walk. Off The Beaten Path (9)

Here i am finally arriving in Robins River, it started to rain, which for once was welcome. more travel advice

Robins River Off The Beaten Path (9)

At last we arrived and headed into a shack by the road that Trevor knew as a bar. The two gentlemen in the picture knew... more travel advice

A road at last. Off The Beaten Path (9)

finally over the hill we saw this magnificent vine strewn tree more travel advice

Hotels (4)
See All Belmont Guest House
Nightlife (4)
See All Jump up on the beach.
Shopping (1)
This man will make you spend it!
Favorites (2)
See All Great people.
Things to Do (2)
See All Pablos Bar

Comments (22)

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AlabamaMike Sep 19, 2008 at 1:55 PM

I loved The Villas on Bluefields Bay! Check out their website at: www.bluefieldsvillas.com
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Bluefieldsfan Sep 19, 2008 at 1:42 PM

Find Bluefields Bay Villas the website at http://www.bluefieldsvillas.com/
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TravelnSheep Feb 17, 2005 at 7:39 AM

Baaaaaa!
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babar_1 Oct 28, 2004 at 8:44 PM

Lovely beach photo, nice helpful tips. Happy Birthday Steve :)
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florry Apr 14, 2004 at 5:44 AM

hi...great Jamaica pages...just love your photos...all the best from ireland...
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Sonador3 Mar 16, 2004 at 3:05 PM

Great Jamaica pages...they brought back a lot of wonderful memories for me! Thanks!
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cy793 Aug 4, 2003 at 3:36 PM

thanks for the helpful info!
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matcrazy1 Jul 29, 2003 at 12:47 PM

What a lovely page and friendly people there! Poverty (I suppose) and smile are NOT contrast feelings, I see hehe.
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epicult Jun 6, 2003 at 3:36 PM

Yah mon. Good tips.... very accurate. The swimming and snorkelling around the cliffs in Negril 'is' great.
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aussirose Jan 19, 2003 at 3:32 AM

Sounds like you had a wonderful time. Another place I'd love to go. Ann :o)