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Getting Excited For Portland Parish!
38 days until we land in kingston and 41 days until we're in boston bay!
we're staying at great huts, so i'm assuming we'll be eating several meals at the jerk center, since it's right across the road.
https://youtu.be/Ut3b2K1r4p8
https://youtu.be/sSeXXjRsWhQ
looking forward to sampling all of the delicious fresh juices and the chicken sausage.
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Re: Getting Excited For Portland Parish!
Oh man, I envy you! Our trip to Portland last year was one of the best vacations we've had, and we so want to return again! Have some jerk sausage for me!
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Re: Getting Excited For Portland Parish!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Maralunatic
Oh man, I envy you! Our trip to Portland last year was one of the best vacations we've had, and we so want to return again! Have some jerk sausage for me!
i read your report from 3/18- i love the picture of that jdf boat.
i can't believe it's been 13 years since i was last in portland parish, and i'm really excited for my husband and son to visit- husband's been to jamaica 3x (we did strawberry hill and xtabi for the ja part of our honeymoon) and the kid's been to negril with us 2x. time for them to branch out a bit.
let me know if there's anything you'd like me to check out for you while you're there.
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Re: Getting Excited For Portland Parish!
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Re: Getting Excited For Portland Parish!
definitely want to spend at least one day chilling at winnifred beach!
https://youtu.be/lV3LhBzVxRE
https://youtu.be/YdpJIRjcDw0
i love a shady beach.
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Re: Getting Excited For Portland Parish!
You better have pictures to post! LOL! I wish we could have made it to Moore Town but time just wasn't on our side. Winnefred beach is also a must do...very laidback.
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Re: Getting Excited For Portland Parish!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Maralunatic
I wish we could have made it to Moore Town but time just wasn't on our side.
we visited la citadelle (in milot, haiti) in november of 2017...
https://youtu.be/2E-Q_29FPNU
https://youtu.be/gEX2Y4d8Z_Q
... and we made sure the guide gave our son (and his cousin) a lesson on the maroons and resistance, so i'd like to follow that up with a trip to a maroon town in jamaica. he's turning 13 soon, so i only have a limited window of opportunity remaining when it comes to educational vacation activities.
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Re: Getting Excited For Portland Parish!
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Re: Getting Excited For Portland Parish!
Sounds like a great trip mwenvlay! I look forward to hearing about it :biggrin-new:
It's been almost 2 years since we visited Portland and we miss it! Only 37 sleeps until we'll be back in Negril and a few days in Little Bay. First time to Little Bay, so at least I'll have somewhere new to explore... Wish it was Portland though ;)
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Re: Getting Excited For Portland Parish!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
agregory
Sounds like a great trip mwenvlay! I look forward to hearing about it :biggrin-new:
It's been almost 2 years since we visited Portland and we miss it! Only 37 sleeps until we'll be back in Negril and a few days in Little Bay. First time to Little Bay, so at least I'll have somewhere new to explore... Wish it was Portland though ;)
you know, i'm sure i've passed by little bay a hundred and eleven times, yet i have no visual reference. i'm looking on google maps right now, and i see it's right by the blue hole. i don't know why i just can't imagine little bay in my mind's eye.
where are you guys staying in little bay and where are you guys staying in negril?
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Re: Getting Excited For Portland Parish!
the waterfall in nonsuch would be great to visit, but i'm sure we won't get around to it. i also hear that the water is pretty sparse during the winter months.
https://youtu.be/b5u77oTfmvI
https://youtu.be/UUAx7BvcoVQ
i'm pissed at myself that i never got around to visiting the caves in nonsuch before they shut them down to the public.
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Re: Getting Excited For Portland Parish!
We're staying at Whistling Bird in Negril for 5 nights. We've never stayed there. Actually, we've never staying in the same place twice anywhere in Jamaica... I think that's what makes me justify going to Ja every year, rather than a new country we've never visited - lol.
Staying at Coral Cottage in Little Bay for the last 3 nights of our trip. Little Bay is a tiny fishing village south of Negril, near Blue Hole. Looks very quiet and peaceful :) We'll have a cook for breakfast and dinner, which I really look forward too! We stayed at a great place in Treasure Beach a few years ago with a cook and it was wonderful.
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Re: Getting Excited For Portland Parish!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
agregory
We're staying at Whistling Bird in Negril for 5 nights. We've never stayed there. Actually, we've never staying in the same place twice anywhere in Jamaica... I think that's what makes me justify going to Ja every year, rather than a new country we've never visited - lol.
Staying at Coral Cottage in Little Bay for the last 3 nights of our trip. Little Bay is a tiny fishing village south of Negril, near Blue Hole. Looks very quiet and peaceful :) We'll have a cook for breakfast and dinner, which I really look forward too! We stayed at a great place in Treasure Beach a few years ago with a cook and it was wonderful.
i hope you do a trip report! i really want to hear about little bay/coral cottage. and am interested in hearing your thoughts on whistling bird. i've passed by a million times, but when i'm in negril i pretty much always stay at xtabi. in 25 years of visiting jamaica i've only stayed on the beach in negril 2x- once in 2013 at firefly when my son was 7 (loved the hotel and staff, seriously disliked the other guests i came across) and then when my son was 10 (in 2017), we did a split stay at alfred's and high cove (a gorgeous cottage compound owned by the folks who own the hungry lion). on that trip he told me he was a cliffs person.
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Re: Getting Excited For Portland Parish!
great huts is located right next to boston bay beach, so i'm sure we'll hang there.
https://youtu.be/e8xVj91I3Po
https://youtu.be/vwuINLy1xPc
i wonder if my son will want to take a surfing lesson.
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Re: Getting Excited For Portland Parish!
woody's low bridge restaurant
https://youtu.be/-chHpjPLMHU
i'm not really a burger person, but my family will like it, plus the space looks like it's got good vibes. and they have home made ginger beer!
wilkes cuisine is more my style
https://youtu.be/UsfDYNDjKJY
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Re: Getting Excited For Portland Parish!
Woody's was good for us, . Soldier Camp was great, he opened up just for us then ended up with a huge party there - helps to call ahead and to have a driver that knew how to find it.
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Re: Getting Excited For Portland Parish!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
mwenvlay
i hope you do a trip report! i really want to hear about little bay/coral cottage. and am interested in hearing your thoughts on whistling bird. i've passed by a million times, but when i'm in negril i pretty much always stay at xtabi. in 25 years of visiting jamaica i've only stayed on the beach in negril 2x- once in 2013 at firefly when my son was 7 (loved the hotel and staff, seriously disliked the other guests i came across) and then when my son was 10 (in 2017), we did a split stay at alfred's and high cove (a gorgeous cottage compound owned by the folks who own the pickled parrot). on that trip he told me he was a cliffs person.
Our Negril driver drives for Whistling Bird and got a deal for us there :) I love the looks of the place! It should be perfect for us!
We stayed in High Cove last year for a few nights too, in the Sea Bird cottage! Loved it there! We'll miss the cliffs this year :(
I like that your son is a cliff person. We like to start our trip with the Negril beach, where it's a little more crazy and loud, and then relax for a few days before we have to go back to our cold home. We always miss the cliffs if we don't make it there for a few nights.
I really wanted to surf at Boston Beach for the first time. But we were there on a holiday so there were tons of people there with there families and I didn't want to be the spectacle ;) lol. Our experience there was awesome though! We loved seeing all the Jamaican families, from grandparents to babies, spending their day together at da beach :cool-new: And of course there were 80 speakers set up with non-stop music to enjoy too. You'll love that beach! I hope your son decides to try surfing!
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Re: Getting Excited For Portland Parish!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Odinson
Woody's was good for us, . Soldier Camp was great, he opened up just for us then ended up with a huge party there - helps to call ahead and to have a driver that knew how to find it.
it's good to get your thoughts on soldier camp. i figured we'd wind up eating there if the stars aligned properly. i would really, really want to get fish if we ate there, so it probably would be better to call ahead.
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Re: Getting Excited For Portland Parish!
the starting point of this trip is strawberry hills- we got the 2 bedroom cottage.
https://youtu.be/vVViKSo2iYA
warren (highly recommended by several boardies) is going to pick us up and transport us over to great huts via the mountains. my husband will love that. i've done that route before (on a route taxi) and am not crazy about it.
https://youtu.be/hR9D2NW26lI
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Re: Getting Excited For Portland Parish!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
agregory
Our Negril driver drives for Whistling Bird and got a deal for us there :) I love the looks of the place! It should be perfect for us!
We stayed in High Cove last year for a few nights too, in the Sea Bird cottage! Loved it there! We'll miss the cliffs this year :(
I like that your son is a cliff person. We like to start our trip with the Negril beach, where it's a little more crazy and loud, and then relax for a few days before we have to go back to our cold home. We always miss the cliffs if we don't make it there for a few nights.
I really wanted to surf at Boston Beach for the first time. But we were there on a holiday so there were tons of people there with there families and I didn't want to be the spectacle ;) lol. Our experience there was awesome though! We loved seeing all the Jamaican families, from grandparents to babies, spending their day together at da beach :cool-new: And of course there were 80 speakers set up with non-stop music to enjoy too. You'll love that beach! I hope your son decides to try surfing!
you're like my sister and her husband! they love split stays- catcha/nirvana seems to be their sweet spot. they did 5 days at nirvana and 3 days at catcha 6 months ago and realized they didn't have enough time on the cliffs, so they're there right now, doing 7 days strictly at catcha.
now i really hope you do a trip report- i want to hear all about whistling bird (i think i'd love it) and coral cottage.
... and don't mind me- i'mma keep spamming this forum until my trip!!!!
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Re: Getting Excited For Portland Parish!
mwenvlay, While in Portland you might consider a trip up into the mountains on the B1 road. It starts in Buff Bay and goes over Hardware Gap and down to Kingston. It is a beautiful and spectacular journey and well worth the trip.
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Re: Getting Excited For Portland Parish!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
johng
mwenvlay, While in Portland you might consider a trip up into the mountains on the B1 road. It starts in Buff Bay and goes over Hardware Gap and down to Kingston. It is a beautiful and spectacular journey and well worth the trip.
yep, this is the route we'll take driving from strawberry hill to boston bay!
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so, same route you describe, but the opposite way.
i'm going to ask for warren to take us the coastal route back to kingston, so my husband and son can get a gander at morant bay, etc. i also want to stop at cane river falls!
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Re: Getting Excited For Portland Parish!
this is the kind of food i love.
https://youtu.be/fD4lFcSgE8U
https://youtu.be/up2iA_R8t0E
we cook like this at home a lot (more so when we were living full-time in port au prince, but we do okay in brooklyn) and i'm hoping to stumble across some good ital while i'm out and about somewhere between hollywell park and boston bay.
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Re: Getting Excited For Portland Parish!
and herbs! i always try to learn a little bit more every time i'm in ja and haiti.
https://youtu.be/gCMhyMP1us8
https://youtu.be/B0F0Ky6w6uQ
i'm a'ight as an herbalist, but my husband is really, really good.
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Re: Getting Excited For Portland Parish!
mwenvlay, on your trip from Strawberry Hill to Port Antonio ask your driver to stop at Holywell Park. It is located at the very top of Hardware Gap right before you head down the mountain. It is a botanical garden and is a nice place to stop on the ride. You will love the ride. It will be one of the favorite things you have done in Jamaica!!
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Re: Getting Excited For Portland Parish!
mwenvlay, on your trip from Strawberry Hill to Port Antonio ask your driver to stop at Holywell Park. It is located at the very top of Hardware Gap right before you head down the mountain. It is a botanical garden and is a nice place to stop on the ride. You will love the ride. It will be one of the favorite things you have done in Jamaica!!
http://things-to-do-in-jamaica.com/h...tains-jamaica/
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Re: Getting Excited For Portland Parish!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
johng
mwenvlay, on your trip from Strawberry Hill to Port Antonio ask your driver to stop at Holywell Park. It is located at the very top of Hardware Gap right before you head down the mountain. It is a botanical garden and is a nice place to stop on the ride. You will love the ride. It will be one of the favorite things you have done in Jamaica!!
http://things-to-do-in-jamaica.com/h...tains-jamaica/
definitely!
this is the first time i've ever taken this particular ride (kingston to port antonio area) utilizing a private car.
i'm so excited!!!!!
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Re: Getting Excited For Portland Parish!
as i mentioned earlier in this thread, we're staying at great huts.
we booked the fig tree house, which is attached to the royal lounge. apparently, when they shut that area down for the night, we have sole access to it which sounds cool in theory, but we'll see how that actually pans out- i don't think any of the rooms have locks on them, so i'm not sure how they secure the lounge area after hours. i guess we'll find out.
https://youtu.be/8Wt130mkoXc?t=130
start at 2:10 to see a tour of the lounge and fig tree house.
it has a queen bed on the upper floor (for me n husband) and a rough-hewn bunk bed on the lower floor (for our ti boss son). it also has a nice porch area on the top floor and a crazy, canoe shaped bathtub on the bottom floor, both directly overlooking boston bay.
https://youtu.be/bMrLttcMH4A
should be interesting!
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Re: Getting Excited For Portland Parish!
port antonio has a fish sanctuary and coral restoration site.
https://youtu.be/rCSd1uUTb5k
https://youtu.be/CdknO8K0fJc
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Re: Getting Excited For Portland Parish!
i'd like to spend some time hanging at the rio grande, but don't really want to do rafting. looking to do what this lady and her family/friends did.
https://youtu.be/hRsGUPaJmGI
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Re: Getting Excited For Portland Parish!
i highly doubt we'll be getting crunk in boston bay, but it looks like portland parish has excellent mountain biking.
https://youtu.be/iDN2-8VTsVk
strawberry hill allegedly has free bikes for guests to use.
my extreme mountain biking days are over, but i'm hoping to do a bit of riding while i'm there.
https://youtu.be/vZUyDRtLUBA?t=72
(sidenote: this is a good example of well-done branded content with an interesting subject matter. i do a lot of this type of stuff at my job, but haven't scored a free trip to ja out of it, yet.)
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Re: Getting Excited For Portland Parish!
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street party?
https://youtu.be/VISZzT_d8CI
night club?
https://youtu.be/xg4kfPb2ZYw
perhaps.
street party is more my speed these days. that or a night on the porch, listening to the crickets chirping and the water lapping the rocks. but yeah, i still do love a good street party.
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Re: Getting Excited For Portland Parish!
I love the Trail Hunter mountain biking video you posted! It would be a great way to see the mountains, but I definitely wouldn't want to break an arm or my neck in Jamaica :culpability: lol
I am excited for you and your family! We looked into staying at Great Huts when we were in Portland, but ended up at a couple other places... Maybe next time?
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Re: Getting Excited For Portland Parish!
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Re: Getting Excited For Portland Parish!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
agregory
I love the Trail Hunter mountain biking video you posted! It would be a great way to see the mountains, but I definitely wouldn't want to break an arm or my neck in Jamaica :culpability: lol
yep, exactly- i'm not trying to mess myself up. i'm starting a new job on wednesday. it took me 2 years of intensive job searching to get something i'm excited about and i want to be able to go back to it in one piece!
this trip is going to be a soft adventure trip with a lot of milding sprinkled in.
https://youtu.be/sHslxgBlXfI
https://youtu.be/iDuAYbFgYmc
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Re: Getting Excited For Portland Parish!
mwenvlay boy you have a lot to do on your vacation to Kingston and Portland via Hardware Gap Road. How long will you be staying? You won't want to come home!! I like Goblin Hill in PA, a nice spot up on the hill overlooking the sea! Beautiful spot!!
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