Anyone been to Port Antonio recently who can answer some questions?
 

I'm planning to visit in December, but want to know what changes I should expect after not having visited for over 10 years.

I'm wondering how the Port Antonio area came through the terrible hurricanes of the last few years. How are the roads, etc.? Did the jungle-like appearance stay intact?

Also, is it possible to go to Reach Falls? I keep hearing it may be closed. How about the Blue Lagoon and the restaurant there? And Frenchman's Cove beach?

Lastly, anyone have any advise about snorkling locations around the Portland? I went to the reef off San San and am looking for descriptions of other options. Thanks!

Hi,

We were there in fall 2004, and I've read numerous trip reports of visits since then
(here's a great one with lots of pics: http://www.marcline.com/main/content.php?content.8 )

We were there just a couple of weeks after Ivan. Even that soon after, power was on along the coast, now everything is fine, except the road from Buff bay over the mountains to Kingston - it is still closed from landslides, etc.

Reich Falls is definitely do-able though technically 'closed" it is not - see that trip report. You can just pay a little to swim there or pay a bit more and do the whole river hike/tour.

Blue Lagoon's restaurant is closed but you can still swim, we simply went in at the boat launch - free.

Frenchman's, San San, Winnifred, Boston and Long bay beaches are all open and fine last I saw.

We didn't snorkel but the folks in that report above did....

You'll need to copy/paste that entire link above, it didn't all take here.)

My suggestion here is to go to the Bonnieview hotel for lunch. The views are well worth it. Yah mon. :-)

Thanks for the info Liza. I'm going to have to look into alternate routes for the trip back to Kingston, as we had planned to take the mountain road.

And you are right, jacketwatch about the views from the Bonnieview!

You can do the coast road through Morant bay, or you can go over at St. Anns bay...