Treasure Beach

Treasure Beach is often referred to as “the last of old Jamaica.” There’s a quaintness and simplicity to it that feels like the days of old have been preserved. You won’t find any multilevel resorts or cruise ships here. Instead you’ll see funky beachside bungalows, wooden cottages and uniquely designed homes and boutique hotels. Fishing canoes, bicycles or even a pod of dolphins are more likely to pass you by than a tour bus. There’s no separation between locals and visitors. They ebb and flow together as easily as the waves rolling onto the shore.

Treasure Beach is on Jamaica’s South Coast in the parish of St. Elizabeth – the island’s “bread basket.” The region’s fisher folk and farmers supply most of the island’s agriculture and fishing. This is an amazing fact, given that St. Elizabeth gets little rainfall compared to the rest of the island. Yet, the rugged coastline dotted with succulents and cactai flows into a bed of bountiful land that produces succulent Otahiti apples, fat juicy watermelon and cantaloupe, fragrant bunches of thyme and scallion (the local term for spring onion), hot scotch bonnet peppers, juicy tomatoes and more.

It has a unique history too. In the 1600’s, a Scottish ship sank offshore and its survivors settled on the South Coast, intermingling their lives with the local population. This created a rainbow-like mixture of people whose hair and skin is as red as the fertile soil that colors the landscape. Green eyes and blonde hair, St. Elizabeth’s “brownins” or “red men,” are a distinct reflection of Jamaica’s motto – “Out of many one people.”

Over the years, Treasure Beach has been carefully developed into an offbeat, off-the-beaten path destination for the non-traditional traveler. Artists, poets, musicians and filmmakers have made their mark on the culture and the vibe that remains today. Full moon parties, live music sessions, street dances and yoga Sundays – events often revolve around unique themes, lunar transitions and special holidays.