{"id":86,"date":"2025-08-06T17:11:13","date_gmt":"2025-08-06T16:11:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/looking4stg.wpenginepowered.com\/?p=86"},"modified":"2026-07-17T11:38:33","modified_gmt":"2026-07-17T10:38:33","slug":"holiday-in-jamaica","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.looking4.com\/blog\/holiday-in-jamaica\/","title":{"rendered":"Holiday in Jamaica: Lose yourself on the ultimate escape"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Jamaica loves a mash-up \u2014 from beaches to mountains, basic backpacker digs to chic urban hotels and chilled hospitality to high-octane vibes.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And this mind-bending mix is a magic formula for adventure lovers.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Backside \u2014 watch granny. From mi born mi nevah see dat\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Slouching against the basketball court wall at Rocky Park, Harbour View, the skinny youth in bright mesh marina raises his Guinness bottle at a supple senior grinding to Popcaan\u2019s \u2018when you wind like that\u2019 with the carefree swagger of a 16-year-old.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I crack a comradely grin as the supercharged sound system cools the crowd down with Garnett Silk\u2019s \u2018Splashing, Dashing\u2019 \u2014 Psalm 23 reclaimed as a Rasta anthem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dedicated to DIY culture, Jamaicans have a habit of throwing the most unlikely ingredients in the pot to make your mouth water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kingston<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Post-dance roadside entrepreneurialism is evident at the nearby roundabout as I clock my order of spicy jerk chicken sizzling in a recycled car alloy pan, while the chef retrieves an accompanying Red Stripe beer from an adjacent shipping container shop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, box food in hand, my taxi spins me to the genteel surroundings of Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel<\/a>, where I\u2019m staying for my last couple of nights in Kingston.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This converted early 20th Century Great House was once the home of Island Records mogul Chris Blackwell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But its old-world elegance, fine dining and champagne cocktails now attract a trendy crowd of urban professionals, socialites, visiting diplomats and dignitaries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The previous evening, I\u2019d tucked into chicken breast stuffed with callaloo in the Boho surroundings of Redbones Blues Caf\u00e9<\/a> before cooling off under a mango tree to enjoy an acoustic set from local artist Kelissa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bar\u2019s organic indoor\/outdoor vibe brings welcome respite from the capital\u2019s hectic streets where (outside of sedate New Kingston) the collective bustle of close to a million inhabitants sparks a sensory blaze of sights and sounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But if you want to experience what makes Jamaica unique, leave \u2018town\u2019 behind and plan a trip to the secret interior locations package tour operators won\u2019t tell you about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Treasure Beach<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Treasure Beach in St Bess (as locals affectionately call St Elizabeth Parish) is about 60km west of Kingston on the island\u2019s south coast \u2014 but in terms of atmosphere, it\u2019s a million miles away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Legend has it that a Scottish ship carrying refugees from the failed Darien expedition wrecked off the coast here at the end of the 17th Century \u2014depositing survivors who were left with little option but to stick around, mix and mingle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The local dialect is peppered with Scottish phrases like \u2018Aye\u2019, \u2018gie her it\u2019 and \u2018gallus\u2019, inhabitants have red hair and blue or green eyes, and two ship cannons from Carron ironworks in Falkirk have been dredged from the bay \u2014 giving some credence to the seemingly tall tale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I stayed at idyllic Jake\u2019s<\/a> hotel, owned by Justine Henzell, whose late father Perry directed cult Jamaican gangster flick The Harder They Come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The boutique complex consists of a collection of private pastel-shade stucco villas with calming ocean views \u2014 it\u2019s a favourite haunt of celebs like Johnny Depp, Jade Jagger and Kate Moss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The three-day Calabash literary festival<\/a> is also held here in June on a biennial basis \u2014 and the intimate setup means you might share a rum punch with the likes of Salman Rushdie, Zadie Smith or Marlon James.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Otherwise, yoga on the sundeck is about as energetic as it gets here \u2014 but if you want to unwind all the way, there are few better spots in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Accompong<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Accompong<\/a> lies on the edge of the labyrinthine Cockpit Country at the northern edge of St Elizabeth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The verdant location is a mix of hills, valleys and hidden caves christened \u2018The Land of Look Behind\u2019 and the name of a remote community called \u2018Me No Sen, You No Come\u2019 hints at a historical period when \u2018visitors\u2019 weren\u2019t assured a warm welcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Accompong is a \u2018state within a state\u2019 in Jamaica \u2014 a semi-autonomous region that\u2019s home to the Jamaican Maroons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This rebel army of runaway slaves deployed guerrilla tactics that forced the British Army to sue for peace in 1739 and won them independence and a tax-free status that are still extant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sitting under the Kinder tree, where families of Maroons preserve Akan and Ashanti traditions possibly lost to their African homelands, my guide\u2019s machete glints as he deftly chops up avocado and palms me it on a slice of brown bread.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The town hosts a festival<\/a> in January each year to commemorate the peace treaty \u2014 where tourists from around the world flock to witness traditional dancing, food and folk music that you\u2019ll find nowhere else on earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jamaica\u2019s national motto is \u2018out of many, one people\u2019, and a trip off the beaten path reveals the remarkable way its identity has been forged in fire to emerge bold, badass and beautiful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simultaneously sophisticated, vibesy and blissfully laid back \u2014 nowhere works harder than Jamdown to ensure everyone gets together and feels alright.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interested in catching a flight to Jamaica? Then you\u2019ll find convenient parking at the following Jamaican departure locations:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n