Blue Mountains and Portland
Towering behind Kingston, the Blue Mountains - named for
the mists that colour them from a distance - are an unbroken,
undulating spine across Jamaica's easternmost parishes. At 28
miles, the mountains form one of the longest continuous ranges in
the Caribbean, and their cool, fragrant woodlands, dotted with
coffee plantations, offer some of the best hiking on the
island. The most popular hike is to Blue Mountain Peak - at
7402ft, the highest point in Jamaica - but there are dozens of
other trekking possibilities such as the marked trails within the
gorgeous Hollywell Recreational Park. Otherwise, coffee is
the chief interest is here, and you can visit several of the
estates producing some of the most expensive - and delicious -
beans on earth.
On the other side of the Blue Mountains (here officially known
as the John Crow range), the northeastern parish of
Portland is justifiably touted as one of the most beautiful
parts of Jamaica, with jungle-smothered hillsides cascading down to
a postcard-perfect Caribbean shoreline. If you stay in parish
capital Port Antonio , you'll be close to the lovely
Reach waterfalls and fabulous swimming at the magical
Blue Lagoon . Inland, you can hike in pristine tropical
rainforest or take a gentle rafting trip on the Rio
Grande .
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