Port Antonio is the capital of Portland, on Jamaica’s north-east coast, about 100 kilometres (60 miles) from Kingston. It’s where Jamaican tourism began. In the 1880s an American sea captain, Lorenzo Dow Baker, built a banana trade out of the town, and his boats brought American visitors back with the fruit.
Today it’s a small harbour town and a quieter base than Montego Bay or Ocho Rios, with some of Jamaica’s best swimming spots within a short drive.
Good to know: Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica on 28 October 2025. The east was hit less hard than the south-west, and the Jamaica Information Service reported Frenchman’s Cove and Winnifred Beach open again within weeks. Opening hours can still change, so check each place before you go.
The town
Port Antonio has been Portland’s main town since the parish was created in 1723. On the Titchfield promontory you’ll find what’s left of Fort George, begun around 1729 to guard against Spanish attack.
Just offshore is Navy Island. The actor Errol Flynn arrived in Port Antonio in 1946, when his yacht, the Zaca, washed ashore in bad weather. He stayed, and later bought Navy Island along with farmland on the Portland coast. East of town are the ruins of Folly Mansion.
Frenchman’s Cove and Winnifred Beach
Frenchman’s Cove is a small, secluded beach with a river running into it, so you can swim in the river or the sea.
Winnifred Beach is a public beach east of town. Its operator told the Jamaica Information Service that the hurricane caused little more than fallen branches.
The Blue Lagoon
The Blue Lagoon gets its colour from its depth, about 60 metres (200 feet). It’s a short drive east of town; check opening times before you go.
Reach Falls and the waterfalls
Portland is green and full of rivers, and waterfalls are the reason many people make the drive. Reach Falls, further east along the coast, is the best known. It needed repairs after Hurricane Melissa, so confirm it’s open before you set out.
Rafting the Rio Grande
The Rio Grande, Portland’s river near town, is used mainly for rafting. Bamboo rafts take you slowly downriver through the valley. It’s a gentle trip, not white water; book with a licensed operator and agree the price before you set off.
Jerk at Boston
East of Port Antonio, the village of Boston is known across Jamaica for its jerk stands, where pork and chicken are smoked over pimento wood. The jerk centre stayed open after the hurricane, though vendors reported fewer visitors in late 2025, so your custom matters.
Getting there
- From Kingston (Norman Manley International Airport): about 100 km.
- From Ian Fleming International Airport near Ocho Rios: about 45 minutes, according to the Jamaica Information Service.
- From Montego Bay: the longest route, along the north coast.
A common mistake is trying to see Port Antonio as a day trip from Montego Bay or Negril. It’s too far for that. Give it two or three nights.
Walk good
Walk good.
Travel safely.
It’s how Jamaicans say goodbye to someone heading off. Port Antonio rewards people who slow down: stay a few nights, eat at the jerk stands, and swim somewhere new every day.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Port Antonio (distance from Kingston, Lorenzo Dow Baker, Fort George, Errol Flynn and Navy Island, Blue Lagoon depth)
- Jamaica Information Service: Eastern Jamaica open for tourism, 23 November 2025 (Frenchman’s Cove, Winnifred Beach, Reach Falls, Boston Jerk Centre, Ian Fleming airport)
- Wikipedia: Rio Grande (Jamaica)
Photo: Paul Mathew / Unsplash. Monkey Island, near the Blue Lagoon.