Port Antonio, the capital of Portland located on the northeastern coast of Jamaica just about 60 miles from Kingston and is well known for its charm and natural beauty. A quiet rural town, lush vegetation and botanical gardens, and not to mention the home to one of the most beautiful twin harbours in the world. Being one of the most peaceful and safest parishes on the island, it is the perfect place to truly escape from the stress of life – the perfect utopia. Port Antonio is more suited towards eco-tourism than towards commercial tourism due to its lush natural landscape and the fact that the town was inaccessible due to bad roads. These roads were recently resurfaced so the town once again is expected to attract much more visitors and commerce.

Port Antonio was a sleepy coastal town up until the 1880s, when Lorenzo Dow Baker started the banana trade in Jamaica, and started promoting Port Antonio as one of the most amazing destinations for wealthy American travelers. The Titchfield Hotel an amazing 5 story Georgian building and one of the first hotels to be built in Jamaica. However, it was destroyed by fire as the subsequent hotels built thereafter. Finding romantic spots in Jamaica is easy. Finding a secret hideaway that offers a combination of tranquility, history, natural beauty and seclusion requires a bit more ingenuity.

Considered to be the cradle of Jamaica’s tourism, it was and still is the primary Jamaican destination for vacationing movie stars, famous musicians and artistes, politicians and tycoons. It wasn’t till the airport at Montego Bay was built that Port Antonio became known as “the other side of the Island.” Clara Bow, Rudyard Kipling and Ginger Rogers, were early devotees, drawn by the exotic lure of the island’s banana trade. Author of “The French Connection,” and “The Green Berets”, Robin Moore chose to build his house at the Blue Lagoon to hide away while he wrote his famous stories.