Port Antonio
From: Jamaica
Adventure Guide
Port Antonio first came to the attention of the travel world thanks
to resident Errol Flynn. The rambunctious actor had a home on Navy
Island, just off the coast of Port Antonio, and entertained many
celebrities in his verdant hideaway.
The complete story
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 Jamaica
Adventure Guide - This travel guide walks with the adventurous
traveler to the heart of Jamaica, to the miles of sand beaches,
to the rugged Blue Mountains, to the country villages that provide
a peek at the real Jamaica
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In those days,
the hot spot in town was the Titchfield Hotel. The guest list was
star-studded: Rudyard Kipling, Randolph Hearst, J.P. Morgan Jr.,
and others.
In the 1950s Errol Flynn started what has become one of Jamaica’s
top tourist activities – rafting. The notorious lover began floating
women down the expansive river, naming one section that winds between
two boulders Lovers Lane. Before long, tourists were floating down
the river two by two on rafts poled by expert raftsmen. The activity
has spread to several other rivers in Jamaica, but the Rio Grande
remains the largest operation of its kind.
Errol Flynn wasn’t the only celebrity to grace Port Antonio. Poet
Ella Willa Wilcox called this “the most exquisite spot on earth.”
Robin Moore came to the area to pen The French Connection.
An historic house here stands as a tribute to lost love. The ruins
of Folly, built by a wealthy American for a sweetheart who would
not come to Port Antonio, can still be seen near the main road.
Why is this home now in ruins? Seawater instead of freshwater was
used in making the cement and the castle crumbled.
In more recent years, many other celebrities have frequented this
site and Port Antonio has found its way into the movies.
One star-studded site is the Blue Lagoon (remember the Brooke Shields
movie?). The beautiful swimming hole that’s been termed bottomless
because of its uncanny blue hue is actually about 180 feet deep.
Take a walk through the restaurant to see the many celebrities who
have visited, their photos framed on the walls. Nearby, Boston Beach
is the place to go on the island for jerk, slow-cooked in pits.
More information on Port Antonio
• Introduction
• Where to stay
• Where to eat
• Transportation
• Things to see &
do
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