Treasure Beach is a perfect destination for people looking for a quiet, peaceful community with plenty of cool-out spots along the Caribbean Sea, hammocks in the shade, and friendly people always willing to 'reason' (chat) with a new mind.

We are an alternative choice to the “typical” tourist hustle and bustle.

We are a small town and like anywhere else in the world that means we have a lower crime rate than the bigger cities. It is OK to walk the streets day or night and passing residents will usually offer a friendly greeting.

However, this does not mean to be careless. Use the same precautions you would anywhere you are traveling. Lock your doors when you leave, don't flash a large wad of bills while paying for a small tab, do not invite strangers into your place, etc. 

Your housekeeper or caretaker can be a good source of information and advice if you have any specific questions.

When you leave out of the airport enter the round-about. Take the 3rd left exit out of the round-about and continue to the end of the road. At the T take a left. This will put you on the 'Hip Strip' of Montego Bay where you will pass lots of duty free shops, restaurants, hotels, etc.

Continue straight on this road until you come to the first set of lights. At this set of lights, take a right passing by Kentucky Fried Chicken. Continue on this road straight through three more sets of lights. At the 4th set of lights take a left. Continue to the end of this road passing a large shopping center on the right and take a right at the set of lights at the end of the road.

After taking that right continue through three sets of lights. At the fourth set of lights take a left which will take you up Long Hill. Do not follow the signs to Negril.

As you pass a large orange grove on the right you will go over a bridge and come to a road to the left. STAY TO THE RIGHT heading towards Savannah La Mar. Do not head to Bethel Town.

Continue on through Haddo and on into Whithorn. In Whithorn you want to take a right heading towards Ferris Cross. You will go down a good sized hill with a beautiful view of sugar cane fields on the right. At the bottom of the hill stay straight and do not take the right. Continue on until you come to a T in the road in Ferris Cross and take a left heading towards Black River.

Continue on through Belmont, Whitehouse, and into the Parish of St. Elizabeth. At the round-about stay to your right heading towards Black River.

Once in Black River take a left at the one-way street and then take the first right. You will wind past the market. Stay to the right and eventually come to another T. Take the left and go over the bridge. Take your third right at the Jack Sprat restaurant sign which will be about 3 - 4 miles out of town and from there the signs are good directing you to Treasure Beach.

The trick is to stop and ask a lot of questions, and when asking, ask for directions to the next town on the map. Many people do not drive and may not know how to get to Treasure Beach but will know how to get to the next town.

Good luck and DRIVE ON THE LEFT!

When you leave out of the airport you will almost immediately come to a round-about (rotary).  Stay to the left and this will put you on a causeway. At the end of the causeway you will again bear to the left. Stay on this main road following signs to Spanish Town and Mandeville for a while. You will be going through lots of lights and intersections, but just keep on straight.   You will come to a toll highway which will have signs to Mandeville.  Go on this road.  You will be exiting the highway on your right.  After you exit the highway you will come to a round-about.  Take the 2nd left in the round-about following signs to Mandeville.  This will put you on the next toll highway. You will travel on this highway for about 10 miles before coming to the toll booth.  At the end the highway will merge into the 'old road'. From here on in the roads are well marked and you just continue to head towards Mandeville.

Stay on the highway past Mandeville heading down Spur Tree Hill. When you reach Gutters there will be a Texaco Station on the right and a turn to Junction, St. Elizabeth on your left. Take that left (it is well marked with signs). Follow that road for a few miles. You will go under a bridge(train tracks), shortly after look for the sign for Alpart on your left indicating the turn on your right. Take that right heading towards Alpart. When you come to the T in the road take a left. Drive past Alpart and into the district of Nain. You will come to an intersection. Just drive straight through the crossroads and continue heading towards the town of Junction.

After a few miles you will come to an intersection where one road Vs off to the left and the main road will turn slightly to the right with a restaurant located on the left after the V. Immediately, you will come to a T in the road. Take a right which again is in the direction of Junction. You now stay on this road taking you through Junction, Top Hill, and Southfield. After Southfield you start to head down the Santa Cruz Mountains. When you are at the bottom of the mountain you will come to a crossroads with a Texaco station on the right. Take your left there heading towards Treasure Beach.  This road will take you right into Treasure Beach.

While the above statement is true 90% of the time:

	April /May and September/ October are typically known as rainy season
	June through November is hurricane season
	October/November and April/ May can offer calmer sea conditions
	Weather is unpredictable

You can find up to date information at the weather channel's web site.

Interspersed throughout six miles of coastline lie sandy beaches, private coves, and rocky shorelines conducive for long walks. (Be sure to bring appropriate beach shoes.)

There are four public beaches well suited for swimming, snorkeling, and body-surfing.   Depending on the sea conditions and the season, the waves can vary from six inches to six feet. The south coast seas tend to be rougher than the north coast.

"That its beaches tend to be less sprawling than those of other island resorts is more than compensated for by the fact that they are also virtually deserted" - American Way

Snorkeling here offers a variety of colorful fish and coral reef to explore, though professional divers may find them somewhat disappointing.

Keep in mind that the snorkeling is dependent on sea conditions. Ask at your villa for good locations.

There is no SCUBA outfit in Treasure Beach. The nearest licensed operators are in Negril and Montego Bay.

There's something here for everyone. Fresh seafood is our specialty, however, everything from Jamaican fare to burgers, pizza and exceptional award winning cuisine is available.

Prices range from US$6 - US$35 per meal with the average price being around US$10. Red Stripes run about US$2.00-$3.00 and mixed drinks US$4.00. The average cost of a bottle of good Jamaican rum is about US$12 in a grocery store.

Please see our Places to Eat and Play section for further information.

Safe to drink. The vast majority of Treasure Beach is connected to the national water supply which is treated with chlorine for safety. If you are still hesitant to drink the water, bottled water is available in most every shop.

A reminder: This area is aptly named the desert coast and records the least amount of rainfall island-wide. We ask that you please keep this in mind and help us conserve this precious resource.

Other commonly exchanged currencies are the US dollar, Canadian Dollar, British Pound Sterling , and the Euro. Other currencies are frowned upon and may be difficult if not impossible to exchange. 

We strongly encourage the use of traveler's checks.  Why? Traveler's checks are the easiest to exchange and most widely accepted. All you need to provide is a passport number or identification number on the back of the check and a photo i.d. before cashing.

You can change money at the airport, banks, and Cambios (official money exchanges). A few places in Treasure Beach exchange cash and traveler's checks --ask at your guesthouse for the closest one to you-- and most of our establishments will accept them as payment.

Credit cards are not widely accepted, with only a few restaurants and attractions honoring them.  However, you can obtain a cash advance on Visa or MasterCard at most banks, but not with AMEX or Discover.

There is one money machine in Treasure Beach located in the Kingfisher
Plaza. It is plugged into the Multilink network. The next nearest
ATM's are located in Black River (30 minute drive) or Southfield (25
minute drive). There is a machine near the arrivals pick-up waiting
area at the Montego Bay airport. It is plugged into the Cirrus network
and can give advances on VISA and MasterCard. All local ATMs dispense
Jamaican currency only.

The nearest banks are Scotia Bank, National Commercial Bank, and Royal Bank of Trinidad & Tobago in Black River. Their hours are approximately M-F, 9-2:30. 

Businesses here have come to appreciate the North American custom of tipping, although Jamaicans rarely do. Some places do add a set percentage to the bill, which is usually noted.

The rule of thumb for tipping staff at a villa is 15% of the cost of the villa.

Since all beaches here are public, no one is restricted from walking them. This means a few people use them as their places of business. You will more than likely be approached by one of these vendors and asked to look at their wares.

If you are interested, by all means have a look and happy negotiating. If you are not in a shopping mood, let them know. A friendly but firm "No Thanks" will usually suffice, but you may need to be as persistent as they are.

You have a few options here. Most everything in Treasure Beach can be accessed by foot or by bicycle which can be rented. For longer journeys taxis, public transport, car rental, or tour operators can get you there.

Please see our section on Transportation for more details.

Overall, casual and comfortable are the fashion statements around here.  In a shop or restaurant, shoes and shirts are usually appreciated, but nowhere are jacket and tie required.

At the beach, swimsuit is the obvious choice. Nude bathing is frowned upon by most Jamaicans, so we ask that you either refrain or find a very private spot.

Being a tropical island we do have bugs. However, our constant breeze and dry climate, unlike that of the wetter parts of the island, help to control the population.

That being said, we still recommend bringing insect repellent.

There are several bars and restaurants to choose from, a few of which have music, dancing, billiards, dominoes, etc. There are always occasional street dances. How do you find out about them? If you stay within a mile radius of one, you can't miss it. Follow your ears or ask any staff member of the place you are staying.

But perhaps the best activity is sitting on your verandah, watching the stars, thinking about all of the nothing you’re going to do tomorrow.

"...a remote and sleepy Jamaican town where hanging out is the order of the day." - American Way

Ganja is found throughout Jamaica, and Treasure Beach is no exception. However not everyone in TB is involved with or approves of it. Nonetheless, it can be readily purchased. Since it is not a shelf displayed item, it has no price control. In saying all the above, please be warned that ganja like other drugs is illegal in Jamaica, and if caught you will be punished by the law. Although not many people know, if you are a foreigner without a Jamaican parent, under Jamaica's constitution you can be deported.

The Queen's English is the official language of Jamaica. It is taught in schools and used at any formal gathering. However, the everyday language is called patios, from the French word for dialect. It's English, Spanish, French, and African all blended into one and comes off as a colorful, flowing language, nice to listen to --but sometimes a challenge to understand.

Check with your cell phone provider if you are taking your phone with you to see about roaming charges for international use. Digicell, one of our local cell phone providers offers a card to purchase for $1250 JA which will enable you a total of 40 hours of phone calls to any cell/land line phones in America or Canada and land line phones in England and China. Most everyone has a Digicell phone here which you may be able to borrow to use to call international. Or just ask to pay for a phone card and borrow someone’s cell phone to enter the credit into the phone and make your call. Direct dialing is not available from a regular phone without a special ICAS code. Some local businesses offer phone and fax services at a per minute rate.

Collect calls are provided by AT&T, MCI, Sprint, and LIME (the local phone company) at the numbers listed below. Please check with them for their rates.

AT&T 1-800-872-2881              
MCI 1-800-888-8000              
Sprint 1-800-877-8000              
LIME 1-800-876-1000              

Several businesses, villas and guest houses offer email and Internet services. There are also Internet Cafés located in and around Treasure Beach. Just ask where you are staying and they can direct you to the nearest café to you.

No, however, you can purchase a phone for approximately $3,000 JA ($36 US). There are both Digicell and LIME stores found in most towns where you can purchase a phone.

High speed access is now available in Treasure Beach. Check with your particular accommodation as many now offer it. The system is ADSL and tends to be slower than the cable or DSL you may be used to off island, but it definitely faster than regular CWJ dial-up.

In case of emergency:

	Dr. Brown has office hours in Crossroads (15 minute drive away) on Monday – Wednesday and Friday from 8:30 – 3:00 and on Saturday 12 noon – 3:00 p.m.
	The nearest private hospital is Hargreaves Memorial Hospital, one hour away in Mandeville. 876-962-2040.
	Most guesthouses and villas have a doctor who they can call in case of an emergency.
	Worth noting, there are no poisonous snakes, insects, etc.  or rabies found on the island. There are some insects with painful bites like scorpions, 40-leggers, and sea nettles, but they are rare.

110V, 50 Hz with a standard three prong north American plug. The only difference between JA and US/Canada is the frequency, so any appliance (except clocks) will work.

European's will need to bring an adapter (they are hard to find here) for conversion.

Yes, Digicell has a booth located at both the Montego Bay and Kingston airports. There is a deposit of $200 US which will be returned to you once you return the phone. The charges are $10 US per day with a minimum charge of $50 US for usage. All major credit cards are accepted.

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General Travel Information

Jamaica Travel and Culture – A guide to experiencing the diverse beauty and culture of Jamaica, including Treasure Beach.

WebGuideJamaica.com - Rated the fastest search engine, directory, map and web guide for information on the most popular web sites in Jamaica.

Cockpit Republic - Invites you to experience the real Jamaica and would like to provide you with all the tools necessary in making the Cockpit Country an important stop on your trip to the island.

Montego Bay Marine Park - The marine park in Jamaica's 'second city'. Its mission is to restore and protect a healthy Montego Bay ecosystem for the betterment of the nation and the world.

Great-Adventures.com - Good info on the country and links to other sites.

Jamaica Etiquette Guide - Description: Everything you need to know when visiting Jamaica; learn Jamaican etiquette and fit right in; learn what each area of Jamaica is like from MoBay to Kingston.

• 

TravelXL.com - 70,000 direct links to hotels, campgrounds, vacation rentals, museums, theme parks, etc. around the world.

A Dutch view on Jamaica - A comprehensive and relaxed look at the island of Jamaica, its people, its towns and parishes. An interactive guide and community for all who love this island in the sun!

Online Travel Directory resources.

Just for Fun

ReggaePlus - Radio on the Internet exists, first and foremost, to provide a constant stream of listening enjoyment for mature people, world-wide, who share the love of the various musical styles that appeal to the folks who hail from the West Indies.

It's Hard to Write a Blues Song in Jamaica by Mitch. Check out his web site, facethemusicblues.com.

Caribbean Information

Zubby.Com - A Caribbean Search Engine.

 

Misc

www.paperboyja.com - Day of issue newspaper service

Richardsitler.com - Richard Sitler served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Jamaica and has a few web pages devoted to bits of Jamaican culture Richard felt were worth sharing

U.S. Peace Corps - The official site for United States Peace Corps. They organization has been very active in Treasure Beach for the over 30 years. Please visit their site for more information on what they do.

PeaceCorpsOnline - The independent news forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers

A free counter service.

 

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