Jamaica Tours, Guides and Vacations

The Circle B Farm was my first choice for accommodation on our first night in the Ochi area because they were one of the few places we spoke with that still offered camping when we called them. Sadly that all changed when we arrived on site and were informed that the owner no longer offered camping because the bathroom and shower facilities outdoors were non functioning and all they had to offer us was a room for rent. The room was clean and simple and only cost $1500 for a nights stay so we took it and were glad we did. I liked the place so much we spent a second night there and enjoyed the place for another beautiful morning.

Circle B Farm is a hostel and farm operating on 140 acres of surreal beauty and lush tropical landscaping. The farm is predominately a banana farm with many other fruit trees on site such as the variety of mango and even a Giant Lemon which I have never seen or heard of before. The farm is busy but quiet for most of the day and if you stay at the rooms up front you may never know what lays in the property around you if you don’t take a walk. There are cows, goats, pigs, dogs and a donkey on site but the domestic animals are less important than the natural flora and fauna found surrounding the place. The farm has a small man made river which runs from the hillsides along the southern border and actually circles the entire facility. This running water and all the sweet smelling fruit trees keeps the area covered in butterflies, birds and insects of all sorts. The bats swirl around at night feeding on the flying insects trapped in the beams of light around the buildings at night for a pretty cool night show.

The stream runs in front of the hostel rooms for rent and around almost every building on site you can sit and peacefully enjoy the sounds of rushing water all day long from just about anywhere on the property. The running water and numerous fruit trees means that early mornings at Circle B are filled with the sounds of a dozen songbirds as they sing praise to the new day before us. One both mornings we were there it was true pleasure to stroll through the banana and pineapple fields and listen to the kingfisher and mockingbirds try to out sing each other. I’m going to need a much better camera in order to catch photos of many of the birds of Jamaica as I simply cannot get close enough to most of them for a decent shot but trust me when I tell you the air was thick with the sounds of birds and nature and it was beautiful.

Circle B is a great location to begin a number of eco tours of the area and central to the many attractions of the North Coast and Ocho Rios area. You can make it to Dunns River, White River Valley, the Bob Marley Mausoleum and much more in an hour or so from this place and its a great place for anyone interested in a youth hostel or camping vacation on the North Coast of Jamaica. For those budget minded travelers interested in tours of the North Coast and Ocho Rios but not wanting to spend more for a place to sleep then you will on the days activities then consider Circle B as a place to stay in your Jamaica travel planning.

E-mail them at: info@circlebfarm.com

or call them at: 1-876-913-4511

You can write to them at: Priory P.A., St-Ann, Jamaica W.I.

Make sure to tell them Alfred @ JamaicaMax sends his love and maybe you’ll get a special tour.

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Jakes Place is more to Treasure Beach than another bar and hotel on the beach. Jakes Place is more like an institution with a following of not only tourists from around the world but a great mix of locals as well. Jakes is without a doubt the hottest spot in Treasure Beach with much going on from breakfast in the morning to late night parties on the beach and dancing under the star lit skies of night. The compound is pretty large actually and covers the bar, 2 restaurants and 38 cottages that were created by theatrical designer Sally Henzell nestled just off the beaches of Frenchmans Cove.
Jakes is not a cheap place to stay in Treasure Beach and the rooms here will set you back upwards of $200 per night but you’re living in the lap of luxury in one of the most attractive resorts on the South Coast of Jamaica and amongst some of the best people in the world. The rooms offer the very best in amenities including the following:
Verandas with garden views or decks over the sea
CD players and CD libraries
Architectural details include Moroccan domes and arches
In-room safes and hair dryers
No in-room telephones or TVs to provide distraction
Wireless Internet access in main areas (dinning room, poolside, lobby, bar & games room )
Most of the residents of Treasure Beach are members of a few large families in the are and most everyone knows everyone as a brother, sister or cousin of some sort. You may notice some of the people around town have a unique look to them. You will see what are known as the “Treasure Beach Reds” which are red skinned Jamaicans with freckles, blondish hair, and green eyes.
Jakes is a part of the Island Outpost network of rental properties and attractions in Jamaica and owners Sally and Jason are supporters of a variety of not for profit organizations in Jamaica as well as socially responsible community based tourism and development. They are founders of Breds.org, a non-profit association established by local community leaders with the assistance of Peace Corps Volunteers in 1998 to promote Education, Sports, Cultural Heritage, and Environmental awareness in Treasure Beach. The term “Breds”, short for Brethren, is commonly used by locals hailing each other on the local fishing beaches. They get bonus points in my book for being one of the more socially responsible companies on the island.
Jakes is not the only reason people know about Treasure Beach but it certainly is the most popular. Many of the visitors to town are drawn in by the stories of previous guests about the best Jamaica vacations they have ever taken. Jakes has been the biggest draw in Treasure Beach for many years now and no visit to town is complete without dropping in for a meal, a drink and some good conversations with folks from all over the world.

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Karibu Cottage in Treasure Beach Jamaica is a simple place to stay just a couple minutes walk to the beach at Frenchmans Cove but located in the hills above it all where the wind blows down from the Santa Cruz Mountains and keeps things a bit cooler than it gets right down on the beach. You can access the beach alongside Golden Sands at no charge and spend the day strolling the beaches or relaxing on the veranda out front.

Karibu is centrally located to all the Treasure Beach offers in a quiet spot away from the traffic of the main road. The property is surrounded by farmlands and the closet thing to a neighbor are goats and cattle on the adjacent lots. The property is rocky and uneven with ample parking but not much for nice walking spaces.

The rooms in Karibu are small and simple with little more than a bed, window and fan in them. Our room even lacked a dresser or any place to store clothing etc. The common or shared kitchen and bath were clean and sufficient. The shared kitchen comes with a gas stove and a small electric refrigerator and enough pots and pans to make most meals.

Karibu Cottage is a great choice for budget minded travelers looking for a quiet and inexpensive place nearby the beaches in Treasure Beach.

Click here for more pics from Karibu Cottage in Treasure Beach Jamaica.

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Although we were on a budget during our trip to Treasure Beach I did entertain other rooms to rent besides Sandy Hill or Karibu Cottage where we finally stayed. While looking around the area we were directed to the Golden Seas Guest House for access to the beach at Frenchmans Cove. We decided to take a stroll down the beach with the kids after two hours in the van so we parked on the road in front of Golden Sands. We walked alongside of Golden Sands Beach Resort on the road beside it as we made our way to the beach. The view of the area from behind the resort is superb and you have easy access to a great walk down the beach on Frenchmans Cove.

While poking around the backside and debating what to do with the rest of our afternoon I decided to look around Golden Sands guest house and inquire as to what they had available for a room and what the rates where. The Golden Sands guesthouse was booked out as well and only had one room available for us at $90 per evening for a huge three bedroom suite with a balcony overlooking the Caribbean. It was way more room than we needed and for the money I would much rather take in some activity the next day then to spend so much for a room to sleep in for the night. If we had plans to spend some time in the area and we’re looking for one nice place to stay then things may be different and I would certainly consider this place. As it was we were looking for something more budget priced and we did not need to be directly on the beach like Golden Sands beach resort is so we went with the offer Prof made us for Karibu instead.

If you are looking for a nice place to stay on the beach in Treasure Beach then consider Golden Sands Guest House.

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