Port Antonio
>Related pages: Port Antonio attractions, Port Antonio inns

When you've had your fill of Jamaica's bustling resorts like Montego Bay and Ocho Rios, there's a sure antidote to the tourist scene: Port Antonio. This quiet niche is located on Jamaica's east end about a two hour drive from Ocho Rios and is favored by those looking to get away from it all. Don't look for mixology classes or limbo dances here; this end of Jamaica is quiet and relaxed and fun is usually found outdoors, followed by a fine meal that evening.

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.

In the 1950s Errol Flynn started what has become one of Jamaica's top tourist activities. Noting the banana farmers taking their produce down to market on long bamboo rafts on the Rio Grande, he one day asked for a ride. Soon the notorious lover was 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 the 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 figure 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. And one historic house 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? Sea water instead of fresh water 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.