Around Kingston

Horse racing takes place at Caymanas Park Gregory Park, Portmore and is to the west of Kingston in Waterford. Race events occur every Wednesday, Saturday and on public holidays, opening hours are 12:00pm - 6:00pm.

Castleton Botanical Gardens are located on both sides of the Kingston to St. Mary main road and was established in 1862. The garden showcases a variety of plant species from around the Island. In the past, Castleton had more than 4,000 thousand species of plants from Kew Garden in England. Many of the plants introduced to the Island in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries were planted in this garden. These included the Poinciana, Bombay Mango, the Spathodea, Navel Orange, and tangerine. Many remarkable plants can still be seen at Castleton today, including the strychnos from which medicine (and poison) strychnine is obtained, the Velvet Apple, West Indian Mahogany and specimens of coffee. Set in the hills of St. Mary, Castleton Gardens is a tranquil haven and many visitors swim in the Wag Water River which flows through the land.

Kingston isn’t exactly renowned for its beaches, but there are a few there. To the southwest of the City are the black-sanded Hellshire Beach and Gunboat Beach, they have changing rooms, heavy security, and several food stands. Fort Clarence is famous for its reggae concerts. There is also fisherman’s beach at Naggo Head, which is just beyond Fort Clarence.

Lime Cay is an unpopulated Island that is located south of the Palisadoes and is the nearest beach to the City. This is an ideal location for swimming and snorkelling or just relaxing, a boat can be hired (for the short ride) from Morgan's Harbor at Port Royal to access the Island.

The Rockfort Mineral Baths is located on the coast on Windward Road that runs east out of Kingston. It is a natural spring that was formed during an earthquake in 1907. There are public and private bath areas where visitors can pamper themselves in an array of relaxing ways, from picnicking and swimming to having a massage, or soak in a whirlpool tub fed by the mineral waters, there is also a dining area.

Two Sisters Cave is located at Hellshire Hills, St. Catherine, around 22 km west of Kingston. The entrance to the cave is in semi-desert environment that overlooks Kingston harbour. The caves comprise of two big sink holes detached by tons of fallen rocks and access to them is via sturdy wooden staircases that lead down below sea-level to caves filled with water. They are estimated to be around 200,000 years old, the water is crystal blue and the cave is inhabited by tiny swallows.  These natural caverns and the flooded tunnel below are thought to be interconnected with many other limestone caverns which expand for miles in all directions. A solitary petroglyph (rock carving) is on the wall of the smaller cave, enclosed in a wooden frame. It represents an Arawak face, although years of dampness and corrosion have made this rather hard to make out.

Cinchona Gardens are located in the Parish of St. Andrew's, over 5,000 ft above sea level and were established in 1868. The gardens were named after the Cinchona plant that was taken to Jamaica from Peru by the Spanish. Panoramic views of the Blue Mountain Ridge and some parts of Kingston can be seen from these gardens. An extract taken from the Cinchona plant (Quinine) was used to treat malaria. When the plant was first planted, it commanded a high price - but due to rising costs of labour and poor infrastructure, the project failed. Tea was planted in a second section of the land but Jamaica could not compete with India’s tea market. Now, all that remains is the third section which was known as a 'European Garden' with the cinchona tree, mulberry, camphor, cork oak, juniper and rubber trees as well as garden flowers that flourish in northern climates.

Scuba Diving opportunities ranging from wreck dives to reefs in the Kingston area include:

Cayman Trader: This wreck is suitable for all levels of divers. The merchant trade vessel is covered in sea life and nurse sharks are frequently seen. Depths are from at 33’ to 55’.

The Edge: This is an advanced dive, offering brilliant visibility and great photo opportunities. Depths are over 100’.

Texas Wreck: This is an advanced dive; a US naval ship (sunk in 1944), with lots of black coral. Depths are over 100’.

The Blue Mountains (Jamaica's highest peaks) are located at the rear of Kingston and are home to some of the World's rarest flora and fauna. The foothills of the Blue Mountains start on the outskirts of Kingston. They include the Island's highest point- Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 m. Glorious views of the North and South coasts of the Island can be seen from the summit (reachable by a walking trail). The famed Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee (considered by many as the best coffee in the world and by far the most costly) is cultivated on the lower slopes and the upper slopes are a forest reserve.

Part of the Blue Mountains is enclosed in the Blue and John Crow Mountain National Park established in 1992, and maintained by the Jamaican Government. There are at least 150 resident and migratory bird species that inhabit these mountains and are also prime habitat for tree frogs, giant swallowtail butterflies and the Jamaican hutia which is a large rodent, (also known as the coney), it is the only land mammal on the Island. Various trees like mahogany, cedar, mahoe and broadleaf form Jamaica's biggest remaining intact, closed canopy rain forest. For the nature aficionado, the mountains expose an amazingly intricate sequence of ecosystems that transform totally as you ascend from sea level to the fog-shrouded peaks.

As well as hiking, Cycle tours are available starting at an elevation of 5,060 feet, then descending and along the way you can see coffee plantations and rain forest sights. Local tour guides provide information on local wildlife and history. Tours include lunch, snacks and bike rental. Furthermore, the Blue Mountains offer safe and pleasant camping which would offer a relaxing unhurried visit to the mountains.