St Elizabeth is located on the quiet side of Jamaica's south west and has an amazingly varied terrain. There are deserted beaches all along the southern coastline with pretty fishing villages and small sandy coves concealed among the rocks. Jamaica's longest river -The Black River flows through the Great Morass, a swampy marshland that is the largest wetland habitat in the Caribbean. St. Elizabeth has not really been viewed as a tourist destination and the small farming and fishing communities still retain the zest of traditional Jamaica, making it a great destination for the truly adventurous.

Black River is the City of St Elizabeth Parish, it was once a successful sugar port, now it is a centre of ecological tourism and a gateway to the Treasure Beach area. The town sits at the mouth of the Black River; Treasure Beach is southeast of it, and the beaches of Crane to the south east and Luana to the west. The first place in Jamaica to have electricity is here - the Waterloo Guest House. 

The Appleton Rum tour of the Appleton Estate is located at the edge of the Cockpit Country where the Black River meets the St. Elizabeth plain. The Appleton Estate Rum Tour is a fascinating insight about the rum-making procedure. The estate has been producing sugar and rum since 1749 and the tour explains how rum was produced back then and how it has developed since.

The main road between Mandeville and the Black River takes you through a section of highway known as Bamboo Avenue, which is a 2 mile long green tunnel created by over a century old bamboo groves.

Treasure Beach is located in the Parish of St Elizabeth, it is a series of fishing Villages, and this idyllic part of the Island offers several private coves. There are four public beaches that are perfect for swimming, snorkeling, and body surfing. Treasure Beach is known as the desert coast of Jamaica because there’s not much rain there, as the Santa Cruz Mountains to the east act as a natural barrier. Accommodation varies from camping, guesthouses, cottages on the beach to luxury villas complete with cook.

Lovers Leap is located a few miles east of Treasure Beach; this sheer cliff 1,700’ above sea level is where two slave lovers leapt to their death to escape from their master. Absolutely exquisite views of the coast can be seen from this lookout point.

Marshalls Pen was a former farm house and coffee factory that was owned by the Earl of Balcarres, who was Governor of Jamaica from 1795 to 1801. This 18^th Century great house is sited in a charming garden on a 300 acre cattle ranch. The coffee factory has been transformed into a guest-house, for visitors who go there for 'eco tours', especially for bird watching. The house was sold to the Suttons in 1939, and is currently owned by Robert Sutton who is an ornithologist and his wife - an environmental scientist. They are both exceptionally knowledgeable about the Island's wildlife and conservationism.

The Milk River Bath Spa is located around 36miles southeast of Mandeville, a spa that dates back to 1794 and is famous for its curative waters, especially for muscular and joint aches and pains. There is a hotel above the mineral baths with basic but clean accommodation. The baths are open 24 hours a day to hotel guests and 07.00am to 9.00pm to the public. A public mineral water swimming pool is also available which is open at the weekends.

YS Falls are located on the YS Estate around 24 miles from Mandeville, just beyond Bamboo Avenue. YS are one of the principal racehorse stud farms on the Island, who also produce beef cattle and export papayas. A tractor-drawn jitney ride takes you to the falls over a stream and through the scenic pastures where grazing cows and brood mares can be seen. The end of the ride finds you at the striking three-tiered waterfall, complete with a rope swing, calm pools for swimming, picnic areas, and changing rooms. Swimming is allowed and there are lifeguards on duty. For an extra fee, tubing trips along the YS River are available. This 45 minute trip begins at the base of the falls and at the end of the trip, the jitney picks you up.