Portland is one of fourteen parishes that make up the island of Jamaica. It is to be found in the county of Surrey and shares boundaries with two other parishes. These are Saint Mary and Saint Thomas. It is the seventh largest in terms of size. The capital of Portland is a town by the name of Port Antonio.
The topography of the parish of Portland has mountains as its most dominant feature. Chief among these are the Blue Mountains. The coastline however, is interspersed with bays, beaches, caves, and rivers that empty into the Caribbean Sea. The number of caves in the parish is almost as many as that of the amount of rivers. There are fourteen caves and fifteen rivers. Among the rivers the most prominent ones are the Buff Bay River, Daniel River, Hectors River, and the Rio Grande River.
The soil in Portland is recognized especially for being quite fertile, and as a result of this farming is carried out by many of its residents. They produce a lot of ackees, bananas, breadfruit, coffee, and coconuts, much of which is exported. This earns for the parish much needed and valuable foreign exchange. Agriculture however, is not considered to be the main driving force behind the economy of the parish. That distinction is awarded to tourism. One initiative that has been undertaken by a key player in the industry, that appears to be yielding positive results where tourism is concerned, is the decision to go green by the Mocking Bird Hill Hotel.
Portland does its fair share in assisting with the education of Jamaicans via some of the best schools in the island. Some of these include Buff Bay High, Happy Grove High, Portland High, and Titchfield High Schools. The Buff Bay Hospital and the Port Antonio Hospital take care of the majority of the parish’s health service requirements. Clinics and medical practitioners in private practices throughout the parish complement the service. There are many accommodations from which to choose for those visiting the parish. These take the form of high-end hotels, to guesthouses, to bed and breakfast type lodgings. A few of these that are worth checking out are Dragon Bay Villas, Jamaica Palace Hotel, Goblin Hill Villas, Mocking Bird Hill Hotel, and Trident Villas and Hotel. To move around in the parish taxis, buses, and rental cars are available, all at costs that are reasonable.
Portland offers a wide variety of attractions to visitors to the parish. A visit to the parish of Portland will usually involve a sojourn at one of the beautiful beaches that seem to proliferate the coastline. Another way to enjoy the waters in the parish is to go rafting on the Rio Grande River. It is also possible to go hiking in the Blue Mountains for those wanting to get closer to nature. If visitors have the good fortune of being in the parish, or in the country for that matter, at the time when the annual Portland Jerk Festival is being held, they should make every humanly possible effort to attend. It is an experience not to be missed and they will most certainly be in for a special treat. If you happen to miss it though, a small sample of what you missed is available at the Boston Jerk Center in Portland.