The parish of Saint Ann (St. Ann) is situated in the county of Middlesex. It is the largest of fourteen parishes that make up the island of Jamaica. St. Ann shares boundaries with four other parishes, Clarendon, Saint Catherine, Saint Mary, and Trelawny. Generally when people speak of the north coast in relation to Jamaica it is understood to mean this section of the island. The term “garden parish” is also used when referring to St. Ann. The capital of St. Ann was originally called Santa Gloria, a name given to it by its discoverer, Christopher Columbus. The name of the parish capital has since been changed and it is now called St. Ann’s Bay.
Like most of the other parishes on the island St. Ann has its share of mountainous terrain, as evidenced by the Dry Harbour Mountains. There are also numerous caves. However, whereas in other parishes the most outstanding topographical features are either plains or mountains, in the case of St. Ann it is the rivers which hold that distinction. A large number of rivers traverse the length and breadth of the parish among which are the Cave River, the Dunns River, the Great River, the Negro River, the Pedro River, the Roaring River, the St. Ann River, and the White River.
The St. Ann’s Bay Hospital is the main provider of health services for the parish of St. Ann. This public hospital is assisted with its mandate by various clinics located throughout the parish. Medical doctors with their private practices complement the service. The parish has its fair share of educational institutions of which the Moneague Teacher’s College, York Castle High School, and St. Hilda’s High School for girls stand out. By virtue of St. Ann being considered among the islands top tourist stops the powers that be have gone the extra mile to put infrastructure in place to ensure their stay is as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. This can be seen in the world-class accommodations that take the form of hotels, bed and breakfast type lodgings, and guesthouses. Prime examples are the Ciboney Hotel, and Breezes Resort Runaway Bay. Moving around the parish is done via taxis and buses or rented vehicles if persons so desire. The costs in the resort areas may be a little pricier than what obtains in other sections of the parish though.
The economy of St. Ann depends primarily on tourism for sustenance. One of its major towns, Ocho Rios, is a popular tourist destination and cruise ships dock at its pier on a regular basis. The beaches in St. Ann are considered among the best in the world and visitors come from far and wide to enjoy them. Farming also contributes to the economy, as livestock is reared and crops such as coconuts, coffee, ginger, sweet potatoes, and yams are grown, albeit on a small scale. Some amount of fishing is also carried out as well.
St. Ann is a parish steeped in history and is bound to excite the history-minded individual. What with Columbus and the Arawaks such a person should have their hands full. This parish is also the birthplace of internationally renowned Jamaicans Marcus Mosiah Garvey and Robert Nesta Marley, better known as Bob Marley. For the visitor to St. Ann there will be no shortage of things to do. There are the much talked about beaches, such as Puerto Seco, Island Village, and Dunns River beach. Dunns River also features a magnificent waterfall that people usually climb with the assistance of a guide. There is a craft market, Margaritaville, Dolphin Cove, Shaw Park Gardens, the Green Grotto Caves, rafting on the White River, and the Fern Gully among other things. It is recommended that visitors to the parish check out Island Grill for fast food with a distinct difference.