TREASURE BEACH

Treasure Beach is located within the parish of St. Elizabeth.  It is on the South Coast of Jamaica.

Treasure Beach is a treasure chest of coves and bays.

It is where the Caribbean meets sandy and rocky shores. It is mixture of dark and white sand stretches, rocky coves, fishermen’s enclaves and secluded swimming spots.  The main bays in Treasure Beach are:

Billy's Bay, Calabash Bay, Fort Charles Bay, Calabash Bay, Great Bay and Frenchman’s Bay.

Due to the lack of rainfall in the area, Treasure Beach is known as the desert coast of Jamaica. Some visitors compare the area to the savannahs of East Africa. As you near Treasure Beach, the Santa Cruz Mountains fade into the coastline and flat plains with fields of low scrub grass, a variety of cacti (some reaching several feet tall), acacia trees, and lignum vitae trees become more abundant.   Lignum vitae trees are rare and can only survive in dry, arid climates. Its small purple blossom serves as Jamaica’s national flower.

Fishing is the major industry in Treasure Beach. Local fishermen make their living on the Cays, which is a group of small sand spit islands located 60 miles off Jamaica’s South Coast.

Farming is the area’s next largest industry.

St. Elizabeth is nicknamed “The Breadbasket of Jamaica” because the parish supplies the Island with more grains than any other area.

 

* Information was obtained from the Jamaica National Heritage Trust website and several internet sources.