Essence Escapes: Jamaica's South Coast is One of The Island's Best Kept Secrets

LIFESTYLE DIRECTOR METANOYA Z. WEBB CURATES THE PERFECT GETAWAY ON THE ISLAND’S TREASURED BUT LESS TRAVELED SOUTH COAST
I’ve traveled to Jamaica more times than I can count, and each time I go it’s hard to leave. When I do leave, I’m already making plans to return, which I’ve done consistently for the past 20 years. The island has that effect on me. My connection to Jamaica runs deep. It’s where my people are from.

My father was born in Hannah Town, a close-knit community on the west coast in Kingston, Jamaica’s capital city. When he was 8, the family moved southeast to Vineyard Town, where he has fond memories of walking to Gunboat Beach every Sunday with his late father, whom we affectionately called Father, and all seven sons in tow.

Situated on the north coast in Saint Ann, the largest parish on the island, is the small rural settlement of Alexandria. That’s where my mother’s family is from. Boasting impressive ocean views, Alexandria has become a popular site for luxury vacation rentals, but back then it had vast areas of farmland nestled in plush countryside.