Great Huts

PORTLAND

Paradise on the Edge in Portland

Portland Travel Guide

For years I sat on Boston Bay’s sand, staring at the high cliff across the water. I could just make out a pair of stone pools clinging to the edge and a wooden gate marked Great Huts. I kept wondering, What’s up there?

Last month I finally found out. Two friends and I booked the Seagrape Hut for a long weekend, and the place turned out to be even more magical than the view suggested. Yet nothing prepared me for waking up in Seagrape Hut, twenty feet above a riot of sea-grape leaves, with the Caribbean rolling in below. Great Huts had been on my radar for years, a place friends described as “an Afro-centric village perched on a cliff.” Last weekend three of us finally booked in, and within minutes of arriving we were trading high-fives—this was the Portland we’d been craving.

Paradise on the Edge

Great Huts occupies a 100-foot escarpment at the eastern end of Boston Bay, a breezy ten-minute ride from laid-back Port Antonio. Dr Paul Rhodes, a New York physician turned hotelier, bought the land in 2001 after falling hard for Portland’s wild, wave-lashed coastline. His vision was radical for the time: build a resort that honours Jamaica’s African ancestry, uses mostly natural materials, and folds the local community into its success. Two decades on, the place feels less like a hotel and more like a living artwork of bamboo beams, thatch roofs, and hand-carved doors that tell stories of the transatlantic journey and Jamaica’s resilient spirit.

Staying at Great Huts: Africa meets Jamaica

The moment we pushed past the gate, Portland’s bustle faded. Narrow paths wound through almond trees, then opened onto a bluff 100 feet above the sea. Everywhere I looked, bamboo railings, thatched roofs, and bright murals told the story of Africa in Jamaica. This look isn’t an accident. The owner, Dr Paul Rhodes, bought the land in 2001 to build a village-style hideaway that honors Jamaica’s roots while protecting the coast he loves (Great Huts Resort | Paradise On The Edge).

Our hut perched halfway up the cliff, wrapped in real sea-grape branches. Inside were two cozy bedrooms draped with mosquito nets, a tiny sitting area, and shutters that swung wide to catch the trade winds. The outdoor shower was my favorite spot—watching frigatebirds glide past while water rushed over my toes felt unreal.

A Day-Pass for Everyone Else

Want a taste of Great Huts without an overnight stay? Snag a day-pass. It costs US $30 for entry, or US $50 if you’d like lunch thrown in. Numbers are capped, so send a quick WhatsApp to +1 876 353 3388 the day before to lock it in.

Once past the gate, the whole playground is yours. Start with a lazy float in the cliff-top saltwater pools—nothing beats that first cool plunge. Claim a hammock under the palms, close your eyes, and let the sea breeze and tree-frog chorus work their magic.

When you’re ready, follow the stone steps down to the tiny private beach. The sand is nearly empty, the water crystal-clear, and the lava-rock wall just offshore teems with bright parrotfish.

Need a break from the sun? Head up to the open-air Safari Deck. Order a chilled sorrel or a tangy lime-ginger juice, and enjoy the surrounding art. By sunset you’ll understand why people whisper about this place from the other side of Boston Bay—it feels like your own secret slice of Portland.

Cliffside Days

Great Huts is a choose-your-own-adventure kind of place. Sunrise yoga on the wooden deck is pure magic. We stretched while the sky glowed pink and the sea roared below. By the final pose, the sun was up and the whole bay felt alive.

After breakfast—ackee, plantain, and the fluffiest festivals—we climbed down a ladder to a hidden cove for a salty swim.  The water is clear as glass. I snorkeled along the lava rocks and watched neon parrotfish dart past.

When the surf picked up, we walked five minutes to Boston Bay, rented boards, and paddled out. On lazy afternoons we lounged in the cliffside pools I’d always seen from the beach. Floating there, eye-level with frigatebirds, felt like hanging off the edge of the world.

Starlit Nights

When darkness settled, we each found our own perch—sometimes a hammock strung between palms, other times the smooth edge of the stone pool. From these little hideaways we could lie back, count a sky full of stars, and let the soundtrack wash over us: waves crashing below, tree frogs chirping in the bush, a distant drumbeat drifting from the bonfire. In those moments it felt like the whole cliff belonged to us, a secret balcony suspended between sea and jungle.

Portland Beyond the Gates

Because the resort sits at the fringe of Boston Bay, adventure is never far. We strolled five minutes to the jerk stalls where smoke curls from oil-drum grills all day long; order the pork with extra pepper sauce and an ice-cold Ting. A quick route-taxi ride whisked us to Winnifred Beach for late-afternoon swims, and we tacked on a Blue Lagoon stop just for that surreal turquoise glow. Yet each outing ended the same way—eager to hurry back to our cliff-top nook before sunset painted the sea peach and mauve.

THINGS TO DO IN PORTLAND

More Than a Pretty View- Sustainability at Great Huts

Staying here does real good for Portland. Part of every booking helps fund the Portland Rehabilitation Management Homeless Shelter, the only 24-hour facility of its kind on Jamaica’s east coast (Great Huts Resort | Paradise On The Edge). Buildings rely on bamboo, local stone, and rain-water catchments, cutting down concrete and waste. Guests can also bring school supplies for nearby classrooms.

Great Huts’ green credentials aren’t marketing fluff. Solar water heaters warm the showers; rain-water catchment reduces mains usage; and most structures rely on bamboo, coconut trunk, and reclaimed hardwood rather than concrete. More impressive is the social footprint: a slice of every room rate funds the Portland Rehabilitation Management Homeless Shelter, the only full-time facility of its kind on Jamaica’s east coast and a project Dr Rhodes helped launch in 2007. Guests are encouraged to “Pack for a Purpose,” bringing school supplies or basic meds that staff distribute to nearby communities.

Quick Tips If You Go

  • Getting there: Allow about three hours from Kingston; download offline maps before the mountain bends.
  • Cash matters: Keep small Jamaican bills for jerk pork across the road and red-plate taxis into Port Antonio.
  • Pack light: Sneakers for rocky paths, reef-safe sunscreen, and a dry bag for cliff-jump sessions. Leave the fancy clothes—bare feet rule here.

Practical Travel Tips for Portland

Public transport exists but takes patience. Route taxis and minibuses are cheap and widely used, but they run on local logic rather than fixed schedules. In larger cities — especially Kingston — ride-hailing apps like Uber and inDrive are commonly used and often the easiest option for short trips.
For more flexibility, particularly outside cities, hiring a trusted driver or renting a car makes a big difference. When using taxis, it’s best to rely on known drivers, accommodation recommendations, or app-based rides rather than flagging cars randomly.

Jamaican Dollars. Cash is still important. While cards are accepted in larger shops and hotels, many everyday places — food stalls, taxis, markets — operate cash-only. Jamaican dollars are useful, even though US dollars are widely accepted. Expect prices to vary depending on context; asking first is normal.

The Blue Lagoon is one of Portland’s most famous places, but it is also one of the most sensitive. Access has been debated for years, and the Jamaica National Heritage Trust stated in 2025 that public access to the Blue Lagoon is free because it is a national monument under JNHT management. In March 2026, the Jamaican government also proposed funding to repair the dock, so visitor infrastructure may still be changing.

My advice: check the current situation locally before going, avoid paying unofficial “access” fees without clarity, and use local guides respectfully if you choose a boat or raft experience.

A car makes Portland much easier, but I would only recommend driving if you are comfortable with narrow, winding roads and slower travel days. Distances can look short on the map but take longer in real life. If you do not want to drive, base yourself carefully and use trusted local drivers for beaches, waterfalls, and river trips. I would not rely on last-minute transport for everything.

Tap water is generally safe in Kingston and many urban areas, but quality varies. Using a reusable water filter bottle is a reliable option and avoids plastic waste. Sun protection matters more than people expect — shade and hydration are essential.

Greet people. Ask before taking photos. Be curious without being intrusive. Jamaica isn’t a backdrop — it’s a place where people live, work, and negotiate daily realities. Moving with respect changes how the island responds to you.

Being a fair visitor in Jamaica starts with understanding that tourism here is uneven. Much of the industry is built around all-inclusive resorts, while everyday life operates alongside it, often without benefiting directly. How you move, spend, and engage can make a real difference.

Choose where your money goes
Whenever possible, stay in locally run guesthouses or apartments, eat at small restaurants, and book tours directly with community-based operators. These choices keep money circulating locally rather than leaving the island.

Respect access and boundaries
Beach access is a sensitive issue in Jamaica. Ask before entering spaces, respect areas used by local communities, and avoid assuming that every stretch of coast is open or public.

Move with curiosity, not entitlement
Greet people, ask questions, and listen. Jamaica isn’t a backdrop for consumption — it’s a place where people live, work, and negotiate daily realities. Being observant and respectful changes how you’re received.

Support without performing
Avoid voluntourism or staged “helping” experiences. If you want to contribute, support local businesses, artists, and initiatives quietly and consistently rather than publicly or performatively.

Be patient with pace and systems
Things don’t always move quickly or predictably. Accepting this without frustration is part of fair travel. Flexibility and humility go a long way.

Being a fair visitor in Jamaica isn’t about getting everything right. It’s about moving with awareness, choosing connection over convenience, and leaving places no worse — and ideally slightly better — than you found them.

Me walking in Portland, Jamaica

Traveling Jamaica?

jamaica itinerary

Places to visit in the Caribbean