Bob Marley Beach, St. Andrew, Jamaica
Bob Marley Beach: An Iconinc Beach in St. Andrew
Proudly sharing the name of famed reggae icon, Robert Nesta Marley, known affectionately as Bob Marley; the Bob Marley beach is a quaint little community beach that lies just on the outskirts of the country’s capital city of Kingston. One of the last remaining free beaches in the country, the Bob Marley beach is a revered hidden treasure to all who have the pleasure of visiting it. It’s a wonderful escape from the hustle and bustle of Kingston city life.
How To Get There
Located in Nine Miles, Bull Bay, St. Andrew; the beach is just an approximately 10 minute drive away from the Norman Manley International Airport. Coming from Kingston, driving Sir Florizel Glasspole Highway, you take the 2nd exit from the round-a-bout and head east towards Bull Bay and the neighbouring parish of St. Thomas. The drive to the Bull Bay last approximately 15 or so minutes before you arrive at the turning on the right hand side that carries you on the road to the beach.
The turn to Bob Marley beach lies just after you pass the Bull Bay Police station on the right and across the street from the Bull Bay Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses church. As mentioned before, the turn off to the beach is on your right hand side. There is a faded sign to the beach on the wall but it isn’t well visualized from the main road; it’s actually seen better if you are making the drive coming from the direction of St. Thomas.
Let me just tell you from now that Google only gets you so far with directions here. I admittedly tried to find this beach before and ended up driving around in circles because Google kept telling me to turn around. I finally gave up and went home. It was only when coming home from my trip to Turtle Bay that my friend Vanessa pointed out the turning to make as we drove past it that I got some semblance of where to go. Here’s a tip, if you’ve reached you are now leaving St. Andrew or you are entering St. Thomas signs, then you’ve gone too far.
Once you’ve made the turn on the road the beach it’s a fairly straight shot from there. It is a community beach so you do end up driving through the community to get to the beach. The drive also sees you crossing a short bridge and driving along some poor road conditions. But at the end of the rainbow you are rewarded with a stretch of beach to wash your troubles away. The soothing sounds of the waves crashing against the shore is the welcome signal that tells you that you have arrived at your destination.
Related: Calby’s ‘Hidden Beauty’ River: An Off The Beaten Path Oasis
Bob Marley Beach, St. Andrew, Jamaica
The Experience
The beach is quite often empty and secluded which makes it perfect for those of us who prefer more off-the-beaten path experiences. It boasts approximately 2 miles of beach end to end of coast. It’s kept fairly clean by the community members who take personal pride in maintaining their environment in pristine condition.
Entrance to the beach is free (at the time of writing this post). And serves dual purposes as a fishing area and an area for entertainment and relaxation denoted by the fishing boats you see interspersed between frolicking patrons. Bob Marley beach is also known to be a surfing hotspot in Jamaica much like Boston Beach in Portland.
Related: Boston Beach, Portland, Jamaica
However, unlike the fine white powdery sand beaches in Jamaica are known for, Bob Marley beach is a black sand beach. The black sand and it’s associated rocks makes it a bit hotter to walk across the beach so I’d advise you to wear your shoes/ slippers until you reach the water or to don water shoes for the entire time at the beach.
One thing that remains true however, is the water is beautiful. The clear crystal pools customary to Jamaican beaches is certainly present here. There was a bit of seamoss in the water but it was mainly behind the rope that delineated the safe area of the sea. The winds were a bit heavy and the water was a bit rough but you still were able to wash off without fear of being carted away by the waves. The view is also enhanced by the captivating views of the lush green hillside that sets the perfect backdrop for the beach.
In terms of amenities, there are bamboo cabanas scattered across the beach where patrons can sit and chill or leave there belongings while they venture out into the water. There are also restaurants there that do done to order meals for visitors (including vegan options). Admittedly, I didn’t take note, look for or asked about any bathrooms or changing rooms so my advice would be to wear your swimsuits when going like I did.
A bonus for animal lovers is that pets are allowed on the beach so it’s a great place to take the whole family or have a chill vibe with friends.
In case you’re wondering: The beach gets its name because it was a reported favourite spot, often frequented by the music icon Bob Marley when he lived in Bull Bay.
Bob Marley Beach, Jamaica
Overall
Bob Marley beach is a great choice for anyone looking for a more authentic feel of Jamaica. The beautiful untouched black sand beach surrounding brilliant shades of blue water. It is the ideal space for the nature lover, outdoor lover, explorer or photographer. And it’s especially perfect for the Kingstonian who’s looking for a relaxing day at the beach but doesn’t want to take a long drive just to bask in the ocean air.