A Breathtaking Escape to Turtle Bay Cove, Portland, Jamaica
Turtle Bay Cove,Manchioneal, Portland
Located in arguably Jamaica’s most beautiful parish, Portland; the alluring Turtle Bay Cove is a cozy, off-the-beaten path nook in Manchioneal, Portland that lures in visitors with it’s majestic beauty and tranquil surroundings.
I believe it was in 2020 when I first came across this magnificent hidden gem and to say I was awestruck was an understatement. I was mesmerized and enamored by something so pure and beautiful that I wasn’t sure if it was truly in Jamaica. It felt like I had finally got a peak inside the pearly gates of heaven and I knew that I just had to go there. So it was added to my must visit destinations. Unfortunately, it would be one whole year before I would finally be able to lay eyes and experience this ethereal escape.
Turtle Bay Cove
Related: Monkey Island, Portland, Jamaica
How to get there
The journey to Turtle Bay Cove was no easy feat. Not because it was extremely difficult to get there or hidden in hard to reach terrain, but rather because google led me astray. The first thing you should know is that there are actually 2 places in Portland by the name of Turtle Bay; they are only sometimes distinguished as Turtle Bay Cove or Sinkhole and Turtle Bay Beach and this is more of a recent occurrence.
Now that we’ve established the difference in the 2 places; let’s get back to how Google led me astray. Now I often use Google for destinations I’m not familiar with and it often leads me to wherever I need to go without any issues but this time Google missed the mark a bit.
I started my journey from Kingston by travelling east to St. Thomas which according to Google was the quickest route. The journey to Manchioneal is estimated to take about 3 hours long from Kingston by driving this route. For the most part, the road leading to St. Thomas is a pretty straight one, although the road is currently under construction so you may see portions of the road being dirt patches and potholes interspersed along the way.
To start your journey, open your Google maps and type in "Turtle Bay Manchioneal". Google maps does a fairly good job to get you to Manchioneal (the town where the cove is located), but that is about as far as Google will take you without giving you misdirection. Once you’re in the town and close enough to your destination pin, you will need to start looking out for community landmarks so you know where to turn.
Once in Manchioneal, look out for the Manchioneal police station. The turn to the cove is just a little further down from the police station on the right hand side. There is a small gray sign with white writing that is visible from the main road which will indicate that you’re taking the correct turn to Turtle Bay. It’s not very big so look out for it carefully. I completely missed it the first time and had to do a u -turn and turn back before I saw it. Once you’re on that road, continue straight ahead. There are black signs along the way to reassure you that you are on the right path. When you get to the end of the road, take a slight right to a grassy area with a house on property. That is where you’ll park. At this point you’ll be greeted by your guide Pele, a member of the community who maintains the area; he will guide you along the short walk to the cove. Pele charges a small admission fee for his services. When I visited last year, it was $500 JMD per person but I’ve since heard the fee has increased to $600 JMD. You can contact him ahead of time to make arrangements at (876) 880-1325. Although, I just showed up and the other members of the community directed me to him.
Sign at the entrance of Turtle Bay Cove
What to do there
In every way and from every angle, everything about this place was mesmerizing and magical. Once you fully take in the view and truly appreciate nature’s magnificence, you definitely feel like it was well worth the drive. The cove is a small, quaint, beautiful secluded spot that is the perfect retreat into nature. With every aspect of the place feeling Instagram and postcard worthy.
My travel companion and I, Vanessa, actually ended up having the entire cove to ourselves for the duration of our trip. We arrived in the afternoon at about 2/3 ish.
To actually get into the water, there is a short descent down rocky terrain to the pool below. There is a bamboo ladder that is provided to help ease your way down. Not gonna lie I was questioning if it was safe but it was surprisingly sturdy. The water is fairly shallow and was the perfect temperature for a refreshing dip. Not too cold or warm, but rather just right. Tiny and a few medium sized fishes can be seen breezing pass your feet as they go along their merry way. And tiny crab can be noted scurrying around the rocks. Just a reminder that many of the rocks in the water are a bit sharp and slippery so be careful. But otherwise, it is the perfect spot to laze around and go for a nice relaxing swim. Also, to note, the tide does rise sometimes depending on the time of the day (usually highest in the evenings/nights and early mornings), so again be careful.
There are some seats around the cove that Pele had put up, so if you want to get out the cove and have a sit to take in the view or have a little picnic on the rocky cliff and drink in your surroundings then you most definitely can.
Related: Green Grotto Caves, St. Ann
What to bring
Sneakers or water shoes ( a small trek is involved; it can be done with slippers but I think sneakers would be better for the journey)
Swimsuit (there are no bathrooms/change rooms onsite so it’s best wear your swimsuit underneath your clothes)
Sunscreen (because sun HOT!!)
Water, snacks, refreshments (there’s no restaurant on site)
Money to pay your guide (+ tip if you’d like)
Fun Facts about Turtle Bay Cove
Turtle Bay is a cove connected to Browns Bay in Manchioneal, Portland
The estimated terrain elevation is 5 metres above sea level and the water in the pool area is salt water
The area was reportedly given the name because turtles were known to have frequented the area back in the day in to lay their eggs
All the rocks and open land surrounding the cove used to be filled with trees, but was reportedly destroyed by a hurricane a few years ago which has it looking barren
It is the only place in Jamaica where the sea forms a waterfall. A temporary waterfall into Turtle Bay Cove can be seen when the tide comes in and the waves crash over the rocks.
Wrap Up
Overall, Turtle Bay Cove is a must see destination to be added to every traveler’s bucket list. Adding another reason to the ever-growing list of why Portland is my absolutely favourite place to visit in Jamaica.