Driving Report: From Kingston through A3 Road to Port Maria

My report of driving from Kingston to Dunn's River Falls, taking the A3 Road.

I drove this sunday from Kingston, starting at 11:00 AM, passing through Port María, Ocho Ríos up till Dunn's River Falls, arriving about 1:00 PM, where I spent about two hours, and drove back to Kingston, arriving at 5:30 PM.

I rented a car from Island Rental, no problems whatsoever (I think, havent' checked my credit card account), and they picked me up at the Knutsford Court Hotel. I took the Toyota Yaris (the cheaper one) at about $ 40, with $ 25 insurance.

They sold me a map for $ 5.00 but it wasn't that helpful. I spent the previous night in Google Earth trying to memorize the main roads leading to the north, and some landmarks along the way, but when I was really driving, had to account for streets in Kingston that are two way, but then cease to be two ways, and you have to turn left and do a round about around the block, etc. Without the Google Earth views, it would have been more difficult.

I asked which way was better for getting to Ocho Rios on my way to Dunn's River Falls, and the hotel people told me, correctly, the A1 road that goes through Spanish Town and then a Gorge alongside a river north.
But I said, what the heck, I'll take the A3 road through Constant Spring to Port Maria, etc. to Ocho Rios.
Man, that was a nerve wracking drive! Narrow, narrow streets with blind curves and rock walls or rock guard rails waiting to scrape my car rental, and the occasional person, bicycle or goat making you leave your milimetric path to the side into the incoming lane.
But it is another view of Jamaica. It is a lovely, verdant, "vertical" (steep hills), place.

I came back through the other road A1, and it was nerve wracking as well, but less than half so than from A3.
And you drive through the "Gorge" along a river, which is interesting, and you have a vista to the valley when going down the mountains.

But once you are in the north side of the island, the coastal road between Port Maria, Ocho Rios, up to Dunn's River Falls is excellent! (there are some road work going on on some parts).
Worlds apart from the A1 and, especially, the A3 leading to Kingston.

Ah, and in my hotel, Knutsford Court, they are hosting some Jamaican rally drivers. Now I know where these drivers come from... surely from driving the A3 from Kingston to Port Maria

It does not matter what highway are road you take, driving in Jamaica is a "hair raising" experience !!!!!!!!
Even riding with a Jamaican driver is the same !!!!
In over 20 years of visiting Jamaica, I have NEVER drove there, and probably NEVER will.
ONE LOVE !!
Mike

I have been a passenger on the A3 an A1 and really enjoyed the ride - the A3 the most, of course, it's so pretty, but though I enjoy driving myself, I haven't worked up the courage to do it in and around Kingston...the north coast highway is easy, and the south coast not too bad....and the less busy cross island routes pretty doable.

Maybe one day :)

#2 You mean, you enjoyed the ride on the A3
in the sense that you would enjoy a roller coaster! ;)
It is very, very pretty, though. Maybe next time I'll like stop to take pictures.
Because the road is so narrow in some stretches, there is no place to park...
and I haven't mastered taking pics while driving white knuckled...

#1 If you ever drive through the A3, rent the smallest car possible,
because it will be also the narrower one...
Google "Tango electric car": that would be like the perfect car for A3...
(only it costs north of $ 150,000)

Castleton Gardens is a perfect stop on the A3! Park, rest, check lovely flowers and plants, swim, get back on the road refreshed :)

#4 Thanks! Will do next time!

roque.....sorry ,I died laffing reading of ur adventures .... good for you!! Glad yu enjoyed the ride .. much better being a passenger and making short stops.while yu are i Kingston.. yu can also go to the Transportation Centre in Half Way Tree and take the number 54- Lawrence Tavern Bus - awesome views sit up front near the driver ..its about US 100 each way . i took it last yr all the way up to the last stop and drove back down right around the time school was out ..wat an adventure with all the school kids chatter in the bus .
the diver i got was a seasoned driver on that route for 7 yrs ..and pointed out places of interest.

have yu gone to Devon House and the little Art gallery in the Knutsford Hotel downstairs and the Quad niteclub nearby(4 floors of different music)?

go to the Transportation Centre in Half Way Tree and take the number 54- Lawrence Tavern Bus - awesome views sit up front near the driver ..its about US 100 each way

$100JA?

#7 Went to Devon House (When I was going to turn from Hope road, saw a car hit a motorcycle, whose driver went flying over the car - but happily he wasn't injured... but was very pissed and went to berate the driver). Didn't go inside the house, there was a very high class looking woman on the stairs, and I thought maybe she is like the owner of the house, so I didn't go pass her... but anyway passed the time in the gardens and the mall behind...

Went also to the Bob Marley museum on Hope Street here in Kingston. Our guide, a young girl, when giving some explanation about a song, just sang a bit of the song so we could remember which - and she was singing to herself all the way - so she really was a music lover! It costs $ 20 for the 1 hour tour and also gave a $ 10 tip to our guide. Ah, and you can only take pictures from outside the house, not inside. I kind of took a picture from outside seeing in the main entrance, and the policeman was all over me (technically, I was outside, I think).

There was a taxi driver in the Bob Marley museum parking place that said that the next stop was the Culture Yard in Trench Town, the government housing where Marley lived before becoming famous. I left the car at the Bob Marley museum and went with the taxi. I was taking pictures during the ride, but at some point the driver told me not to take pictures at that place - he would tell me when...
I think I paid the same as in the Bob Marley museum. This place is mentioned in "No Woman, No Cry" and you can understand why Bob Marley was a fighter for the poor - and that even when today the place is far better today than what it was before. My driver told me that this neighbourhood was JLP (Jamaica Labour Party) and the other 'hood we passed in the way was PNP (Peoples National Party) and they used to clash between themselves. I myself come from a country that was in a civil war (El Salvador) and now has gangs fighting between themselves, and it made me sad it happened here too.

After that the driver took me back to the Marley Museum. I took my rental car and went to the bay, where the "Aroused Negro" sculpture is located. There were some people fishing and I took a picture of their lines. Someone asked me: "What are you photographing?" and I told him only the lines... maybe they wouldn't let me take pics from them, so I didn't try...

Haven't gone to the Quad :( maybe next time because this week-end I fly back home. In the office Jodi and Debbie offered to take me "clubbing", but I thought it was to club a baby seal and declined... (not really, but we had too much work at the office...). Next time I come will do!

#8 seems very cheap to travel by bus! Will try it next time too!

Many Jamaicans do not like having their photos taken.
So you must always be very careful when taking photos in a crowded area.
It is always best to ask before taking a photo of a Jamaican person.
ONE LOVE !!
Mike

of course, i MEANT us $1.00 OR J$100 or thereabouts . thanks for pointing that out, Ohliz! :) and btw , the fish place in Robins Bay I was telling yu about is called ""Sallas" Kingstonians flock there every Sunday to cool out . it is on a cliff ..i could hear the water smashing on the rocks but the beach was waaaay below .
brigitte, confirmed the name.. The fish was good and the bathrooms were clean

ackee I'll have to check it out next time I am there, it must be very close to where I was hanging out...