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4686 miles from London as the crow flies to the doorsteps of Kingston Jamaica. Jamaica is a tropical sub -continent playground for those who want to have a little bit more than your beautiful white beaches. There is something exceptional about Jamaica! Truth be told, this is the one island that has the full package: beaches, hiking, parties, great food & great music you name it, Jamaica has it. Once you hit the northern part of Jamaica you are welcomed by crystal clear blue waters followed by mass of greenery as you fly over Jamaica’s National Cockpit. As you come into Kingston Town, you see the breath-taking hillsides which is home to the “Blue Mountains” and the bustling city beneath. When the tyres hit the tarmac and you step out, a burst of tropical heat gets you, and that’s when you realise you’re in paradise. The first place I go is the car hire. Now let me express this, driving in Jamaica is not for the faint hearted. You have to be confident on the roads because it’s more like a racetrack than anything else. Also don’t drive at night, the high beams and no road lights is scary. Time to hit the road and head to Port Antonio (Porty), which has small-town charm, friendly folk, arts and crafts and the best jerk chicken in the world. Set on the East coast of Jamaica, it is no stranger to Hollywood glamour and royalty. Think James Bond, “Dr. No” with the classic scene of Honey Rider walking out of the ocean. This is the perfect advert for the island with its idyllic beaches and lush tropical foliage surrounded by soaring bamboo forests and flower topped hills. It is well seasoned yet far from touristic. This quaint corner of the island easily seduces travellers by its simple seclusion and the prospect of privacy. As I leave Kingston airport the total journey is 2.5 hours, I am mesmerised! I travel along cliffside roads that defied logic and was fascinated to see the landscape transform completely. I arrive at an eco-friendly boutique hotel “Kanopi House” that sits in the trees on stilts at the edge of the famous ‘Blue Lagoon.’ You feel like you have just entered into a land of wood and water. I drop my bags, grab my bikini, and head to the bottom to meet my favourite guide called “Boxer.” I jump into his canoe and as we push back the green leaves to open out onto the Blue Lagoon, you see its gasp-inducing beauty. Swimming in the lagoon gives your whole body different sensations as the water is a mix of warm Caribbean Sea and freshwater from a nearby mineral spring. In the back of the lagoon is a pond nicknamed “the fountain of youth” and is said to have magical healing powers that will keep you young forever. Next stop is Boston Beach which is the birthplace of Jamaican Jerk. As I pull up to the beach, I am met by a young boy called Randy who is selling freshly squeezed fruit in recycled white rum bottles. I grab a bottle of coconut water and a bottle of guava juice, and head to the smell of jerk that is literally pulling my nose and whole body in its direction. I am met by I man called ‘Drummer’, who starts telling me the history of jerk based on ancient indigenous Taino method of smoking the meat whilst using the flavourful rich jerk rub. Before no time I am served jerk chicken, and a barrage of sides from the local vegetables, including my favourite roasted breadfruit and festival. In the distance I hear the crashing sounds of the waves and what better way to end the day then paddling out into the surf. I head onto the beach and rent a 6”2 fish tail board and head out. The sea is crisp, and the waves are glossy As I ride my last wave back in, I am greeted by Boxer with a big smile and a Red Stripe. With that notion, I find a spot under a tree settle up and watch the sun as it sets in the distance.