Q. How far is Treasure Beach from the airport?
A. We are 60 miles from Montego Bay’s (“MoBay’s”)
Sangster International Airport, the place where most of our guests
arrive. Given the fact that driving is on the left, the condition of
most Jamaican roads, and the numerous goats and cows that wander onto
the roads, we allow two to two and a half hours for the drive to Treasure
Beach. Some guests, especially from Europe, arrive at Kingston’s
Norman Manley Airport, 85 miles from Treasure Beach, roughly a three
and one-half hour ride.
Q. How do I get from the airport to Treasure Beach—and
back?
A. Most of our guests prefer to be picked up by one
of our experienced drivers in a comfortable minivan. He will be waiting
for you when you arrive. If you’d like, he’ll stop along
the way to help you exchange currency and have a snack or a meal. If
you wish to drive yourself, there are several car rental agencies at
the airport, and we’d be pleased to recommend one. Or, you can
opt to have a JUTA (Jamaca Union of Travelers Association) taxi transport
you from the airport to Treasure Beach.
Q. What happens if I want to go somewhere while I am in Treasure
Beach?
A. One of our drivers will be pleased to take you
on tours, to restaurants, or shopping. Also, there are local taxis
for the more adventurous. And, if you want to take a boat trip, we
have staff members with boats who will be pleased to accommodate your
needs. Also, there are bicycles available for rental in the village.
Q. What kind of weather can I expect in Treasure Beach?
A. Treasure Beach has its own microclimate and is
in an especially dry area of Jamaica; there can be little or
no rain for months on end. Treasure Beach is often sunny, even
when it’s
raining just a few miles away. The average summer and winter
temperatures vary by only about five degrees (Fahrenheit) and tend
to be in the low to mid 80s during the day and about 10 degrees cooler
at night. The humidity averages 60-65%.
Q. What type of electric power is there in Jamaica?
A. The Jamaica power available in villas, such as
ours, is 110 volt AC, 50 cycle. Receptacles accept standard U.S. plugs.
Electronic equipment such as radios, CD players, and iPods operate
normally on this. Electric motors, such as found in hair dryers, will
run slightly slower.
Q. Is the water drinkable?
A. Government-supplied water is treated with chlorine
and, as such, is totally fine to drink. Nonetheless, our staff boils
the water that is used for drinking and making ice, as some travelers
have problems with any changes in water. Of course, bottled water is
readily available for those prefer it.
Q. Do you have Internet access?
A. Both Rainbow Tree and Rainbow Point have internet access. Rainbow Point has dial-up internet access, about twice the speed of "normal" U.S. dial-up service. Rainbow Tree has satellite high-speed internet access; this is roughly three times the speed of what's recognized as high-speed (ADSL) service in Jamaica.
Q. How can I make long distance calls?
A. One cannot make long distance calls from public
or private telephones, either direct or with credit cards from virtually
all guest accommodations in Jamaica. We have cell phones available
to our guests with a small deposit, refunded when the phone is returned
at the end of your stay. Phone cards, easily bought at many locations
throughout Treasure Beach, allow you to use the villa cell phone to
make inexpensive calls throughout Jamaica, as well as internationally.
Many guests’ own cell phones have good reception in Treasure
Beach; however, the cost for using them is far more than using a Jamaican
cell phone.
Q. Can you provide childcare?
A. All our staff members are loving parents themselves
and can provide some childcare, but—because childcare is not
the primary reason they are in the villa—if you desire more extensive
care, they will be pleased to arrange to have a reliable person from
the village watch your children for a modest fee.
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Q. How far are you from the beach?
A. There are five villas on the Billy’s Bay
beach, which extends for ¾ mile. Rainbow Tree is situated on
5.5 acres directly on the beach. The villa sits about 200 feet
back from the beach on a 30-foot rise, affording glorious sunset
views. Steps take you from the villa down to the pathway to the
beach. Rainbow Point is situated on 1.75 acres on a point of
land at the east end of the beach and has spectacular views up
and down the coast, including wondrous sunsets; it’s best to
enjoy them from the pool deck that actually hangs over the sea.
Simply walk to our sea gate to gain access to Billy’s Bay beach.
From either villa, it’s a
brief walk to the fishing beach where you can watch the fishermen
come in with their boats from sea—and buy fresh seafood from
them as they land. Our staff will gladly buy fish and lobster
for you, but it is a great chance to see how fishing has been
conducted for generations. It’s also one of the numerous photo
opportunities in and near Treasure Beach.
Q. How is the medical care in Treasure Beach
area?
A. Jamaica is a third-world country and, as such,
you should not expect the type of care that you might experience at
home. However, there are doctors and nurses available in the area,
as well as several clinics. And, Treasure Beach has its own Emergency
Response Unit—and ambulance. There is a public hospital in Black
River and both a private and public hospital in Mandeville. Our staff
can help you if you need medical attention. Our local manager is also
trained in CPR, and we have a basic first aid kit in both villas. Nonetheless,
we suggest you bring all necessary medications with you, both prescription
and over-the-counter, when you travel to Jamaica. And, if you are in
particularly bad health, we believe you would be more comfortable vacationing
in a major metropolitan area of a developed country.
Q. What about insects?
A. All Caribbean islands have their share of insects;
however, Treasure Beach is in a unique microclimate which is
the driest part of Jamaica. The natural trade winds also tend
to suppress bugs. Therefore, it is less prone to insects, including
mosquitoes. For the comfort of our guests, all our villa windows
are screened, and we have overhead fans located throughout the
villas. We suggest, however, that visitors who are prone to getting
bitten wear bug repellent, especially around sunset.
Q. Is there a “dress code” in Treasure Beach?
A. You will need no fancy clothes. The lifestyle
in Treasure Beach is totally laid-back. You will be quite comfortable
in bathing suits, shorts, tee-shirts, and sandals and/or reef walkers.
You might want a long-sleeved shirt for the intense mid-day sun if
you are going on a boat trip—or a dress or skirt if you are going
into town or to church. We also recommend all our guests wear sunscreen
whenever they are outside the villa during the day.
Q. What is the currency in Jamaica?
A. The Jamaican dollar is the legal tender; as of
2008, the exchange rate is about $70 Jamaican to $1 U.S.
Travelers checks are accepted virtually everywhere, as are U.S.
dollars. Credit cards are accepted at many of the larger restaurants
and more sophisticated stores. There are many places to exchange
your money (from euros, pounds sterling, and American and Canadian
dollars) to Jamaican dollars near the airports and in the Treasure
Beach area. (We don’t
recommend changing money at the airports, because the exchange
rates are quite poor there.). If you use one of our drivers to
transport you from the airport, they will show you the best places
to exchange your money on your way to the villa.
Q. What can I expect my meals and drinks to cost?
A. We ask for an advance food and beverage allowance
to allow a member of our staff to be able to shop for your food
and beverage needs—and have the villa stocked with for you when
you arrive. We do not put a mark-up on any such purchases, and
you will be given the receipts, whenever possible, during your
stay. Your food and beverage allowance is based upon the number
of people in your group (it costs less/person when there is a
larger group); and your meal and beverage preferences (e.g.,
wine and premium alcoholic beverages cost more). In any case, the staff
will settle up with you during your stay; you will either be
given a refund for any overage or asked for additional money. If your
stay is for longer than one week, the staff will ask you for additional
money toward the end of the first week; you can expect that the
allowance for subsequent weeks will cost less than the initial week.
Q. What about outside kitchens?
A. In addition to "regular" inside kitchens, both villas are augmented by outside kitchens. Though most cooking is done in the villas, the outside kitchens are specially equipped to cook such Jamaican dishes as jerk chicken and pork, curries and stews, and roasted lobster and fish. |
