We had the pleasure of spending about a week at Zion with our children, ages 1, 6, and 9. The spot was amazing and we had a truly relaxing and wonderful time with Free-I, Tamar and Owen. It was our favorite place we stayed during our 3 weeks in Jamaica and definitely most affordable among the eco-tourist resorts we visited. Our driver took the long route from Kingston (Junction Road), which meant it took us longer than expected to get there. The drive out is beautiful. However, we were starting to wonder if we were ever going to get there. The moment we walked into Zion, we were surrounded by beautiful plants, trees, and flowers. We knew we were in a special place and felt our blood pressure drop about 10 points. We were led down some steep steps to a beautifully painted cabin with an amazing view of the sea. A few more steps down is a little beach, that is very safe for kids to swim in- shallow water, no waves, and a mix of fresh and salty. Our kids were in heaven- they would get up in the morning, go for a morning dip, head up the steps for breakfast when the bell rang, and enjoy whatever Tamar had prepared for us. We took a taxi (very reasonable compared to the rest of Jamaica) to some incredible beaches, such as Winnifred, Long Bay, and San San. They are not heavily touristed, the water is amazing, and you can buy lunch on the beach for less than $10 US for the whole family. Free I also took us up to Reach Falls and arranged for a guide for us for $15 US. That was truly incredible. Again- few tourists, beautiful pools of water. At the end of the day, we would return back to Zion, where we would have a lovely Jamaican dinner prepared by Owen. (Note: you need to order by noon the day you plan to eat dinner, including the first day you arrive if you want it). We went into Port Antonio a couple of times, which is not really that special. However, there is a shopping mall there with a cafe run by a European called Cafe Yousch. Yousch serves up homemade croissants (excellent), lattes, and the best pizza in Portland parish if you are looking for a taste from home. You can also go through the market and get some nice little souvenirs. If you are the type that wants to experience the real Jamaica, as opposed to a sterile resort with food imported the States, then Zion is the spot for you. If you want to take your kids on an authentic adventure and really soak it all in, Port Antonio is a really special area of Jamaica. We found Zion to be very family friendly and a wonderful spot for us to relax. The locals and other tourists we met (mostly Europeans) were really welcoming and great people. Free I was accessible and informative and took good care of us while we were there. We can’t recommend Zion more highly! Can’t wait to come back.
