Towering behind Kingston, the Blue Mountains - named for the mists that colour them from a distance - are an unbroken, undulating spine across Jamaica's easternmost parishes. At 28 miles, the mountains form one of the longest continuous ranges in the Caribbean, and their cool, fragrant woodlands, dotted with coffee plantations, offer some of the best hiking on the island. The most popular hike is to Blue Mountain Peak - at 7402ft, the highest point in Jamaica - but there are dozens of other trekking possibilities such as the marked trails within the gorgeous Hollywell Recreational Park. Otherwise, coffee is the chief interest is here, and you can visit several of the estates producing some of the most expensive - and delicious - beans on earth.

On the other side of the Blue Mountains (here officially known as the John Crow range), the northeastern parish of Portland is justifiably touted as one of the most beautiful parts of Jamaica, with jungle-smothered hillsides cascading down to a postcard-perfect Caribbean shoreline. If you stay in parish capital Port Antonio , you'll be close to the lovely Reach waterfalls and fabulous swimming at the magical Blue Lagoon . Inland, you can hike in pristine tropical rainforest or take a gentle rafting trip on the Rio Grande .