Kingston is about 119 miles away and the journey takes around 3½ hours by bus. The fare is around J$400 and I would recommend you avoid the mini busses as they are more likely to get overcrowded. Do not let a conductor guide you to a bus that is already full - you need to be seated. They can be insistent, so you must be VERY firm.

Large scale maps are available from 23½ Charles Street, Kingston. Sheets 13, 14, 18 and 19 cover the Blue Mountains but you may not need them all.

You can certainly stay overnight. The area is one of the few parts of JA where you can camp. There are all types of accommodations from very basic lodgings and huts to a boutique hotel patronised by the rich and famous.

Try these to start, it is likely you will get more places recommended by other posters:

Starlight Chalet - www.starlightchalet.com Wildflower Lodge Tel:929 5395 Mount Edge B & B - find it at www.hostelworld.com You can see photos and book online for that. Jah B Tel: 977 8161 Whitfield Hall Tel:926 6612 or 927 0986

Your not sun, sea and sand people so I would suggest you visit Port Antonio. It has plenty of budget accommodation and several posters on this site, who know Jamaica well, say it is their favourite part of Jamaica. It is non-touristy, friendly, interesting, VERY scenic and very Jamaican. Plenty of places to eat out if you wish.

If you need any more info, ask on this board. Someone will probably be able to help and I would certainly try.

Thanks. Port antonio is where we really want to go!! But as it seems impossible to get cheap flights(£900 each if we're lucky) but can get package deal with flights and accomodation to montego bay,seems we'll probably stay there and just go for a few nights over to the other side. Although it's tempting to just use the flight and not bother with the hotel as I've seen several little secluded places to stay in Port Antonio and it seems much more us.......just the bidget traveller in me wouldn't want to 'waste' the accomodation that goes with the flight!!! (anyone know of anywhere that sells cheap flights to kingston in august?)

Thanks for the tips. 3 1/2 hours isn't so bad, thought it might be more like 5.

August is high season so you will not get cheap flights. Low season flights, Heathrow to Kingston are around £400 per person.

With the the highway as it is now, there is no reason why it should take 5 hours from Mo Bay to Kingston.

I don't know much about packages, but it may well be possible to get deals similar to the Mo Bay deal for resorts further east; places such as Ocho Rios or Runaway Bay. They are much nearer to the Blue Mountains.

Good luck.

Carolyn Barrett of Barrett Adventures in Jamaica does a grand tour of Blue Mountain. After you giving you a tour of the area, you will stay the night at Whitfield Hall. Early morning, you will head up the mountain so you get there when the sun rises. It's really a beautfiul sight to behold. On the way down, you stop at Alex Twyman's Old Tavern Coffee Estate to have a cup of coffee with the Twymans. Such a treat!

Carolyn picked us up at the Ritz Carlton in Montego Bay and we started on our trip across the country. She has a passion for showing off the beautiful country of Jamacia. We spent a few days in Port Antonio as well as the South Coast at Horizon Cottages.