Billy's bay treasure beach

**QK13** · 10-11-2008, 10:28 AM

Re: Billy's bay treasure beach

hey tictoc! I have nothing recent, but have you checked the tb website? They have a good sized photo gallery.

**Sophie Magoo** · 10-11-2008, 02:04 PM

Re: Billy's bay treasure beach

billy's bay is really laid back. love the vibe. it' very local . . . i love exploring the old fort charles road up and down . . . breathtaking scenery around there.

**tictoc** · 10-11-2008, 06:29 PM

Re: Billy's bay treasure beach

i cannot find any photos of billys bay!i have checked the treasure beach.net website but not much in that particular area.I am sure somebody has some somewhere!
Is fort charles the place or the old fort?

**Seveen** · 10-11-2008, 08:08 PM

Re: Billy's bay treasure beach

google - billy's bay jamaica - loads of pictures and info

have fun

now you owe us a trip report

**QK13** · 10-12-2008, 12:41 AM

Re: Billy's bay treasure beach

Fort Charles is the next village up the coast from Billy's Bay.
Very isolated. Nice stretch of beach, but there are warnings posted about crocodiles coming from the morass.

Billy's bay is quiet, not a lot to see.

A few of the beach...

This was taken from the corner at South Pole bar, looking past Irie rest toward Hikaru

I haven't been to Jamaica in 3 years now, but Billy's Bay didn't change much in the 3 years before that. Like I said, it's very quiet.
Fort Charles is even MORE quiet. More homes than business and those are further apart in Fort Charles than in any other area.

**Seveen** · 10-12-2008, 12:48 AM

Re: Billy's bay treasure beach

one of the most beautiful beaches i have ever experienced is down that road

one morning i went to the beach and the sand was untouched, the sun was shining golden and it almost bought me to tears it was so glorious - in about 10 minutes - 15 kids showed up to play with my son - he had the time of his life

**QK13** · 10-12-2008, 12:58 AM

Re: Billy's bay treasure beach

Seveen, lots of kids in Billy's bay. We always had a troup following us around the beach.

It's a nice stretch of beach, if you go left and walk down to those rocks there's a pool that the waves wash in & out of. The rocks are a bit rough but it's nice to sit in and chill.

I wanna go HOME!!

**tictoc** · 10-12-2008, 08:19 AM

Re: Billy's bay treasure beach

thanks for the pics,how long is billy's bay beach would you say?is it a small cove or a longish stretch of a mile or more?
I will be staying at sunsplash villa located near sparkling waters villas.
Would you say the area is friendly and safe?I am getting the feeling it is yet have not visited the area yet.

**mo_fire** · 10-12-2008, 08:53 AM

Re: Billy's bay treasure beach

QK and Seveen are absolutely right... you will be fine in Billy's Bay. I am an expat who lived in Billys Bay for approximately one and a half years whole I built my house up in Frenchman. It is very quiet and nice. Actually VERY quiet and rural. So if you are a partier, there is not much night life other than listening to the tree frogs, and crickets with a smattering of goat sounds and the odd rooster calling the night fishermen to sea!

The beach in Billy's Bay is a relatively small beach for "swimming". It is mostly reef and great for snorkelling - but be cautioned, for swimming here, you MUST be a capable swimmer! The current due to the close reef in the boat part can be irratic. However, on the "stretch of Beach" part, the reef is slightly father out, but again, the current and shelves of rock are known for pulling you out. In particular, out in the water in front of Rainbow Tree (the one past Hikaru), there is a large shelf rock that at low tide you can see, but other times you cannot. It has taken some swimmers (not in many years because people know about it - but it is huge and if one were to get under it, that has been the problem). Again, to my knowlwdge, there is still no sign posted there either to warn about the riptides or current. If you want to swim any distance, I would recommend to swim where you are staying, or go to Fort Charles beach (which will be walkable for you) where the reef is much farther out. I have done a great deal of swimming there and never worried about much because you can see how far the reef is out. In the Billy's Bay beach where the boats come in and out would be a great place to skitter around snorkelling (you will see a lot of eel, parrotfish, small snapper,jackfish, crabs, the odd ray - but not when the tide is low and the shallows are too warm, etc.) Also, in the early morning, you will see pods of dolphins swimming east, and at 4p.m.-ish you will see them travelling back to the west. Also, you will find some great characters to chat with down on the beach.

My daughter and I lived in Treasure Beach from when she was born (although we are back in Canada now for her schooling and just visit - she is 8), but that should tell you that I have know the area for a LONG time, and it is VERY safe, and the people are some of the nicest I have ever met! You will be welcomed as family, and not likely want to leave.

TIP: If you are a snacker, or like beverages, I would suggest having your driver stop at the SuperSaver Plus on your way out of Montego Bay both to change your money (at the best rate - better than the banks) and to stock up on beer, snacks, etc. that in the rural area of Treasure Beach will be much more expensive. Where you are staying you will have a fridge, etc. so you may as well save youeself a few bucks for when you are not "out" eating or drinking.

Have a great time!!

**tictoc** · 10-12-2008, 09:33 AM

Re: Billy's bay treasure beach

thanks for all of the above I will have a good re-read of it again!
I appreciate the tips on swimming-I am more of a snorkler in the sea than a swimmer,what exactly do you mean by there is a big rock that you could get under?
I am also getting a bit worried about crocodiles in the sea is this correct?i seem to get mixed signals on this?
There is a pool at the villa anyway so I will use that most of the time but it would be nice to go out and have a snorkel if it is safe to do so.
How long is billys bay beach?can you buy fish off the fishermen?
I probably will not want to leave and one day I won't!I am just planning on how to stay!
I see you have taken your daughter abroad for education.May I ask what persuaded you to do that?Was it for better education/cheaper education or was there no education facility suitable in the area?
I have to take my own childrens schooling into consideration before I decide to stay

**mo_fire** · 10-12-2008, 11:23 AM

Re: Billy's bay treasure beach

hey again tictoc...
The main "swimming beach" which again, it not really known for great swimming compared to Frenchman's, Calabash and Great Bay is about a half mile stretch of lovely sandcastle making sand (but a little darker). The fishermen's beach is just that, a small cove where they blasted some reef years ago for the fishermen to come and go from, and pull up their boats - it is attached to the halk mile beach though.

The flat rock I refer to is like a shelf rock, very broad and flat and long. I suppose it must be attached to the sea bottom at some point, but it is so large and broad that if you get under it by current, you most likely would not be able to "swim" out. So anyone who lives in Billy's Bay or Fort Charles will caution you NOT to swim there. Again, in my years living in Treasure Beach there have been several drownings of tourists and local people alike who are not confident or capable swimmiers. You must be cautioned swimming in any of the bays as there IS a significant current in the area except in this time of year, late October November, early December (before the North winds start) are the most clear, calm, pretty water you will see in the whole year. If you like to snorkel, the best snorlkelling I have done (and I have lived on the North coast as well 10-12 years ago) is around the great Pedro Bluff in Great Bay. Again, the current can come up, so you would not want to go snorkelling alone, and you would want to check with someone there who knows the current conditions before you go. Or also out at Sunny Island (off the coast of Alligator Pond (which you can get to by boat), ot Pelican Reef (en route to Blackj River by boat) are also great, safer snorkelling areas that are offshore.

Fort Charles does have several Croc signs posted, however they are mostly taken seriously in very rainy spells and seasons when the crocs from the Black River, somehow leave (perhaps by accident) the fresh water of the Black River where they live, and due to the salt water, stay close to shore and make it all the way up to Great Pond where they have been known to be as well. Again, in my 10 years in Treasure Beach living and going back and forth several have been sighted, but I have never not gone swimming in the area as a result. But then again, I have swam a million times up at Rudy's and Sister Lou's on the Black River where you will pass and take pictures of tons of crocs.

My warning would be, if the local people have concerns, listen to them and stay out of the water. If not, swim and have fun. The area where you are staying should be nice for snorkelling as well. I have snorkelling up and down the coast there and never had a problem. But I would listen to anyone who lives there if they say NOT to swim or snorkel there for whatever reason.

As far as the education thing. Send me a private message and let me know how old your kids are, where you come from, etc. and I will give my my insight and opinion and information for educational facilities in the area and what youy can expect. I would prefer not to do that here because I do not think that my choices should necessarily reflect what Jamaican do not have the "choice" to do, which as a Canadian I can choose to do for my own daughter. I could be a heated topic. But at the same time, I have many neices and nephews in Treasure BEach who have made it through some or all of the education in the area, and I would be glad to let you know what I have seen and experienced of the education system through them.

Any other questions, feel free to ask. Q.K. had posted some pretty accurate pictures of the area, although with the few close hurricanes as of the last two years, there is some more significant beach errision in certain places.

**Seveen** · 10-13-2008, 10:44 AM

Re: Billy's bay treasure beach

now if i remember correctly - if you walk the other way on this road - away from the beach - and make a right turn

there is a cook shop on your left - across the street

i enjoyed her food alot as well as talking to the kids there

**ohliz** · 10-19-2008, 09:04 PM

Re: Billy's bay treasure beach

I'll be right by Seasplash in a couple of weeks. I am told that there is a great snorkeling beach to one side and a nice sandy swimming beach to the other side. I do have some photos, I'll try to post them.

**ohliz** · 10-19-2008, 09:11 PM

Re: Billy's bay treasure beach

This is the one I am told is good for snorkeling if it is calm

This one has a sandy bottom and is fairly shallow

I will wave to you from here

Billy's bay treasure beach

Billy's bay treasure beach

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