Catch it before it disappears Hellshire Beach Review

Whenever I go to Hellshire Beach I’m never disappointed, the fish meal is always scrumptious. The Escovitch Fish is my favourite. It’s drizzled with a mix of vinegar and pimento seeds and topped with slices of carrot, onions, and scotch bonnet pepper. Escovitch Fish with sides of bammy and festival is definitely a great choice.

If you’ve never had Escovitch Fish, you’re really missing out on something. Although it’s my usual choice when I go to Hellshire, you can also have steamed fished with okras, carrots, and crackers, which is another Jamaican favorite.

Hellshire Beach is located near the city of Portmore in the parish of Saint Catherine, in the south eastern part of Jamaica. It takes 30-40 minutes to drive from the capital city of Kingston to Hellshire, and this makes it a ‘go-to’ spot for those in Kingston looking for a nice ‘chill spot’ that’s not too far from home.

Hellshire is one of those places that I’ve been going to since childhood, so I’ve spent many happy times there. It’s special not only because of the food, but the Hellshire hills in the background also makes it a picturesque stop.

While the food at Hellshire is as delicious as ever, the once wide expanse of white sandy beach has been sorely eroded over the years. The shoreline is a lot closer to the thatch roof ‘restaurants’ these days, and while it’s nice to enjoy the waves crashing against the rocks while you eat, it’s obvious that the entire area is under serious threat, and with it the Hellshire tradition.

Nevertheless, many people still enjoy sun-bathing in the sometimes choppy waters, but I hope that that something will be done soon to stem the erosion that has eclipsed much of the once beautiful Hellshire beach.