This gorgeous teardrop-shaped bay is a famous movie location and changes color with the light of day: A picture-perfect location for a refreshing swim.
Visit the world-famous Blue Lagoon and swim in the clear water of this natural pool or explore the rocky shores. As you plunge in Jamaica’s largest spring-fed lagoon, you can feel the warm currents of the Caribbean Sea brush against the cool spring water.
Flowing through a narrow channel into the sea, the striking blue water changes, depending on the time of day, from green tones to a deep blue or indigo. The lagoon is 400 feet (122 meters) long and over 170 feet (50 meters) deep and fresh water enters from a spring at about 131 feet (40 meters) depth.
This spot gained international fame after the legendary 1980 movie Blue Lagoon, with Brooke Shields as a teenage actress. It was also the location for a spectacular deep dive in 1954 by Jacques Cousteau as one of the first undersea explorers, when it was still called the Blue Hole. Years before, film stars and authors, such as Errol Flynn and Ian Fleming, already frequented the Blue Hole when they lived in nearby ports. More recently, Robin Williams was here during the film shoot of Club Paradise, and Robin Moore reportedly wrote the French Connection here.
Access to the lagoon is not straightforward. Bargain with one of the local touts to guide you in or have one take you over on a boat from San San beach. Spend an hour or so relaxing in the tropical gardens, watching the water change. Cool off during a swim and let the sun dry your skin while you rest on the rocks. Bird lovers should bring binoculars to observe the yellow-billed parrots and black and crimson frigate birds.
This is one of the most captivating swimming spots in Jamaica and the local guides can give you more information about this unique setting, including its history and ecological environment. They may also tell you the popular myth that the lagoon is bottomless, with a legendary dragon abiding deep inside.
The Blue Lagoon is a 20-minute drive from Port Antonio, to the east, and is signposted as Blue Hole.
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