Port Royal
Port Royal
4
About
Old pirate haunt, notorious in its day for residents' sticky fingers and loose morals, now being renovated into a major tourist attraction.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
370 reviews
Excellent
146
Very good
145
Average
61
Poor
10
Terrible
8
Nena626196
Owings Mills, MD20 contributions
Mar 2023 • Couples
You guys, leave this tour behind. There is nothing in Port Royal and you are totally wasting your time going there when there is so much more to do in Jamaica. If you read this review and still venture out to Port Royal, shame on you. Good luck.
Written March 23, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michael W
Baslow, UK102 contributions
Jan 2024 • Couples
Stopped here as part of a cruise. What a waste of time. Very little to see or do so give it a miss. Walked from tender drop off to Fort Charles and back in half an hour then got on a shuttle as we thought we may have missed something, but we hadn’t. Shuttle just took us to Fort Charles and back in 10 minutes.
Written January 25, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Deshawn Gordon 5
London, UK7 contributions
Jun 2019 • Couples
I love coming here for the historical site there and the great earthquakes in Jamaica that happen in 1692. Sometime tourists come here for the food , beaches and the weather or to enjoy their holiday. They even have seafood restaurant and rice and peas and chicken food place somewhere right there. They have boat riding but it cost money but I can go boat riding with my grandfather to go to lime cay with me and my family and other couples.
Written August 19, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
A Tripadvisor Member
I have been intrigued with Port Royal for years, having visited there countless times. My fascination with this pirate city of old has resulted in the publication of my new novel Port Royal (Boheme Press) and now available at amazon.com.
This historical giant shouldn't be allowed to be sleeping so long and efforts by the Jamaican Government to reconstruct and preserve what was once regarded as the "richest and wickedest city on earth," hopefully will bring it the attention it deserves.
Sir Henry Morgan and his pirates are at it again...
This historical giant shouldn't be allowed to be sleeping so long and efforts by the Jamaican Government to reconstruct and preserve what was once regarded as the "richest and wickedest city on earth," hopefully will bring it the attention it deserves.
Sir Henry Morgan and his pirates are at it again...
Written February 10, 2002
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alfonso Gumucio
La Paz, Bolivia1,079 contributions
Jan 2016 • Couples
Port Royal is a small old town behind the international airport in Kingston, on a land strip that closes the bay. There is not much to see apart from Fort Charles, Fort Rupert and Fort Morgan, which are mostly remains (specially the later two, if you can even find them...) of forts that were built during colonial times to defend Kingston from pirates. A few houses are painted in bright colors and this individual effort by their owners leads to imagine that if there was a serious government intervention, Port Royal could become a nice place to visit. But of course, government is not interested, not even repairing the main road. Tourism in Jamaica happens not because government has a policy to develop it, but because private investment is important, particularly in Montego Bay. Views from Port Royal towards Kingston can be interesting, although the beach front is dilapidated. There is no marina to walk around.
Written January 9, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Margaret M
Tampa, Florida, United States364 contributions
Jun 2018 • Family
When we first arrived and found out that there was a fee to enter the Fort initially we were thinking "tourist trap" but once inside it was well worth the drive to get there from Runaway Bay and the entrance fee! We had a very knowledgeable guide who did a great job explaining the earthquakes and showing us all the artifacts. There were 2 highlights found exploring the fort, first was the Giddy House. Walking through it was like being in the movie Matrix and experiencing something completely mind blowing (see the pictures). Our 7 year old grandson didn't want to get in when he saw how everyone was walking on a slant HOWEVER our 5 year old daredevil grandson was all in; eventually the 7 year old walked through too. The second highlight was found right behind the Giddy House, a Tamarind tree with TONS of fruit pods. I'd NEVER seen or tasted a Tamarind before but everyone in the family encouraged me to try one since I love sour stuff and BOY WERE THEY GOOD!!! My daughter-in-law who is from Jamaica said locally they boil the fruit and make a special dessert. Two other interesting things to learn about while at the fort, the Guango tree inside the walls of the fort and the stranded sailboat that we were told has been beached in the waters off the fort for over a year!
Wear comfortable shoes and plan on spending a couple of hours here to learn all about this interesting place!
Wear comfortable shoes and plan on spending a couple of hours here to learn all about this interesting place!
Written July 16, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Melissa S
Providence, RI27 contributions
Feb 2015 • Family
We took the tour of the giddy house. I know why it's called that after feeling absolutely sick after taking the walking challenge inside. I saw lots of almond trees and tamarind ones. After seeing all the cannons, the ticket lady gave us the local price of 300 dollars or so. It was a great tour. We walked around the town and saw the old church and read about the guy who got swallowed up by an earthquake and then spat out. We had lunch in the big fish restaurant up on the second floor. Really great food! All and all Port Royal has definitely seen better days. We saw a huge rat. We took a boat to Lime Key to go swimming before the sun set. That was nice. I was traveling alone with my 2 year old son. Very fun! We visited the little library which was nice and appears to be in dire need of donations. The shelves are very empty, but they do have a good selection of kids books. I cannot see any point in staying in Port Royal. It was once royal, it is really dumpy now. There are some cute little houses to walk around and see. In general, one day of roaming about is plenty here. The ocean is lovely and a day being out on Lime Key is worth the trip. There is really no reason to stay there that I can see. The boat captains are nice. It cost about $35.00 to go out to Lime Key. We left later that night and took the two busses that we came on to get home back to jack's hill in Kingston. A really lovely ride on the busses. Really easy. You just change in downtown to another bus. It was like a 45 minute ride for less than 2 dollars each way. The scenery is really lovely. Once you get to taking the busses and taxies, you can really get around any city for cheap. My 2 year old son and I traveled on all modes of transportation everywhere in Jamaica and we are the better people for it. You meet all kinds of interesting people when you really travel. Several of the local people on different busses, helped me with my son and made sure we got on and off well and made the proper connections. It's really great to travel with kids in Jamaica. People are really into the kids there. Everyone wants to help.
Written March 21, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Vern T
Poway, CA31 contributions
Jul 2013 • Family
Port Royal is a small fishing village at the end of the peninsula that juts out from Kingston Harbor. In 1692 a massive earthquake rocked the area, sinking a large part of Port Royal (and many a pirate, har!) into the Caribbean sea, so the small fishing village that is there today, is what remains of the town that was once the capital of Jamaica. To get there you must pass the airport (instead of curving around the round-about onto the grounds of the airport, take the exit that heads south). Once you pass the airport, there is little to no traffic and pretty much nothing but trees to see along the way.
The road dead-ends at Fort Charles, the British fort once used to defend Jamaica from the Spanish who previously claimed ownership of the island. You can walk around the front of Fort Charles and take pictures by the huge canons out front for free. However, if you want a guided tour of the inside, you'll have to pay at the little booth out front.
There is a house called the Giddy House (it was tilted from the earthquake) that is fun to walk through.
If you go back on the main street and take the first left, you will be able to see the rest of the "downtown" area where there are restaurants. Follow Hide street around and along the seashore and you will see a police station. At lunch or dinnertime parking gets tight in that area but you can parallel park along Hide street (preferably near the police station). Across the street from the police station, is a nicely constructed restaurant on top of a downstairs kitchen. That is Gloria's which serves a limited menu of very delicious fish, lobster and side dishes like festival (fried cornmeal sticks), salads, fries etc. One quick note if you're a visitor. A fish has a head, tail and fins and when you order fried fish at Gloria's, you get the whole fish with eyes staring back at you. Just take your fork, dig in and show that fish who's boss. Ya Mon!
Gloria's operates on Jamaica time so be prepared to wait at least an hour to get served. The food is delicious though, and the scenery is great. Since the restaurant is on the second floor, you can watch the pelicans dive-bomb the water, and observe the ships coming in and out of the harbor. Even more importantly, you can keep an eye on your car, which hopefully you parked near the police station. Why? because just below the police station where the street curves to the left, there are some guys with dreadlocks who will approach you and ask for money for "watching your car". If you encounter them, just grin, say no, and drive off.
The road dead-ends at Fort Charles, the British fort once used to defend Jamaica from the Spanish who previously claimed ownership of the island. You can walk around the front of Fort Charles and take pictures by the huge canons out front for free. However, if you want a guided tour of the inside, you'll have to pay at the little booth out front.
There is a house called the Giddy House (it was tilted from the earthquake) that is fun to walk through.
If you go back on the main street and take the first left, you will be able to see the rest of the "downtown" area where there are restaurants. Follow Hide street around and along the seashore and you will see a police station. At lunch or dinnertime parking gets tight in that area but you can parallel park along Hide street (preferably near the police station). Across the street from the police station, is a nicely constructed restaurant on top of a downstairs kitchen. That is Gloria's which serves a limited menu of very delicious fish, lobster and side dishes like festival (fried cornmeal sticks), salads, fries etc. One quick note if you're a visitor. A fish has a head, tail and fins and when you order fried fish at Gloria's, you get the whole fish with eyes staring back at you. Just take your fork, dig in and show that fish who's boss. Ya Mon!
Gloria's operates on Jamaica time so be prepared to wait at least an hour to get served. The food is delicious though, and the scenery is great. Since the restaurant is on the second floor, you can watch the pelicans dive-bomb the water, and observe the ships coming in and out of the harbor. Even more importantly, you can keep an eye on your car, which hopefully you parked near the police station. Why? because just below the police station where the street curves to the left, there are some guys with dreadlocks who will approach you and ask for money for "watching your car". If you encounter them, just grin, say no, and drive off.
Written July 17, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DHE30PP
Cardiff, UK104 contributions
Mar 2019 • Friends
It is a little out of the way on the road which goes past the airport, but well worth the drive to see what the old pirate capital was like. There is a small museum which is full of interesting things to see, pictures and models. There is a giddy house you can walk in, illustrating the subsidence that occurred there and the views are worth the climb up the tower. It does not have any wow! factor but a good way to spend a couple of hours.
Written March 14, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
df13427
New York City, NY20 contributions
Mar 2018
It was one restaurant there, the rest of the area look like a shanty town. not very appealing. food was alright, service on the slow side.
Written September 18, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
How much is entrance fee and thus induces a guide ? Is glorias restraint on same poverty or nearby ?
Written July 28, 2018
Yea Gloria’s is very close .
Tourists usually pay $10 for Port Royal.
Written August 27, 2018
I would like to know if they have tour guides there that take you through the city and explain the history? Or do you just walk around yourself? And would you recommend the tour for a wheelchair handicapped person? Thanks much for any information.
Written June 23, 2016
They gave us a guided tour around - it would a challenge with a wheel chair as there are many steps and a sandy area as part of the walk
Written June 30, 2016
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