Castleton Botanical Gardens
A historic botanical garden founded in 1862, set in a riverside valley on the route to the north coast and known for its palms and tropical flowers.
Castleton Botanical Gardens lies in the Wag Water river valley in St Mary, about 30 km north of Kingston, with the A3 highway running through the grounds. The garden has more than a hundred species of palms, traveller's palms, cannonball trees and other tropical plants. In the 19th century it was an important base for introducing cash crops such as mango and breadfruit to Jamaica. Entry is free, and there are roadside snack stalls and spots for wading in the river. It makes a good stop of about an hour on the way from Kingston to Ocho Rios or the north coast.
Opening hours
About 08:00–17:00
Nearby sights
- Holywell Recreational Area
- Strawberry Hill
- Craighton Coffee Estate
- Bob Marley Museum
- Devon House
- Peter Tosh Museum
- Hope Zoo Kingston
- Hope Royal Botanical Gardens