I’ve always liked the idea of snorkeling.

Gliding through the waves, weightless, taking in the colorful underwater ecosystem has a magical, adventurous ring to it. In reality, almost every time I’ve snorkeled—even though I’ve had the opportunity to see some amazing wildlife, including turtles, rays, and octopuses—I start out with a creeping feeling of anxiety that results in a near panic attack when I hit the water. My heart races, and it’s hard to breathe, almost claustrophobic, even with the snorkel. For me, there’s something stressful about the large tours that herd two dozen or more people onto a boat, resulting in organized chaos when four or five vessels pull up to a reef and release their tourists. (Once, I was snorkeling in Hawaii when a kid yelled “shark!” leading to an absolute panic until the tour guide revealed that it was a small reef shark passing through and it was likely more afraid of us than we were of it.)

Mullion Cove, one of the six multi-bedroom accomodations at Bluefields Bay Villas.

Photo courtesy of BLUEFIELDS BAY VILLAS

Despite all of this, I will still jump off a boat in a mask and fins to see the beautiful fish, corals, and other creatures under the waves, something I did last year while staying at the Bluefields Bay Villas on the southwestern side of Jamaica. The excursion—one of more than a dozen add-on activities available through the resort, from zipline canopy tours and jungle safaris to horseback riding and swimming at YS Falls departed from Bluefields Beach, just steps below the main cluster of villas and suites, and ended up around 30 minutes away at Moor reef, where warm, crystal-clear waters provided an ideal setting for viewing tropical fish and craggy coral. It was just me and my guide, a local who grew up swimming in the Caribbean waters, ferried out to the reef by a captain on the resort’s covered, 28-foot touring boat—the same one that had welcomed me the night before with a sunset cocktail cruise along the remote coastline. I had never been more relaxed while snorkeling (I jumped right in, without hesitation), but that’s the beauty of Bluefields, where the location, staff, and hospitality set it apart from many of the large-scale, corporate-owned properties in the island’s more populated regions.

This slower pace and secluded setting were part of what attracted Braxton and Deborah Moncure, owners of Bluefields Bay Villas, to Jamaica’s Westmoreland Parish in the early 1980s. “My parents wanted to buy property, but they thought the north coast had too much going on,” says Houston Moncure, the son of Virginia-based Braxton and Deborah, who oversees the daily goings-on at Bluefields Bay with his wife, Kate Davidson. “When they got to [Bluefields], they thought it was stunning. My mother said to my father, ‘Is this going to be too remote?’ and my father said, ‘I bet one day we’ll say it’s not remote enough.’”

This slower pace and secluded setting were part of what attracted Braxton and Deborah Moncure, owners of Bluefields Bay Villas, to Jamaica’s Westmoreland Parish in the early 1980s.

While that prediction hasn’t panned out—the sleepy area around Bluefields Bay is still heavily forested, with little development marring its pristine shoreline and lush hills—the resort is just a ninety-minute drive from the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay. With six private villas (ranging from two to six bedrooms) and four adults-only suites, added in 2023, Bluefields includes round-the-clock staff, an on-property restaurant and bar, pickleball and tennis courts, and a stretch of white-sand beach complete with access to kayaks, paddleboards, hydro bikes, snorkel gear, and a Hobie Wave sailboat. Each villa has a private pool, personal chef, butler, and additional staff. Meals are included, and the chef consults guests each day regarding their culinary options.

A private beach offers crystal-clear waters warm as a bath.

Photo courtesy of BLUEFIELDS BAY VILLAS

Bluefields Bay’s origins are rooted in Mullion Cove, the first residence purchased by the Moncures, who gradually acquired additional property along the coast, developing it as they went. “Over time, we built three villas from scratch,” Houston says. His mother, an architect trained at the University of Pennsylvania, designed and decorated each house, and the family’s prodigious collection of Jamaican antiques (mahogany four-poster beds, hand-carved chests, tables, chairs, and vintage art) imbues the interiors with Old World charm. “There were years when we had two hours of electricity and maybe five hours of water,” Houston says of the early days. “There were no phone lines, and all communication was through radio.”

Bluefields didn’t get phones until 1997, the same year the Washington Post published a rave review that resulted in full bookings for two years straight. And while the technology is now up-to-date (each accommodation has Wi-Fi, a phone, and television), the setting—with sweeping views of the turquoise-green Caribbean—still encourages slowing down and lounging: whether that’s sipping something icy by the pool or reading a paperback on the beach, it’s up to you.

My four-night stay brought me to the Cottonwood Cottage, a two-bedroom home nestled into the tropical hillside, named for the gorgeous old tree growing right outside the primary suite. Meals are served just steps past the waterfall-laden pool, in a pavilion where antique silver and white linen balance views of water so blue it almost looks fake. My days were organized around said meals, with a morning activity—snorkeling one day, hiking the next, and a deep-tissue massage so good it may have solved my computer-work-induced shoulder pain—to kick things off, and afternoons spent sunbathing, swimming, and catching up on work. Like clockwork, each afternoon around 3 or 4 p.m., a storm would roll in, bringing with it torrential rain, lightning, and thunder. While it put a pause on all outdoor activity, the squally weather brought a much-welcome cooling to the evening, although temperatures still hovered in the 70s, with intense humidity.

The rooms, decorated with Jamaican antiques, are designed for optimal ocean viewing.

Photo courtesy of BLUEFIELDS BAY VILLAS

One highlight of the trip was a hike up the jungle-covered Bluefields Mountain, which rises gently behind the resort. My guide and I left at 8 a.m., before the most intense heat of the day, but just 15 minutes in, with one of the property’s dogs, Lilly, lumbering along beside us, I was already dripping with sweat. Halfway through the 90-minute venture—which led us in a large loop up the mountain to a jungle shack where a local man named Bob offers drinks and stories to thirsty tourists (sadly, he wasn’t home on the day of my hike), then back down and through a local village—we stopped to take in spectacular views of the water and the lush landscape below.

My guide, who grew up on a farm, was intensely knowledgeable about the flora, pointing out bright fruit, plucking leaves for me to smell, and explaining the history and cultural significance of certain plants: the Leaf of Life, which helps ease colds, pimento (a primary ingredient in Jamaican jerk), and the mahogany tree, an expensive and increasingly rare hardwood prized for its deep reddish-brown color and durability. Some of the specimens he told me about—breadfruit, ackee (a slightly nutty fruit with a consistency like scrambled eggs or soft cheese), and callaloo (a dark green, spinach-like leaf)—turned up in my meals, all of which were so excellent, I think I’ve been ruined for hotel dining for the rest of my life.

Meals are included with your stay and served on sets of vintage china.

Photo courtesy of BLUEFIELDS BAY VILLAS

It’s hard to put into words, but there’s something special about a place like Bluefields Bay. Most staff members I spoke with have worked there for a decade or more, and they refer to one another as family. More than the cerulean waters, sandy beaches, and luxury accommodations, I will remember the openness, warmth, and friendly demeanor of each person I encountered along the way, from my nature-minded hiking guide, who shared pictures of his 8-year-old son, to the helpful guest relations manager; she made a special trip to the miles-away drugstore to pick up an item I needed. It’s these moments of human connection that help turn a vacation into a core memory, and at Bluefields, they abound, making you feel not like another numbered hotel guest, but a welcome member of a close group of friends.

Note: Shortly after this story was reported, Hurricane Melissa, the strongest hurricane ever recorded in Jamaica (with winds reaching 185 mph), made landfall and devastated much of the country. Almost immediately, Bluefields Bay Villas & Suites became a hub of support for the local community, raising nearly $600,000 for rebuilding initiatives and, in partnership with World Central Kitchen, serving more than 16,000 meals to impacted neighbors in just 36 days. The resort officially reopened in February 2026, pledging 12% of all bookings towards ongoing community rebuild efforts throughout the region.