My local take
Lime Cay is Kingston’s beach. It is the largest of the small cays off Port Royal, a low island of sand with some trees in the middle, and the only way there is by boat. There is nothing on it: no restaurant, no bar, no bathrooms. Kingstonians take a cooler, a speaker and their friends, and on Sunday afternoons the cay fills up with boats and music. On a weekday you may have it almost to yourself.
Lime Cay has been the subject of scams that claim to “sell” it as a private resort site. The Tourist Board is clear that it is part of Jamaica and its beaches are public. My take: go if you’re in Kingston and want a real local beach day, and you’re happy to bring your own food and shade.
Back on the mainland, round out a Kingston trip with Devon House and the Bob Marley Museum. For the wider city, see our Kingston guide.
How to get there
First get to Port Royal, at the end of the Palisadoes road past Norman Manley International Airport. From New Kingston, allow roughly 30 to 45 minutes by car, depending on traffic. Boats leave from the Port Royal side: local fishermen and small boat operators near the town, and day boat hire from the marina, according to the Tourist Board. The crossing itself is about 15 minutes.
There is no fixed timetable or published fare. Some Kingston tour companies also sell Lime Cay trips with transport and lunch.
From Ocho Rios or Montego Bay, Lime Cay isn’t a sensible day trip. Base yourself in Kingston for a night or two; Knutsford Express runs scheduled coaches into Kingston.
Without a car: Take a licensed JUTA taxi or a ride-hailing car from Kingston to Port Royal and arrange the boat there. Buses run to Port Royal too, but a taxi is simpler, especially for the trip back.
What to expect
The Tourist Board describes Lime Cay as a small, low-lying island with one of the best beaches on this side of Jamaica, and says the snorkeling around it and the nearby cays is some of the best on the south-east coast. It is a public beach with no facilities.
The cay is close to the airport flight path, so planes come in low overhead.
There is no fee to land. What you pay is the boat, and that is agreed directly with the boatman.
Local tips
Agree the full return fare and pickup time before you leave the dock, save the boatman’s number, and pay the rest only when the boat comes back for you.
Bring more water than you think you need, plus food, sunscreen and something for shade. There is nothing to buy on the cay.
Pack a mask and snorkel. The reef around the cay is the reason to go beyond the beach.
Go on a Sunday afternoon to see Lime Cay the way Kingston does it, or on a weekday morning if you want it quiet.
Take your rubbish back with you. There are no bins, and the cay stays clean only if visitors do this.
Before you go
- No lifeguards. Swim near the boat landing, where other people are, and keep children close.
- The boats are small open boats run informally. The crossing can be bumpy when the wind is up.
- I found no official update on Lime Cay or the Port Royal boats since Hurricane Melissa. Ask at Port Royal before you commit to a day there.
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Questions people ask
How do you get to Lime Cay?
By boat from Port Royal, about 15 minutes each way, according to the Jamaica Tourist Board. Fishermen and boat operators at Port Royal take visitors out and come back for them at an agreed time, and some Kingston tour companies sell trips with transport.
Is Lime Cay a public beach?
Yes. The Jamaica Tourist Board says Lime Cay is part of Jamaica and its beaches are public, and warns about scams that claim to sell the cay.
Are there facilities on Lime Cay?
No. The Tourist Board says there are no facilities on the island, so bring food, drinks, water and shade, and take your rubbish home.
When is the best time to go to Lime Cay?
Sunday afternoons are the busy, social time, when Kingston boat owners come out. Weekdays are quiet. Morning is usually calmer for the crossing and for snorkeling.
Is Lime Cay open?
I found no official notice of a closure, but also no recent official update. The boats are run informally, so ask at Port Royal on the day.
Sources & updates
- Jamaica Tourist Board: Lime Cay listing (15 minutes from Port Royal, public beaches, no facilities, Sunday crowds, snorkeling, location) · checked
- TPDCo: Recreational Carrying Capacity Assessment for Port Royal/Lime Cay (boat hire and water taxis from Port Royal) · checked
- Cruise Industry News: Main Jamaica cruise ports now open after hurricane (Port Royal, December 2025) · checked
- Knutsford Express: scheduled coach service · checked
Update log
- — Rewritten as a researched guide; facts re-checked. Removed the old claims of a concession stand and picnic tables, which the Tourist Board's listing (no facilities) does not support. Post-hurricane status noted as unconfirmed.
- — Removed repeated advice
- — Trimmed hurricane references to where they change the advice
Spotted something out of date? Tell me and I’ll check it.