Half Moon, the luxury resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica has secured access to people and places not normally available to tourists to create three exclusive excursions designed to offer its guests a taste of Jamaica's coffee, chutney and art. A Day in the Blue Mountains visits historic private coffee estates that produce some of Jamaica's finest coffee while 'Stush in the Bush' is the ultimate farm to fork experience at an organic farm. Finally guests have the opportunity to meet prominent Jamaican artists either in their homes or studios.

A DAY IN THE BLUE MOUNTAINS

The Day in the Blue Mountains excursion takes guests to three historic coffee estates to meet the owners and sample some of the distinctive, delicious coffees they produce, as well as tasting locally produced preserves and honey.

The day starts with a hearty brunch at Belcour Lodge, a former 18th century coffee estate. Owners Michael and Robin Lumsden will lay on tastings of Belcour's delicious preserves and honey and present everyone with a souvenir copy of Robin's famed recipe book. There will also be time to explore the estate's dazzling gardens and learn about Robin's fascinating family history that includes a co-founder of Red Stripe Beer and a Surgeon-General of China.

This is followed by a drive along the twisting, turning roads of the Blue Mountains to reach over 4,000 feet and arrival at Clifton Mount, the oldest coffee estate in Jamaica. Here guests will be able to see coffee plants growing and watch the process that turns the berries into Clifton Mount Coffee.

Heading down the mountains, guests arrive at Old Tavern Estate, the only single estate coffee plantation in Jamaica meaning the coffee is grown, processed, packed and marketed by the same family. The estate is one of only a handful producing peaberry beans where only one of the two beans in the cherry is fertilised leaving a single bean that is sought after by connoisseurs worldwide. Here visitors will be able to see the beans being sorted by hand, roasted and, of course, have a taste of the coffee with its distinctive caramel notes. There is also the opportunity to buy some Old Tavern coffee to take home.

Back down at sea level, the day rounds off with cocktails at Firefly, the former home of Noel Coward. A guided tour will show how the house retains the spirit of the glamour days of the 1950s and remains as it was on the day that Coward died.

A Day in the Blue Mountains costs US$875 per person including flights to Kingston, the services of a guide and transport.

STUSH IN THE BUSH

Stush is a Jamaican word that means living a good and wholesome life as well as valuing what is important. So Stush in the Bush is a trip to the countryside to visit Chris and Lisa Binns' Zionites organic farm.

The farm is set in the hills in the parish of St Ann, a scenic drive of about an hour and a half from Montego Bay.

Chris will take visitors on a walking tour of the farm explaining what plants they grow, what they are used for, their medicinal properties and their history.

Lunch featuring seasonal produce will be accompanied by Lisa's vinaigrettes and marmalades prepared with produce from the land. And thirsts will be quenched with juices from fresh fruits, spices such as ginger or even coconut water. There will even be the chance to buy some of Lisa's produce such as her tomato marmalade to take home.

Stush in the Bush costs US$140 per person including transport and lunch.

MEET ARTISTS AT HOME OR IN THEIR STUDIOS

Half Moon is offering an exclusive opportunity to meet prominent Jamaican artists such as Nicola and Stefan DeLisser, Laura Facey-Cooper and Judy Ann MacMillan in their home, studios or galleries.

The Gallery of West Indian Art was founded by Liz DeLisser in the 1970s and is the oldest art gallery on the north coast of Jamaica. The gallery is run by Liz's daughter, Nicola and her partner Stefan who share Liz's passion for Caribbean art. After visiting the gallery, guests have the opportunity to view Nicola and Stefan's private collection in their home and enjoy refreshments on the verandah with stunning views of Montego Bay.

Laura Facey-Cooper's work has spanned 40 years and has been described as controversial, powerful and honest. Born in Jamaica, Laura studied at the West Surrey College of Art and Design and the Jamaica School of Art. This excursion takes guests to Laura's home at Mount Plenty in St Ann to view her work.

Judy Ann MacMillan was born in Kingston but trained in Scotland and is one Jamaica's foremost academic painters. She returned to Jamaica in the early 1970s and began to establish herself with a series of portrait commissions. On this excursion guests visit her studio at her heritage home in Rockfield, St Ann.

The art tours are by appointment depending on the artists' availability and cost from US$60 per person to include transport and light refreshments.

The excursions can be pre-booked through Half Moon's pre-arrival concierge service, email: prearrivalconcierge@halfmoon.com

For more information visit www.halfmoon.com

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