Tucked sensuously away in a cove bathed by pellucid seas, Manchioneal is the most easterly town in the parish of Portland. Manchioneal was one of the first banana-shipping ports in Jamaica. Today, colorful canoes of the large fishing community have replaced the transatlantic steamers of yesteryear. Manchioneal is a favorite destination for Jamaicans and eco-minded tourists; the former mainly for the wide selection of seafood available, the latter for the beauty and mystique of the secluded and undeveloped Reach Falls, two miles away from the town center.
The town got its name from the manchineel trees; pretty green trees with small round fruit that look like crab apples. As many sailors and other visitors to the area soon realized, the tree is highly poisonous, and even sitting beneath its branches is a dangerous prospect since the dripping sap can cause blisters and burns.
