| From the brilliant white sand beaches to the diverse | | | | traveller, there are also bamboo river rafting tours. |
| island culture, Jamaica is one of our favourite | | | | As well, there is great fishing by fishing charters for |
| Caribbean tourist destinations. The crystal clear ocean | | | | marlin, tuna and kingfish. One may also go cycling, |
| waters and the year-round warm climate makes it | | | | golfing, horseback riding or scuba diving here, and |
| the ideal travel vacation for sun-lovers. There are | | | | there is another popular local shopping district. A |
| many diversions to keep visitors happy: fishing, scuba | | | | popular tour from Montego Bay is to Wyndham Rose |
| diving, wind surfing, horseback riding, swimming, | | | | Hall Plantation which was once a legendary 18th |
| snorkelling, golfing just to name a few. In the evening | | | | century sugar plantation, and a popular spot for |
| there is fine dining at Jamaica's elite restaurants and | | | | golfers would be on the Robert von Hagge |
| resorts-combined with truly unique Jamaican cuisine, | | | | Championship Golf Course. |
| and the night life is certainly hopping! | | | | Of course, the beaches in Montego Bay are not to |
| One of the best things that I have found about | | | | be missed. But beware - a friend, while visiting |
| Jamaica is the warm, friendly people and the rich, | | | | Jamaica, sat under a coconut tree and got conked on |
| diverse Island culture blended from around the world. | | | | the head by a falling coconut, in fact three coconuts! |
| In fact, Jamaica's motto is "Out of Many, One | | | | I asked her why she didn't move away after the |
| People." Although African and European influences | | | | first one hit her (of course, the coconuts fell in a |
| dominate the culture, the British, Spanish, Irish, Indian, | | | | bunch of three - but I thought it was funny!) (P.S. - |
| Chinese and German are all represented as well. The | | | | She wasn't really hurt!) |
| official language of Jamaica is English, but sometimes | | | | Negril is located on Jamaica's western coast with a |
| you wouldn't know it as you will most likely hear | | | | seven-mile long fantastic white sand beach. It |
| "Patois" which sounds like a foreign language but is | | | | extends from the nineteenth-century Negril |
| actually a combination of rhythmic English and slang. | | | | Lighthouse in the parish of Westmoreland in the |
| "Irie mon" is a common phrase you may hear, which | | | | south to Bloody Bay (so named for the days when |
| really just means "cool" or "everything is good." The | | | | whalers cleaned their catch there) in Hanover Parish in |
| currency in Jamaica is the Jamaican Dollar, but US | | | | the north. Negril is famous for its "hippie" era where |
| dollars are widely accepted. | | | | the hippies set up a colony there and enjoyed the |
| Jamaica is the largest English-speaking Island in the | | | | laid-back lifestyle and "ganja". From this hippie-era |
| Caribbean and it is the third largest island overall, | | | | colony, Negril has been labelled the "Capital of Casual". |
| spanning 4,400 square miles. The best tourist spots | | | | Although I wasn't interested, Negril does offer some |
| are on the north coast, with Montego Bay and Ocho | | | | clothing optional beaches. |
| Rios being the most popular, as well as Negril on the | | | | Laws control resort development and no building is |
| west coast. I have toured the whole Island, from | | | | allowed to be taller than the tallest palm tree. Negril |
| Kingston (Jamaica's capital) through the Blue | | | | doesn't offer the extensive shopping of Ocho Rios, |
| Mountains to Port Antonio, around the north coast, | | | | but it does have an assortment of unique shops, |
| on down through Mandeville, Alligator Pond and | | | | including the Negril craft market. |
| Treasure Beach and back around to Kingston, so I | | | | Negril is said to offer some of the best scuba diving |
| am well able to tell you a bit about each destination | | | | in Jamaica. You can also enjoy deep-sea fishing |
| you may wish to travel to. | | | | excursions, a vast amount of water sports, and golf |
| Ocho Rios is located, as I said, on Jamaica's north | | | | at a new golf course, Negril Hills. If you choose to go |
| coast and is known as Jamaica's garden centre. Some | | | | parasailing, the sight of the sparkling azure waters |
| of the most popular daytime activities include biking, | | | | and the dazzling white sand beach is a truly |
| diving, deep-sea fishing and golf. Ocho Rios also has | | | | memorable experience. Other activities can include |
| one of the best polo facilities in the Caribbean. | | | | tennis, squash, glass-bottom boat reef trips, sunset |
| Of course, the must-see attraction in Ocho Rios is | | | | catamaran cruises and spectacular nightly |
| the famous Dunn's River Falls, where visitors, lead by | | | | entertainment. |
| a sure-footed Jamaican guide, are able to climb up a | | | | Although I stayed at a number of different locations |
| series of falls that cascade from the mountains to | | | | in Jamaica, a memorable one was at a family-oriented |
| the sea. The falls themselves are a spectacular sight | | | | all-inclusive resort. They offered everything one could |
| and climbing the falls is an adventure not to be | | | | want, from unlimited alcoholic beverages for adults to |
| missed. As a bit of trivia, in the film "Cocktail" with | | | | baby-sitting services, and even a special snack bar |
| Tom Cruise, Duns River Falls is in a memorable scene. | | | | geared to children with all-you-can-eat pizza, macaroni |
| Close by, just off of Main Street in Ocho Rios are | | | | 'n cheese, and hamburgers. I was very impressed |
| two craft parks, the Ocho Rios Craft Park and the | | | | with how the staff entertained and watched over |
| Olde Market Craft Shoppes, and The Ocean Village | | | | our children. In one instance, our kids were kayaking |
| Shopping Centre is also nearby. Here there are | | | | around a little bay area. Being adventurous they |
| hundreds of vendors selling local crafts, and | | | | ventured out towards open water. The staff |
| everything from gold watches to wood carvings and | | | | member followed them in his kayak and gently |
| the famous Blue Mountain coffee. Also, you will be | | | | herded them back. I was very impressed how he |
| able to sample the traditional jerk pork prepared over | | | | handled it. It was a very pleasant stay there. |
| an open grill - a spicy culinary experience for the | | | | On the whole, I love Jamaica, from the warm friendly |
| adventurous. There is also duty-free shopping at the | | | | people to the crystal clear waters and all-year round |
| Taj Mahal Shopping Centre. | | | | warm climate. There is not much that Jamaica |
| Just west of Ocho Rios in Aracobessa is another | | | | doesn't offer for an ideal vacation. The Island is |
| favourite tourist attraction, James Bond Beach and | | | | unique in its culture and cuisine (have you tried boiled |
| Ian Fleming's former home called Goldeneye. | | | | green banana, saltfish and ackee, jerk chicken or |
| Montego Bay is where most travelers arrive in | | | | fried breadfruit?) The resorts are experts in what |
| Jamaica, which is home to the North Shore airport | | | | they offer guests - especially the all-inclusive ones. |
| and the island's busiest cruise ship pier. Montego Bay | | | | The only thing that I might caution you about is |
| is Jamaica's second largest city and is Jamaica's | | | | travelling alone/unaccompanied outside of the resorts. |
| original tourist hotspot. | | | | It can be dangerous, but if you stay within your |
| Montego Bay's attractions include a number of | | | | resort or take guided tours, you shouldn't have any |
| plantation tours, as well as a new attraction featuring | | | | problems. "No problem, mon! |
| the legendary great, Bob Marley. For the adventure | | | | |