Honeymoon in Jamaica

You may exchange vows over the Blue Lagoon in Port Antonio; at Lovers Leap, near the South Coast’s rugged edge; or on Negril’s cliffs at sunset. Or you may select a secret garden in Ocho Rios, a stately old church in Kingston, or an elegant great house in Montego Bay. To think…these are just a few of the possibilities for a memorable event.

Our resort areas each have a special charm and all are perfect for an unforgettable honeymoon. Let Portie’s quiet allure and natural beauty cast its romantic spell; be captivated by Negril’s seven-mile stretch of powdery sand, or relax under one of Ocho Rios’s many waterfalls. Discover the South Coast, and let wild things happen or create a shared past in Jamaica’s historic capital city, Kingston.

Float down a quiet river on a bamboo raft made for two, bicycle along misty mountain trails, pick up a honeymoon memento at a local craft market or enjoy a candlelit dinner at a beachside restaurant. At night, make ‘riddims’ of your own at a local reggae club…

Here in this one-love paradise, the perfect honeymoon awaits you…

THE MOST ROMANTIC GETAWAYS

Reach Falls

(Manchioneal): East of Port Antonio, this is one of the oft-photographed beauty spots of the Caribbean. Visitors enter a virgin rainforest for a cooling dip and perhaps some nude lovemaking under the watery cascades.

Goldeneye

(Oracabessa; ): An intimate and romantic retreat east of Ocho Rios, this is our favorite spot in Jamaica for a tryst with your own “secret agent.” This is where then-owner Ian Fleming created the character 007, James Bond. Rock stars and other celebs often seek it out.

The Blue Lagoon

(Port Antonio; ): Another beauty spot, this is where teenage Brooke Shields swam nude in the film of the same name. You can have the same experience in an enchanted pool fed by a natural amphitheater. The water, 56m (186 ft.) deep at its deepest point, is said to have aphrodisiac powers-which you’ll have to determine for yourself.

Bloomfield Great House

(Mandeville; ): If you should ever grow nostalgic for the Jamaica that used to be, plan a dinner at this historic house set on 2 hectares (5 acres) of beautiful landscaping. After a drink on the old-fashioned veranda, enjoy an elegantly presented and good-tasting meal in a colonial setting of long ago0.

YS Falls

(Black River): The best place to escape for a romantic picnic is along the coast east of Negril. Three kilometers (2 miles) north of the port of Black River, in a “Me Tarzan, You Jane” setting, you can actually swing from an overhead vine or a jungle rope into cooling ponds made by the waterfall.

THE BEST HONEYMOON RESORTS

Sandals

(Montego Bay, Negril, and Ocho Rios; .): These resorts pride themselves on fun, food, and drink, laid out in abundance and all paid for in advance-no tips or bills here. Staff members bring heroic amounts of community spirit and enthusiasm to weddings. All the properties are high-quality, but Sandals Royal Caribbean at Montego Bay and Sandals Dunn’s River at Ocho Rios are probably the best in the chain.

Half Moon Golf, Tennis & Beach Club

(Montego Bay; ): This resort offers honeymooners deluxe oceanview rooms and cottages fronting a near-perfect crescent-shaped beach. There are lots of activities, too, such as aerobics, tennis, swimming, and, most definitely, golf.

Jake’s

(Treasure Beach; ): Funky and idiosyncratic, this is a really offbeat choice for a honeymoon where no one will find you. Set on a remote rocky beach, the place is small and personal.

Jamaica Inn

(Ocho Rios; ): Winston Churchill slept in a suite here; if you can’t afford that suite, there are plenty of other classy rooms fine for honeymooners. The resort opens onto a private cove with powdery champagne-colored sand and maintains a British colonial aura of formality.

Grand Sport Villa Golf Resort & Spa

(Ocho Rios; ): The honeymoon villas at this stately, plantation-style spa and resort are perfect private retreats for newlyweds. Each has a private attendant and pool. Guests are pampered with massages, pedicures, and manicures. The resort is all-inclusive, and there’s a range of sports facilities.

Blue Lagoon Villas

(Port Antonio; ): A favorite with movie stars visiting “off the record,” this pocket of posh is pure luxury: Each plush villa comes with a dedicated chef, housekeeper, and butler. Break out your wallet.

Sans Souci Resort & Spa

(Ocho Rios; ): Sink into one of the whirlpool tubs in the elegant marble bathrooms here-with your newly acquired spouse, of course-and the day is yours. This is a far classier joint than the Sandals properties. An on-site spa and clothing-optional beach are also alluring for many couples.

Breezes Runaway Bay

(Runaway Bay; ): Ten kilometers (6 miles) west of Ocho Rios, this all-inclusive hotel re-creates the South Seas on Jamaican soil. It’s stylish, with luxurious accommodations and good food. Activities include reggae classes.

Kingston offers a variety of nighttime entertainment. Most events are listed in the daily press, along with a host of other attractions, including colorful carnivals and festivals that are held island-wide throughout the year. In nearly all the after-dark establishments of Kingston, foreign visitors are only about 3% of those in attendance. Most Kingston places, except for the bars in first-class hotels, are patronized mainly by locals.

Caution: The city is very unsafe at night. Take taxis everywhere.

The Performing Arts–Kingston is a leading cultural center of the West Indies. Notable theaters include Ward Theatre on North Parade Road and the Little Theatre on Tom Redcam Drive near the National Stadium . Both stage local and imported plays and musicals, light opera, revues, Jamaican dance and choral groups, and pop concerts. Ticket prices vary. From downtown Kingston (Parade and Cross roads), buses 90A and 90B run here.

The Club & Bar Scene–Within the relatively sedate premises of one of Kingston’s best-established hotels, Mingles (in the Courtleigh Hotel, 85 Knutsford Blvd.; tel. is a rich-looking-and richly popular-bar and disco. Sheathed with full-grained mahogany panels, with uniformed bartenders whose look might remind you of Jamaica during the era of Noël Coward, it’s a clubby-looking but often rocking site known for a revolving combination of reggae, pop, soca (a danceable form of reggae), and Latino meringue. Folk here tend to flirt, talk, and gossip on Friday night, and dance, dance, dance on Saturday night. The bar here is open Monday through Friday 5pm to midnight and Saturday 5pm to 3am. There is no cover charge except on Saturday, when it’s J$200 (US$3.30).

One of the hottest new venues after dark is Asylum, 69 Knutsford Blvd. where the program changes nightly. Some nights are devoted only to reggae music, other nights to various contests, sometimes to the old hits of the 1970s and 1980s. A crowd, mainly of locals in their twenties or thirties, flocks here to enjoy the music, the dance, the entertainment, and even karaoke. It’s very tropical and very happening, Tuesday to Sunday from 10pm to 4am, charging a cover ranging from J$200 to J$300 (US$3.30-US$5).

The open-air Carlos Café, 22 Belmont Rd. is all the rage with its flamingo-colored tones and Caribbean decor. There’s a whimsical feel here, attracting a crowd of men and women in their twenties and thirties. You can also dine here-on Monday, crab is featured on the menu. On Friday it’s a fish fry and karaoke. On any night something is happening, perhaps a show by Cuban salsa dancers. There’s no cover, with a Red Stripe beer costing J$100 (US$1.65). Hours are Monday to Friday 5pm to 2am, Saturday 3pm to 2am.

BEST NIGHTLIFE IN JAMAICA

Time ‘n’ Place (Falmouth, east of Montego Bay;): A raffish beach bar built of driftwood, this place looks as though it might blow away in the next storm. The setting is so authentic that many fashion magazines, including Vogue, have used it for background shots. The bartender makes the island’s best daiquiris.

Mingles (Kingston; ): In the Courtleigh Hotel, this is one of the best places-and the safest-to be after dark in the capital of Jamaica. Filled with Jamaican youth, it is both a bar and a dance club, with uniformed bartenders and the constant beat of reggae, pop, and soca.

Jamaic’N Me Crazy (Ocho Rios; ): The most popular club in this resort area, this hotspot may have the best lighting and sound system on the island. In winter the aura is virtually that of a New York club, so don’t come for an authentic Jamaican experience.

Hedonism II (Negril; ): For the hottest night at this resort, don your toga and head for the most notorious all-inclusive resort in Jamaica, a place known for its wild and raunchy parties. If you aren’t already a guest, you’ll have to purchase a night pass for $75, entitling you to all the food and drink you can consume.

Margueritaville Sports Bar & Grill (Montego Bay; ): If you’re macho, or at least grow hair on your chest, head for the most popular sports bar in Jamaica. Overlooking the sea, across from the Coral Cliff Hotel, this hangout also serves the best margaritas on the island and features the best sports broadcasts on satellite TV.

Kingston has legions of great places to get a drink, and many of them also double up as restaurants; Carlos, JamRock, Red Bones, Our Place and the Grog Shoppe are all good bets, as are hotel bars uptown. There are scores of clubs around town, ranging from state-of-the-art places featuring big-name DJs to more sedate in-hotel affairs. Anticipate a cover of around J$300. It’s also worth keeping a lookout for posters advertising one-off club nights at places such as Mas Camp Village, or summer all-inclusive parties staged at private outdoor venues throughout the city; these are usually well attended and invariably lots of fun.

Live music in the capital is less predictable; some of the best shows are the annual round of Heineken Startime concerts, featuring the best of Jamaica’s vintage artists. Kingstonians celebrate Carnival each April; it’s similar to the Trinidadian event but on a far smaller scale and with a bigger ratio of reggae to soca. For more on Carnival, contact the JTB (tel 876/929-9200).

From fiery jerk meat to inventive seafood dishes and ubiquitous rice and peas, the Jamaican diet is surprisingly varied, and the Rasta preference for natural cooking means you can get good vegetarian food fairly easily. Snacking is good, too, with beef, vegetable or chicken patties the staple fare, and there is a vast selection of fresh fruit and vegetables. Outside Kingston and the north-coast resorts, international eating options are limited.

The classic - and addictive - Jamaican breakfast is ackee and saltfish. The soft yellow flesh of the otherwise bland ackee fruit is fried with onions, sweet and hot peppers, fresh tomatoes and boiled, flaked salted cod. It’s usually served with the delicious spinach-like callaloo, boiled green bananas and fried or boiled dumplings.

At most of Jamaica’s cheaper restaurants and hotels, chicken and fish are the mainstays of lunch and dinner. Chicken is typically fried in a seasoned batter, jerked or curried, while fish can be grilled, steamed with okra and pimento pods, brown-stewed in a tasty sauce or “escovitched� - served in a spicy sauce of onions, hot peppers and vinegar. “Jerking� is the island’s most distinctive cooking style. Meat - usually chicken or pork, but occasionally fish - is seasoned in a mixture of island-grown spices, including pimento, hot peppers, cinnamon and nutmeg, and then grilled slowly, often for hours, over a fire of pimento wood and under a cover of wooden slats or corrugated zinc sheets in a customized oil drum.

Rice and peas (rice cooked with coconut, spices and red kidney beans) is the accompaniment to most meals, though you’ll sometimes get bammy (a substantial bread made from cassava flour), festival (a light, sweet, fried dumpling), sweet or regular potatoes (the latter known as Irish potatoes), yam, dasheen (like a yam, but chewier), Johnny cakes or fried or boiled dumplings.

Jamaica’s water is safe to drink, and locally bottled spring water is widely available. For a tastier non-alcoholic drink, look no further than the roadside piles of coconuts in every town and village, often advertised with a sign saying “ice-cold jelly�. Other soft drinks include Jamaica’s own Ting (a refreshing sparkling grapefruit drink), Malta (a fortifying malt drink), throat-tingling ginger beers and fresh limeade. Fresh fruit juices - tamarind, June plum, guava, soursop, strawberry and cucumber - are always delicious if occasionally over-sweet. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee is among the best and most expensive in the world, though the other local brews, such as High Mountain, Low Mountain or Mountain Blend, are also good.

The national beer is the excellent Red Stripe. Heineken is widely available, as is locally brewed Guinness, which competes with the sweeter Dragon as the island’s stout of choice. Wray and Nephew make the classic white overproof rum: cheap, potent, available everywhere and best knocked back with a mixer of Ting. There are plenty of less caustic brands of white rum, the smoothest being C.J. Wray Dry. If you’re after taste rather than effect, try gold rums and the older, aged varieties such as Appleton Estate 12-year-old.

Among the items available are rum, Blue Mountain coffee, gemstone jewelry, shells, local art (there’s everything - from neo-expressionist to primitive), colorful clothing and fabric, preserves and spices, musical instruments, hand-carved mahogany items, local handicrafts, woven straw baskets, embroidery, leather goods and CDs and cassettes of reggae music.

You can get Cuban cigars, but if you’re a U.S. citizen, be aware that they may be confiscated if you try to take them home. The sale of black and white coral is banned (for good reason - some of Jamaica’s reefs have been heavily damaged). Turtles are also protected by law, so don’t buy turtle products.

Duty-free shopping is available at most large hotels, at the Kingston and Montego Bay airports and in select stores in Ocho Rios, Kingston and Montego Bay (everything from watches and crystal to local liqueurs).

Shopping will bring you in contact with many aggressive vendors, who can be intimidating. If you aren’t interested, a firm “No thank you� should suffice. And keep walking. If you do see something you like, expect to bargain: It is a time-honored tradition, always conducted with humor and mutual respect. Never pay a vendor the first asking price.

Shopping Hours: Monday-Friday 8 am-4 or 5 pm; Saturday 8 am-1 pm.

Banking Hours: Monday-Thursday 9 am-2 pm; Friday 9 am-noon and 2-5 pm.

Appleton

This inland town is the home of Appleton Estate, where one of Jamaica’s leading rums is made. You can tour the distillery, watch a video showing how sugarcane is transformed into rum and sample the goods. Several tour companies offer excursions that include the Appleton Estate. The tours usually include a buffet lunch. You can see the estate on your own, as well, but if you are not going as part of a group and wish to have lunch, you should call ahead to make arrangements.

Just west of Appleton are the Y S Falls. You get to the cascade by taking a tractor-drawn trailer ride across pastureland. There’s also a place to swim and a fantastic tree house - kids will love it. 35 mi/56 km west of Montego Bay.

Black River

Located on the southwest coast, Black River makes a convenient place to stop if you’re traveling between Kingston and Negril. The main attraction is the Black River Safari, a short trip through the largest remaining crocodile refuge in Jamaica. Have a drink at the bar of the Bridgehouse Inn, or try their local cuisine, which is reasonably priced.

Just 20 mi/32 km west of Black River is Bluefields, a lovely beach used mostly by Jamaicans. Development may be in the plans - this unspoiled area should be seen sooner rather than later.

North of Black River is the town of Middle Quarters, where you can buy hot peppered shrimp from roadside vendors. But beware: They’re very peppery! Just east of Middle Quarters is Bamboo Avenue (Highway A2), where trees arch over the road and form a picturesque tunnel. 100 mi/160km west of Kingston.

Blue Mountains

Famous for their namesake coffee, these mountains form one of the highest continuous mountain ranges in the Caribbean. They have a fragile ecosystem: In recent years, the range has suffered extensive damage from hurricanes, floods and landslides as well as deforestation and development.

In a recent effort to spur preservation, about 200,000 acres/81,000 hectares of this rugged territory have become part of a preserve, the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park (the John Crow Mountains are east of the Blue Mountain range). It includes several mineral springs, old plantation houses and hundreds of flowering plants and ferns, more than half of which grow only in Jamaica. It is a treasure trove for bird-watchers (look for the doctor birds, which are hummingbirds with amazingly long tails, and large buzzards known as “John Crows”). Hiking trails abound.

Other attractions in the mountain range include Hollywell Forest Park (picnic grounds, spartan cottages, hiking trails) and lots of waterfalls. The coffee plantations that produce the tasty and expensive Blue Mountain coffee can be toured. From September to February you can watch the beans being picked and processed. The Blue Mountains begin 12 mi/20 km northeast of Kingston.

Cockpit Country

This region is characterized by an unusual formation of limestone hummocks and sinkholes, heavily overgrown and mostly inaccessible except at the outer fringes. Their attraction lies in their surreal appearance, best seen from the air.

The Maroons (freed Spanish slaves who fought against the British to keep their liberty) found the Cockpit’s inhospitable terrain perfect for their guerrilla warfare. They are the only people to have inhabited it. Accompong in Cockpit Country is the major western Maroon town. It is worth visiting in January, when the Maroons hold their celebrations. (At other times it is no more interesting than any other Jamaican village.) Spelunkers may want to investigate the Windsor Caves: Tours are available. 68 mi/109 km southeast of Montego Bay.

Discovery Bay

Located on the north coast between Montego Bay and Ocho Rios, Discovery Bay may be the spot where Columbus first came ashore in 1494, though nearby St. Ann’s Bay is another possibility. Today, Discovery Bay’s main point of interest for travelers is Puerto Seco Beach, which is nicely maintained, with changing rooms, clean toilet facilities and a snack bar. Calm waters and a shallow shelf make this protected bay a popular weekend destination for families from as far away as Kingston. The beach is rather narrow, but there are lots of picnic tables shaded by coconut trees - grab one as soon as you arrive, because they go fast. The parking lot is fenced and secured. 73 mi/112 km northwest of Kingston.

Falmouth

This former sugar port is past its prime but remains a charming, unspoiled example of a Jamaican fishing village. It is busiest during the Wednesday market. One of Falmouth’s most popular attractions is the Martha Brae River, which is toured aboard a bamboo raft. Contact River Raft Limited, which runs daily trips 8:30 am-4:30 pm. The one- to two-hour trips cost about US$40 per two-person raft. Phone 876-610-6698.

Another boat tour takes you to visit a phosphorescent lagoon, which is best seen on moonless nights. The trips depart from the Glistening Waters restaurant.

Back in Falmouth itself, highlights include the Victorian market and the parish church (built in 1796). You’ll see several examples of Georgian architecture along Market Street west of the town center (near Water Square), including the mansion built in 1799 by the family of Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Attractions in the surrounding area include tours of the Good Hope Plantation and Caribatik, a studio, shop and gallery where you can watch batik cloth being designed. 90 mi/144 km northwest of Kingston.

Goshen

Goshen is home to Wilderness Resorts, which is a fun place to spend the better part of a day. They have guided tours, paddleboats, hiking and jogging trails, nature trails, farm animals and catch-and-release fishing (or, if you like, you catch it and they cook it). It’s an especially good diversion for children. 50 mi/80 km northwest of Kingston.

Kingston

Though not a major tourist spot like Montego Bay or Ocho Rios, Kingston (pop. 850,000) is worth seeing because it is the cultural and musical center (as well as the commercial, political and business hub) of the country. But visitors should be prepared to find a large chaotic city with its share of problems. (If you’re in Jamaica primarily for a beach vacation, the best way to see Kingston might be on a day tour offered from the other, more tourist-oriented cities.)

We think one of the best reasons for going to Kingston is to hear some of the reggae (and its more recent derivations, dub and dancehall) and soca (imported from Trinidad) that keep Kingston hopping. (Be sure to ask responsible hotel personnel which clubs are safe - Kingston is not the place to get too adventurous.)

Any visit to Kingston should also include Devon House (restored home and showplace of local arts and crafts), Hope Botanical Gardens (quite good) and the Institute of Jamaica (to see the Shark Papers - documents found in the belly of a shark that helped solve a notorious maritime case in the 1800s). Although an earthquake in 1907 destroyed much of the city, a few old buildings remain, including Headquarters House, the former seat of government.

A must-see is the Bob Marley Museum, which displays items relating to the famous reggae singer. The museum is located in a house where Marley once lived, and many of his songs were recorded there.

Among the city’s cultural offerings are the National Art Gallery and the Kingston Crafts Market, which has a wide range of straw and wood items. For those interested in the performing arts, the Jamaica Philharmonic Orchestra is Kingston-based, as are the National Dance Theatre Company and several other excellent dance troupes. The annual pantomime opens in December at the Ward Theatre and continues its run, usually until February or March, at the Little Theatre. Also worth seeing are the Jamaica Folk Singers (March and April) and works by local playwrights at the Philip Sherlock Creative Arts Center.

Note: Kingston, the country’s largest city, has a high crime rate. Keep an eye out for pickpockets, don’t wear jewelry or expensive watches, and don’t walk by yourself after dark. Licensed taxis are safe, but it’s best to avoid public transportation. Check on the safety of specific areas before venturing out.

Located just across the harbor from Kingston, Port Royal was once Jamaica’s richest city. The wealth came from pirates who, after the English took control of Jamaica, were allowed to use the town as a base for their raids on foreign ships. The buccaneers’ wild ways earned Port Royal the title of the “wickedest city in Christendom.” That changed on 7 June 1692, when an earthquake and tidal wave sank much of the town beneath the sea, killing thousands of people. What was left of the town was repaired, and though Port Royal never regained its prominence, it served as an important British naval base.

Today, you can visit several sites related to Port Royal’s past. The Port Royal Archaeological Museum, housed in the old Royal Navy Hospital building, displays items that have been recovered from underwater excavations of old Port Royal. The Fort Charles Maritime Museum, housed in a fortress erected by the English, examines Jamaica’s seafaring past.

It’s possible to hire a local boat captain to take you out to the beautiful white-sand beaches of one of the offshore cays for a relaxing day. This area is also one of the best spots in the country for scuba diving - its reefs are in better condition than others in Jamaica.

Mandeville

There’s not a lot to do in Mandeville, but this pretty town some 2,000 ft/610 m up in the mountains offers relief from the heat of beach resorts. It’s an important center for bauxite and alumina mining, which takes place outside town. Spend a day walking around town to see the colonial architecture, some of it dating from the 1700s. Marshall’s Pen is a cattle plantation and bird sanctuary. You can take a tour of the restored 200-year-old estate house. On weekends, be sure to see the colorful Mandeville Market (handicrafts, clothing, produce) in the center of town. Golfers will enjoying playing at the Manchester Club, said to be the oldest golf course in the Western Hemisphere. 60 mi/96 km west of Kingston.

Montego Bay

Known fondly as “MoBay,” Montego Bay (pop. 92,000) is the second-largest city in Jamaica and the country’s rowdy center of tourism: Cruise ships frequent its port, and most of the visitors who arrive in Jamaica by plane land just east of the city. The waterfront is lined with white-sand beaches and hotels. Because it’s a much larger city than Jamaica’s other tourist areas, it offers more in the way of sightseeing and nightlife. But size has also magnified Montego Bay’s shortcomings: It can be somewhat dirty in places, and it has the highest concentration of street vendors and hustlers in the country.

Moore Town

This remote village high in the John Crow Mountains is the capital of the Windward Maroons, whose ancestors were slaves that were freed by the Spanish in the mid 1600s and who later battled against English colonists. Getting to Moore Town is not easy, partly because you have to travel a bumpy, winding road from Port Antonio (8 mi/13 km away, on the north coast of the island) and partly because you must receive permission from the leader of the community (”the Colonel”) before you can visit. Because of these difficulties, we recommend that you see Moore Town as part of a tour. Several companies in Port Antonio can make all the arrangements. If you want to go on your own, have the Jamaica Tourist Board office in Port Antonio contact the community for you.

We think it’s worth the trouble to visit Moore Town. It gives you a glimpse of Maroon culture and history and also provides a close-up look at the backcountry of Jamaica. Be sure to stop at Dr. Sam Street’s African Art and Maroon History Museum. Another highlight is Bump Grave, located near the school, which is the resting place of Nanny, the Maroon warrior queen. 87 mi/139 km east of Kingston.

Negril

Negril is probably the best place for visitors to meet Jamaicans on their own turf. While it’s certainly a resort area, its carefree, unhurried atmosphere is quite unlike that of the other tourist towns, making it popular with Jamaicans as well as visitors. It’s located an hour’s drive southwest from Montego Bay along pretty coastline and through picturesque villages.

The town is best known for Negril Beach, a 7-mi/11-km stretch of white sand on Long Bay that’s considered one of the best in the Caribbean. There’s another nice stretch of sand along Bloody Bay, north of Negril Beach. (A single road runs along the shore, so finding your way between the town and the beaches poses few problems.) The beaches are great places to relax, sunbathe, swim and watch spectacular sunsets. The water is calm and shallow enough that children can enjoy it. And Negril is the best place on the island for windsurfing. The public beaches are patrolled by guards to keep vendors from hassling visitors.

Or you could while away the day at one of the all-inclusive resorts. Even if you’re not a guest, you can purchase a day pass that grants you access to the hotel, the beach, all you can eat and drink, plus most of the water sports. Some of the resorts offer topless and clothing-optional beaches.

For a particularly scenic view, visit the Negril Lighthouse, perched on high cliffs just southwest of town. Beneath it, snorkelers and divers can explore caves. Another good dive site is the Gallery (near Booby Cay), with steep ledges and canyons where scorpion fish and large sponges can be seen.

If you’re in town on Sunday, be sure to attend the local talent show in the town’s small park. Nature lovers will want to visit the Great Morass swamplands to see birds and plants. They stretch to the northeast of Negril. 153 mi/246 km west of Kingston.

Nine Miles

If Nine Miles doesn’t sound familiar, don’t feel bad: It’s a remote mountain village that doesn’t even appear on some maps. (It’s about 25 mi/40 km south of Runaway Bay, between Alexandria and Claremont, on roads that become increasingly potholed and winding.) This remote corner of Jamaica is notable for one thing only: Bob Marley, reggae legend, was born and is buried there.

Whether you’re a fan or not, the drive through unspoiled countryside is well worth the effort. The miniature chapel that marks Marley’s burial place is painted in red, green and gold Rasta colors and has a stained-glass window depicting the Lion of Judah. Nearby, you can visit the house Marley grew up in. 48 mi/77 km northwest of Kingston.

Ocho Rios

Ocho Rios offers the island’s best shopping, varied nightlife and fairly good (though often crowded) beaches. It sits on the edge of the jungle in a sheltered bay with a mountainous backdrop - truly lovely. Ocho Rios is Jamaica’s most-visited cruise-ship port, while many noncruisers frequent the all-inclusive resorts in the area. Our only regret is that, as Ocho Rios continues to develop, it is losing the charm that made it so popular in the first place.

Port Antonio

Once a banana port, Port Antonio became a tourist destination in the 1940s, after actor Errol Flynn bought Navy Island, just offshore, and began hosting parties that were attended by Hollywood celebrities. The most easterly of the north coast resort areas, Port Antonio has a sleepier feel than Montego Bay and Ocho Rios but has all the prerequisites for a vacation spot: beaches, golf, deep-sea fishing and a lovely mountain setting. Its laid-back atmosphere will likely please those who are put off by the commercialization of some of the north coast’s other hotspots.

Port Maria

A small town on the north coast, about 20 mi/32 km east of Ocho Rios, Port Maria is best known as the site of Firefly, the estate where Noel Coward lived prior to his death in 1973. At 1,000 ft/300 m above the coastline, Firefly offers a stunning view of Port Maria Bay and the town. Firefly was renovated in the 1990s to evoke the heyday of the great playwright, who is buried in a corner of the garden, precisely where he enjoyed his evening brandy. His books, piano and other personal effects are on display. You may want to pay a visit to Port Maria itself to get a look at its Anglican church and court house, both constructed in the 1800s.

Just southeast of Port Maria is Brimmer Hall Estate, a working plantation that includes a colonial-era Great House built in the 1700s. A tractor-drawn jitney tour of the 700-acre/280-hectare property covers the cultivation and harvesting of coconuts, bananas, coffee, sugarcane, cocoa and pimento. A good restaurant serves Jamaican dishes, and there are shops and a swimming pool for cooling off. 45 mi/70 km north of Kingston.

Runaway Bay

Another of the resort areas lining the north coast, Runaway Bay is home to lots of hotels. The primary travel attraction is Runaway Caves and Green Grotto. Miles of passages in these caves are said to have served as hideouts for pirates, runaway slaves and the Spanish colonists who were being pursued by the English after the British invasion of the island. The caverns have extraordinary stalactites and stalagmites. At the eerie Green Grotto, you can take a boat trip across a deep underground pool. 66 mi/106 km northwest of Kingston.

Spanish Town

If you’re staying in Kingston, set aside a couple of hours to see nearby Spanish Town (pop. 42,000). The town is well past its glory days - it was Jamaica’s capital from 1534 to 1872. See the Georgian-facade buildings (especially around the town square) and the Cathedral Church of St. James, which is said to be the oldest in the British-speaking West Indies (it dates to 1714). The Jamaican People’s Museum of Craft and Technology includes a mock slave village. 15 mi/25 km west of Kingston.

St. Ann’s Bay

Located on the north coast, St. Ann’s Bay makes a convenient stop for those traveling between Montego Bay and Ocho Rios. Its town square is the focal point of a visit. See the mid-1800s church, then visit the statues of two historical figures linked to St. Ann’s Bay. The statue of Marcus Garvey is in front of the library. It commemorates the Jamaican national hero who championed a “back to Africa” movement for blacks in the U.S. He was born near St. Ann’s Bay in 1887. Christopher Columbus has a statue on the square as well. According to one theory, Columbus first came ashore in Jamaica at St. Ann’s Bay in 1494. Others believe he made landfall at Discovery Bay, farther west.

One of the best equestrian facilities in the Caribbean, Chukka Cove Farm, is located near St. Ann’s Bay. One-hour trail rides, two-hour mountain rides and three-hour beach rides are offered. 57 mi/91 km northwest of Kingston.

Activities in Jamaica

Land Activities

Golf

Jamaicans have always taken golf seriously. Inspired, quite likely, by their rich British heritage, accommodating weather and truly spectacular terrain. It’s all here, right now, awaiting your arrival. Whether novice or experienced, from amateur to pro, Jamaica has the world-class courses that make for a great golf destination:

Horseback Riding

Tour exotic forest trails or ride the wind along Jamaica’s magnificent coastline on excellent mounts, available at a number of outstanding resort area stables and equestrian centers in Montego Bay, Ocho Rios and Negril.

Safari Tours

Hop into a Range Rover sporting zebra stripes for a ride into the wilds above Ocho Rios. Swim in secluded ponds with hummingbirds and bougainvillea as your only companions, explore Jamaica’s history with visit to the ruins of an 18th-Century plantation destroyed in the famous slave rebellions, then cruise down a bubbling stream in an inner-tube.

Water Activities

Scuba Diving

Divers in Jamaica enjoy balmy year round weather and warm, clear waters averaging 78 to 85 degrees all year. Visibility is usually excellent, averaging 100 feet. You’ll find dive sites close at hand and professional operators, making the island a preferred dive destination. With the establishment of marine parks in Montego Bay, Port Antonio and Negril, sea life populations are flourishing.

Rafting

Visit Jamaica and you can board a 30-foot bamboo raft for a thrilling, hour-long voyage down a picturesque river. Just be sure to hold on tight when you’re navigating the rapids!

Flights to Jamaica

Jamaica’s national airline is Air Jamaica (JM). British Airways operates four flights a week non-stop from London to Kingston. Other airlines serving Jamaica include American Airlines, Air Canada, ALM, BWIA, Trans World Airlines and Northwest Airlines.

Approximate flight times

From Kingston or Montego Bay to London is 10 hours (direct flight), to Los Angeles is 5 hours 30 minutes and to New York is 3 hours 45 minutes.

Our Airline Partners Serving Jamaica

US Airways

Delta Airlines

Air Jamaica

American Airlines

Visa Information for Jamaica

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS:

U.S. citizens traveling as tourists may enter Jamaica with a U.S. passport or a certified U.S. birth certificate and current, government issued photo identification. Persons traveling with U.S. passports tend to encounter fewer difficulties upon departure than those who choose to use other documents. Visitors must have a return ticket and be able to show sufficient funds for their visit. U.S. citizens traveling to Jamaica for work or extended stays are required to have a current U.S. passport and visa issued by the Jamaican Embassy or a Jamaican Consulate. Travelers must pay a departure tax when leaving the country.

For further information, travelers may contact the Embassy of Jamaica at 1520 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20036, telephone (202) 452-0660; the Jamaican Consulate in Miami or New York; honorary consuls in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Seattle or Los Angeles; or via the Internet at http://www.congenjamaica-ny.org.

In an effort to prevent international child abduction, many governments have initiated procedures at entry/exit points. These often include requiring documentary evidence of relationship and permission for the child’s travel from the parent(s) or legal guardian if not present. Having such documentation on hand, even if not required, may facilitate entry/departure.

SAFETY AND SECURITY:

Gang violence and shootings occur regularly in inner-city areas of Kingston. Some inner-city neighborhoods are occasionally subject to curfews and police searches. Impromptu demonstrations sometimes occur, during which demonstrators often construct roadblocks or otherwise block the streets. These events usually do not affect tourist areas, but travelers to Kingston should check with local authorities or the U.S. Embassy for current information prior to their trip.

CUSTOMS REGULATIONS:

The Department of State warns U.S. citizens against taking any type of firearm or ammunition into Jamaica without authorization from the Ministry of National Security. Entering Jamaica with a firearm or even a single round of ammunition is serious crime that can result in a long prison sentence. Fresh fruits, vegetables and uncooked meats are not permitted to be brought in or out of the country and may be confiscated by customs officials. Pets may not be brought into Jamaica, except for dogs from the United Kingdom that have not been vaccinated for rabies and only after six months quarantine. It is advisable to contact the Embassy of Jamaica in Washington or one of the Jamaican consulates in the United States for specific information regarding customs requirements.

Diving in Dominican

Dominican Republic Diving
Diving Highlights: The growing popularity of scuba diving means that many vacationers are certified divers looking for good diving spots, and many novices are curious to learn what is going on underneath the sea. While the Dominican Republic is a great place to begin diving, it is also a haven for serious divers. The country’s undersea world has excellent reef diving, good visibility, warm waters, wrecks, caverns and marine life offering a wealth of diving experiences around the island. Travelers mostly head to Sosúa for diving. It is an excellent area for taking classes and satisfying Open Water Certification course requirements. Sosúa also has great advanced dives, too, especially in the waters near the international airport, ten minutes away by boat. The main diving spots there are Las Palmitas, the Airport Wall, Five Rocks, with plenty of coral, and La Pirámide, a series of interconnecting tunnels. The best months for diving in the north are April to September when the water is at its calmest and visibility is at its best.