Renowned as the birthplace of Bob Marley, reggae remains at the island's musical heart. Rice-and-peas, rum, coffee and cricket are its soul. Excellent tourist facilities and attractions range from leafy parks to handsome colonial towns and neon-lit nightlife. Negril and Montego Bay are Jamaica's two main coastal resorts, attracting tourists with exquisite sands, lively clubs, fine restaurants and world-class golf. Laid-back Negril boasts 7 miles of beach, while sizzling Montego Bay boasts the reputation as party-town.
Venture a short distance along the coast to discover 'the real Jamaica', amidst street markets of ackee, yam and breadfruit and vendors hawking kulu kulu rum. Explore the sleepy fishing villages of Treasure Beach, Port Antonio and Oracabessa which offer a glimpse of Jamaica's quieter side. Music is inherent to Jamaica, be it roots, rock or reggae and in Kingston, the island's spirited capital, grand Georgian plazas and elegant mansions are serenaded by soca rhythms and the pulsating buzz of the city. You’ll soon be seduced by the rhythm of life on this famous paradise island.
Where to go in Jamaica:
Ocho Rios is known as the 'garden parish' because of its lush tropical flora, exotic fauna, magnificent waterfalls, winding rivers and beautiful beaches. Movie buffs know that 'Goldeneye', the luxurious former estate of James Bond author Ian Fleming, is just a few miles east of town. It's been converted into a high-end resort.
Things to see:
-The rivers and waterfalls in and around Ocho Rios make for lovely kayaking, hiking and exploring trips. Though often crowded, Dunn's River Falls' 183m (600ft) waterfall is a must-see. You can swim near the pounding falls, and if you dare, hike up the slippery rocks. A quieter alternative are the nearby YS Falls. Horseback rides are offered along the beach or through the historic, 600-acre Annandale Plantation, a place the Queen Mother once visited. Non-cowboys can tee off 213m (700ft) above sea level at Sandals Golf & Country Club (on Main Street) or bike ride through the Blue Mountains. A drive through Fern Gully (on Route A3) a natural canopy of vegetation, lets you glimpse at hundreds of different fern species.
-Swim with dolphins at Dolphin Cove (adjacent to Dunn's River Falls), or float lazily on river rafts on the nearby White River or Black River. For a little more adventure, kids can tube, bungee jump or bounce on a water trampoline at the small beach near Island Village (at Turtle River Road and Main Street). The most memorable and educational experience might be the Jamaica Tourist Board's 'Meet the People' programme, which lets you visit a local school or spend a day with Jamaican families. Arrangements must be made in advance. Many of the all-inclusive resorts are child-friendly, with kid clubs, activities and swimming pools. At the Franklyn D Resort & Spa (on Runaway Bay) each family is even assigned a 'vacation nanny' on arrival.
-Just west of Ocho Rios is Prospect Plantation (Highway A1), a place full of history and interesting flora, some of which Winston Churchill planted himself. Tours, given on open-air tractors, offer spectacular views of the White River gorge. Just a few kilometres outside town is Shaw Park Gardens (Park Ridge Road) (www.shawparkgardens.com), a lovely botanical park. A day-trip to Kingston, the country's gritty capital, will give you a taste of the real Jamaica. While there, check out the Bob Marley Museum (56 Hope Road), a pilgrimage destination for reggae music fans.
-Hire a deep sea fishing boat and try to hook a blue marlin, the area's prime catch. Spend the day river rafting or cruising through the Jamaican rainforests on all-terrain vehicles, stopping to zip on ropes from treetop to treetop. Sooth your sore muscles at the clifftop KiYara Ocean Spa at the Jamaica Inn, Main Street, (www.jamaicainn.com), known for its top-quality treatments using native plants. The resort's gourmet restaurant offers a six-course dinner under the stars, with live music, but formal attire is required.
Negril
Laid-back Negril is known as Jamaica's 'capital of casual.' It is less developed than the island's other resort towns, although it is still filled with hotels, restaurants and shops ranging from low-end to fancy and all-inclusive hotels. It's best known for its beautiful Seven Mile Beach, frequently ranked among the best beaches in the world.
Things to visit:
-The famous Seven Mile Beach (approximately 11km/7 miles) has aqua blue water, white sand, scenic cliffs, little bays, many friendly vendors and open-air restaurants and ranks as one of the top shorelines. Big all-inclusive resorts are on the north end, with smaller, family-run hotels on the south end. Besides lounging in the sun with a cold drink, there are dozens of different water activities available, including scuba diving, fishing and tubing. West End Road, just south of Negril, is the area's best place to snorkel, dive, and if you dare, cliff jump off 12m (40ft) bluffs.
-Travelling into Negril's hidden nooks or up into the lush mountains is a pleasurable change-of-pace from the beach. The rushing waterfalls and mineral springs at Mayfield Falls are fun, and a sunset cruise is a must. It can be combined with a late-afternoon snorkelling trip or a stop at a private beach. For the best view of the island, climb to the top of the century-old Lighthouse at West End Road.
-Let the boys go fishing while girls get their hair braided with beads along the beach. Most restaurants are kid-friendly, and the beaches offer a wide range of watersports suitable for all ages. Explore caves at Roaring River, a natural area just outside Negril, or for equestrian lovers, Rhodes Hall offers two-hour horseback rides through banana and coconut groves, high into the hills and along the beach, with stops for crocodile watching.
-The Negril Yacht Club (Westmoreland) offers day trips to relaxing Little Bay, or the Bob Marley Museum in Kingston. Think up your own itinerary and they'll do a custom tour for you. If you're a fan of the movie How Stella Got Her Groove Back, you can go past the luxurious house featured in the film, which is just outside Negril, in Hanover.
-Crowds gather to watch the beautiful sunset each night at Rick's Café, the cliffside bar that's famous for its Planter's Punch (a combination of rum and fruit juice) and the clear view of cliff divers at West End Road. In the evenings, the bar has some of the island's best live band performances. During the day, splurge on a private helicopter ride to Port Antonio and Navy Island, where you can have a gourmet picnic on a secluded beach and see the 1930s home of Hollywood star Errol Flynn. The high-end Couples Swept Away Negril contains one of the best sports complexes in the Caribbean.
Montego Bay
One of the most stable countries in the Caribbean, Mo Bay,' as its nicknamed, is the most popular tourist spot in Jamaica. Despite its reputation for crime, tourists flock here for its beautiful beaches, top-rate golf courses, and bustling town near the main airport.
See & do:
-Low mountains and the sparkling clear aqua sea make the bustling Doctor's Cave Beach the nicest place to relax in the sand with a cold drink or check out open-air restaurants, stores and watersports. The water is calmer at Walter Fletcher Beach, where there are watersports ranging from water trampolines to jet-skis. Scuba divers seek out the wall in Airport Reef, in the Montego Bay Marine Park, known for its coral caves, tunnels and steep canyons.
-Montego Bay has several championship-level golf courses, including Ironshore SuperClubs (Breezes), Tryall (North Coast Highway, Sandy Bay) called 'one of the meanest golf courses in the world,' and the White Witch (Ritz-Carlton). Blue Mountain Bicycle Tours (121 Main Street, Ocho Rios) offer exercise, spectacular scenery and ends with a swim in a waterfall. The island's sole casino, Coral Cliff, is located on the hip strip. Ever hour, in the Half Moon Shopping Village (Half Moon Resort, North Coast Highway, 11km/7 miles east of Montego Bay), a video documentary on reggae pioneer Bob Marley is shown. For a little spook, visit Rose Hall (North Coast Highway), the plantation that was once home to the voodoo-using murderess Annie Palmer.
-Anyone age eight and up can swim with bottlenose dolphins at Dolphins Cove, or let the animals pull them along for a ride. More carnival-styled fun is at Aquasol Theme Park, at Walter Fletcher Beach, and for a little culture lesson, the Jamaican Tourist Board has a free program called 'Meet the People,' in which you can spend a day with a Jamaican family, school or gardener. Arrangements must be made in advance.
-Just west of Montego Bay is Lucea, a coastal town with a 17th-century fort. Just east of there is Falmouth, a town filled with old churches and interesting architecture. At night, take a boat ride through its Luminous Lagoon and see glow-in-the-dark fish. If you're a fan of Jamaica's jerk spice, you can tour the King Pepper factory that produces much of the jerk seasonings.
-Massages at KiYara Spa at the Jamaica Inn (Main Street, Ocho Rios, St Ann) are in thatched-roof huts with views of the sea. Guests of The Ritz Carlton Golf & Spa Resort (Ritz-Carlton Road, Rose Hall, St James), can call upon their own bath butler, who will let them choose from a 'bath menu' and then draw their bath in a beautiful marble tub. Arrangements can also be made for romantic nights, like a violinist on a private moonlit catamaran ride.
Where to find Jamaican women
Women in Jamaica are very attractive. Everywhere you go you can see stunning ladies. Whether its all about climate or the sound of reggae in the air. Best places to meet ladies in Jamaica is of course in reggae clubs or dancehalls. There is lots of events and festival taking part all over Jamaica during the year. Another good place to meet beautiful women in Jamaica is beaches. Don't be shy, women in Jamaica love man of action.
Major cities in Jamaica: Kingston - Montego Bay - Spanish Town - Ocho Rios - Mandeville - Clarendon Park - Negril - St Anns Bay - Savanna-la-Mar - Black River - Port Antonio - Saint Thomas - Falmouth - Oracabessa - Lucea - Nain - Port Morant - Port Royal - Port Esquivel - Bowden - Rocky Point - Salt River - Alligator Pond - Port Rhoades - Rio Bueno - Port Kaiser
