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