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