Our Jamaica 2011 by Social Caddie

Our

JAMAICA

2011

OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE JAMAICA HOTEL & TOURIST ASSOCIATION

Shoppes at Rose Hall – Montego Bay – 876.953.2242 Island Village – Ocho Rios – 876.675.8774 Time Square – Negril – 876.957.9530

MINISTER'S LETTER

Welcome It is my distinct pleasure to welcome you our valued visitors to our beautiful shores. I am especially delighted that you have chosen to visit our island paradise, Jamaica, which you will be happy to know has been growing by leaps and bounds as it etches its place among the top 10 destinations in the world. As practitioners of the best hospitality, we always strive to find unique ways to make you feel extremely special. Whether you choose to relax on one of our many pristine white-sand beaches, partake in the splendor of our all-inclusive havens or hide away in the lush surroundings of a hilltop retreat — you are guaranteed to have a fantastic time in Jamaica. With over 150 attractions — the most to be found anywhere in the Caribbean — a diverse and unique array of accommodations and the most vibrant and friendly people anywhere in the world, your time spent here will surely be unforgettable. The infectious reggae beats, vibrant culture, tantalizing cuisine and fantastic shopping facilities will certainly add to the excitement of your trip. All this is the result of the commitment of my team and I, as well as our dynamic hoteliers, attraction and transportation operators, and other key tourism stakeholders to continuously strive to give you the best value for your money. This we seek to do through constant improvements and additions to our magnificent tourism product. This, as we remain mindful that there are many other destinations you can choose to visit. We remain motivated by the growing number of people like yourself who visit our shores every year, and the many international accolades we have won — due largely to your positive feedback. We feel encouraged that we are on the right track to creating the best destination in the world for your enjoyment. Continue to make Jamaica your home away from home, and for those who may still be in doubt, tell them that, “Once you go, you know!” One Love!

Hon. Edmund C. Bartlett M.P. Minister of Tourism

JHTA LETTER

Welcome The Jamaica Hotel & Tourist Association, indeed, all Jamaica, extends a warm welcome to visitors to our beautiful island. While international tourism has weathered many challenges, you continue to keep us busy. For those of us who spend more time at hotels than at home, there is a definite sense that the industry is recovering and better times are ahead. While growth has been static in many destinations, Jamaica has had the good fortune to see growth in visitor arrivals. In addition, there has been an expansion of product offerings including hotels, attractions and allied services. Our optimism is shared by the many people who provide the services we use — airlines, ground transportation providers and others — all of whom have been working steadily to improve their own products and services in Jamaica. Together, we have fine-tuned “Our Jamaica” to deliver the most amazing experience of your life. Our cuisine, culture and hospitality, unmatched anywhere in the world, complement six resort areas that vary in style and tempo. We are certain that as you make your way around Jamaica or explore a specific city or town, you will make some amazing finds, and we are more than happy to share them with you. Our Jamaica welcomes you and offers a sampling of this amazing destination. Enjoy!

Wayne Cummings President, JHTA

Contributor s 1

1. Cheryl Blackerby Cheryl Blackerby is a journalist based in Florida whose stories have appeared in The Miami Herald, The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, the Toronto Globe and Mail, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and other newspapers. She has written and photographed for travel books, including Fodor's Bahamas 2011, Destination Jamaica, Destination Belize, and was editor of Montego Bay Guide, Negril Guide and Kingston Guide. While travel editor at The Palm Beach Post, assignments included stories in Africa, the Middle East, Europe and Asia. Among the awards she has received is the 2006 Marcia VickeryWallace Award for excellence in travel journalism, presented by the Jamaica Tourist Board. 2. Jeff Borg Jeff Borg never went anywhere until 1997. Then he was assigned to design and write a series of South American travel guides. Suddenly, he had to go everywhere, meet everyone and photograph everything — England, China, Thailand, Spain, Scotland, Japan, Germany, Holland, Australia and all around the United States — wherever he could find a cheap flight. By 2003, travel publishing became a full-time job for him, and he has since created destination guides for Jamaica, Belize, Riviera Maya, Curaçao, Miami and Bermuda.

3. Patricia Borns Patricia Borns writes regularly about culture, food, travel and yachting for The Boston Globe, as well as other U.S. dailies and national and international magazines. She also consults for publicists, executives and local governments seeking thought leadership in their fields. Her work has received awards in genres from fiction to video documentary, and her expertise includes land use and historic preservation, the American South where she was born, and Colonial history. Patricia keeps an old Mitsubishi on Barbados, and considers being called "a true Caribbean" her greatest compliment. She is a member of American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA), Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and Boating Writers International (BWI). 4. Melanie Reffes Melanie Reffes is a travel journalist based in Montreal, Canada; however, she is often in sunnier climes. She is the Caribbean editor for the travel trade publication JaxFax, and her Caribbean reports have been published in The Miami Herald and Canadian Traveller, among other outlets. She co-wrote the 2011 AOL Travel Guide to Kingston and authored both the Sherman's Travel Guide to Jamaica and the Northstar Jamaica guide for travel agents. Melanie is the humble recipient of several Caribbean Tourism Organization writer awards and was the Jamaica Tourist Board Writer of the Year in 2009. When she's not racing through airports to catch flights to the Caribbean, you'll find her in her backyard garden growing the hottest scotch bonnet peppers this side of Montego Bay. 5. Mark Rogers Mark’s travel assignments have taken him to 51 countries. He’s well-known in travel trade circles for his coverage of the Caribbean, Hawaii, Mexico, the South Pacific and Asia, as well as California, where he is based. In 2005, Mark won back-to-back awards for his writing: the CTO Worldwide Travel Writer/Photographer Award for Best Feature Article in a Trade Publication, for his cover story on St. Lucia in Travel Agent magazine; and the Marcia Vickery-Wallace Award for excellence in travel journalism, presented by the Jamaica Tourist Board for his Hurricane Ivan coverage.

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A Subsidiary of The McClatchy Company One Herald Plaza, Miami, Florida 33132 Tel: 305-376-5250; Fax: 305-995-8108 OurJamaicaMagazine.com Publisher Garry Duell Jr. Chief Operations Director Giovanna Sanchez EDITORIAL AND DESIGN Director of Editorial and Design Vanessa Molina Santamaria Senior Editor Ken Rivadeneira Art Director Alfredo Añez Photography J. Kevin Foltz Managing Editor Rosa Calderon Associate Editors Jenny Horta, Becky Katz, Jorge Oliver Senior Graphic Designer Taryn Wolf Graphic Designers Edwin Cruz, Jessica Becerra-Ortiz, Carlos Martin Contributing Designer Sarah Rusin PRODUCTION AND DISTRIbUTION Production Manager Luisa Zelaya-Morillo Ad Services and Distribution Manager Melinda de Armas Tel: 305-376-2537 E-mail: MdeArmas@hcpaboard.com ADVERTISING SALES Sales Administration Manager Michelle Hernandez Sales Representatives Port Antonio: Nicholas Lynch Tel: 876-282-3211 E-mail: experiencejamaica@gmail.com Negril: Daryl Bernstein Tel: 305-798-8933 E-mail: darylbern@aol.com Ocho Rios, Montego bay: Ned Wong Tel: 876-990-8528 E-mail: nedricklloyd@yahoo.com MARKETING Online Services Susan Boley ACCOUNTING Director of Finance Thomas Bardon Accounting Supervisor Cecilia Roca Administrative Manager / Publisher's Assistant Jeanie Schoonmaker Our Jamaica is a publication of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA). 2 Ardenne Road, Kingston 10, Jamaica 876-920-3482, 926-3635 - 6 / 2796, Fax: 876-929-1054 info@jhta.org Copyright ©2010 by HCP/Aboard Publishing All rights reserved. Reproduction by permission only. Cover photo ©Angelo Cavalli

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Once you go, you

know.

Call 1-800-JAMAICA or

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Whatâ€™s Inside

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Map of Jamaica Welcome to Jamaica Steeped in History From pirates to sugarcane to independence

Explore the Island Six regions, each with a unique flavor

Sample Itinerary Kingston Port Antonio Ocho Rios Montego Bay

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Negril South Coast Art and Soul A wide range of artists capture the spirit of the island

144

Beach Bummin’

150

Say “I Do” in Jamaica

156 162

Take a tour of Jamaica’s many picturesque shores

Couples can choose from a variety of unforgettable options

172

Calendar of Events

Body and Soul Revival

174

Useful Information

180

JHTA Members

Indulge in treatments full of island-grown ingredients

Championship Playground A rich sports heritage awaits visitors

Find out what events are happening now

Transportation, tipping, taxes and much more

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MAP

RoseHall

MONTEGO BAY

Duncans DiscoveryBay

Lucea Sandy Reading Bay Lethe Johns Hall Green Island Montpelier Copse

B16

Negril

Sheffield

B11

BrownsTown

Shettlewood B6

Saint Leonardâ€™s

Runaway Bay

Falmouth

Catadupa C O C K P I T C O U N T R Y

SAVANNABluefields LA-MAR

Appleton

CaveValley

Whitehouse

Black River

Spaldings Middle Quarters

Santa Cruz

Mandeville

Treasure Beach

Alligator Pond

B12

Saint Annâ€™s Bay

Llandovery

Prospect

Higgin Town

OCHO Oracabessa Port Maria RIOS A3 A1

Annotto Bay

Moneague

Buff Bay

Bog Walk

SPANISH TOWN SpringVillage

MAY PEN

Hope Bay

Newcastle A1

Port Royal

Port Antonio

BostonBay LongBay

B L U E M O U N T A I N S

KINGSTON A4

Golden Grove Morant Bay

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Map courtesy of Jeff Borg

Lionel Town

WELCOME TO

JAMAICA

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HISTORY

Steeped in History FOR CENTURIES, people from all walks of life have

sought refuge in Jamaica. This prevailing theme follows the island of Jamaica throughout its postColumbian history, and that characteristic remains to this day as millions of tourists flock to the nation’s plentiful resorts and hotels to find a blissful escape from their everyday lives. Jamaica welcomes visitors from the four corners of the globe with not only pristine beaches and world-class vacations, but also with the rich historical sites that offer a glimpse into a magnificent past. BY KEN RIVADENEIRA

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HISTORY

Under the English, Jamaica prospered thanks in part to a proclamation that gave land to every British free citizen who settled on the island.

Before the Europeans arrived in the Americas, the Taino tribe inhabited Jamaica. These were the peaceful natives who greeted Christopher Columbus when he set foot on the island on May 5, 1594, during his second voyage to the New World. They called the island “Xaymaca” in their Arawak language, meaning “Land of Wood and Water.” Although Columbus claimed the island in the name of Spain, it would be more than 16 years before the Spanish returned and settled in what is now St. Ann’s Bay. The settlement of New Seville floundered for a number of years, but eventually it was abandoned in favor of another town in the southern portion of the island, Villa de la Vega. In 1655, the English, led by William Penn (of Pennsylvania fame) and Robert Venables, conquered Jamaica and renamed the city Spanish Town. The Spanish were unsuccessful in their attempts to gain back control of the island; in a final attempt, they released their slaves in hopes of using them as a force to challenge the English. Though these freed slaves, known as Maroons, retreated into the mountains to create their own communities, they continued to resist the English and any attempts at colonization, occasionally raiding plantations. The Maroons’ adaptability to the island’s harsh, impenetrable interior offered them refuge from the slave system and allowed their recondite communities to prosper.

Under the English, Jamaica prospered thanks in part to a proclamation that gave land to every British free citizen who settled on the island. This incentive led to an influx of settlers. Jamaica’s centric position in the Caribbean Sea also made it a popular stomping ground for privateers, who ransacked passing Spanish merchant ships and galleons headed to their colonies on the mainland. The town of Port Royal, near Spanish Town, quickly became one of the most prosperous — and “wickedest” — places in the New World, as it harbored many pirates such as Henry Morgan, John Davis and Edward Mansveldt, who brought riches and trade. The city’s reputation as a haven for criminals and prostitutes led to comparisons with Sodom. In 1692, the town ironically met an end of Biblical proportions when a devastating earthquake sank much of it. Because of Port Royal’s shallow foundations on sandy ground, the city was literally swallowed by the earth, and the ensuing tsunami dragged it into the sea. Those who did not perish in those events then succumbed to disease resulting from the decomposing corpses that remained. Today, reminders of this earthquake can still be seen in places such as the famous Giddy House, which remains perpetually half-eaten by the earth, and much of the town lies wellpreserved underwater.

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HISTORY

With the death of piracy as an acceptable revenue stream, Jamaica turned to sugarcane.

After the destruction of Port Royal, the capital of Jamaica moved back to Spanish Town and later Kingston, as earthquake survivors sought to resettle. The fate of Port Royal effectively brought an end to Jamaica’s favorable relationship with piracy, as many saw it as a divine punishment, and succeeding governors adopted a more intolerant stance. In the 18th century, several infamous pirates were actually imprisoned or executed here, including the well-known Calico Jack Rackham, Charles Vane, Anne Bonny and Mary Read. With the death of piracy as an acceptable revenue stream, Jamaica turned to sugarcane production. The fertile savannas and valleys provided an excellent environment for sugarcane plantations. This, in turn, led to a hike in the trade of slaves from West Africa, as a labor force was needed for the cultivation of crops. At its peak, Jamaica produced 22 percent of the world’s supply of sugarcane. However, the particularly cruel slave system on the island led to many slave uprisings. In addition, runaway slaves sought help from

Maroons, who aided in the rebellions against the British planters. More than a century of skirmishes and two Maroon wars, in addition to the anti-slavery movement in Europe, led to the abolition slavery on Jamaica in 1834. An ineffective apprenticeship system was created, but it, too, ended just a few years later, and full emancipation was enacted in 1838. The end of the slave system, naturally, caused a decline in sugarcane production. Other crops were introduced to diversify the economy of the island, and labor was imported from China and India. Society in Jamaica also took on a transformation, as social classes that once had no political clout began to rise, leading to social reforms. By the mid-20th century, Jamaica was well on its way toward claiming independence from the British crown, which it finally received in August 6, 1962. Since then, the country has grown commercially and politically into one of the leading nations in the Caribbean region. And with a well-established tourism infrastructure, it continues to be one of the world’s leading destinations for fun, sun and relaxation. A true refuge.

A Rich Heritage Jamaica’s multicultural history is best summarized

National Heroes Park. Once the center of horseracing

in the national motto: “Out of many, one people.”

in Jamaica, this park is the largest open space in

Bringing together Amerindian, Spanish, British, West

Kingston, and has always been one of Jamaica’s

African, Chinese and Indian inﬂuences, among many

most honored places to congregate. In 1973, it was

others to a lesser degree, Jamaica is a welcoming

renamed National Heroes Park. Several Jamaican

cultural melting pot. To preserve its history, the Jamaica

leaders are interred here, such as Norman Manley, a

National Heritage Trust maintains and promotes sites

prominent statesman, and Alexander Bustamante, the

deemed of great historical and cultural signiﬁcance.

ﬁrst prime minister following independence.

For a historical tour of Jamaica, make sure to visit some of the following sites.

Spanish Town. A visit to the historic Spanish Town square takes tourists back 300 years to the height of

Devon House. Located in the heart of Kingston,

the British military presence on the island. Around the

this 19th-century estate belonged to George

square you will ﬁnd a number of historical buildings,

Stiebel, Jamaica’s ﬁrst black millionaire. Today it is

such as the Old House of Assembly, the Old Barracks

an example of Jamaican Georgian architecture,

Building and the Cathedral of St. James, the oldest

and houses a complex of shops and restaurants,

Anglican cathedral in the British Caribbean.

including Chef Norma Shirley famous establishment, Norma’s on the Terrace.

Rose Hall. East of Montego Bay is one of Jamaica’s most visited sites, the Jamaican Georgian-style

Fort Charles. To relive the days of Port Royal, tour

mansion of the legendary Annie Palmer. Known as

the ramparts of this fort, the ﬁrst one in the area,

the White Witch of Rose Hall, Annie Palmer is said to

established in the late 1650s. The fort houses a

have murdered at least three of her husbands and

museum where you can learn the history of the

numerous slaves in her mansion. The fanciful tales of

region, while just outside the fort is the former

blood and voodoo amid a stunning atmosphere make

Royal Navy Station.

this plantation great house a must-see.

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EXPLORE THE ISLAND

©Ian Dagnall/Alamy

Explore the Island THE SIX MAIN REGIONS of the island

— Kingston, Port Antonio, Ocho Rios, Montego Bay, Negril and the South Coast — offer riveting, relaxing and romantic options for every traveler.

OurJamaicaMagazine.com

ITINERARY

Chukka Caribbean Adventures

There's so much to see in Jamaica! WHETHER YOU’RE HERE ON A SHORT VISIT or an extended stay,

don’t miss out on all the offerings that this island has in store for you. Here’s an idea of how you can explore our island.

Half Moon

Three-day Itinerary from Kingston Day 1. Visit the museums including the National Gallery and stroll through the lovely Hope Garden. Explore the fishing village of Port Royal including Fort Charles, and follow up with a seafood lunch at Gloria’s or Morgan’s Harbour Hotel, which offers a fantastic view of Kingston’s harbor. Spend at least some of the afternoon visiting historic Devon House, where you can shop and get ice cream. Don’t miss Kingston’s duty-free stores. Day 2. Leave early for a spectacular drive through the Blue Mountains to Port Antonio. Take a raft trip on the Rio Grande, stroll through scenic Port Antonio, and have lunch at Norma’s at the Marina — or jerk chicken grilled over fire pits at beautiful Frenchman’s Cove Beach. Stay the night in one of the area’s charming inns. Day 3. Take a quick hike on a lush mountain trail, or take a boat ride to the Blue Hole for a refreshing swim and snorkeling. Stop by Boston Jerk Centre for lunch before driving back to Kingston. Keep your camera ready for photo opportunities as the views are heavenly. Five-day Itinerary from Montego Bay Day 1. Explore the Hip Strip of downtown and relax at Doctors Cave Beach. Save time for a round of golf — there are five famous courses here. Have dinner at one of the town’s excellent restaurants. Day 2. Drive to historic Falmouth for a walking tour of the town. Take a raft trip on the Martha Brae River, and end the day nearby with an evening boat ride at Glistening Waters — that’s where you’ll see a rare light show of phosphorescent microbes, which glow when the water is disturbed. Day 3. Save your energy for the exhilarating climb up Dunn’s River Falls in Ocho Rios. Ride a bobsled down a mountain at Mystic Mountain. Visit Noel Coward’s home, Firefly. Ride a horse at Prospect Plantation; take a catamaran sunset cruise; and have dinner at one of Ocho Rios’ fine restaurants before driving back to Montego Bay. Day 4. Take a full-day excursion to Negril to swim at the 7-mile-long beach, with a late-afternoon stop at Rick’s Café to see the cliff jumpers. You can jump in, too, but a safer option might be a dive into a seafood platter. Day 5. Shop at Montego Bay’s many duty-free stores, go to a beach or play golf. Relax! It’s your vacation.

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KINGSTON

Kingston THE MODERN METROPOLIS of almost 1 million peo-

ple dramatically positioned between soaring green mountains and the seventh-largest natural harbor in the world is one of the Caribbean’s most fascinating cities. Jamaica’s lively capital — the largest Englishspeaking city in the Americas south of the United States — is the center of government, commerce and culture. Car horns and street-corner sound systems blasting reggae offer a soundtrack that puts some bounce in your step, and aromatic street-side barbecues cooking jerk chicken and pork add to the sensory overload. BY CHERYL BLACKERBY

OurJamaicaMagazine.com

KINGSTON

Visitors will ﬁnd plenty to do: shopping at duty-free stores and art galleries; stopping by the Bob Marley Museum; and even exploring the old pirate haven of Port Royal.

Kingston is a city like none other. Record and movie deals are made at the sophisticated cafés and clubs, and the city's calendar is full of some of the biggest events in the Caribbean: Bacchanal Carnival, wine and seafood festivals, Caribbean Fashionweek, orchid shows and much more. Visitors will find plenty to do: shopping at duty-free stores and art galleries; stopping by the Bob Marley Museum; exploring the old pirate haven of Port Royal; taking coffee tours to the mist-shrouded Blue Mountains; going on day-trips to lovely Lime Cay and historic Spanish Town; and relaxing in lush gardens and formal English-inspired parks. You can lie on a beach or by a pool at a boutique inn, or just watch the cargo ships, yachts and fishing boats that arrive around the clock in the busy harbor — the largest in the Caribbean.

Take time to explore 300 years of history at forts, museums, churches and historic buildings. Then enjoy a lunch of spicy jerk chicken and a couple of bottles of Ting, Jamaica’s grapefruit soda. Everything is “irie,” as they say in Jamaica — a perfect day.

SIGHTSEEING The Parade. The colonial name for the city’s main square comes from the days when the town center was used as parade grounds of the Colonial Militia and for public hangings and floggings, and featured a daily procession of the city’s fashionable movers and shakers. Here you’ll see the recently restored Ward Theatre, the country’s largest and best-known arts theater; the historic Coke Methodist Church on the east side of the square; and crowded

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KINGSTON

Coronation Market, the largest market on the island, where vendors offer everything from spicy Jamaican meat patties to bunches of refreshing guineps (grape-sized fruit), handmade baskets, music CDs and beachwear. On the south side of the Parade is the Kingston Parish Church, where graves date to 1699. Old-timers say they were “born under the clock,” meaning within earshot of the church bell.

Jamaican artists on display, as well as traveling exhibitions. Guided tours are available, as well as lectures, discussions and children’s art programs. The African Caribbean Institute of Jamaica, which offers artifacts, audiovisual displays, cultural events and dance performances, is also in the gallery complex. Check out the gift shop and relax in the coffee shop. (922-1561; 12 Ocean Blvd.)

National Gallery of Jamaica. Art lovers should plan to spend at least a half day at this excellent art museum, the island’s oldest and largest public art gallery. A walk through the gallery is a journey through the history of Jamaican art, particularly from the 1920s to the present with the works of Carl Abrahams, Cecil Baugh, John Dunkley, Edna Manley, Mallica “Kapo” Reynolds, Barrington Watson and other world-famous

Institute of Jamaica. Jamaica’s oldest museum, built in 1879, houses The National Library of Jamaica, which has Jamaican newspapers, books, maps and photographs going back 200 years; The Natural History Museum; a herbarium; and a science library with more than 10,000 publications including a collection of 18th-century science journals. (922-0620; south end of East Street)

The Bob Marley Museum tour offers an intimate look into Marley's life, including displays of his personal belongings, like his favorite denim shirt that he wore at concerts.

Bob Marley Museum. The most visited site in Kingston is reggae superstar Bob Marley’s former house and studio, with a life-sized statue of the singer playing his guitar in the courtyard. If you’re a reggae fan, plan to spend 90 minutes on a fascinating tour, then have lunch on the shaded porch of the Legend Café and Juice Bar, and shop for CDs and posters in the gift shop. Marley moved into the two-story clapboard house in 1976, following the phenomenal international success of his albums Burnin’ and Catch a Fire. The museum tour offers an intimate look at Marley’s life, including displays of his personal belongings, like his favorite denim shirt that he wore at concerts, his

Jamaica House

Kingston

Kings House

star-shaped guitar still propped by his bed, and his gold and platinum records. You will see the room where he was shot during an assassination attempt. The tour ends with a film about Marley, shown in a theater that used to be his recording studio, Tuff Gong Recording Studios, which has moved to 220 Marcus Garvey Drive. The studio, headed by Bob’s son Ziggy Marley, continues to produce hit records. You may be allowed to tour the facility if no one is recording. The studio also has a nice music gift shop. (927-9152; 56 Hope Road) Hope Botanical Gardens and Zoo. The official name of this sprawling formal garden is The Royal Botanical Gardens, but

NORTH

P 1

Tinson Pen Airport

Caymanas Park

University of the West Indies

Emancipation Park

Hope Botanical Gardens

Bob Marley Museum

Devon House

National Heroes Park

HUNTS B AY

KINGSTON HARBOUR

Royal Jamaica Yacht Club

7 PORT R OYA L

8 A

Norman Manley International Airport

Fort Charles

8 E

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KINGSTON

it’s most often called Hope Gardens since it was established by the government on the Hope Estate in 1873. The largest garden in the West Indies, it covers 200 green acres. Take a picnic lunch and sit on a bench in the shade to best enjoy the peaceful paths and sweeping lawns. Or you can have lunch in the garden’s charming vegetarian restaurant. There are gardens within the garden, among them a cacti garden; the bougainvillea walk with explosions of red, burgundy and pink; sunken gardens; lily ponds; an aviary; and orchid greenhouses. Look for the blue mahoe, the national tree of Jamaica. The tree’s flowers open in primrose color in the morning and change to orange and deep red as the day advances. Most of the plants and trees, particularly the mango and spice species, originally came from a captured French ship on its way from Mauritius to Hispaniola in 1782. A small zoo is home to monkeys and tropical birds. (876-927-1257; Old Hope Road) Devon House Heritage Site. Not only do visitors get a glimpse of the city’s genteel past at this house built in 1881; they can also have lunch or dinner in one of two restaurants including one on the veranda of the house, and can browse at a dozen shops located in the estate’s former stables and carriage house. Owned by the government of Jamaica, the mansion was built at the corner of Trafalgar Road and Hope Road by Jamaica’s first black millionaire, George Stiebel. The gracious home is furnished with 17th-, 18th- and 19th-century Jamaican, Caribbean, English and French antiques, like a magnificent Chippendale dining room table. Dining ranges from sophisticated fare to English pub food. Boutiques offer crafts, art, bath oils, spices and local fashion. Stop by the ice cream shop or bakery and find a bench in the shade, then OurJamaicaMagazine.com

KINGSTON

stroll the estate’s beautiful 11-acre grounds and gardens. (876-929-6602; Trafalgar and Hope Road) Castleton Botanical Gardens. The first plants, 400 specimens, were brought from England’s Kew Gardens in 1862. This lovely garden 16 miles north of Kingston beside the Wag Water River features more than 1,000 species, among them the descendants of 180 species of palms planted in 1897. Visitors will see huge ferns, poinciana, Bombay mango, navel orange, velvet apple, teak, calabash, cannonball trees, ebony and cocoa. (No phone; 16 miles north of Half Way Tree on A3) Coffee Tours. Since 1737, coffee has been grown at elevations between 2,000 and 3,500 feet on the steep, misty slopes of the Blue Mountains. The beans make

one of the most flavorful and famous coffees in the world: Blue Mountain Coffee. One of the country’s most popular tours is the trip along spectacular, twisting mountain roads 10 miles north of Kingston to the small town of Mavis Bank and the Mavis Bank Coffee Factory, Jamaica’s largest Blue Mountain coffee facility. The factory processes about 1.4 million pounds of beans from more than 6,000 farmers each year. The ripe red beans are handpicked, then “floated” by farmers to separate underdeveloped beans and taken to collection stations where they’re floated again. At the factory, the beans are washed to remove the mucilage, a sugary substance on the outer layer, leaving a creamy brown bean. Next, the beans are dried, “rested” for at least 10 weeks, hulled and polished. They’re then loaded into barrels and taken

KINGSTON

Since1737, coffee has been grown at high elevations on the steep, misty slopes of the Blue Mountains. The beans make one of the most ﬂavorful and famous coffees in the world.

to the Jamaica Coffee Industry Board, where officials will inspect and label the beans as 100 percent Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee. You can buy the “black gold” at the factory and at gift shops around the country, but look for the label that says 100 percent Blue Mountain Coffee. (876-9778528; Mavis Bank) Spanish Town. One of the oldest continuously occupied places in the Western Hemisphere and the capital of Jamaica from 1662 to 1872, Spanish Town (10 miles west of Kingston) dates back to 1534 when the ruling Spanish called the town Villa de la Vega (city on the plains). The English captured it and renamed it St. Jago de la Vega. Today, it’s the island’s third largest town and definitely worth a day-trip from Kingston. Start your exploration at the town square. On the west side are the ruins of the Old King’s House, the residence of Jamaica’s British governors until 1872. Visitors to the once-elegant Georgian house, built of stones dug from the Hope River, included Capt. Bligh, Lord Horatio Nelson, Adm. George Rodney and Simon Bolivar. The declaration of the abolition of slavery in the British West Indies was read from the steps of its portico. On the east side of the square is the stately two-story, red-brick House of Assembly, now the offices of the St. Catherine Parish Council. The building was the official meeting place of the legislature for most of the 18th and 19th centuries. On the north side of the square is the grand Rodney Memorial, built in honor of Rodney, who saved the island from a French invasion in 1782. The Jamaica Archives houses the country’s greatest collection of historic papers, including documents signed by King Louis XIV and George Washington. The archives are behind the statue. The 18th- and 19th-century buildings and Georgian townhouses surrounding the square

stand as testaments to the town’s illustrious past. Three blocks from the square is the St. Jago de la Vega Cathedral, a grand mix of Romanesque and Gothic architecture, which is the oldest Anglican cathedral in the Commonwealth (outside the U.K.). Originally built in 1520, it was rebuilt in 1714. The Arawak Museum and Village. Officially known as the Taino Museum and located in White Marl three miles from Spanish Town, this is one of the most important Arawak sites in the Caribbean. The small museum, built in the shape of a Taino hut, displays pottery, wood carvings, jewelry, amulets, and eating and cooking utensils. Excavations of burial grounds on the hill have revealed skeletons that range from 700 to 1,000 years old. A replica Arawak village is on the hill behind the museum. Port Royal. You would never believe the quiet fishing village at the tip of a narrow peninsula that protects one side of Kingston Harbour was once one of the richest towns in the world. Headquarters for such infamous pirates as Sir Henry Morgan, Calico Jack and Blackbeard Teach, Port Royal was a pirates’ haven in the 17th century, and called the “wickedest city on earth” because of the brothels, saloons and wicked ways of many of the inhabitants. In 1692, about two-thirds of the city was swallowed by the sea in an earthquake. The surrounding waters are rich with artifacts, many of which are stored in the 18th-century, two-story British Naval Hospital with plans underway to showcase the finds in a marine museum. After the earthquake, the town was the hub of the British fleet for 200 years. The impressive hospital building is closed to visitors, but you should plan to visit Fort Charles, built in 1660 by the British and the only one of six forts that still stood after the earthquake. Don’t miss the Maritime Museum in the

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KINGSTON

©Steffan Hill/Alamy

courtyard. Adm. Horatio Nelson stayed at the fort and his rooms are replicated along with the Quarterdeck, a platform where he watched for enemy ships. The Giddy House, an artillery store built next to the fort in 1888, is named for the woozy feeling visitors get when they try to walk the slanted floor, caused by another earthquake in 1907. Take a walk around the village and stop by St. Peters Church, built in 1725, and the Naval Cemetery, where sailors from past centuries lie in a seaside graveyard. Henry Morgan’s grave was here, but was claimed by the sea in the earthquake. Outdoor restaurants near the beach where colorful fishing boats pull up with daily

catches offer lobster, shrimp, snapper and grouper. The largest marina in Kingston is on the peninsula near Port Royal at Morgan’s Harbour Hotel and Marina. The popular waterfront restaurant and bar is especially lively on weekends. Boats run from the marina on 15-minute trips to Lime Cay, which has one of the most beautiful beaches in Jamaica. Norman Manley International Airport is also on the peninsula, so Port Royal makes an excellent choice for lunch or dinner and a quick tour for those who have a long layover.

SHOPPING Fashionistas will find Kingston to be a sophisticated shopping haven with

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KINGSTON

Getting Around Kingston The best transportation for visitors is a taxi. For side

JUTA drivers are certiﬁed by the Jamaica Tourist Board and

trips to Spanish Town or to other cities on the island,

are qualiﬁed to give island sightseeing tours. Fares for an all-

there are modern air-conditioned buses where you

day taxi tour can range from US$100 to $180 for up to four

can sit back and enjoy the scenery. Ofﬁcially licensed

people depending on distance. Adventurous travelers who

taxis and buses are run by JUTA, the Jamaican Union of

want to get a glimpse of the real Jamaica can take inexpen-

Travelers Association (876-926-1537). You can call a

sive public buses, minibuses and “route taxis” (shared taxis that

JUTA taxi or ﬂag one down on the street. Their license

drive designated routes). Fares are about US$1 for every 50

plates are red and display “PP” or “PPV,” which stand for

miles by bus; $1.50 to $2.50 for the minibuses. Buses in Kingston

Public Passenger Vehicle. Fares average US$20 for every

depart from the downtown terminal at Beckford and Pechon

10 miles. Fares are per car not passenger, and they

streets and a few leave from Half Way Tree Junction. Public

should be negotiated before you get in. Most taxis are

bus fares from Kingston to Montego Bay (about ﬁve hours)

not metered, but metered fares should be posted in the

are approximately US$8; Kingston to Ocho Rios (about three

taxi. The fare from Norman Manley International Airport to

hours), $4; Kingston to Port Antonio (about three hours), $4.

downtown hotels is about US$25. Fares are 25 percent

The Knutsford Express (876-971-1822) is a new luxury

higher between midnight and 5 a.m. A JUTA taxi from

bus service that provides transportation between Kingston,

downtown to Port Royal is about US$35 one way, and

Ocho Rios, Montego Bay and Negril. The one-way rate from

$15 for a taxi from the airport to Port Royal.

Kingston to Montego Bay is approximately US$35.

Giovanni Powell

Fashion in the Tropics The region’s largest and most exciting fashion extravaganza — Caribbean Fashionweek — is celebrating its 10th year as a premier showcase for Caribbean and international designers and supermodels. Founded in 2001 and produced by Pulse Investments Ltd., Caribbean Fashionweek is recognized worldwide and has attracted international media like Vogue (U.K.), Fashion TV Paris, the Associated Press, Black Entertainment Television (BET TV), Women’s Entertainment (We TV), The New York Times and the BBC. The 2010 event, held at the National Indoor Sports Centre in Kingston, featured nightly shows, business forums and parties with live music. Celebrities attending the shows have included actress Nia Long, singer Kelly Rowland, rapper Eve, actress Vanessa Williams and music producer Lee Scratch Perry. R&B crooner Johnny Gill and Katia Cadet performed in concerts. Models walked the runways wearing fashions by some of Jamaica’s internationally known designers including Debra Hill of Locstafari, Earl Turner of Biggy Womenswear, Ashley Martin of Attitude, Rhonda Tracey of China Doll, Brigid and Jason Lawson of Mushroom Swimwear, Keneea Linton, and Shaun Grifﬁth of Raang, plus designers from Haiti, Trinidad, Dominican Republic, the U.S., Europe and Africa. Pulse Investments Ltd., an entertainment company with more than 30 years in the business of fashion, music and entertainment, started Caribbean Fashionweek to celebrate and promote the region’s talented fashion designers, models and fashion industry workers, and to boost their visibility on the international stage. Its prominence and success has brought the region’s fashion industries together and has been the catalyst for fashion industry development in the Caribbean.

duty-free stores on Dominica Drive, the Sovereign Center and Treasure House Plaza on Hope Road, and plazas along Constant Spring Road offering plenty of bling at 20 to 30 percent lower prices than the U.S. and Europe. New Kingston Shopping Centre on Dominica Drive has a nice range of stores and merchandise. Stores offer designer watches such as Rolex and Omega, jewelry with dazzling diamonds and a variety of gems, crystal, china, perfumes, liquor and electronics. You will want to buy Jamaican rum, coffee, spices and art and crafts at stores across the country, including those at the historic Devon House. If you love Jamaican music don’t miss the record stores on Orange Street in downtown Kingston. Intrepid shoppers who want inexpensive crafts and merchandise in an exuberantly Jamaican atmosphere can head to the Jubilee Market on the west end of the Parade and the Coronation Market. You would be wise to go with a guide or with a group, and keep an eye on your belongings. For a more relaxed shopping experience, visit the Crafts Market by the docks, where dozens of stalls in an old iron building offer batiks, straw hats and other crafts.

DINING Kingston is the premier dining destination in the country with world-class restaurants offering international fare such as sushi, Indian curries, Chinese delicacies, and British bangers and mash. You can choose gourmet dining on the terrace of a historic great house, lobster at a waterfront café or steak at a downtown bistro. Traditional Jamaican foods are plentiful at high-end restaurants as well as outdoor barbecues. Enjoy spicy jerk chicken and pork flavored with fiery scotch bonnet peppers; peas and rice; hot escovitch fish; festival dumplings; cassava bammies; fresh fish OurJamaicaMagazine.com

KINGSTON

Top Ten Restaurants KINGSTON Norma’s on the Terrace Jamaican / International cuisine In Devon House 26 Hope Road; 968-5488 Redbones the Blues Café Jamaican 21 Braemar Ave.; 978-6091

like snapper, wahoo and grouper; delicious rock lobster; and curried goat — all washed down with Red Stripe beer or a cold cocktail made with Jamaican rum. Jamaica’s versions of fast food are tasty patties, which are pastry-wrapped spicy vegetables and meat. Visitors should try jerk pork or chicken, cooked in pits or in half steel drums with a pan of soaked pimento wood in the coals to give a smoky flavor to the slow-cooked meat. You also can’t miss the traditional Jamaican breakfast of saltfish and ackee, a fruit with yellow flesh that looks and tastes like scrambled eggs when cooked with saltfish and onions. Many dishes are enhanced with Pickapeppa Sauce, made at Shooter’s Hill near Mandeville since 1921. It’s a blend of tomatoes, onions, sugar, cane vinegar, mangoes, raisins, tamarind, peppers and spices that makes most any meat or vegetable taste even better.

RESTAURANT / SPORTS BAR COMPLEX Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt will open a highly anticipated sports-themed restaurant/ bar complex, Tracks and Records, in late 2010. The stadium design will include a mez-

zanine, multiple bars and lounges and a retail shop carrying Bolt’s signature products. Built next to the popular Fiction lounge at Market Place on Constant Spring Road, the complex launched by the Fastest Man Alive — an Olympic gold medal winner and world-record holder — is expected to become an instant landmark on Kingston’s entertainment landscape. At the launch party early this year, Bolt said, “This is something big, something new, something different.” The US$1 million venture is backed by Kingston Live Entertainment, which also owns Fiction. The complex’s architect, Zuar Jarrett, describes the design as “modern, sophisticated, high energy, explosive and fun.” There are plans to make Usain Bolt's Tracks and Records a global franchise, including one in London built in time for the 2012 Olympics. Bolt’s immense popularity — he’s among the top five most popular athletes in the world — is expected to give the venture global recognition. Bolt is a one-man public relations force for Jamaica and is the new face of the Jamaica Tourist Board ad campaign. “Usain Bolt’s Tracks and Records will boast the best of brand Jamaica in sports, music, art, culture, beverage and food,” says Tina Matalon of Kingston Live Enter-

The Columbus Restaurant Italian Jamaica Pegasus Hotel 81 Knutsford Blvd.; 926-3690 Palm Court International The Kingston Hilton 77 Knutsford Blvd.; 926-5430 Jade Garden Chinese 106 Hope Road; 978-3476 Alexander’s Jamaican / International Courtleigh Hotel 85 Knutsford Blvd.; 968-6339 Akbar Indian 11 Holborn Road; 926-3480 Cocoro Restaurant Japanese Mayfair Hotel 40 West Kings House Close; 926-1610 Gloria’s Seafood 15 Foreshore Road, Port Royal; 967-8220 Strawberry Hill Jamaican / International Irish Town, Blue Mountains above Kingston; 944-8400

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Sam Diephuis

tainment. “Using arguably the most recognizable figure in sports today as a vehicle to create a global brand, Tracks and Records will bring to the world a product that is contemporary, sophisticated and exciting.”

NIGHTLIFE As you might expect with a city this big and one so famous for its music, in Kingston the nightlife is bountiful. Live entertainment is presented at big outdoor venues such as Mas Camp, an outdoor arena on Oxford Road in New Kingston; Backyaad on Constant Spring Road; Jam World, which has hosted international performers such as Sting; and the Ranny Williams Cultural Centre, an arena on Hope Road that can seat 2,000 people. Check the

city’s calendar of events for more information. You never know when a star such as Shaggy might be playing a concert on the grounds of the Jamaica House. Numerous upscale nightclubs have overflow crowds downtown on Knutsford Boulevard, where patrons dress like they’re going to the Grammys. Others flock to dance bars on Dominica Drive and Constant Spring Road. Many upscale restaurants turn into nightclubs that usually start up around midnight. For more cerebral nighttime entertainment check out the Ward Theatre at North Parade, and the Little Theatre and National Dance Theatre Company, which share space on Tom Redcam Avenue.

Chef Norma Shirley Norma Shirley is Jamaica’s most revered chef and the

tempting and tasty in photos. Her ﬁrst restaurant opened

name behind some of the country’s greatest restaurants:

in 1976 in Stockbridge, Mass., where she introduced New

Norma’s on the Terrace at Devon House in Kingston; Nor-

Englanders to Jamaican food.

ma’s on the Beach in Negril; and Norma’s at the Marina in

She returned to live in Jamaica in the '80s, which was

Port Antonio. She is also the menu and kitchen consultant

the start of her remarkable legacy as Jamaica’s premier

for the newly reopened Grogg Shoppe at Devon House.

chef. She has been featured in many food and lifestyle

And there is another restaurant planned at Altamont West,

magazines including Bon Appétit, Vogue and Caribbean

a boutique inn in Montego Bay.

Travel + Life. Food & Wine magazine called her “the Julia

The former nurse discovered her passion for cooking

Child of the Caribbean” and she has appeared on many

after she married her American husband, a connoisseur of

TV food shows.

ﬁne foods. The avid traveler discovered cuisines around

At least part of her success is due to her choice

the world, having lived in Scotland, England, Switzerland,

of gorgeous Jamaican settings to make memorable

Sweden and the United States. Her international cooking

dinners. Norma’s on the Terrace overlooks the court-

experience and her love of Jamaican spices, fresh veg-

yard of one of Jamaica’s most historic houses — Devon

etables, fruits and seafood — thyme, ﬁery scotch bonnet

House. Norma’s on the Beach has front-row seats for

peppers, red peas, lobster, conch, and rum — resulted in

sunsets on Negril’s 7-mile-long beach. And Norma’s at

innovative and distinctive menus at her restaurants.

the Marina has sweeping views of Port Antonio’s lovely

Early in her career as a chef she also was a food stylist

harbor and Navy Island, once owned by ﬂamboyant

for European and American magazines, making dishes look

actor Errol Flynn.

THE PLACE TO STAY

S PA N I S H CO U R T H OT E L

876.926.0000 1 St. Lucia Avenue, Kingston 5, Jamaica www.spanishcourthotel.com

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KINGSTON

JHTA Hotel / Resort Members

Avis Rent-A-Car

Jamaica Air Shuttle Limited

1 Merrick Ave., Kingston 10, Jamaica, W.I.

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876-924-8248-9 / 800-744-0006; Fax:

service built on a 40-year track record

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876-929-4998; md@avis.com.jm; Mgr. Dir.:

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Christar Villas Limited

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(953-9530), Sangster International

Air Shuttle currently serves domestic pas-

876-978-3933 / 7864 / 8066-71

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sengers traveling between Kingston and

nica Droive, New Kingston (926-4788).

Montego Bay, as well as international

The Courtleigh Hotel & Suites

Exclusive dealers for Breitling, Hublot and

passengers who want to take advan-

85 Knutsford Blvd.

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Cayman Brac, Santiago de Cuba and

876-929-9000

Kenneth Cole watches. Designer jewelry

Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Golden Shore Resort Limited

from Pandora, Roberto Coin and Judith Ripka. Diamond, tanzanite, emerald, ruby,

Spanish Court Hotel

Lot 288b Windward Drive

and sapphire jewelry. Lladro porcelain,

This fashionable new boutique hotel

Lyssons, St. Thomas

Swarovski and Waterford crystal. Duty-

in New Kingston has 109 stylish rooms

876-982-9657 / 734-0923 / 4

and tax-free prices.

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Gore Villas

Bob Marley Museum

docks, a 24-hour business center,

22 Trafalgar Road, Suite 11 & 15

56 Hope Road, Kingston. 927-9152.

workout facilities and complimentary

Kingston 5

Take an hour-long guided tour of the

breakfast. The hotel is perfect for busi-

876-978-1520 / 2

home of the late reggae superstar

ness travelers and culture-seekers who

composer and singer. Memorabilia

want luxurious surroundings.

Hotel Four Seasons 18 Ruthven Road

documents his work. Includes theater, garden, exhibit hall, shop and restaurant.

Swiss Stores Ltd.

Kingston 10

Mon.-Sat., 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. US$20 adult,

Time-honored tradition of excellence

876-926-0682 / 8805

$10 children ages 4-12.

and dedication since 1935. Exquisite selection of European and interna-

Jamaica Pegasus Hotel

Budget Rent-A-Car / Int’l Rental

tional jewelery as well as a collection

81 Knutsford Blvd.

53 South Camp Road, Kingston 4,

of handcrafted jewelery from its own

Kingston 5

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workshops in Kingston. Exclusive Rolex

876-926-3690/9 / 926-3100/8

759-1826; budget@jamweb.net; bud-

and Omega dealer for 75 years. Swiss

getjamaica.com; CEO: Richard Stewart;

Stores Ltd. is also the exclusive agent

Kircamp Properties / The Gardens

Gen. Mgr.: Diana Stewart.

for Tudor, Victorinox Swiss Army, Alfex,

23 Liguanea Ave.

Thomas Sabo, Tirisi, IsabelleFa, Rochet

Kingston 10

Island Car Rentals

and Caran d’Ache. Official agent for

876-927-8275

Kingston & Montego Bay, Jamaica W.I.

Citizen, Tissot, Hamilton and Calvin

Reservations Centre: 876-929-5875; Fax

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Knutsford Court Hotel

876-929-6987; islandcarrentals.com.

Kingston, Ocho Rios and Montego

16 Chelsea Ave.

Dir. Operations & Reservations: Dulcie

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Liguanea Club 80 Knutsford Blvd. Kingston 5 876-926-8144 Mayfair Hotel 4 West Kings House Close Kingston 10 876-926-1610 / 2 Medallion Hall Hotel 53 Hope Road Kingston 6 876-927-5721 / 5866 Morganâ€™s Harbour Hotel Port Royal Kingston 1 876-967-8040 Shirley Retreat Hotel 7 Maeven Ave. Kingston 10 876-927-9208 / 946-2679-81 Spanish Court Hotel 1 St. Lucia Ave. Kingston 5 876-926-0000 Strawberry Hill Hotel & Spa Liguanea Kingston 6 876-944-8400 Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel 17 Waterloo Road Kingston 10 876-926-2211 Wyndham Kingston, Jamaica 77 Knutsford Blvd. Kingston 5 876-926-5430 / 7

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PORT ANTONIO

Port Antonio PORTLAND PARISH IS AN UNDER-THE-RADAR kind of

tropical paradise generally known by the wealthy cognoscenti and adventurers. Isolated on the northeast corner of the country, Portland is largely bypassed by those tourists who are looking for big all-inclusive resorts and party boats. No one comes to Portland and its largest town, Port Antonio, by accident. If you donâ€™t arrive by yacht, youâ€™ll need to drive the twisting mountain roads from Kingston over the Blue Mountains on a hang-on-to-your-seat, jaw-dropping, three-hour ride. It may be the most spectacularly beautiful drive of your life. BY CHERYL BLACKERBY

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PORT ANTONIO

The parish has a lot of magnificent natural beauty and a little bit of rock ’n’ roll with Rolling Stone Keith Richards, Gwen Stefani, India.Arie, Common and Lily Allen recording and staying at Geejam Studio and its villas near San San Bay. Celebrities come to enjoy beaches off the paparazzi track. Film star Sharon Stone celebrated her 50th birthday here. Denzel Washington stayed in a seaside villa while filming The Mighty Quinn, shot entirely in Port Antonio. Luciano Pavarotti famously stood on his balcony and burst into song at Trident Castle, a fanciful villa with storybook towers and turrets. He was surely inspired by the scenery. When Errol Flynn, a swashbuckling actor and playboy, was literally blown into Port Antonio on his disabled yacht by a hurricane in 1946, he declared, “Port Antonio is more beautiful than any woman I have ever seen.”

The parish, sprawled along the foothills of the John Crow Mountains and the misty, mysterious Blue Mountains, is a land of rugged rainforests, tumbling waterfalls and secluded white-sand coves. Portland gets more rain than the rest of the island, which makes the area spectacularly verdant and lush. You can hike muddy mountain trails through orchids and ferns, raft down the swift Rio Grande, and explore the Georgian and Victorian buildings of Port Antonio, or “Portie,” as it is fondly known. Wedged between the mountains and lovely twin harbors, Port Antonio is a bustling coastal town and home to the world-class Errol Flynn Marina, which attracts yachts and small cruise ships. If you are dreaming of eco-inns surrounded by jungle, picturesque seaside cottages or glamorous villas at the water’s edge, this is the place. You can dine in gourmet restau-

2009 Getty Images

rants or eat jerk chicken and pork at a picnic table by the beach where locals are sure jerk was invented. You can cool off in the cold Blue Hole of Blue Lagoon, or ride a bike down the winding roads of a 5,000-foot peak. Non-touristy Port Antonio was, ironically, the first tourist destination in Jamaica. The busy capital of the parish has been a prosperous commercial center since 1870, when Boston Capt. Lorenzo Baker stopped in Jamaica for bamboo and rum and impulsively bought a load of bananas at 25 cents a bunch. In the United States, the bananas sold for $2.50 a bunch, and Baker’s Boston Fruit Co. (later United Fruit Co.) was born. Twenty steamships, waiting to load bananas, were often docked in Port Antonio’s harbor. The banana boats became accidental cruise ships when they started carrying tourists from the United States. Baker built the magnificent 400-room Titchfield Hotel in Port Antonio in 1905 to accommodate the new visitors. The banana industry declined in the 1930s, but tourism was revived by another boat’s arrival — Errol Flynn’s yacht. “Never had I seen a land so beautiful,” Flynn wrote in his autobiography, My Wicked, Wicked Ways. “Here I would come and here I would stay.” Flynn promptly bought the 64-acre Navy Island, where he docked his yacht, across the harbor from Port Antonio and the Titchfield Hotel. Soon, celebrities were arriving by the boatload — Clara Bow, J.P. Morgan, Bette Davis, Ginger Rogers and Richard Burton. It was Flynn’s idea to raft down the Rio Grande on the 30-foot bamboo rafts used to transport bananas from the mountains to the harbor. On one memorable moonlit evening, a tuxedo-clad Truman Capote and socialite Babe Paley, dressed in flowing chiffon, took a raft trip and tipped over into three feet of rushing water. It was all great fun. Movies were filmed here, which brought more film stars: Clara’s Heart with Whoopi Goldberg, Shattered Image with Billy Baldwin, and Cocktail starring Tom Cruise. But Portland Parish remains a quiet escape, and you can still find a beautiful, sandy cove to call your own. You won’t be running into crowds of tourists unless it’s July and the Portland Jerk Festival is being held at Folly Estate. That festival attracts about

Celebrity Playground You never know whom you will see at the next dinner table in Jamaica. Celebrities, heads of state and European royals often slip in under the paparazzi radar for vacations at luxury hotels and villas throughout the island. New resorts such as Geejam in the lovely seaside town of Port Antonio, where actor and playboy Errol Flynn brought famous friends, are attracting a new generation of stars such as Gwen Stefani, Bjork and India.Arie who record in the resort’s studio. English actress Emma Thompson brings her family to Round Hill Hotel and Villas in Montego Bay, and actress Emma Watson also takes friends to the resort. Actor Ewan McGregor and his family are regulars, and Sir Paul McCartney and his children have been frequent visitors at Round Hill for many years, often spending Christmas there. They are following in the footsteps of luminaries from the 1940s and ’50s such as Cole Porter, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, who often played Round Hill bar’s piano. John Gielgud recited Shakespeare on the beach. The stories are legend. Fashion designer Ralph Lauren and Robert Pittman, former president of America Online, each bought two villas at Round Hill. Lauren designed the public spaces and the guestrooms of the elegant inn. Half Moon Resort also has an illustrious guest list including Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles, Winston Churchill, and Princess Margaret. More recent guests include Paul Simon, Patti LaBelle, David Bowie and his wife, Iman, and Kenny Rogers. At the villa resort of GoldenEye, former home of Ian Fleming who wrote a dozen of his James Bond books here, guests plant trees with a donation going to the Oracabessa Foundation. Pierce Brosnan planted a mango tree, Harrison Ford a lime tree, and former President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton planted royal palms. At nearby Blue Harbour, once the home of Noel Coward before he moved to Fireﬂy, guests can sleep in the same modest cottages once occupied by Katharine Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, James Mason, Laurence Olivier, and Alec Guinness. But famous or not, everyone comes to Jamaica for the same reasons: glorious blue water, white-sand beaches, soaring green mountains, and welcoming people who, truth be told, are not really impressed by fame. OurJamaicaMagazine.com

PORT ANTONIO

You can hike muddy mountain trails through orchids and ferns, raft down the swift Rio Grande, and explore the Georgian and Victorian buildings of Port Antonio, or “Portie,” as it is fondly known.

15,000 jerk lovers. Also, expect many fishermen and fishing boats in town for the Port Antonio International Marlin Tournament, usually held in October. If you don’t like to fish, you will love the entertainment and parties.

SIGHTSEEING Port Antonio Walking Tour. One of the best things to do in Port Antonio is to take a stroll downtown and around the two harbors. Start at Market Square at the center of town and check out the variety of fruits, straw work and local fashion at Musgrave Market on West Street. Continue walking east and you will see the Victorian Clock Tower facing the two-story red-brick Courthouse, a Georgian building with ornate iron verandas. Also across from the Courthouse is the Port Mall, formerly called the Village of St. George, a two-story shopping complex with a variety of small shops. Across the street is the entrance to the Errol Flynn Marina. Built in 2006, the beautiful marina stretches alongside the southern side E

of the West Harbour and houses the Cruise Ship Pier, the Marine Police, Coast Guard stations and the customs office. A wooden promenade runs along the beach, and you can walk the manicured grounds, look at the yachts, eat at an upscale beachside restaurant and go for a swim at the white-sand beach. You can also hire a water taxi for the short ride to Navy Island, and explore the beaches and trails. The island was used by the British Navy in the 1700s to repair its ships, and is today owned by the Port Authority. From the marina entrance, turn left on Fort George Street and walk up the hill of Titchfield Peninsula, which separates Port Antonio’s twin harbors. The grand Titchfield Hotel was here, but burned down in the 1960s. You still can see some of the Victorian buildings including DeMontevin Hotel, built at the turn of the 20th century. At the tip of the peninsula, you will see Fort George, constructed in 1729, and Titchfield High School, founded in 1785. School buildings were constructed within the ruins of the fort. Head back to town and K

P WOODS ISLAND

Folly Point Lighthouse NAV Y I S LAN D

WEST HARBOUR

2 Folly Estate

3 Titchfield School (Fort George)

DeMontevin Lodge

Marina

EAST HARBOUR

Market Parish Church

7 Port Antonio

8 N O R TAH

8 E

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PORT ANTONIO

you will find the Methodist Church, built 175 years ago by Dutch naval officers, and the red-brick Portland Parish Church, built between 1837 and 1840. The Portland Library is the best place to get information about the area, particularly since the town’s tourist office closed. The library staff is extremely helpful. If it is a cool day, you can continue onward along the harbor, past the cricket oval to the ruins of Folly Estate, a 60-room mansion built in 1901 by American millionaire Alfred Mitchell. Near the Folly Estate is the red-and-white-striped Folly Point Lighthouse, which has beamed light over the shoreline of the East Harbour since 1885.

Hallowed Grounds The Blue Mountains have the perfect alchemy of climate, soil and altitude to produce one of the smoothest, most flavorful coffees, and the most expensive in the world since demand far exceeds supply. Blue Mountain Coffee is exclusively made from the Arabica bean, originally from Yemen, which is more fragile to grow but is naturally sweeter and has less caffeine than the robusta bean grown in South America. Author Ian Fleming, who lived in Jamaica, loved Jamaican coffee. His literary hero, James Bond, declared in Live and Let Die, “Blue Mountain Coffee, the most delicious in the world.” The coffee industry in Jamaica had a serendipitous start in 1723 when French King Louis XV sent three coffee plants to Martinique. Two of the plants died on the ship and the third ended up in Jamaica and was planted by Gov. Sir Nicholas Lawes at Temple Hall, St. Andrew. Coffee planting spread to the Blue Mountains and by 1814 there were 600 coffee plantations. Coffee production was greatly reduced after the abolition of slavery and by 1850 there were 186 plantations. The coffee industry got a huge boost in 1944 when the Jamaican government established a Central Coffee Clearing House, where all coffee for export had to be processed and graded. The Coffee Industry Board was created in 1953, and a rigid grading system was put in place. In 1973, the government decreed that only coffee grown in a specific region of the mountain range — only about 9,000 acres between Kingston and Port Antonio above the minimum height of 2,000 feet — and processed by four estates (Mavis Bank, Silver Hill, Moy Hall and Government Station at Wallenford) could be certified as 100 percent Blue Mountain Coffee. Other coffee would be graded as Blended Blue Mountain Coffee (minimum 20 percent Blue Mountain), High Mountain Blend or Low-Land coffee.

Waterfalls. The many dramatic waterfalls of Portland Parish attract adventure travelers who hike high in the mountains to see some of the more remote falls, where you can swim in jade pools surrounded by rainforests. Several ecotour companies in downtown Port Antonio and hotels can arrange hikes to waterfalls. Reach Falls (also spelled Reich), near Manchioneal east of Port Antonio, is the most exciting, with the Drivers River tumbling down limestone terraces in a series of falls and refreshing pools. Start at the bottom, and you could easily spend all day climbing and swimming. The rocks are slippery so climb carefully or hire a guide to show you the best way. It’s about a US$50 taxi fare round trip, which is worth it considering the two-mile steep walk from Manchioneal. Admission is US$10. The Daniels River cascades over Somerset Falls, about eight miles west of Port Antonio near Hope Bay, through a gorge of lush ferns, lilies and heliconias. You can take a boat across a grotto to the Hidden Fall (included in the admission fee). There’s a restaurant and jerk pit. Admission is US$7. Other waterfalls include Scatter Falls in the Rio Grande Valley, Nanny Falls near Moore Town, White River Falls in the Upper Rio Grande Valley, Fishdone Waterfalls near Buff Bay, and Kwaaman and Tacky Waterfalls near Robin’s Bay.

The tallest point in Jamaica is the 7,402-foot Blue Mountain Peak — more than 2,000 feet taller than the mile-high city of Denver, Colo.

Rio Grande Valley. This wide river valley between the Blue Mountains and John Crow Mountains is one of the most stunningly beautiful on the island and the best way to see it is on 30-foot-long bamboo rafts guided by sure-footed captains. The rafts shoot over the shallow rapids, then glide peacefully by the rainforest. The raft trips take one to three hours depending on water levels, usually from Grant’s Level to Rafter’s Rest at St. Margaret’s Bay. During full moons, you can take evening raft trips. During the day, take a hat, sunscreen and plenty to drink — you can buy refreshments at Grant’s Level. Rafting trips are about US$60 per raft, twice that for evening trips. Area tour companies offer quick and easy hikes, challenging hikes and overnight camping hikes, mountain biking tours and horseback riding tours. There are no poisonous snakes on the island so you can hike the trails with abandon, watching for the quick mongoose and sea birds.

Blue Lagoon. Known locally as the Blue Hole, the 180-foot deep cobalt-blue lagoon is fed by a cold spring that rushes up through the warm seawater. This gorgeous cove ringed by lush green hills has been a popular setting for movies. Boat captains are usually available to take you snorkeling, or to Cocktail Beach, where parts of Tom Cruise’s movie Cocktail were filmed. Scenes from the film Club Paradise were also shot at Blue Lagoon. Blue Mountains. The tallest point in Jamaica is the 7,402-foot Blue Mountain Peak — more than 2,000 feet taller than the mile-high city of Denver, Colo. Adventurous visitors bypass the beautiful beaches and head straight to the incredible Blue Mountains, enveloped in a blue haze and topped with drifting clouds. Many hikers take the seven-mile trail, a four-hour trek that winds to the top — some go at night with flashlights so they can see the sun OurJamaicaMagazine.com

PORT ANTONIO

The Port Antonio region, and particularly the beach community of Boston, claims to be the birthplace of jerk. Today, the seasonings vary with each cook, who keep the recipes secret.

come up over the island. From this bird’seye vantage point on a clear day you can see Kingston, Port Antonio and perhaps Cuba 90 miles away. The popular hike starts at Whitfield Hall coffee estate, about six miles north of the village of Mavis Bank. But there are many trails in the Blue Mountains, and the huge Blue Mountain-John Crow Mountain National Park, ranging from short trails to overnight camping. The views are gorgeous, and you will walk past coffee fields and through lush tropical foliage. Hiking trips should be taken with guides and tour companies. Contact the local tourism office for more information. Try to avoid the rainy months — May, June, September and October. Bring a jacket or sweater for cool nights at high elevations. The easiest way to see the Blue Mountains is the drive from Kingston to Port Antonio. Shopping. Musgrave Market next to the town square has the best variety of merchandise and fresh fruit on Saturdays and weekday mornings. The best crafts including wood carvings are usually in the back. For beachwear, coffee, rum, jewelry and Jamaican-made items stop by the Port Mall, formerly the Village of St. George. You can’t miss it — a mix of architectural styles such as Gothic, Tudor and Art Deco that coalesce into a one-of-a-kind landmark. You can also shop at upscale marine and souvenir shops at the marina, and more shops are planned. Downtown stores, particularly on Harbour Street, are worth a look if only to get a feeling of small-town Jamaica, which is always lively.

DINING Visitors won’t go hungry in Port Antonio. Its upscale inns and eco-lodges are known for their gourmet dining and most are open to the public. Downtown, there’s a range of eateries from the excellent beachside restaurant at the marina to a handful of restaurants near the square that offer Jamaican staples such as steamed fish, peas and rice, curried goat and fried chicken. There are also a few Rastafar-

ian “Ital” (for vI-TAL, which is vegetarian) restaurants, which offer vegetarian burgers, cabbage, yams, pumpkin soup and breadfruit. This area is also known for jerk pork and chicken, particularly at Boston hamlet near Port Antonio. A great place to enjoy jerk is Frenchman’s Cove, where you can swim at the white-sand beach, then sit in the cool shade of palm trees with a plate of jerk chicken and a Red Stripe. Plan to spend the day. Admission to the beach is US$5.

BIRTHPLACE OF JERK COOKING Jerk, a method of cooking pork and chicken in a pit with a long list of secret ingredients in the marinade, is the quintessential dish of Jamaica. Its origins date back to the Tainos and later the Jamaican Maroons (escaped slaves), who would slowcook the meat of wild hogs found in the Blue Mountain region of Portland to preserve it. The meat was wrapped in Jamaican pimento (allspice) leaves for flavor, lowered into a pit with hot coals with coals piled on top, then covered for six to eight hours. Pirates brought in a variety of new spices from both the Old and New Worlds, which were used to coat the meat. Escaped slaves are believed to have developed and perfected this method of preserving and cooking meat during their years hiding in the Blue Mountains. No one is sure where the name came from. The cooks at Boston Jerk Centre say it came from jerking the meat around on the grill, while others guess it may derive from the Quechua word “charqui,” meaning dried meat. The Port Antonio region, and particularly the beach community of Boston, claims to be the birthplace of jerk. Today, the seasonings vary with each cook, who keep the recipes secret, but jerk always includes allspice and Scotch bonnet peppers, and may include rum, thyme, garlic, cinnamon, scallions and nutmeg. The meat is cooked over coals and pimento wood for a smoky flavor. Along with the traditional jerk pork and chicken, more restaurants are cooking jerk

Top Ten Restaurants PORT ANTONIO Mille Fleurs European / Caribbean In the Hotel Mocking Bird Hill, North Coast Highway; 876-993-7267 Norma’s at the Marina Jamaican / Continental At the Port Antonio Marina; 876-993-9510

Varun Baker

Panorama Jamaican / International In the Fern Hill Club Hotel, Mile Gully Road; 876-993-7374

fish, lobster and sausages. At Boston Jerk Centre, you’re likely to get roasted breadfruit or yams with your jerk along with festival or sliced homemade bread. The drinks of choice: Red Stripe or coconut water.

NIGHTLIFE In this area, your choices for nightlife are somewhat limited. Evening entertainment for most visitors to Port Antonio is either after-dinner drinks on their hotel terraces mingling with other guests, or moonlight raft rides on the Rio Grande. The Roof Club (11 West St.) downtown just celebrated its 35th year. A DJ plays reggae and dancehall and most people come to dance. Brace yourself for really loud music and boldly sensual dance moves. Nearby is Club La Best (5 West St.), which attracts after-work crowds and everybody else on Fridays and Saturdays when the DJs are playing.

JHTA Hotel / Resort Members Bay View Villas Anchovy, Williamsﬁeld Port Antonio, Portland 876-993-3118 Fern Hill Club Hotel Port Antonio, Portland 876-993-7374 / 5 Goblin Hill Villas Port Antonio, Portland 876-993-7443 / 5737 / 7549 Hotel Mocking Bird Hill Port Antonio, Portland 876-993-7267 / 7134

Jamaica Palace Restaurant International Williamsﬁeld, just east of Port Antonio; 876-993-7759 San San Tropez Italian On San San Bay; 876-993-7213 Anna Bananas Jamaican 7 Folly Road; 876-715-6533 Woody’s Low Bridge Place Jamaican Drapers just outside Port Antonio; 876-993-7888 Frenchman’s Cove Beach Jamaican Outdoor grills on Frenchman’s Cove Beach; 876-993-7270 Boston Jerk Centre Jamaican A collection of roadside stalls in Boston, east of Port Antonio Your Place Jamaican Highway A4, Drapers. No phone

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OCHO RIOS

Ocho Rios SINCE THE DAYS OF COLUMBUS, there has never been

any dispute that the northeast coast of Jamaica is one of the most beautiful spots in the hemisphere. There have been questions only about what exactly to call it. The name Ocho Rios is a misnomer — a corruption of the Spanish word for rushing water or spouts (Las Chorreras) that got twisted in translation into a reference to eight rivers that simply don’t exist. Rushing river rapids, however, most notably Dunn’s River Falls, have dazzling cascades, which certainly ﬁt the bill as Las Chorreras. BY CHERYL BLACKERBY

OurJamaicaMagazine.com

OCHO RIOS

©Sergio Pitamitz/Alamy

Columbus arrived in Jamaica in 1494, landing a few miles west of what is now Ocho Rios at St. Ann’s Bay. He founded the ﬁrst settlement on the island and called it Sevilla La Nueva.

Because of the lush vegetation in the area, Ocho Rios is commonly referred to as the “garden center of Jamaica.” Tropical vegetation abounds, much of it bright, colorful and constantly in bloom. Hibiscuses, birds of paradise, plumbagos, orchids and other flowering plants grow among the ubiquitous palms. Bananas, pineapples, coffee and spices grow on plantations, as they have for centuries. It is a paradise for botanists — and also for newlyweds. Ocho Rios has become a favorite choice for weddings and retreats for couples looking to rekindle their romance. With more hotel rooms than anywhere else on the island, accommodating large wedding parties is never a problem. All-inclusive resorts at Runaway Bay take the stress out of planning vacations and honeymoons. All the major resorts have wedding planners on staff and some of them offer their matrimonial services for free. Besides being a favorite for honeymooners, Ocho Rios has also become an important destination for cruise ships. About 350,000 cruise passengers come here each year, which is why the area has developed into “The Attractions Capital” of Jamaica. Cruise visitors and other tourists can go bobsledding

through the rainforest on a downhill ride at Mystic Mountain, explore the mysterious Green Grotto Caves, swim with dolphins and stingrays at Dolphin Cove, or trace the lives and visit the remarkable homes of some of the island’s most celebrated cultural icons: Bob Marley, Noel Coward and Ian Fleming. From Ocho Rios, Marley touched the world with his reggae, Coward entertained the stars of Hollywood and Fleming wrote all of his James Bond 007 novels. Ocho Rios is also the jazz capital of the Caribbean, with an annual festival that grows bigger by the year. If your favorite attractions are restaurants and shops, there are plenty of places to dine and browse. Ocho Rios has eateries to suit every taste from gourmet cuisine to roadside jerk chicken. You can burn off those calories shopping at the port area, which has developed into a bustling center for duty-free shopping that features high-quality merchandise slashed to very low prices. Columbus arrived in Jamaica in 1494, landing a few miles west of what is now Ocho Rios at St. Ann’s Bay. He founded the first settlement on the island and called it Sevilla La Nueva. This is now known as Seville. It is no

OCHO RIOS

small paradox that while the area has changed dramatically since Columbus landed in ways he could never conceive, much of it remains just as the explorer found it. Most Jamaicans tend to call this extraordinary place that’s halfway between Montego Bay and Port Antonio by nickname: To them, it’s just “Ochi.” For anyone who’s been lucky enough to visit here just once, “Ochi” says it all.

SIGHTSEEING Dunn’s River Falls. One of the Caribbean’s most iconic images shows tourists climbing hand-in-hand over slippery rocks against rushing, sparkling water, making their way through the torrents toward the top of this Jamaican natural wonder. The 600-foot waterfall attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year. Hollywood has been drawn to it, too. Dunn’s River Falls was used for a scene in the 1988

Tom Cruise film Cocktail, and in 1962, had a big role in the James Bond film Dr. No as Sean Connery and Ursula Andress did some risqué swimming together in the lagoon at the foot of the rushing waters. Geologists call the falls a living phenomenon because they continuously rejuvenate themselves by drawing mineral deposits from the river. The swift cascades flow directly into the Caribbean Sea, a rarity among the world’s waterfalls, most of which do not empty into seas and oceans. The falls, covered by a dense tree canopy, are a favorite retreat of sun-weary tourists who are looking to cool off. The best way to reach the top safely is with the help of an experienced guide, and there are many ready and willing to usher you along for a modest fee. Besides being a national symbol, Dunn’s River Falls is also a point of logistical reference in Ocho Rios, where people often cite distance around the area in terms of

OCHO RIOS

Meet the People Jim and Ann Marie Schutz of Fargo, N.D., both teachers, had read about Jamaica’s Meet-the-People program, so when they planned their vacation to Montego Bay they requested a visit to a school. “On the scheduled day, Rose Hamilton picked us up at our resort and drove us to St. James Elementary School,” recalls Jim Schutz. “We got to spend 30 minutes in a 6th grade classroom. As I am a 6th grade teacher in the United States, I had an absolute blast talking with the children. We made an instant connection. Rose showed us some of the sites in the Montego Bay area, and then took us to her house, where we met her husband, Trevor. We had lunch and visited for quite some time. Our experience was one of the true highlights of our trip.” The Jamaica Tourist Board launched the Meet-the-People program in 1970 as a way for visitors to meet Jamaicans who have similar interests. More than 500 volunteer Jamaican hosts, known as Meet-the-People Ambassadors, have introduced thousands of visitors to the Jamaican way of life. “We often match families with children of the same age, and the visiting families will go to schools and even eat with the children in the schools,” says Norma Taylor, Meet-the-People Coordinator. “Sometimes our volunteers take visitors home and introduce them to the neighbors.” Guests may get to meet other families or a fellow musician, doctor, photographer, nurse, teacher or artist, or participate in a wide range of activities such as hiking, shopping at a local craft or food market, visiting a church, or having a chat over Jamaica’s famous Blue Mountain Coffee. Many meetings result in long-lasting friendships, and children often keep in touch with each other and meet again on future visits. Fern Luecke, a playwright and folklorist, has been a Meet-the-People volunteer in the Treasure Coast area for three years. “For me, it’s important to show visitors real people, the real Jamaica. I want visitors to mingle with people, to see our farms and historic spots. If you just stay in your hotel, you could be anywhere in the world.” Visitors wishing to take part in the Meet-the-People program can contact the nearest Jamaica Tourist Board or the concierge in their hotel when they arrive. When you know the dates of your trip, you can also arrange a meeting in advance online by going to VisitJamaica.com and ﬁlling out the form on the Meetthe-People page, or by calling 876-952-4425 or 876-952-0043. The program is free and there is no cost for any meals or entertainment during the meeting. In true Jamaican fashion, these volunteers offer a hand of friendship and hospitality to visitors who genuinely want to get to know Jamaicans and their country.

miles or minutes from the falls. Surely, no trip to Jamaica’s north coast is complete without at least a brief visit to feel the cool spray of the churning, eternal torrents. (876-974-2857; on A3 west of Ocho Rios) Green Grotto Caves. Centuries ago, pirates and runaway slaves found sanctuary in these majestic underground labyrinths. Today, the limestone caverns draw amateur and professional spelunkers from all over the world. Tourists wanting a relaxing interlude from the rigors of heated Jamaican nightlife and beachgoing can find it exploring these cool, dark caves. Tours take about 45 minutes and require wearing a hard hat. A highlight is Grotto Lake, a pool of underground water that sits eerily among the stalactites and stalagmites that were cast thousands of years ago. There’s no better place on the island to let your imagination wander to some chilling places. (876-973-2841; two miles west of Runaway Bay) Mystic Mountain. Jamaica startled the sports world in 1988 at the winter Olympic Games in Calgary with a bobsled team that made a competitive showing and won the admiration of millions. That spirit is alive today at Mystic Mountain, the country’s newest water park, which opened in 2008 in the Drax Hall area of Ocho Rios. Visitors will experience the adrenaline rush of speeding 700 feet down the tropical rainforest on a bobsled coaster ride. There are also ziplines and chair lifts to hoist adventure-seekers above the canopy. For those who want a less intense adventure, the 100-acre attraction features tours on walking trails through the rainforest that offer an educational look at Jamaica’s natural wonders. An infinity pool that overlooks the lush tropical greenery is the ideal place to decompress after a day spent speeding along the ziplines and coaster. An excellent restaurant at the top offers an outstanding panoramic view of the coastline and sea. (876-974-3990; Drax Hall area) Dolphin Cove. Dolphin Cove is home to about 20 dolphins, most of them accidentally captured in the nets of fishermen and brought to the attraction for training. Generally, there are four dolphin shows each day. The Cove also offers individual swimming sessions with dolphins for participants, who will need to sign up in advance and listen to a 30-minute orientation lecture. The 7-acre site is really a tropical zoo that also houses snakes, birds and lizards, as well as other sea creatures,

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OurJamaicaMagazine.com

OCHO RIOS

Mystic Mountain

Perched on a mountaintop with spectacular views, the home of Noel Coward remains a historic treasure on Jamaica's northern coast.

including sharks and stingrays. The Cove also offers rides in mini-boats and glass-bottomed kayaks. Young families will have no trouble filling an entire day here. (876-974-5335; one mile west of Ocho Rios) Firefly, Noel Coward’s House. Perched on a mountaintop with spectacular views of the sea and tropical greenery, the home known as Firefly to Noel Coward remains a historic treasure on Jamaica’s northern coast. The British-born playwright, songwriter and actor first visited the island on a two-week holiday in 1944 when he was 43 years old. Coward was immediately captivated by Jamaica’s natural beauty and serenity. He built a house on the coast at St. Mary’s 15 miles east of Ocho Rios and called it Blue Harbour, which is an atmospheric inn and remains an attraction

today. During the 1950s, a steady stream of Hollywood luminaries came to visit: Patricia Neal, Claudette Colbert, Errol Flynn, Sir Laurence Olivier, Vivien Leigh, David Niven, Katharine Hepburn, Mary Martin, Sir John Gielgud, Ian Fleming and Alec Guinness. But Blue Harbour became too popular, or at least that’s what Coward thought after perhaps too many cocktail parties and late nights. He called it his folly. In 1956, he left it in search of a more serene lifestyle and built Firefly atop a nearby mountain. There he lived quietly with his long-time companion, Graham Payn, and decorated the walls with his paintings. Coward kept entertaining, however. He played host to the Queen Mother in 1965, and also Sir Winston Churchill, who visited several times. Coward died in 1973 at Firefly and is buried there in a grave marked by

Natureʼs Playground a must while visiting CLIMB OUR FALLS

Jamaica

Dunnʼs River Falls and Park Tel: 876.974.5944/4767 Fax: 876.974.5197 dunnsriver@udcja.com www.dunnsriverfallsja.com

COME EXPLORE WITH US

Green Grotto Caves and Attractions Tel: 876.974.2841/3217 Fax: 876.973.9297 greengrottocaves@udcja.com www.greengrottocavesja.com

WALK ON THE WILD SIDE

Turtle River Park Tel: 876.795.0078 876.974.5015/6 ext. 41 Fax: 876.974.2731

CREATING A SPECTACULAR TROPICAL EXPERIENCE Ocho Rios Bay Beach Ocean Village Shopping Centre Tel: 876.974.6469/2853 Fax: 876.974.2731

DUNN’S RIVER FALLS & PARK

TURTLE RIVER PARK

OCHO RIOS

During the second week in June, Ocho Rios hosts the Caribbean's most celebrated jazz festival.

a simple marble tombstone. Today, the sea view alone is worth the price of a guided tour that opens a window into this brilliant playwright’s life. (876-997-7201; Grants Town, 20 miles east of Ocho Rios) Nine Mile and Bob Marley Centre & Mausoleum. True reggae lovers must make a pilgrimage to the village of Nine Mile, the birthplace and final resting place of the legendary Bob Marley. Rastafarian tour guides will usher fans into the life of Marley, tracing his childhood and adolescence — he lived here from the ages of 6 to 13 — and creative metamorphosis. Even the casual Marley fan will be struck by the feeling of his presence on the walk through his two-room shanty house and the small mountain village. There are plenty of music CDs, T-shirts and

souvenirs for the visitor to purchase along the way. Marley is interred with one of his guitars at the mausoleum site, which also has a restaurant that features traditional Jamaican fare. The lure of Bob Marley draws fans from around the world, and three decades after his death, their numbers continue to grow as generations of new fans tune in to his remarkable body of work. (876-843-0493; about 39 miles from Ocho Rios) Prospect Plantation. One of the best ways to get an understanding of Jamaica’s past is to visit this working 900-acre plantation about three miles east of Ocho Rios. It was started in 1936 by Scottish transplant Sir Harold Mitchell, who grew pimentos, limes, bananas, pineapples and spices on the property. Over the years, the plantation drew the likes of Henry Kissinger, Winston Churchill and Charlie Chaplin, who would plant trees bearing their names to memorialize their visits. Jamaica’s first hydroelectric plant, imported by Mitchell from Canada about 70 years ago, is a popular attraction. Today the property is preserved as an ecologically sensitive area that attracts ecotourists from around the world. One of Jamaica’s most highly regarded boys’ academies is also on the grounds. Probably the best way to view the plantation is to take a tour on horseback, but there are also camel safaris available for visitors who are looking for a ride that’s a little different. (876-994-1058; three miles east of Ocho Rios) Ocho Rios Jazz Festival. During the second week in June, Ocho Rios hosts the Caribbean’s most celebrated jazz festival. While Jamaica has earned its place as the reggae capital of the world, it is underestimated for its contributions to jazz. The Ocho Rios festival is an internationally known event that will surprise and delight jazz aficionados. Thelonious Monk was among the early performers, and Arturo Sandoval plays frequently. Among the favorite performers are Jamaicans Bertie King on saxophone, Jiver Hutchinson on trumpet

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OCHO RIOS

on trumpet and vocalist Kathy Brown on piano. (866-649-2137; Turtle River Park)

One of the most popular perspectives from which to take in Ocho Rios is from the back of a horse. Riders can go along the beach, into the rainforest and to Dunn's River Falls.

are mountain bike tours for riders of all levels of physical fitness, and kayak rentals for trips on the White River are popular, too. Chukka Caribbean Adventures can organize any of the thrilling tours for you. (876-953-6699; chukkacaribbean.com)

Horseback Riding. One of the most popular perspectives from which to take in Ocho Rios is from the back of a horse. The horseback riding tours run the gamut of what the area has to offer. Riders can take their mounts along the beach, into the rainforest and to Dunn’s River Falls. For between US$60–100, depending on the tour, you can cover much ground and learn about this spectacular natural wonderland. It’s something the whole family can enjoy, too. Most tour operators accept riders as young as six years old.

SHOPPING Several malls in Ocho Rios offer a wide range of merchandise and duty-free shopping. Island Village, a short walk from the cruise port on Turtle River Road, is popular with shoppers. Its colorful wooden cottages, wood walkways through tropical foliage and beachside location make it a lovely place to spend a few hours over an alfresco lunch and shopping for beachwear, duty-free items and Jamaicamade souvenirs such as coffee and rum. Tajmahal, Ocean Village, Soni’s Plaza and the newly opened Harbour Shops Plaza are busy shopping complexes downtown. Dutyfree shopping has blossomed in the town as

Adventure Tours. Virtually every means of transportation is available to explore Ocho Rios. Four- to five-hour safari tours by Jeep and ATV can take your group into the mountains around Dunn’s River Falls. There

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FINE ITALIAN DINING OVERLOOKING OCHO RIOS

Enjoy fine dining in Ocho Rios, Jamaica in the setting of an authentic 1860's Gingerbread house with wooden floors and mahogany bar. You can enjoy lunch or dinner indoors or outdoors, on our verandah overlooking the cruise ship piers and Ocho Rios.

Open 7 days, 11am to 11pm. Eden Bower Rd. opposite Taj Mahal Shopping Center. www. evitasjamaica.com

876 - 974 - 2333

OCHO RIOS

the numbers of cruising tourists has increased. Duty-free prices on cigars, watches, jewelry and perfumes can run as much as 40 percent less than the cost in the United States or Europe. East of town, there’s Pineapple Place and Coconut Grove. Finding locally grown coffee and spices is easy. So is finding Jamaican rum and liquors. The Ocho Rios Craft Market on Main Street and the Dunn’s River Craft Park are good places to find locally made treasures, especially straw goods and pottery. Harmony Hall, three miles east of town, has an excellent selection of Jamaican artwork and hosts frequent arts and crafts fairs. Besides the gallery, there’s a gift shop that carries an assortment of Jamaican fashion and traditional clothing. Fern Gully, south of Ocho Rios, is lined with stalls offering wood carvings, straw work and other crafts.

DINING Ocho Rios proudly offers one of the most eclectic mixes of international dining experiences on the island. On Main Street or a short walk from it, there’s no problem finding French, Italian, Asian, Indian or Mexican food, along with traditional Jamaican fare. And if you want a cheeseburger and fries, you’ll find that, too, as well as a fine selection of unpretentious pub grub. Some of the best jerk chicken and pork on the island can be found at family-run take-out stands away from the main streets. They are inexpensive, fast and authentically delicious. There is no better way to get a taste of the varieties of pepper sauces and jerk seasonings that make Jamaican cuisine unique. Adventurous diners should try Faith’s Pen, which is located 12 miles south of Ocho Rios. Here you’ll find a collection of competitive local cooks and self-taught chefs who operate out of stalls. For only a few dollars, you can order curried goat or spicy grilled fish and enjoy the meal on a picnic table. With a little coaxing, the cooks are often willing to give up the secrets of their recipes. The smoky aromas will hit you before your car rounds the bend, so you definitely will arrive hungry.

Overlooking Ocho Rios Number one for Romance, Ambience, Good Food and Great Value. Enjoy fine dining in Ocho Rios, Jamaica in the setting of an authentic 1860's Gingerbread house with wooden floors and mahogany bar. You can enjoy lunch or dinner indoors or outdoors, on our verandah overlooking the cruise ship piers and Ocho Rios. The menu, specializing in Northern Italian food, also has an extensive selection of creative Jam-Italian fusion dishes of fresh pasta, seafood, vegetarian, and meat entrees. Open 7 days a week from 11am to 11pm. All major credit cards accepted. Ask about free transportation.

Eden Bower Rd. opposite Taj Mahal Shopping Center. | www. evitasjamaica.com | 876· 974·2333

Dining by the waterfall is an unforgettable experience.

Come to the Ruins at the fall for all occasions!

The setting is sheer elegance! Lunch is all inclusive buffet with open bar; Dinner is served a la carte. Add splendor to your special day. The Ruins also offer banquet rooms for any occasion such as weddings, parties, conference meeting etc. For reservation or information call: Tel (1876) 974-8888 or (1876) 974-4729 Fax (1876) 974-9098 Email: theruins@cwjamaica.com | www.ruinsjamaica.com 17 Da Costa Drive, Main Street, Ocho Rios, St. Ann Jamaica

OurJamaicaMagazine.com

OCHO RIOS

©Sergio Pitamitz

Quantum of Solace Ian Fleming ﬁrst came to Jamaica during World War

The island, the secret agent and the author became

II. He was on an assignment from the British govern-

inseparable. Fitting that

ment, sent by Naval Intelligence to investigate German

was shot in Jamaica.

U-boat activities in the Caribbean Sea.

GoldenEye soon also became a refuge for heads

But the novelist’s fertile imagination quickly sought

of state, literary giants and Hollywood stars. The list of

solace from the drudgery of war. Fleming became cap-

guests includes Errol Flynn, Katherine Hepburn, Sophia

tivated with the island’s natural beauty and would live

Loren, Laurence Olivier, Richard Burton, Elizabeth

the rest of his life here. Somewhere within his creative cir-

Taylor, Truman Capote, Princess Margaret and Prime

cuitry, the ﬁrst impulses for a new work of ﬁction began

Minister Anthony Eden.

to ﬁre. He would go on to create a roguish spy named

Fleming died in 1964, and GoldenEye languished

Bond, James Bond, and trace his adventures through 14

until reggae superstar Bob Marley bought it in 1976.

novels — all of them written at a majestic house he built

Shortly after, Island Records founder Chris Blackwell

on 15 acres overlooking the village of Oracabessa

bought it and has owned it ever since. In October

Bay on the northeast coast, a former donkey racetrack

2010, GoldenEye, 20 minutes east of Ocho Rios,

that became his home and creative refuge.

reopened for business in a new incarnation after

Fleming sketched his dream house and built it in

an ambitious three-year redevelopment project. It

1946. He called it GoldenEye, appropriate in that

now boasts 80 private villas — some of the most

Oracabessa roughly translates to “golden head” in

exclusive lodging on the island — two restaurants and

Spanish. But Fleming also suggested the name might

a supermarket. A new generation of celebrities has

have been an homage to Carson McCullers’ novel,

frequented the property in recent years, including rock

Reﬂections in a Golden Eye, or even a code name for

stars Sting and Bono, models Naomi Campbell and

a World War II contingency plan he helped develop

Kate Moss, and actors Johnny Depp, Harrison Ford,

to protect Gibraltar from invasion.

Michael Caine and Pierce Brosnan, who played Bond

Nevertheless, what started as a relatively simple house plan grew larger and more extravagant over

in the ﬁlm GoldenEye. Though newly renovated, GoldenEye remains

the decades as Fleming added rooms to the property

acutely in touch with its past — and with Ian Flem-

and carried on his love affair with Jamaica, its people

ing. His original desk remains in his villa, black-and-

and vicariously through the exploits of Agent 007.

white photos from decades ago abound and large

Fleming said he delighted in “the blazing sunshine,

bamboo-framed canopy beds are reminders of the

natural beauty and the healthiest life I could live.”

spirit with which the home was built.

Top Ten Restaurants OCHO RIOS Le Papillon Restaurant Continental In the Royal Plantation, Main Street; 974-5601 Evita’s Italian Restaurant Italian Eden Bower Road; 974-2333 The Terrace at the Jamaica Inn Continental / Jamaican Main Street; 974-2514

Club Hotel Riu Ocho Rios

Café Aubergine French Moneague, 11 miles south of Ocho Rios; 973-0527

NIGHTLIFE There’s no shortage of nightlife in Ocho Rios, and many of the big restaurants turn into clubs around midnight. There are also plenty of neighborhood clubs and bars, as well as night spots on Main Street, which range from one-room operations with pool tables to international chain restaurant/clubs. Many clubs have DJs and live music on Friday and Saturday nights. At a few of Ochi’s clubs, you pay one price and drink all you want at an open bar.

At Island Village, there’s typically reggae and revelry at venues that include an outdoor amphitheater. It’s also worth making the 10-mile trip west of Ocho Rios to Runaway Bay, where there’s music and dancing for visitors late into the night at resorts along the beach, though events are often restricted for guests only at all-inclusive resorts. But some of these resorts sell evening passes that include food, drinks and entertainment.

Almond Tree Restaurant Jamaican / Continental In the Hibiscus Lodge Hotel, 83 Main St.; 974-2813 Toscanini’s Italian In Harmony Hall on the North Coast Highway; 975-4785 BiBiBips Jamaican 93 Main St.; 974-8759 Ocho Rios Village Jerk Centre Jamaican Da Costa Drive; 974-2549 Passage to India Indian 50 Main St.; 795-3182 Scotchie’s, Too Jamaican North Coast Highway, Drax Hall; 974-9457 OurJamaicaMagazine.com

OCHO RIOS

Couples Jamaica

Dunn’s River Beach Resort & Spa is the

The Ruins at the Falls

Couples find their own place in the

Caribbean’s most romantic, adult re-

974-8888. The Ruins of the Falls on

sun at this all-inclusive, with every op-

treat. The all-inclusive Ocho Rios resort

Dacosta Drive was created in the 1960s

portunity for romance to blossom — no

features the unique Jewel Only exclu-

to resemble a historic ruin. One of the

singles, no children, no extra charge

sives you cannot ﬁnd anywhere else.

most scenic spots in Ochi, the elegant

for dining, entertainment or sports.

Everything from watching a movie while

dining room overlooks a waterfall. Lunch

Ideal wedding and honeymoon loca-

ﬂoating in the pool at night, dining by

is buffet-style, with Chinese selections

tion offers four restaurants, four bars

candlelight on a pristine beach and

plus jerk. The dinner menu offers a variety

and freshwater pool overlooking the

all the food and drink you can imagine

of dishes such as braised abalone and

sea. 172 rooms.

to the most welcoming staff around.

Red Stripe Shrimp.

Dolphin Cove at Treasure Reef

Prospect Plantation Butterﬂy World

Sunset Beach Resort & Spa

West of Ocho Rios. 974-5335. Swim

& Horseback Rides

This 420-room, all-inclusive property is

and enjoy various activities with

Ocho Rios. Take an open-air jitney

located on a private peninsula and

friendly dolphins in their natural habi-

tour of a 100-acre working planta-

caters to families, singles and couples.

tat. Also feed stingrays, swim with sharks

tion that grows bananas, sugarcane,

Enjoy three restaurants, six bars and

and have a photo taken with friendly

cocoa, coffee, limes, pineapples,

a beach grill. Conference room and

sea lions. Relax on 80 feet of pearly

coconuts and breadfruit. Horseback

outdoor meeting facilities available.

white-sand beach. Take a glass-

riding trails (including one to White

Room amenities include telephone with

bottom boat ride to Dunn’s River Falls.

River Gorge), exotic butterfly aviary,

voice mail, cable TV, in-room safe and

Includes Pirate’s Village with boardwalk,

opportunity to feed ostriches and

private balcony. Electronic slot machines.

cafés and shops. US$45 adult, $30

have photo taken with the camels.

Swimming pools, Jacuzzi, spa and ﬁtness

ages 6-12.

Historic 18th-century estate operated

center, tennis courts and watersports.

by Dolphin Cove, 994-1058. Camel Hooves Limited

ride US$78, jitney ride $32.

St. Ann’s Bay and Higgin Town. 972-

Wassi Art Pottery Factory Great Pond. 974-5044. Take a fasci-

0905. Guided tours through the

Rainforest Adventures Bobsled Jamaica

nating factory tour through all states

countryside on well-trained horses.

at Mystic Mountain

of pottery making, then visit the show-

Explore hilly interiors, historical sites and

This environmentally friendly at-

room. Mon.-Sat., 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Entrance

deserted beaches. US$70 from Ocho

traction boasts over 100 acres of

is complimentary.

Rios, and $75 from Runaway Bay.

land stretching from the coast road entrance near Dunn’s River Falls to

House of Diamonds

over 700 feet above sea level at the

11A Soni’s Plaza (974-06161), #7

peak of Mystic Mountain. Great for all

Tajmahal Shopping Centre (795-2921),

ages and provides ample opportuni-

JHTA Hotel / Resort Members

#4 Harbour Shops (795-2921). Finest

ties to view and explore the unique

Beaches Boscobel

in diamonds and rare jewelry collection.

seaside, tropical forest ecosystem

Ocho Rios, St. Ann

Huge selection of branded and natural

through four unique and exhilarat-

876-975-7777

color diamonds. Swiss watches, Maurice

ing adventure tours, including the

Lacroix, Perellet, Festina Gold, Bertolucci,

Sky Explorer, Bobsled Jamaica, the

Breezes Runaway Bay

Chase Durer and more.

Canopy Zip Line and a unique Water

Resort & Golf Club

Slide. Special events are designed by

Runaway Bay, St. Ann

Jewel Dunn’s River Beach Resort & Spa

the park and set atop majestic Mystic

876-973-6099

Mammee Bay, P.O. Box 858, St. Ann,

Mountain in Ocho Rios. Nighttime festi-

Jamaica. 876-972-7400; Fax: 876-

vals showcase Jamaica’s famous music

Chrisann’s Beach Resort (Afﬁliate)

972-7402; jeweldunnsriverresort.com;

scene. Wedding packages lift couples

St. Mary

ebent@jeweldunnsriverresort.com. Jewel

up to say “I Do” at 700 feet.

876-975-4467 / 4766

Club Ambiance Runaway Bay, St. Ann 876-973-6167 Couples Ocho Rios Ocho Rios, St. Ann 876-975-4271 / 5 Couples Sans Souci Ocho Rios, St. Ann 876-994-1206 Crystal Ripple Beach Lodge White River Bay Ocho Rios Jamaica Inn

876-975-4763-4 Franklyn D. Resort Runaway Bay, St. Ann 876-973-4591 / 8 The Jewel Dunn’s River

Runaway Bay H.E.A.R.T. Hotel

Glenn’s Restaurant & Tower

Beach Resort & Spa

Runaway Bay, St. Ann

Cloisters Resort (Afﬁliate)

Mammee Bay, St. Ann

876-973-6671 / 4

Ocho Rios

876-972-7400 Sandals Golf & Country Club (Afﬁliate)

876-974-6132 Riu Club Ocho Rios

Upton, Ocho Rios

Gran Bahia Principe Jamaica Hotel

Mammee Bay, St. Ann

876-975-0119-21

Salt Coppers

876-972-2200 Sandals Grande Beach And Villa Resorts

Runaway Bay, St. Ann Rooms On The Beach

Main Street

Ocho Rios

Ocho Rios, St. Ann

Hibiscus Lodge Hotel

Main Street

876-974-5486

83 Main Street

Ocho Rios, St. Ann

876-974-2008 / 6632

876-973-7000 / 7655

Sunﬂower Beach Resort Villas / Leisure Holiday

876-974-2676 Royal Decameron

Runaway Bay, St. Ann

Jamaica Inn

Club Caribbean

876-973-4809

Main St.

Runaway Bay, St. Ann

Ocho Rios, St. Ann

876-973-4675 / 6348 / 4802

Sunset Jamaica Grande Resort & Spa Ocho Rios, St. Ann

876-974-2514 / 8 Royal Plantation

876-974-2200

Jamaica Treasures Villas

Golf Club & Spa

17 Dacosta Drive

142 Main St.

Super-Fun Beach Resort & Spa

Ocho Rios, St. Ann

Runaway Bay, St. Ann

876-974-6228

876-974-5601

876-973-6924 OurJamaicaMagazine.com

MONTEGO BAY

Half Moon

Montego Bay THE ISLAND’S SECOND LARGEST CITY is home to the

country’s busiest airport. Montego Bay is the ﬁrst impression of Jamaica for most visitors — and it’s a good one. Gently rolling green hills, 15 miles of pristine white beaches and sandy coves, worldclass resorts and a seaside main street lined with restaurants, hotels, shops and bars make Montego Bay the perfect vacation spot. Go with your extended family and friends, and you can be sure there’s something for everyone. BY CHERYL BLACKERBY

OurJamaicaMagazine.com

MONTEGO BAY

Accommodations in Montego Bay range from inexpensive inns to world-famous resorts that attract celebrities and bon vivants.

“MoBay” is Jamaica’s No. 1 tourism destination, and it has every activity one might want in a tropical vacation: shopping including lots of duty-free boutiques offering designer watches and perfumes; five top-echelon golf courses; historic Great Houses; gourmet dining and seaside burgers; nightclubs; watersports, including diving, fishing, snorkeling and windsurfing; and rafting on the Martha Brae River. Accommodations range from inexpensive inns to world-famous resorts that attract celebrities and the world’s most legendary bon vivants. Montego Bay was also the first stop on the island for Christopher Columbus in 1494. He called the tranquil bay El Golfo de Buen Tiempo — The Gulf of Fair Weather. But the Spanish had a less poetic name for it in the 17th century — La Bahia Manteca, which in those times meant Lard Bay. Spaniards used the bay for shipping lard from wild hogs that roamed the hills. Soon after, the British took over, and the

name turned into Montego Bay, and St. James Parish became the richest sugar-producing parish on the island. Grand Great Houses were built on plantations, and sophisticated town houses and commercial buildings sprang up on a tidy grid of narrow streets downtown. The area was the center of a slave revolt called the Christmas Rebellion in 1831, which was the beginning of the end of slavery in Jamaica. The sugar trade went into decline, but in the mid-1800s bananas became a hot commodity, and the town began to prosper again. And in the late 1800s, Montego Bay found what would be its true calling — tourism. A local medical doctor, Dr. Alexander McCatty built a bath club at the local beach reached through a cave. Bathers who swam in the warm, crystal-clear water claimed it had healing powers. Another doctor from Britain visited the beach and wrote a paper about its curative qualities. Americans and Europeans

MONTEGO BAY

were soon flocking to the appropriately named Doctor’s Cave Beach. After the construction of the airport during World War II, two glamorous resorts were built that attracted American celebrities, socialites and British royals — Round Hill Resort, which opened in 1953, and Half Moon Resort, which followed a year later. Many of the guests have bought and built houses here. Fashion designer Ralph Lauren bought two Round Hill villas, including one that once belonged to Bill and Babe Paley. Robert Pittman, former president of America Online and father of MTV, also bought two villas. The late Sir Paul Getty arrived on his yacht, and the Newhouse and Rockefeller families made regular pilgrimages. Guests in the early days included Paul and Joanna Newman, Henry Ford, Alfred Hitchcock, Grace Kelly and Groucho Marx. Lavish weddings have been held on the manicured grounds by the beach. Dule Hill of TV’s "Psych" and "West Wing" married actress Nicole

Today, MoBay's posh resorts are even more chic, and the touristy Hip Strip is more popular than it has ever been.

B Montego Bay

Lyn by Round Hill’s main pool, and Taye Diggs, star of How Stella Got Her Groove Back, which was filmed at Round Hill, married actress Idina Menzel near Cottage 11, the location of many of his scenes with Angela Bassett. Those who have strolled across the black-and-white marble floors of Half Moon have included Queen Elizabeth, Winston Churchill, Clark Gable, Joan Crawford and her husband, Pepsi-Cola CEO Alfred Steel, Prince Charles and Princess Margaret. The celebrities keep coming — Paul Simon, Patti LaBelle, David Bowie and his wife, Iman, and Kenny Rogers were recent guests. Today, MoBay’s posh resorts are even more chic, and the touristy Hip Strip is more popular than it has ever been. And you never know whom you will see on the golf courses. With the newly remodeled Donald Sangster International Airport accommodating major airlines flying direct from many big cities in the United States and Europe, it’s easier than ever to go to MoBay, even for a long weekend. K

P 1

1 NORTH

Half Moon Shopping Village

Sangster International Airport

Half Moon Golf

SuperClubs Ironshore Golf & Country Club

4 Cinnamon Hill Ocean Course Rose Hall Great House Greenwood 5 White Witch Great House Golf Course at the Ritz-Carlton 6

6 City Centre Mall

The Shoppes at Rose Hall

Tryall Golf Club

8 A

How can you enjoy the privacy and benefits of a full resort?

HALF MOON MAKES IT HAPPEN.

Half Moon’s the perfect place for a much needed escape. With two miles of beachfront, golf, dolphin lagoon and spa, this 400-acre tropical paradise is renowned for its service and choice of accommodations, including Royal Villas which come with your own butler, housekeeper, chef and private pool. On-site call centre: 876-953-2211 • 888-830-5969 UK free phone: (0) 800-0-51-3893 • halfmoon.com Non-guests are welcome to experience a select number of our renowned facilities: Fern Tree Spa (953-2211 ext. 6868), Half Moon Golf Course and Golf Academy (953-2211 ext. 6170) and ﬁne dining at several of our restaurants (res. 953-2211 ext. 43).

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MONTEGO BAY

SIGHTSEEING Rose Hall Great House. Jamaica has some of the grandest Great Houses — the impressive main house of a plantation — in the Caribbean. Rose Hall is probably the grandest of them all. The enormous mansion took 10 years, 1770 to 1780, to construct. Built by John Palmer for his wife Rosa, Rose Hall is a “calendar house” — designed with 365 windows, 52 doors and 12 bedrooms. The home has large, lavish reception rooms filled with antiques of the period, and formal English gardens. But much of Rose Hall’s fame is owed to one of the plantation’s mistresses, the notorious Annie Marie Paterson, a 17-year-old beauty who married John Palmer’s heir, John Rose Palmer. According to one of the country’s best-loved legends, Annie was a sadistic witch who murdered four husbands and several slave lovers, and was herself murdered

in her bed. She became known as the White Witch of Rose Hall. Legend, however, doesn’t quite match up with reality. There was an Annie Hall at Rose Hall but she had only one husband, who wasn’t murdered. Rosa Palmer did have four husbands, but was happily married to her last husband for 23 years, and she died before him. Today, the Great House is the heart of the immense Rose Hall Estate, which encompasses three 18-hole golf courses, the Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon and Rose Hall resorts, and private residences including Cinnamon Hill Great House, the home of the late Johnny Cash. (876-953-2323; across the main road from the Ritz-Carlton Resort) Doctor’s Cave Beach. You can spend the day swimming, dining and people-watching at this lovely beach in the heart of Montego

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MONTEGO BAY

Fort Montego. Not much remains of the old fort that guarded Montego Bay Harbour other than the ruins of an artillery store and three cannons. Built by the British in the late 18th century, the fort is near the southern end of Gloucester Avenue. But it’s worth a stop if only for the craft market within the walls. St. James Parish Church. Built between 1775 and 1782, this is one of the most exquisite churches on the island, containing magnificent stained-glass windows and marble monuments by John Bacon, the leading English sculptor of the late 18th century. The church, built in the shape of a Greek cross, was damaged by an earthquake in 1957, and was rebuilt. (876-9522775; Church Street)

Bay. Restaurants with tables on a wooden boardwalk under a canopy of palm trees overlook the white-sand beach and water as clear and calm as a swimming pool. The only downside is the crowds of people on weekends, especially during Spring Break. Overall, Doctor’s Cave is a heavenly beach, and great for kicking back with a Red Stripe and a plate of jerk chicken. Some say it is even healing. The private beach (admission is US$5) was founded as a beach club by a local medical doctor. At the time, you entered the beach through a cave, which was later destroyed by a hurricane. In the 1920s, Sir Herbert Barker, a famous British osteopath visited the beach and later published an article about the beach’s curative powers. Doctor’s Cave Beach became famous and hotels sprang up around it. Today, there are shops, an internet café, and it’s in the middle of the Hip Strip so you won’t be bored. (876952-2566; Gloucester Avenue)

Burchell Baptist Church. Founded in 1824 by Rev. Thomas Burchell, a Baptist missionary and abolitionist, this church was the spiritual home for slaves dreaming of freedom. Sam Sharpe, who fought for the freedom of Jamaica’s slaves and was one of country’s national heroes, was a deacon of the church. In 1831, he instigated a rebellion, which helped cause the end of slavery in the Caribbean. The Sam Sharpe Rebellion, also called the Christmas Rebellion, was one of the largest and most violent in colonial history. During the rebellion, an angry mob destroyed the church in reprisal for Burchell’s support of emancipation, but the missionary escaped by sea. The present brick church was built in 1835. Sam Sharpe’s remains are buried in the church vault. (876-952-6351; corner of Market and King streets) Sam Sharpe Square. Formerly called Charles Square, the cobblestone square’s name was changed in 1981 to commemorate Sam Sharpe’s efforts in the fight for freedom. At the northwest corner is the National Heroes Monument, a bronze statue of Sharpe, holding a Bible, and Paul Bogle speaking to three

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MONTEGO BAY

Historic Falmouth Montego Bay visitors who are interested in history and architecture should reserve time for a day-trip to Falmouth, a United Nations World Heritage Site that contains the largest collection of 19th-century Georgian buildings in the country — and perhaps in all of the Caribbean. Edward Barrett, great-grandfather of English poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning, started the development of Falmouth, the capital of Trelawny Parish, in 1790. The town, 22 miles east of Montego Bay, was built during the sugar boom and was called “The Paris of the Indies” because of its many elegant buildings. Many of the town’s Georgian buildings remain, some in ruins but others beautifully restored. You can easily stroll the town in a two-hour walking

From the market, walk southeast along Lower Parade

tour. Start at the Trelawny Parish Church of St. Peter

Street and turn left on Tharp Street. At the intersection

on Lower Harbour Street. Built in 1796, the church is

with Upper Harbour Street you’ll see The Dome, which

the tallest building in town. Exit through the main gate

was part of a 19th-century iron foundry. More than a

onto Duke Street, turn right at King Street and you will

hundred ships regularly docked in the harbor, many

see the Knibb Memorial Baptist Church, named for the

in need of repair after their long journeys from Europe

abolitionist missionary William Knibb, who organized the

and Africa.

construction of the church in 1844. Baptists were at the forefront of the abolitionist movement in Jamaica. From the Baptist Church, continue east along George

At the end of Tharp Street, you will see Tharp House, built on the waterfront by John Tharp, one of the island’s richest planters. Walk north along Seaboard

Street and make a left onto Market Street. Walk one

Street, and at the end of the street is The Courthouse, a

block, returning to Duke Street, and continue walking

replica of the original 1817 Georgian structure. North-

east until you come to the town center, Water Square.

west of the courthouse at the intersection of Trelawny

Falmouth was the ﬁrst town in Jamaica to have run-

and Market streets, is the recently renovated Baptist

ning water, and had a plumbing system before many

Manse, home to William Knibb, and the Moulton Barrett

of the world’s major cities, including New York City.

House, owned by the Edward Barrett family.

Fresh water was pumped from the nearby Martha Brae

Turn toward the sea and walk along Market Street;

River to a tank in the square, and then pumped to the

turn left onto Lower Harbour Street. At the ﬁrst inter-

surrounding houses.

section there is a small green private cottage, No. 3

On the southern side of the square is the Albert and

Lower Harbour St., renovated by the Falmouth Heritage

George Market, opened in 1894 and one of the coun-

Renewal Inc. In the 19th century, many homes like this

try’s largest markets, which is busiest on Wednesdays.

belonged to free black residents.

MONTEGO BAY

106

avid admirers. In the aftermath of the 1831 rebellion, it is estimated that 300 slaves, including Sam Sharpe, were hanged at the gallows in the square. The deaths and the public outcry that followed was a major factor in the British parliament passing the Abolition Act in 1834. Near the monument is The Cage, a small brick building constructed in 1806 as a temporary lockup for slaves and drunken British seamen. It’s now a souvenir shop. At the southwest corner is the copper-domed Civic Centre, built on the site of the old Montego Bay Courthouse, where Sam Sharpe and his followers were sentenced to death for their involvement in the Christmas Rebellion. The Museum of St. James in the Civic Centre is dedicated to the history of the parish. Cornwall Beach. A two-acre playground on a gorgeous white-sand beach, the newly redeveloped Cornwall Beach has great snorkeling, swimming, volleyball, a beach bar, restaurant and gift shop plus umbrellas, snorkel gear, chairs and lockers for rent. (876-979-0102; Gloucester Avenue)

afternoon trips are the best bets for seeing birds and avoiding the midday sun. Glistening Waters. A boat ride on Glistening Waters, or Luminous Lagoon, is a nighttime adventure that’s exciting for the entire family. As the boat moves over the water, the waves glow a neon green/blue caused by microorganisms that emit a flash of light when disturbed. Luminous Lagoon is one of the few places in the world where these microscopic organisms live and create this natural phenomenon known as bioluminescence. The lagoon is thought to be the brightest in the world. Half-hour boat trips are offered out of Glistening Waters Marina just off the highway near Falmouth. There’s a waterside restaurant in the complex. (876954-3229; US$20 per person)

Thousands of visitors plan their trips around Montego Bay’s two biggest musical events: Reggae Sumfest in July and Jamaica Jazz and Blues in January.

Jazz and Blues Festival. Held in January, the three-day festival attracts more than 40,000 fans each year. The event is held at the 18thcentury Aqueduct, a 30-acre venue. This huge event is worth timing your vacation to be here. The festival offers an eclectic lineup of artists. Country artist Kenny Rogers was such an unexpected hit that he played two years in a row. Rafting on the Martha Brae River. River rafting is most often associated with the Rio Grande in northeast Jamaica, but rafting on 30-foot bamboo rafts has become popular on the Martha Brae near Falmouth, about 22 miles east of Montego Bay. A highlight of the 90-minute ride is a swim and a swing on a rope at Tarzan’s Corner, a peaceful spot in the river. Trips start at Rafter’s Village, where there’s a restaurant, changing rooms and a swimming pool. The cost for the raft trip is US$60 for two people. Book through your hotel and ask about hotel pickup. The early-morning and lateOurJamaicaMagazine.com

107

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MONTEGO BAY

Montego Bay has plenty of duty-free stores that offer designer fashions, perfumes, rum and Blue Mountain Coffee, as well as crafts shops and ďŹ ne-art galleries.

Inland St. James Parish Sights. You may want to reserve at least one day of your stay for sightseeing away from the beach and going further inland in St. James Parish. Some of the attractions offer hotel pickup in Montego Bay, or you can take an organized tour to several attractions. Some of the options: Caliche Rainforest Whitewater Rafting, where you can take an exciting ride on the rapids of the upper Great River. Fare is US$90 per person including transport from the hotel. (876-940-1745) Rocklands Bird Feeding Station has been attracting bird-lovers since 1958. More than 140 species have been recorded here. This is your chance to see Jamaicaâ€™s hummingbirds. Just

hold out your hand and they will perch on your fingers. There are 17 species of hummingbirds including the famed doctor bird with long tail feathers, but there are also doves, banana quits, Jamaica woodpeckers, orioles and many more. Hire a driver or go with a tour; the roads are bad. Admission is US$15 per person. (876-9522009; Rocklands). At Lethe Estate you can also see the lower Great River on a more peaceful journey by bamboo raft. These trips with Mountain Valley Rafting are about US$50 per person, including transfers. (876-9564920). Children will like the nearby Animal Farm, which has a petting zoo, birds and hiking trails. (No phone; about 2 miles west of Lethe).

SHOPPING

Reggae Time Reggae Sumfest, the “Greatest Reggae Show on Earth” comes to Montego Bay every July attracting thousands of reggae fans from around the world. The five-day event was started by Summerfest Productions Limited in 1993 to take the place of the departing Reggae Sunsplash that had been an entertainment mainstay in Montego Bay since 1978. In its first year, the event was an immediate success, with 20,000 reggae fans attending, and the event has continued to grow. Since the first concert, Sumfest has attracted international superstars, and the 2010 festival was no exception. It featured Chris Brown, Usher, Shaggy, Beenie Man, Jah Cure, Etana, Queen Ifrica, Tarrus Riley, Christopher Martin, Gramps Morgan, Tony Rebel, Hezron and Gyptian among many others. The performances are held at Catherine Hall Entertainment Center. Food and other vendor stalls, and restroom facilities were built just for the event. Originally held in August, the event coincided with the island’s independence celebrations, so Sumfest was moved to July, which has become the busiest time on the tourism calendar. The event is now regarded not only as the world’s premier reggae music event, but as a major public relations vehicle for promoting Montego Bay and Jamaica as a vacation destination. Reggae fans have become a huge part of Montego Bay tourism, and the venue is used for music events throughout the year. Past performers have included Sean Paul, Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, Damian “Junior Gong” Marley, Mary J. Blige, Alicia Keys, Kanye West, Ludacris, Lionel Richie, Missy Elliott, Jay-Z, Rihanna, Ashanti, Wyclef Jean, Inner Circle, LL Cool J, Beres Hammond, Burning Spear, Bunny Wailer, Third World and Shabba Ranks. Since the beginning, Sumfest has focused on up-and-coming Jamaican reggae artists. The future of reggae music is bright as evidenced by the success of Shaggy, Sean Paul, Wayne Wonder, and Beenie Man as well as a host of new talent who have emerged over the last two years. Reggae Sumfest has been the premier event to promote and showcase Jamaica’s music. The event has received worldwide media coverage from MTV, VIBE and Billboard magazines, BET and the BBC.

If you love to shop, get out your credit cards. Montego Bay has plenty of duty-free shops that offer designer fashions, perfumes, rum and Blue Mountain Coffee, as well as crafts stores and fine-art galleries. Even Sangster International Airport has great shops so you can pick up those things you forgot to buy. Where to go? The Shoppes at Rose Hall is a great place to go for extravagant items on your wish list. The shopping center features 30 shops, about a dozen of those are duty-free. Diamonds, precious gems, gold, platinum, watches, china, perfumes, designer handbags, and crystal — it’s all waiting for your perusal. There is also gourmet dining to complement your shopping experience. City Centre Shopping Mall is duty-free heaven — a block-long area of duty-free stores offering fine cigars, jewelry in all price ranges, perfume, crystal, china as well as T-shirts and rum cakes. Here, you’ll find fine watches by Cartier, Gucci, TAG Heuer, Harry Winston, and Bulgari. For Jamaica-made crafts head to Harbour Street Craft Market — this is the place to get your jipijapa straw hat — and the craft vendors (all licensed by the Jamaica Tourist Board) at Fort Montego on Gloucester Avenue. Need a cocktail dress for a party or a linen suit for afternoon tea? Stop by Half Moon Plaza for upscale shopping.

DINING You can satisfy any food craving in MoBay, from steaks to jerk pork, Chinese, Indian, French, Italian, and particularly English pub food such as bangers and mash. Even if you OurJamaicaMagazine.com

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MONTEGO BAY

Top Ten Restaurants MONTEGO BAY Sugar Mill Restaurant International At Half Moon Resort, Rose Hall; 953-2314 Horizons International At Ritz-Carlton Rose Hall Resort; 953-2800 Round Hill International At Round Hill Resort, Route A1; 956-7050 Marguerite’s Seafood by the Sea International / Seafood Gloucester Avenue; 952-4777 The Houseboat Grill International Docked beside Freeport Road; 979-8845 The Native Restaurant Jamaican / International 29 Gloucester Ave.; 979-2769 The Royal Stocks Steakhouse / International Half Moon Shopping Center; 953-9770 Scotchie’s Jamaican Falmouth Road; 953-8041 The Pelican Jamaican Gloucester Avenue; 952-3171 Three Palms International Across from Rose Hall Resort; 953-2650

are staying in an all-inclusive do yourself a favor and go out on the town for a taste of Montego Bay. First, consider location. You can dine at a Great House, next to a golf course, by the beach with a view of sunset, next to a swimming pool, or at a glamorous hotel where you can afford to splurge on food but not on a room. Don’t forget about breakfast. You will want to try the national dish of saltfish and ackee, and bammies. Ask your hotel concierge for a suggestion for a great nearby restaurant that serves local food. For lunch you can have what may be the best burger

of your life at a beach bar because you’ve been windsurfing all morning and you’re ravenous. You should also eat at one of MoBay’s great jerk pits — you might want to try the stands at the corner of Gloucester Avenue and Kent Road — where you can get jerk pork or chicken, roasted breadfruit, all washed down with a Red Stripe beer or Ting, a Jamaican grapefruit soda.

NIGHTLIFE In MoBay, you can get dressed up and head to an elegant jazz club or piano bar, or you can sign up for the wet T-shirt contest at a beach bar.

Hotel Riu Montego Bay

On most nights there is live music, but there’s definitely a band playing somewhere on the weekends. During the American college spring break season in March and April, nightlife is day and night. (If you’re not in the mood for roundthe-clock revelry, you might want to visit at a different time of year.) The best bet for music and lively crowds is Gloucester Avenue, where you’ll find margaritas at Margaritaville — the beach is out back and you can jump in at any time and swim out to the Margaritaville raft — jazz clubs, sports bars, karaoke, and DJs playing dancehall, reggae and R&B. Ask your hotel concierge what’s happening in town.

Thousands of visitors plan their trips around Montego Bay’s two biggest musical events: Reggae Sumfest in July and Jamaica Jazz and Blues in January. Concerts include superstars and up-and-coming Jamaican artists. Catherine Hall Entertainment Center, the site of Sumfest, also hosts live concerts throughout the year. The Fairfield Theatre, founded in 1975, is a respected community theater company that stages plays by Caribbean writers such as Derek Walcott and Jamaican playwrights including Basil Dawkings and Trevor Rhone. But the company also produces plays ranging from Noel Coward to Neil Simon. (876-952-0182; Fairfield Road) OurJamaicaMagazine.com

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MONTEGO BAY

Casa de Oro

sand beach. Member of the Great Small

States, Canada and Europe. A US$180

Island Village and Tajmahal Shopping

Hotels of the World. Three restaurants,

million expansion and renovation was re-

Centre. 876-974-5392. World-class

three bars.

cently completed, upgrading the airport

watches and jewelry. Watches: Cartier,

to international standards to serve the

TAG Heuer, Jaeger LeCoultre, Rado, Gu-

Half Moon Equestrian Centre

almost 3.6 million passengers that use

cci, Vacheron Constantin, Ebel, Dior, Tissot,

Rose Hall, Montego Bay area. 876-953-

the facility every year. SIA also boasts

Raymond Weil. Selection of ďŹ ne Tiffany

2286. Riding, jumping and polo lessons,

some of the best shopping in Jamaica

& Co., Roberto Coin, Mikimoto, diamond

adventurous trail rides through the

and all in air-conditioned comfort! Our

and gold jewelry.

country and along the seaside.

restaurants, souvenir shops and duty-

Cinnamon Hill Golf Course

Iberostar Rose Hall Resort & Spa

free vendors showcase the best that Jamaica has to offer!

Eighteen unique holes encompass diverse

Rose Hall Main Road, Little River P.O.

elevations up to 500 feet and greens on

Montego Bay, St. James, Jamaica, W.I.

Round Hill Hotel & Villas

the edge of the Caribbean. Come play

876-680-0000. All-inclusive resort with

876-976-7050. Located a half-hour west

where the LPGA Tour plays and prepare

366 rooms.

of Montego Bay, the resort features a

to experience an awesome golf course.

combination of oceanfront hotel rooms, MBJ Airports Limited

villa suites and full villas. For details on

Coyaba Beach Resort & Spa

MBJ Airports Limited manages and oper-

planning the perfect destination wedding, please visit roundhill.com.

Mahoe Bay, Little River P.O., St. James,

ates the Sangster International Airport

Jamaica, W.I. 876-953-9150-3. The

(SIA) in Montego Bay, Jamaica. As the

charm and intimacy of a seaside inn with

primary tourism gateway to Jamaica, the

Tropicana Jewelers

the conveniences of a deluxe, full-service

airport is served by over 40 scheduled

#3 Tajmahal Shopping Centre (876-

hotel. Located directly on our own white-

and charter airlines from the United

974-2928), Island Village (876-6758774). Our outstanding offerings include renowned watch brands such as Patek Philippe, Breguet, Chopard, Harry Winston and Panerai. Classy yet distinctive designer jewelry from David Yurman, Marco Bicego, Dmodolo, Bulgari and many others. Credit cards welcome. The Tryall Club P.O. Box 1206, Sandy Bay, Hanover, Jamaica, W.I. 800-238-5290; administration@tryallclub.com; tryallclub.com; Managing Director: Gerald Giarla. One of the Caribbeanâ€™s legacy clubs, featuring 85 sumptuous private villas (1 to 8 bedrooms available) each one completely distinct in design and layout. Estate villas offer personal chef, housekeeper, laundress and gardener. Guests enjoy the lavish surroundings of a private luxury villa, but remain footsteps from a vibrant club atmosphere. Onsite wildlife and nature program, world championship golf and tennis, meeting space, four bars and two restaurants.

Where two hearts become one love. Naturally.

Open and inviting, richly appointed and steeped in tradition, Round Hill takes you far beyond the ordinary wedding. Choose the location that suits your style, from the expansive oceanfront spa lawn as your backdrop to an open-air reception on our new elevated ocean view garden terrace, or your own private villa. Youâ€™ll feel like youâ€™re the one and only because at Round Hill, your wedding is the only one. Do what comes naturally. Visit roundhill.com.

roundhill.com | 1.800.972.2159

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MONTEGO BAY

JHTA Hotel / Resort Members Altamont West Hotel

Hotel Gloriana

Montego Bay, St. James

1-2 Sunset Blvd.

876-952-4140

Montego Bay, St. James 876-979-0669

Sandals Montego Bay Kent Avenue

33 Gloucester Ave. Montego Bay, St. James

Iberostar Rose Hall Beach

Montego Bay, St. James

876-952-9087 / 876-929-4497

& Spa Resort

876-952-5510

Rose Hall Main Road Breezes Resort & Spa Rio Bueno

Montego Bay, St. James

Sandals Royal Caribbean Resort

Rio Bueno, Trelawny

876-680-0000

& Private Island

Palm View Resort & Conference Centre

Montego Bay, St. James

Breezes Resort & Spa Trelawny

22 Delisser Drive

876-953-2231 / 953-2301

Falmouth, Trelawny

Montego Bay

876-954-2450

876-952-1738/8321/1800

Mahoe Bay, Rose Hall

876-954-0000-19

Secrets St. James Montego Bay Montego Freeport, St James

Coyaba Beach Resort & Spa

The Palmyra Resort & Spa

22 Mahoe Bay, St. James

The Palms, Rose Hall

876-953-9150

Montego Bay, St. James

Secrets Wild Orchid Montego Bay

876-953-9787

Montego Freeport, St. James

876-953-6600

Doctor’s Cave Beach Hotel Gloucester Avenue

Richmond Hill Inn

Montego Bay, St. James

Union Street

Silent Waters Villas

876-952-4355

Montego Bay, St. James

White Sands Beach P.O.

876-952-3859

Montego Bay 876-971-9119-21

El Greco Resort 11 Queens Drive

The Ritz-Carlton Golf

Montego Bay, St. James

& Spa Resort

Sunset Beach

876-940-6116 / 940-6120

Montego Bay, St. James

Resort & Spa

876-953-2204 / 953-2800

Montego Freeport, Montego Bay Hanover

FDR Pebbles Falmouth, Trelawny

Riu Montego Bay

876-973-4142

Mahoe Bay, Rose Hall,

Grand Palladium Resort

876-979-8800

Montego Bay

Toby’s Resort

876-940-8010

1 Kent Ave. Montego Bay, St. James

Point District Montego Bay, St. James

The Rose Hall Resort & Spa

876-619-0000

Montego Bay 876-953-2650

876-0952-4370 Tryall Club Sandy Bay Main Road

Half Moon Rose Hall

Round Hill Hotel

Hanover

Montego Bay, St. James

John Pringle Drive

876-956-5660-3

876-953-2211

Montego Bay 1, St. James 876-956-7050

The Wexford Hotel 39 Gloucester Ave.

Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort Montego Bay, St. James

Sandals Inn

Montego Bay, St. James

876-953-2485-9

Kent Avenue

876-952-2854-5

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The Rose Hall Resort & Spa

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NEGRIL

Negril NEGRIL IS PROBABLY most people’s Jamaica daydream:

diving off a cliff into a cool swirling sea; opening the shutters of a colorful cottage to balmy trade winds; strolling a pristine beach early in the morning; and watching the sun go down on another glorious day. The only real exertion you are likely to see in Negril are the joggers on the beach training for Negril’s annual Reggae Marathon. On the far western tip of the island, Negril sprawls next to the sea across the border of Hanover and Westmoreland parishes — about as far away from Kingston as you can get. A road to Negril wasn’t built until 1959, and it still has the feeling of a far-ﬂung island outpost. BY CHERYL BLACKERBY

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©Peter Phipp/Alamy

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This remote resort town that was a small fishing village only 20 years ago has an illustrious history that gives it even more renegade character. Negril was once the stronghold of pirates, including Calico Jack Rackham and the infamous Mary Read and Anne Bonney — all three of whom were captured in Negril’s Bloody Bay by the British. Rackham was hanged in Kingston, and the women were pardoned after claims of pregnancy. Bloody Bay was also the departure point for 50 British naval ships on the ill-fated mission to capture New Orleans during the War of 1812. The bay’s name came from the 19th century, when whales were slaughtered in the bay, their blood turning the water red. Long Bay, ringed by a seven-mile-long beach, is Negril’s largest bay. But that is only beach party trivia nowadays for the thousands of visitors who go to Negril, some staying for a month at a time in inexpensive cottages. Negril has grown up fast from its Bohemian days. Huge resorts, all-inclusives, chic boutique inns and charming cottage com-

plexes have popped up along Negril’s 10-mile stretch along the sea. Visitors to Negril are divided into two groups: The cliff dwellers and the beach bums. Since most everyone in Negril is a repeat visitor, you actually can be both — stay in one of the cliff-top inns on the west side of town one visit and in one of the hotels on the sevenmile-long beach the next. The decision of where to stay is the only difficulty you will have in the beach town of Negril, where life has been very easy since hippies made it famous back in the 1960s. Many slept on the beautiful white-sand beach. Of course, now they’re still coming back, but with children and grandchildren, and the sleeping accommodations are a lot nicer. And parasails, Jet Skis, windsurfers and ski boats cruise the beach. But the spectacular sunset views are still the same, there’s still a loungy beach vibe, and the jerk pits are still by the beach road — although there are lots of gourmet restaurant options now, too.

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There are plenty of dramatic places to jump off cliffs on the West End, but the most famous by far is Rick’s Café.

Perhaps because of the calming effect of the gentle waves on the beach, Negril has a spiritual leaning. It’s easy to find a yoga retreat, yoga classes, a spa offering therapeutic massages and reflexology, Rastafarian drumming and chanting, and vegetarian meals. This is the place to be healthy, meditate and chill. The only real traffic jams are on One Love Drive (formerly West End Road) a couple of hours before sunset heading to Rick’s Café to watch the cliff-jumpers. Perched on top of a west-side cliff for more than 35 years, Rick’s has become a landmark, attracting busloads of tourists from Montego Bay. No one in Negril is really in a hurry to get anywhere. Visitors usually prefer to rent a bike instead of a car for a leisurely ride out to the Negril Lighthouse, stopping frequently for food and libation. Or they can take the wildly colorful and free One Love Drive bus, which makes lots of stops at hotels, art galleries, crafts markets, bars, restaurants and attractions from

the beach end of Negril to the lighthouse on the far west end. Nighttime is when Negril comes to life. Expect the unexpected at Negril’s bars, including fire dancing, donkey racing, spiritual revival ceremonies, reggae bands, old-school disco, and DJs playing dance music. In Negril, there’s an easy mingling of visitors and locals. This beach town may be the best place in the country to get acquainted with Rastafarians. Many visitors are curious about the Rasta lifestyle, but don’t really get the opportunity to ask questions. In Negril, you can sign up for Rastafarian experiences where you will learn about Rasta ceremonies, bee farming, roots brewing, cane juicing, herbs and spice gardening, craft-making, doctrines, wellness and backyard farming practices. Or you can just join a game of dominoes with local Rastas and ask questions while you play. Weddings and honeymoons are big in Negril. Many resorts have wedding planners, who can arrange everything from the minis-

Expect the unexpected at Negril's bars, including ﬁre dancing, donkey racing, spiritual revival ceremonies, reggae bands and old-school disco.

ters to the flowers, reception dinner, photographer and videographer. All the bride and groom have to do is show up. Some of the all-inclusives throw in the wedding for free. Weddings have even been held in the caves in the cliffs, where scenes from the James Bond movie Thunderball were filmed. Negril is definitely the place to feel the love.

SIGHTSEEING Cliff diving. There are plenty of dramatic places to jump off cliffs on the West End, but the most famous by far is Rick’s Café. Around 4 p.m., buses start arriving from across the island to see the spectacle of local divers and visitors jumping or diving from several levels on the sides and top of cliffs. The highest level is from a limb of a casuarina tree on top of the highest cliff, a level limited to experienced locals. You can get food and drink and listen to a live band while watching a gorgeous sunset. Other places to dive include Pirates Cave and The Sands Bar at The

Caves Resort, or behind your own cottage in one of the small resorts on the cliffs. There’s a cover charge of US$5 at Rick’s. (876-957-0380) Rhodes Hall Plantation. The best way to see the fruit groves — papaya, mango, bananas, pineapples, oranges, limes, and cocoa — and coconut plantation and its beautiful beach is by horseback. Rhodes Hall has 70 horses that will take you on trails through the hills and into the surf. A restaurant and bar are on the beach. Rhodes Hall is only about 5 miles from Negril, and offers hotel pickups. (876-9576883; near Green Island Harbour) Negril Lighthouse. Save some energy for the 103 steps to the top of the 66-foot Negril Lighthouse on the far west end of the city, which offers a great view of the coastline. The lighthouse, built in 1894 with a prism made in Paris, is solar powered and lights up the westernmost point of Jamaica every two seconds.

“Tour Jamaica and discover the island’s beautiful sights in luxury at the best rates available.”

JUTA Tours Negril Chapter www.jutatoursnegrilltd.com reservations@jutatoursnegrilltd.com Airport Transfers • Sightseeing Group Tours Taxi Service • Limousine Service T: (876) 957-9197 or (876) 957-4620 F: (876) 957-4619

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An outside balcony at the top allows you to see in every direction. A tiny museum displays lighthouse artifacts such as the original kerosene lamp from 1894. No admission charge. Great Morass. The star residents of the 10-milewide swamp that stretches from the South Negril River to Orange Bay are the two species of crocodiles. Your best bet for catching a glimpse of them is at the mouth of the Orange River. The Great Morass is the island’s second-largest freshwater wetland system, which acts as a filter for water flowing from the mountains into the sea. Royal Palm Reserve. Two observation towers provide a bird’s-eye view of the Great Morass, along with a boardwalk that gives a close-up view of endangered water birds,

mangroves, the island’s largest stand of native swap cabbage palms, the royal palm forest, the buttonwood hammocks and the bull thatch forest. The reserve, home to 114 plant species and 26 bird species plus 16 migratory species, including the endangered West Indian whistling duck, is in the Great Morass and is the easiest way to appreciate its wonders. Admission is US$10. (876-364-7407) Adventure Tours. You may want to schedule at least one day for some action with Chukka Caribbean Adventures. They can set you up with ATV, Jeep, kayak or river tubing tours, or even a day-trip to spectacular YS Falls, where you can take a treetop zipline canopy tour. (876-953-6699; chukkacaribbean.com)

SHOPPING For luxury items, Time Square Plaza on Norman Manley Boulevard has duty-free and jewelry stores offering china, crystal, leather goods, and electronics. Bayside Village is a new mall that has duty-free stores where you can buy jewelry, watches, beachwear, coffee, rum, cigars and crystal. The duty-free stores offer substantial savings on designer watches, perfumes, crystal and many other items. Other shopping complexes include Plaza de Negril, Sunshine Village and Coral Seas Plaza. Negril is an excellent opportunity to shop for Jamaican crafts. Stop by Rutland Point Craft Centre, an open-air market, and Negril Crafts Market, which spreads along the Negril River, both on Norman Manley Boulevard. A Fi Wi Plaza, which means “Our Place” in the local Patois and is officially called Vendors Plaza, is located on One Love Drive. This plaza was created by the Negril Chamber of Commerce as a showcase for Negril’s arts and crafts dealers.

DINING In Negril, you can eat at jerk stands by the beach that serve jerk pork, chicken, fish, even jerk sausage from barbecue grills made from metal drums. And you can try Rastafarian “Ital” (a Rasta word that comes from “vital”) vegetarian restaurants that serve platters of callaloo, yams, and cassava. Traditional Jamaican restaurants serve fried chicken, jerk chicken, pork, fish and lobster, spicy “peppa” shrimp, bammies (cassava cakes), roasted breadfruit, fresh fish Escovitch and curried goat at picnic tables. There’s a wide choice of cuisines in Negril including Italian, Chinese, French and Indian. You can eat at a table perched near the edge of a cliff, directly on the white-sand beach, and even in a candle-lit cave by the sea. Many of the restaurants have special dinners on

Rondel Village Unique family-owned and operated resort on Negril Beach, offering elegant accommodations amid lush tropical gardens. Beach Villas with kitchen & private whirlpool spa ideal for families and couples Spacious, air-conditioned rooms with balconies or patios No charge for children 11 years old and younger Cable TV U 2 Pools & Jacuzzis Wireless Internet U Hair Dryers Wedding packages and on property wedding coordinator Restaurant & Bar on the Beach Tel: (876) 957-4413, Fax: (876) 957-4915 Toll free (800) 544-5979 info@rondelvillage.com U www.rondelvillage.com

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What to Buy? Are you looking for gift ideas that are unique to Negril or something for yourself to remind you of Jamaica when you get back to the cold north? Be sure to keep an eye out for straw crafts made from the jipijapa plant, which is grown locally. Panama-style hats for men and women are made from jipijapa (in fact the hats in Panama are made from the same plants). These stylish, cool and one-of-a-kind hats take real skill to make. Purses, bags, totes and baskets are also made of jipijapa. Ask the weavers about the straw used in different items. Some are made of palmetto palm fronds. Straw hats and handbags are custom-woven at Time Square Plaza. Order in the morning and pick them up in the afternoon. Individual weaving classes also are offered. Woodcarvings are another local specialty. Some are comical, but others are works of art. Browse the three main arts and crafts markets — Rutland Point Craft Centre, Negril Crafts Market and A Fi Wi Plaza — to get an idea of the variety of wood carvings and prices before you buy. Artist Lloyd Hoffstead is a wellknown painter and wood carver, whose works are available at Gallery Hoffstead at A Fi Wi Plaza. Negril markets are unique, too, in their displays of good paintings and handpainted woodcarvings. Look for the paintings of Sinclair Edwards (signed Black Eddy) in the Maximum Art Gallery, Things Jamaica, and other shops. Pottery, and crocheted hats, swimsuits and handbags are other locally made crafts. Have fun “higgling” over the price.

Top Ten Restaurants NEGRIL Le Vendome French In the Charela Inn, Negril Beach; 957-4648 Norma’s on the Beach International In the Sea Splash Resort, Norman Manley Boulevard; 957-4041 Rick’s Café Seafood West End Road; 957-0380

ners on certain nights, so check the local restaurant listings to see who’s having seafood buffets on the beach and who’s having lobster night. Many of the restaurants also have entertainment such as a reggae band, which will help you plan your evening. Some of the large resorts are known for their gigantic buffets. A few of the allinclusives sell night passes that include all-you-can-eat food, alcoholic drinks and entertainment for a certain time period. Budding chefs can take cooking lessons at any of about 50 restaurants and learn how to make “run down” sauce, curry chicken, jerk, meat and vegetable patties, peanut and coconut drops, and rum punch. It’s a program to showcase the talents of local chefs.

NIGHTLIFE Negril is sleepy during the day, but the town wakes up when the sun goes down. Most nights there are live bands in town playing reggae, dancehall, calypso, R&B and rock ’n’ roll. Many places stay open as long as there is business. Entertainment includes beach parties, fire-dancing, cultural shows, dance parties, talent nights, steel bands, discos, karaoke and pool parties. You may want to schedule your vacation around some of Negril’s big events such as the annual Bob Marley Birthday Bash in February, Spring Break Beachfests in March and April, Independence Day parties in August, Negril JerkFest in November, and the Reggae Marathon parties in December.

Rockhouse Restaurant International In Rockhouse Resort, West End Road; 957-4373 Da Gino’s Italian In the Hotel Mariposa Hideaway, Norman Manley Boulevard; 957-4918 Hungry Lion Rastafarian / Seafood West End Road; 957-4486

COME AND ENJOY A GREAT VACATION GETAWAY!

Pushcart Jamaican West End Road; 957-4373

SEA SPLASH RESORT is the perfect combination of elegant style and simplicity, the ideal choice for vacations, business trips, weddings, honeymoon, group parties and meetings.

Sweet Spice Jamaican 1 White Hall Road; 957-4621 Gambino’s Italian In the Beachcomber Club Hotel, Norman Manley Boulevard; 957-4170 Ivan’s Jamaican At the Catch a Falling Star Resort, West End Road; 957-0390

NORMA’S ON THE BEACH Our “Norma’s” on the beach restaurant offers New World Caribbean Cuisine and Healthy Vegetarian Dishes. Wonderful creative minds with a passion for flavour have melded together our earth’s edible treasures, prepared and placed creatively on the plate. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Norman Manley Boulevard, P.O. Box 3123, Negril, Jamaica T: 876-957-4041 F: 876-957-4049 E: seasplash@cwjamaica.com • Skype: seasplashjamaica www.seasplash.com

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Country Country

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Cool Drinks It’s always a gastronomic adventure to eat in Jamaica, but don’t forget to try Jamaica’s special

they drink soursop, which they say has tranquilizing effects.

drinks, especially fruit juices. There’s a mind-boggling variety of fruits, most of which are made into

Carrot/Beet Juice. Carrot juice and carrot/beet

drinks. Mango, pineapple, naseberry, sweetsop

juice is a popular drink, especially on Sundays. A

and mamey are just a few.

typical recipe might include juiced carrots, one juiced beet, condensed milk, sugar, nutmeg and

Sorrel. This bright red tea, which you can drink

vanilla. You might also use juiced cucumber and

hot or cold, is especially popular at Christmas. It’s

a tiny bit of ginger.

made from the sorrel ﬂower that grows wild. Brew with cinnamon, cloves and orange peels. Sorrel is

Coconut Water. This refreshing drink is the clear

rich in vitamin C, calcium, niacin, riboﬂavin and a

liquid of the young, green coconut, before it

group of compounds called ﬂavonoids, which are

turns milky. It’s often sold by the side of the road.

powerful antioxidants. Sorrel bags packaged in

The vendor will chop the top off with a machete

boxes are inexpensive gifts you can buy at many

and give you a straw to drink from the coconut.

Jamaican souvenir stores.

You can’t leave Jamaica without trying coconut water fresh from the tree.

Ginger Beer. The ginger-ﬂavored soda has a crisp, spicy taste similar to ginger ale. Serve icy

Irish Moss. The reddish seaweed that grows in

cold with a slice of lime. It’s made by the Jamai-

shallow water is rinsed to get the salt off and

can company D&G, which brews Red Stripe beer.

soaked overnight, then boiled about 30 minutes until it dissolves and has the consistency of a

Ting. This unusual sparkling soda made with

thick milkshake. It is then mixed with steaming

grapefruit juice is tart and refreshing, a perfect

milk or water with lemon, cinnamon, vanilla

complement to spicy jerk chicken or pork. It is also

or nutmeg and sugar. It is thought to be an

an invention of D&G.

aphrodisiac for men.

Soursop. The dark greenish-brown spiky fruit is big,

Sugar Water. Add two ounces of brown sugar

as long as a foot, with soft white ﬂesh, which you

to 16 ounces of water and you have Jamaican

put it in a blender with ice and perhaps a little

Sugar Water. Add a few slices of lemon and you

sweetened condensed milk, nutmeg or cinnamon

have lemonade. It was named “the poor man’s

to create a tasty, fruity drink that looks like a

drink” because there was plenty of free sugar in

milkshake. If Jamaicans are depressed or anxious

the land of cane ﬁelds.

Grand Palladium Jamaica and the

on our famous two-story slides, dine

Rondel Village

Grand Palladium Lady Hamilton

at the water ’s edge and have the

This 40-room hotel on Negril Beach of-

Two all-inclusive hotels combined

time of your life. There’s a cheese-

fers eight 1, 2 and 3 bedroom self-con-

into one huge resort with 1,056

burger in paradise waiting for you af-

tained villas each with a kitchen and a

rooms, three pools and nine restau-

ter you’re done a cool JB T-shirt with

private whirlpool spa. Two beachfront

rants. The pools connect and seem

your name on it to remember us by.

rooms, 22 superior rooms (beachside)

to stretch forever.

and 8 garden rooms (across the street Merrils l, ll & lll Beach Resorts

from the beach).Seaside Restaurant

Idle Awhile

Merrils l (57 rooms); Merrils ll (38

and Bar, two swimming pools and Ja-

Idle the hours away at this intimate

rooms); Merrils lll (58 rooms). Located

cuzzis, hair dryers, wireless Internet and

boutique resort, tucked away in lush

on the famous Seven Mile Beach,

Tai Flora ﬂower shop. Watersports, land

tropical foliage on Jamaica's famous

among lush tropical gardens. Air-con-

sports and tours available.

seven mile strip of white sand beach

ditioned rooms. Authentic jerk chicken

in Negril. With five one-bedroom

and pork grilled by chef on beach

Sea Splash Resort

suites, a Junior suite and eight deluxe

or dine at full-service restaurant.

Norman Manley Boulevard, Negril P.O.

Caribbean-style rooms with large

Swimming pool, bars and watersports

3123. 1-876-9574041; Fax: 1-876-

verandas, this inn boutique hotel on

available.

9574049; seasplash@cwjamaica.com;

the beach is the ideal place to relax.

seasplash.com. Come and enjoy a

Or find yourself somewhere between

Negril Tree House

great vacation getaway! Sea Splash

“vacation and isolation” at one of

Guests have rejuvenated here for

is the perfect combination of elegant

its seven villas on the cliffs of Negril.

more than 25 years. Television,

style and simplicity, the ideal choice

Chill Awhile restaurant and bar, opens

telephones, safety deposit box in all

for vacations, business trips, weddings,

between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. daily on

rooms. Restaurant, breakfast included;

honeymoon, group parties and meet-

the beach.

one bar. Boutique on-site. Internet

ings. It is a 21-room/suites boutique

kiosk in lobby. Massage therapist and

hotel on the most unique spot of the

Jamaica Union of Travellers

manicurist on property. Pool, Jacuzzi,

seven-mile beach of Negril. Norma’s at

Association Ltd. - Negril Chapter

watersports. 70 beachfront rooms.

Sea Splash is an on-the-beach res-

Main Ofﬁce: Norman Manley Boule-

taurant offering New World Caribbean

vard, Negril. 876-957-9197 / 957-

Riu Hotels

Cuisine and healthy vegetarian dishes.

4620; Fax: 876-957-4619; jutanegril@

Riu Negril Hotel, Norman Manley Bou-

It is the only Three Diamond Rating-

cwjamaica.com. Transfer, sightseeing,

levard, Bloody Bay Beach, Negril. 187-

AAA approved restaurant in Negril.

group tours, limousine service and taxi

695-757-00; Fax: 187-695-750-20;

service.

clubhotel.negril@riu.com; 420 rooms.

Tensing Pen

Riu Palace Tropical Bay Hotel, Norman

1-800-957-0387 / 876-957-0387

Kool Runnings Water Park – Negril

Manley Boulevard, Bloody Bay Beach,

On the western tip of Negril, Tensing Pen

A thrilling experience for the whole

Negril. 187-695-759-00; Fax: 187-

offers an intimate escape in a unique

family. Providing the Koolest thrill

695-757-27; hotel.tropicalbay@riu.

collection of 18 handcrafted wood,

under the sun. Kool off at the most

com; 416 rooms.

thatch and cut-stone cottages, and is

diverse water park the Caribbean,

Riu Montego Bay Hotel, Mahoe Bay,

the ultimate destination for the discern-

including go-karts and paintball for a

Ironshore P.O. Montego Bay. 1-876-

ing traveler. Continental breakfast is

complete experience. Visit us at kool-

940-80-10; Fax: 1-876-940-80-15;

included. The Lodge, the hotel’s open-air

runnings.com or call 957-5400.

hotel.montegobay@riu.com; 681 rooms.

restaurant serves Jamaican-inﬂuenced

Riu Ocho Rios Hotel, Mammee Bay,

fare for guests and visitors. Massage, spa

Margaritaville Caribbean

St.Ann, Ocho Rios. 187-697-222-

and yoga services available. Gift shop

Margaritaville Caribbean, where

00; 187-697-222-03; clubhotel.

on premises. Tensing Pen, where “Life is

entertainment is included! Take a ride

ochorios@riu.com; 856 rooms.

Simple” and memories will last a lifetime. OurJamaicaMagazine.com

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128

NEGRIL

M Negril

P 1

NORTH

Lighthouse

B O O BY C AY

Crafts Market

Time Square Shopping Market

Bayside Village

Kool Runnings

Negril Airport

7 NORTH

8 A

JHTA Hotel / Resort Members

Breezes Grand

Westmoreland

Resort & Spa

217-649-0619

Bar-B-Barn Hotel & Restaurant

876-957-5010-8

Negril, Westmoreland

Caves Resort

Negril, Westmoreland

& Spa, The

876-957-4273

Beach House Villas Jamaica Ltd.

Lighthouse Road, Negril

Norman Manley Boulevard

876-957-0270

Couples Negril Negril, Westmoreland

Negril, Westmoreland 876-957-4731 / 4647 / 9162

Country Country Ltd. Norman Manley Boulevard

Negril 876-957-4267

Charela Inn Hotel

876-957-5960-9

Norman Manley Boulevard Beachcomber Club

Negril, Westmoreland

Couples Swept Away

Norman Manley Boulevard

876-957-4277 / 4648-50

Negril, Westmoreland 876-957-4062-6

Negril, Westmoreland 876-957-4171-4

Cocolapalm Resort

FireďŹ‚y Beach

Beaches Negril

Norman Manley Blvd.

Cottages

Negril, Westmoreland

Negril

876-957-9270-4

876-957-4227 / 3457

876-957-4368 / 9325

Beaches Sandy Bay

Coral Cove

Foot Prints On The Sand

Negril, Westmoreland

2 Old Hope Road

Negril, Westmoreland

876-957-5100-3

Little Bay

876-957-4300

8 P

Grand Pineapple Beach Resort

Merrils

Negril, Westmoreland

Norman Manley Boulevard

Beach Resort

876-957-3302 / 3303

Negril, Westmoreland

Norman Manley Boulevard

876-957-4408 / 4475

Negril, Westmoreland

Point Village

876-957-4751

Norman Manley Boulevard

Hedonism II

Negril, Westmoreland

Negril Hills Golf

876-957-5200

Club & Resort

Hotel Samsara

Negril, Westmoreland

Riu Club Negril Villas

876-957-4638 / 4240 / 3614

Norman Manley Boulevard

Negril, Westmoreland

Negril Tree House Resort

876-957-4395

Norman Manley Boulevard

Kuyaba Negril

876-957-5170-9

876-957-5700 / 5985

Negril, Westmoreland

Riu Palace

876-957-4287-8

Tropical Bay Resort

Norman Manley Boulevard

Bloody Bay

Negril, Westmoreland

Negrilâ€™s Idle Awhile Ltd.

Negril, Westmoreland

876-957-9815 / 4318

Norman Manley Boulevard

876-957-5900

M O N T E G O B AY J a m a i c a ARE TO BE THESE SMILES ERNALLY... ENJOYED ET

Sunbathing all morning, a refreshing dip in the pool, a profusion of activity at the beach, a harmonious relationship with nature, letting the children play to their heartâ€™s contentment, sleeping like an angel, relaxing in a spa, evening shows and scrumptious gastronomy. At GRAND PALLADIUM JAMAICA RESORT & SPA, life is as it should be.

www.palladiumresorts.com

Ph. (876) 620 0000

OurJamaicaMagazine.com

129

NEGRIL

ClubHotel Riu Negril

130

Rockhouse Hotel

Negril, Westmoreland

Lighthouse Road

876-957-0553

Negril, Westmoreland 876-957-4373

Sunrise Club Hotel Ltd. Norman Manley Boulevard

Rondel Village

Negril, Westmoreland

Norman Manley Boulevard

876-957-4293

Negril, Westmoreland 876-957-4413 / 4651-2

Sunset At The Palms Resort & Spa

www.tensingpen.com

Rooms On The Beach Negril

Norman Manley Boulevard

Negril, Westmoreland

876-957-5350 / 5360

876-957-3500 Tensing Pen Hotel Sandals Negril Beach & Spa

West End Road, Negril

Norman Manley Boulevard

876-957-0387

Negril, Westmoreland 876-957-5216-7 / 5230-1/ 5254-5

Travellers Beach Resort Norman Manley Boulevard

“Perhaps Negril’s best cuisine. . .” – Lonely Planet

Toll free USA and Canada: 1.800.957.0387 Tel: 876.957.0387 • Fax: 876.957.0161 E-mail: reservations@tensingpen.com

Sea Splash Resort

Negril, Westmoreland

Norman Manley Boulevard

876-957-9308 / 3039

Negril, Westmoreland 876-957-4041-3

White Sands Cottages Ltd. Norman Manley Boulevard

Seastar Inn

Negril

Seastar Road

876-957-4291 / 4445

Authentic

Brick Oven Pizza

Fine Dining & Takeout

WE DELIVER

Tel: (876) 953-3406/ 953-3114 Whitter Village / Morgan Road / IronShore Montego Bay / Jamaica W.I.

Dinner Reservations Recommended

Air-conditioned rooms set amidst lush tropical gardens along Negrilâ€™s famous 7-mile beach. 100- t 3&45"63"/5 t #&"$) #"3 t 8"5&3410354

/PSNBO .BOMFZ #MWE /FHSJM +BNBJDB Ph: (876) 957-4751 Fx: (876) 957-3121 &NBJM NFSSJMT!DXKBNBJDB DPN

www.merrilsbeach.com

)DLE !WHILE *EMF UIF IPVST BXBZ BU UIJT JOUJNBUF CPVUJRVF SFTPSU UVDLFE BXBZ JO MVTI USPQJDBM GPMJBHF PO +BNBJDB T GBNPVT TFWFO NJMF XIJUF TBOE CFBDI PS BU JUT WJMMBT PO UIF DMJGGT JO /FHSJM +BNBJDB

U s G s UPMM GSFF XXX JEMFBXIJMF DPN s XXX IJEFBXIJMF DPN F TUBZ!JEMFBXIJMF DPN s F TUBZ!IJEFBXIJMF DPN

OurJamaicaMagazine.com

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132

SOUTH COAST

South Coast MOST JAMAICA-BOUND VACATIONERS ﬂy into Montego

Bay on the north coast of the island and then set off for one of the resorts in Montego Bay, Negril or Ocho Rios. It’s on Jamaica’s north coast that you’ll ﬁnd the lion’s share of beach resorts and attractions — more than enough to ﬁll several holidays. But if you’re the type of traveler who likes to head off on their own in search of sights and experiences, then the treasures of Jamaica’s south coast are right up your alley. Exploring Jamaica’s southern coast and its off-thebeaten-path attractions will take a little extra effort, but the rewards are rich. BY MARK ROGERS

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SOUTH COAST

Travelers intent on visiting the South Coast will have to fly into either Kingston or Montego Bay and then drive to the region. The South Coast is a 90-minute drive down from Montego Bay, and about three hours from Kingston. On-island tour operators offer tours that cover all the bases. The region can be delved into during a day tour, but for a deeper experience you’ll want to include a few overnights in one of the area’s resorts or small hotels. There are four South Coast sights that most people would agree are not to be missed: a safari excursion on the Black River; a tour of the Appleton Rum Estate; some serious leisure time enjoying the outdoor attractions of YS Falls; and a visit to Treasure Beach.

SIGHTSEEING Black River. The port town of Black River was once a busy logging and sugar town, and today is packed with history and local color. Most people arrive for a river excursion, but try to reserve a little time to stroll through the town itself, which is refreshingly free of commercial tourism. One of the most famous structures is Waterloo at 44 High Street. The building dates from 1875 and was the first in Jamaica to be powered by electricity.

Great Morass. At the river, you can book an excursion. Tours depart five times a day from the dock at the Black River Bridge. A 90-minute boat tour takes you into the lower river delta’s mangroves and the Great Morass, where you’ll have the chance to observe a multitude of birds, including snowy egrets, a variety of herons, and the endangered West Indian whistling duck. But star attractions are the American crocodiles. Approximately 300 of them live in the river. Tour guides have a knack for calling the crocs to the side of the boat, where you’ll have a chance for an upclose encounter. Bamboo Avenue. Head along the South Coast road between Lacovia and Middle Quarters to view the two-mile stretch called Bamboo Avenue. The towering bamboos along both sides of the road form a deepshaded archway where you can browse the handicrafts vendors and recharge with some coconut water. Bamboo Avenue is now officially protected by the Public Gardens department of the Ministry of Agriculture. Appleton Estate Rum. The heritage of Jamaican rum-making goes deep. The best place to witness the island’s love affair with the drink is

136

SOUTH COAST

The Road to Mandeville Visiting Mandeville may make you temporarily wonder whether Cheryl Blackerby

you are you still on Jamaica or have been transported to another island. It’s a high-altitude, land-locked city 64 miles west of Kingston with a decidedly English air. It has a village green and fields walled with stone where cricket matches are played, and even a traditional English pub, the Manchester Arms. The town is also the site of the Caribbean’s oldest golf course, the Manchester Golf Club, dating back to 1868. An architectural standout is the limestone courthouse with Doric columns, which was built in 1820. If you have one day to spend in Mandeville, definitely stop by the 200-year-old Bloomfield Great House, where you can tour the property, take in expansive Mandeville views from the veranda and enjoy fine dining Monday through Saturday. You can also explore Martin's Hill Orchid Sanctuary, where rare

the Appleton Estate Rum, set among fields of sugarcane near the village of Maggoty. Appleton Estate Rum has blended rum since 1749. Visitors can tour of the facility in action and view an onsite museum chronicling rum production on the island. The Appleton Estate Rum Tour ends with a rum toast and a complimentary bottle of rum. YS Falls. YS Falls can be experienced in an hour, but plan a longer visit and consider bringing a picnic lunch. This is a place that cries out for you to relax and commune with nature. YS Falls is located on the YS Estate, a working farm near St. Elizabeth. It began as a simple site featuring a seven-tiered waterfall, and has now grown into a fully realized rustic attraction with ziplines, river tubing and swimming pools. Your visit starts off with a tractor-drawn jitney ride through the farm. When you arrive at the base of the waterfall, you can choose to get wet or stay dry by ascending a series of wooden steps with viewing platforms. Daredevils can try their hand at the swing over the waterfall’s pool.

orchids are on display, including 25 species endemic to Jamaica. At dinnertime, consider Casa de Viola, an upscale restaurant serving international and local cuisine. Or try The Vineyard, celebrated for its international cuisine and exotic setting of bamboos and palm trees.

Treasure Beach. The six-mile stretch of Treasure Beach spans four main bays with the colorful names of Calabash, Great, Billy and Frenchman’s. Calabash Bay is the largest and most active. It’s a colorful spot with local fishing boats and clusters of beachfront food stands, where a plate of roast fish is perfectly complemented by an ice-cold Red Stripe. Coral reefs, ideal for snorkeling, lie just offshore.

Lovers Leap. East of Treasure Beach you’ll find Lovers Leap, a 1,600-foot seaside cliff with an awe-inspiring view. It got its name from the story of two Jamaican slaves who were lovers, and who leaped to their deaths rather than be separated.

DINING If you’re looking for wild nightlife and a multitude of shopping opportunities, the South Coast will disappoint. If your idea of a perfect night is lingering over a leisurely dinner, playing dominoes and listening to tree frogs, then you’ll be in heaven. You won’t find a wide selection of restaurants, but a handful of venues guarantee authentic down-home Jamaican cooking. Jake’s, an Island Outpost property, offers dining in Treasure Beach. The oceanside alfresco seating is a great setting for candlit dinners, with fresh, local seafood, vegetarian options and homemade ice cream. The Treasure Beach Hotel is the site of the Yabba Restaurant, overlooking the hotel’s lush gardens. Yabba serves local and international fare, with an emphasis on catch-of-the-day and regional dishes. One venue that’s become destination in its own right is Little Ochi Seafood Restaurant, in Alligator Pond. Here you can order all sorts of seafood, from curried conch to grilled lobster, with sides of steamed bammies (cassava bread) and festival (dumplings). Little Ochi has become so beloved that it hosts an annual Seafood Festival every summer.

Appleton Estate Rum Tour

JHTA Hotel / Resort Members

Mandeville, Manchester

mini-museum, artifacts, wishing well, Italian cafĂŠ and gift shop.

Golf View Hotel

Marblue Villa Suites

Take home a complimentary bottle of rum and taste samples.

& Conference Centre

& Restaurant

Groups of up to 150. Lunch available on request. Mon.â€“Sat., 9

a.m.â€“3:30 p.m.

Mandeville, Middlesex

Calabash Bay P.A.

876-962-4471 / 4474

Treasure Beach,

Northwest of Mandeville sear Siloah. 876-963-9215. Take an air-conditioned bus ride to tour the rum factory and estate. Tour explains the fermentation and distillation process. See

1/ 2

876-962-2138

Old Wharf,

Caledonia Road

St. Elizabeth

The Mandeville Hotel

876-965-3408

876-962-9764. The Mandeville Hotel serves breakfast, lunch

Jakeâ€™s Village

and dinner in The Arches restaurant by the pool. While you

Calabash Bay P.A.

eat dinner, with moonlight streaming through the Spanish-style

Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth

Sandals Whitehouse

arches, enjoy the smooth sounds of Keith Powell, the hotelâ€™s one-

876-965-3000 / 0635 / 3185

European Village & Spa Whitehouse,

man jazz band. The Sunday Jamaican Buffet includes fresh fruit, ackee and codďŹ sh, mackerel rundown, escovitch ďŹ sh, callaloo,

Mandeville Hotel

Westmoreland

fried plantain, bammies, dumplings and boiled green bananas.

4 Hotel St.

876-640-3002 / 9

... ...where the living is easy 4 Hotel Street, P.O. Box 78, Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica, info@themandevillehotel.com www.mandevillehoteljamaica.com 876 962 9764/5, Fax: 876 962 0700

YS Falls is a natural attraction nestled in the foothills of the cockpit country of St. Elizabeth

48*. */ 5)& '"--4 s %0 5)& ;*1-*/& 07&3 5)& '"--4 s 3*%& 0/ " 53"$503 %3"8/ +*5/&: s */5*."5& 5*&3&% 8"5&3'"-Open Tuesday through Sunday 9:30am-3:30pm Closed Mondays and All Public Holidays

(876) 997 6360 OurJamaicaMagazine.com

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138

A TASTE OF THE ARTS

Art and Soul THE RICHNESS OF JAMAICA’S HISTORY, diversity, energy,

imagination and creativity gives its arts landscape a unique identity. At the intersection of culture, creativity and commerce, how do we measure authenticity? Jamaican artists — native, naturalized, resident and expat — create in a broad range of styles and live in a worldwide diaspora. So what is the soul of Jamaican art? Tourists may assume anything at the local craft market — Rasta carvings, colorful market scenes — must be Jamaican art. Interior decorators seek lightweight subjects that coordinate well with their layouts. Conservative collectors gravitate toward safe, traditional subjects. BY JEFF BORG

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A TASTE OF THE ARTS

“We currently have a group of highly talented artists who are re-sculpting the contemporary art scene with competence, conﬁdence and courage.”

But Jamaican art dealer Wayne Gallimore, who bought his first piece as a teenager, scouts the country in search of true creative talent, often people who create masterpieces without formal training. He follows his heart by dealing in art. “I was concerned that I would go to a Jamaican hotel, and the only works of art were imported.”

THE INTUITIVES Sculptor Joseph Richards, working on his small Blue Mountain coffee farm, is one of Gallimore’s discoveries. “I use one of the hardest and heaviest woods in Jamaica, called lignum vitae, then I polish the sculptures with engine oil to give them sheen,” the self-taught artist explains. Gallimore suggests that Intuitives like Richards may be the pure artists. “It could be argued that, in a strict sense, they are the only ones producing authentic Jamaican art.” Intuitive painters and sculptors have typically gotten their influences from God, Africa or just their immediate surroundings. David Boxer of the National Gallery, in Kingston, wrote in a 1979 exhibition: “They are not guided by fashions. Their vision is pure and sincere, untarnished by art theories and philosophies, principals and movements.” They have been skilled, self-employed workers with the time to pursue art as a hobby. John Dunkley was a barber, but his surreal landscapes contained exotic creatures like jerboas, spiders, crabs and birds. David Miller Sr. and his son, David Jr., worked as carpenters, but during the slow season they carved African fetishes and faces for tourists. Everald Brown and Albert Artwell loaded their paintings with religious symbols and Rastafarian colors, depicting a fanciful version of Zion. Harmony Hall, a gallery in Tower Isle east of Ocho Rios, showcases prominent Intuitives with regular shows.

JAMAICAN ART MOVEMENT Neither the Taino natives nor the Spanish who conquered them left much art. Colonial planters imported some pieces from Europe. But 95 percent of Jamaicans were African, so where were the bright colors and traditional wood carvings? Generations of slavery had stripped African culture from Jamaica, which began

to create its own artistic culture in 1922, the dawn of the Jamaican Art Movement. Finally, artists depicted real people living real lives in real dignity. The movement agitated for independence. Edna Swithenbank married Norman Washington Manley in 1921. She would become mother of the Jamaican Art Movement, linking art with politics, and he would become Jamaica’s last colonial premier. Edna Manley’s sculptures captured the rhythm of the markets and the songs of the plantations. They displayed the physiques of real people, with heads held up in hope or down in anger. Works like Negro Aroused (1935), The Prophet (1936) and Tomorrow (1939) became icons of a new social order. Independence arrived in 1962. Manley’s commissions in this period included Crucifix (1950), He Cometh Forth (1962) and a monument to national hero Paul Bogle (1965). Her name now graces the Edna Manley College for the Visual and Performing Arts, in Kingston. Other pioneers included: Karl Parboosingh, influenced by cubists like Picasso and trained in New York, Paris and Mexico City, filled his expressionist paintings with Rastafarian colors and ribald drama. Albert Huie may have been Jamaica’s foremost landscape painter, employing subtle colors with staccato brush strokes. Carl Abrahams began as a cartoonist and used wit to create ironic send-ups of great religious themes. Barrington Watson trained across Europe, then introduced the canons of scale, composition and draftsmanship. Mallica “Kapo” Reynolds was the first Jamaican to paint by “divine inspiration” and still find acceptance by critics. In 1947 the Revivalist preacher painted his first important work, a black Christ. Eugene Hyde often painted displaced, dismembered and deranged persons who roamed the streets as metaphors for Communism, which he feared. Master potter Cecil Baugh had to plow his own field, since there were no creative ceramists in his era. Baugh explored native clays and formulated his own glazes.

Unbridled Expression BY PATRICIA BORNS

Grandmothers in ﬂowing gowns dance with girls in busty T-shirts. Novelist Bernice McFadden embraces a fan and bursts into tears. Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka toasts the crowd with a glass of Jamaican Red Stripe, and the crowd — 3,000 strong, ranging from taxi drivers to college professors — erupts with joy. This is a literary festival? Poet Kwame Dawes and novelist Colin Channer conceived Calabash International Literary Festival on Patricia Borns

a train ride while singing vintage Wailers tunes to pass the time. Both had cut their literary teeth on reggae as an expressive form. Both believed that Jamaica could be as powerful in literature as it is in music. Calabash would not only showcase renowned authors, but also

looks. But after 10 years, they should have known “every

mentor new ones. They found a kindred spirit in Justine

little thing gonna be all right.” As the sky cleared and

Henzell, whose family roots run deep in Jamaica’s South

Kwame Dawes welcomed American novelist Russell Banks

Coast. Justine’s father, Perry Henzell, directed the 1972

followed by poet Sharon Olds to the stage, the seats

cult movie The Harder They Come. With her mother and

were ﬁlled to capacity with attentive fans.

brother she is deeply involved in the Treasure Beach

Between performances, the festival grounds over-

community and her family’s resort, Jake’s. There, Cala-

ﬂowed with revelers picnicking and enjoying a sea

bash is staged in an open ﬁeld by the sea.

bath. Escovitch, bammy and conch stew were on tap

Even poet laureates are sometimes at a loss for

from local cooks and Jake’s popular beachside res-

words to deﬁne the combustible atmosphere of this

taurant, Jack Sprat. The small hotels of sleepy Treasure

three-day event. What literary festival screens the

Beach ﬁll to capacity for the popular event, making

classic Trevor Rhone ﬁlm Smile Orange at 10 p.m., and

advance planning essential. Watch the festival website

brings on Grammy nominee Freddie McGregor and

calabashfestival.org for the 2011 program held in May.

Jamaica’s smash hit singer Etana at midnight? Where else are celebrity performances followed by

With a changing roster of authors and performing artists, year after year, the assemblage of talent at

an open mike featuring “anyone reading whatever for

Calabash is surprising and profound. For a literary fes-

two minutes”? And do they.

tival conceived in music, the 2010 celebration ended

Where does a day begin with a haiku and end with

with a tribute to Jamaica’s “One Love” poet Bob

Channer and reggae legend Mutabaruka duking it out

Marley. Jamming on stage were Mutabaruka, reggae

in a battle of the DJs until the wee hours?

hit song writer Wayne Armond, rhythm guitarist Steve

In its 10th triumphal year, Calabash is one of the most

Golding of Peter Tosh band fame, and jazz great

improbable, beloved, literary-musical-human gatherings

Seretse Small, who closed with the lyrics from Marley’s

in the world.

last studio recording:

The 10th-anniversary event was typical of festivals past: It rained. Farmers arriving with fresh produce and vendors under the white tents exchanged worried

“We can make it work. Come together and make it work.” Year after year, Calabash does. OurJamaicaMagazine.com

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A TASTE OF THE ARTS

Jamaica Galleries KINGSTON AREA Art Centre Gallery 202 Old Hope Road, 927-1608 Belcour Art Gallery Gordon Town, 356-5769

ESTABLISHED ARTISTS

YOUNG ARTISTS

Cecil Baugh also glazed a trail for younger ceramists like today’s prolific Gene Pearson. The graduate of Edna Manley College is known for terra-cotta faces, bronze sculptures and architectural elements that grace the homes of many Jamaicans, as well as famous foreigners such as Nelson Mandela, U.S. President Bill Clinton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, David Rockefeller, Stevie Wonder and Maya Angelou. Also cheering homes are delightful ceramics from Wassi Art studio. The name means “stings like a wasp.” It employs potters and painters in the hills over Ocho Rios, turning out aesthetic and functional pieces featuring fish, fruits, flowers and faces, sold in gift shops. In New Kingston’s Emancipation Park, the larger-than-life bronze sculpture Redemption Song (2003), created by Laura Facey Cooper, actually took a hundred artists, engineers and helpers to construct. As male and female subjects emerged from a pool of water meant to wash away slavery, they also ignited controversy over nudity in public art. Sculptor Christopher Gonzalez courted controversy throughout his life, as the prosperity of the 1960s gave way to the social unrest of the 1970s. His heavily debated Bob Marley Monument (1983) employed complex symbolism. One of Jamaica’s most accomplished painters working today is Bryan McFarlane. He descended from Maroons, that hardy band of African-Jamaicans who lived high in the mountains and refused to be slaves. McFarlane has established himself internationally as a University of Massachusetts professor of fine art and a worldwide lecturer.

“We currently have a group of highly talented and interesting young artists who are re-sculpting the contemporary art scene in Jamaica with competence, confidence and courage,” says Gallimore. They have abandoned romantic notions that inspired their elders — nation building, cultural ideals, natural beauty — to address today’s realities. “The success of this type of work is not measured immediately by sales,” says Gallimore, whose Belcour Art Gallery promotes emerging talent through consultations by appointment, and whose jamagination.com offers works via highresolution museum-quality prints on canvas or paper. Michael “Flyn” Elliot and Oliver Myrie are two of his popular young artists. Their paintings are sought by collectors both for aesthetics and as investments. Michael Elliot, a skilled photorealist, explores texture with a looseness uncharacteristic of the genre. His images have become more “hi-def” as his subject matter has morphed from benign landscapes to daring social commentary. Oliver Myrie, whose vibrant textural abstracts reflect a peaceful spirit, organic feel and broad appeal, is described by art historian Veerle Poupeye as a “poet in paint, thinking in the medium of paint.”

Easel Gallery 134 Old Hope Road, 977-2067 Frame Centre Gallery 10 Tangerine Place, 926-4644 Gallery Pegasus Jamaica Pegasus, 926-3690 Grosvenor Galleries 1 Grosvenor Terrace, 924-6684 Hi Qo / Spanish Court Centre 1 St. Lucia Ave., 926-4183 National Gallery of Art 12 Ocean Blvd., 922-1561 Revolution Galleries 52 Lady Musgrave Road, 946-0053 / 4 MONTEGO BAY AREA Elgo’s Art Gallery 31 Gloucester Ave., 971-3310 Gallery of West Indian Art 11 Fairﬁeld Ave., Catherine Hall, 952-4547 NEGRIL AREA Gallery Hoffstead II Vendors Plaza, West End Road, 957-3903 JAJA Originals Norman Manley Blvd., 957-4326 Jamaica Jane Norman Manley Blvd., 957-9079

EXPLORE ART

OCHO RIOS AREA

What is authentic Jamaican art? Gallimore finally defines it as art “produced by Jamaicans or long-term residents that reflects or depicts any aspect of Jamaican life.” He encourages everyone to visit the galleries, museums and studios here. “I believe that art remains essential to our lives, as it appeals to and delivers nutrition, satisfaction and fulfillment to an aspect of our souls.”

Art Professionals Pineapple Place, 974-9564 Harmony Hall Tower Isle, 975-4222 PORT ANTONIO AREA Gallery Carriacou Hotel Mocking Bird Hill, 993-7267

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ÂŠNational Geographic Image Collection/Alamy

144 BEACHES

Beach Bumminâ€™ WITH THEIR OWN DISTINCTIVE personalities, sandy Jamaican

beaches nestle into cozy protected coves between rocky cliffs and offshore reefs. Streaks of emerald greens and turquoise blues close to shore morph into royal blues out at the horizon. Such vibrant colors just make people want to jump in and wallow. Grand resorts take care of many beaches, raking and keeping them picture-perfect for guests. Others are private, charging a few dollars to cover maintenance. Still others are thoroughly public. No charge to enter. BY JEFF BORG

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BEACHES

ClubHotel Riu Ocho Rios

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Starting at the West End and working clockwise, let’s take a tour.

WEST END / NEGRIL Bohemian Negril gives vacationers that endof-the-world feeling. This happy hippie haven is half-beach, long and lively, and half-cliffs, where otherwise rational adults leap from the rocks — at Rick’s Café and many West End resorts — into the lapping waters 30 feet below. Blue waters turn gold as the sun sinks each evening. Behind Sandals, Couples, Beaches and dozens of boutique resorts, people line up in lounges, favorite libations in hand, to witness stunning sunsets. The pace along Seven Mile Beach is more languid than most places. Stroll the silky sands until you spot an inviting bar, then stop and chill awhile with the friendly mix of locals, Europeans and Americans debating rum, reggae and Rastafari. Stroll some more and pick your perfect perch for beachside dining. Start with some spicy-sweet pumpkin soup. Savor the spicy-hot jerk chicken

over pasta. Or choose a grilled red snapper that was still swimming this morning. Don’t be put off by the name of Bloody Bay, a sandy semicircle just north of Rutland Point, the site of Breezes, Riu and Sunset resorts. Some say it got its name from a vicious pirate battle. Others say it was the whalers who processed their quarry here. Today its white sands and azure waters lure beachgoers with their beauty — many patches open to the public, including one spot with pickup games of cricket and smoking barbecues of fresh lobster.

MONTEGO BAY Southwest of Montego Bay, the town of Sandy Bay offers the freedom of wind in your hair and water splashing up as you ride horseback along the sea. Chukka Blue offers equestrian tours featuring panoramic views of the Jamaican coast and picturesque mountains. Ask about the nearby Lollipop Beach Club, which often brings in live bands. At the center of Montego Bay, private Doctor’s Cave Beach sprawls between Marine Park and

the famous Hip Strip. Convenient to many hotels, these translucent waters known for their invigorating mineral content invite swimmers. A food court, beach bar and cyber café provide meals, drinks and Internet access. The beach at Rose Hall, just east of Montego Bay’s airport, has attracted several of the island’s more exclusive resorts, including Half Moon, Rose Hall Resort, the Ritz-Carlton and Sandals Royal Caribbean. Visitors staying elsewhere can find soft sands and clear waters at the private Rose Hall Beach Club.

CENTRAL NORTH / OCHO RIOS In the unassuming Trelawny town of Duncans, many would claim the beach at Silver Sands as best in Jamaica. Most of it is private, available to those who own or rent villas at Silver Sands Estate. Otherwise, look for the similarly spectacular public Fisherman’s Beach just west. It has a pleasant vibe and attracts fishermen, artists, craftsmen and cooks.

285 -DPDLFD 2&7 LQGG

Nearby Braco Stables offers fun equestrian rides through the scenic countryside, along the shoreline and through the water. A few miles east at St. Ann’s Bay, Hooves Ltd. offers a similar adventure along the Heritage Beach Trail, combining local lore with a refreshing run through the waves. At Island Village, a festival marketplace next to the cruise pier in Ocho Rios, is a private beach along with the duty-free shops, reggae exhibition and local incarnation of Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville. East of the cruise pier is a sweeping arc of sand known as Turtle Beach, with the lofty Sunset Jamaica Grande at one end. The public sands are lined with resorts, sailboats, personal watercrafts, volleyball games, couples and kids. Down the coast a few minutes, golden afternoon sunlight illuminates the towering cliffs of Oracabessa, a name thought to derive from the Spanish words oro (gold) and cabeza (head).

Scenes from the film Goldfinger were filmed down at James Bond beach, a spectacular site of crystal-clear waters fronting lush mountains.

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Fifteen minutes from Port Royal, the island of Lime Cay, with clear waters and white sand, is the perfect spot for a day of swimming, snorkeling and yachting near the big city of Kingston.

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Certainly the world of literature found gold here. Ian Fleming, the former British spy who created James Bond, lived and drew inspiration at GoldenEye, now an Island Outpost resort that attracts celebrities. For a small fee, “common” folk can look around, too. Scenes from the film Goldfinger were filmed down at James Bond Beach, a spectacular site of crystal clear-waters fronting lush mountains. Take a personal watercraft tour for a unique peek at the estates of the rich and famous. Catch a reggae concert on the beach. Perched high on a hill overlooking Port Maria sits the estate called Firefly, former home of flamboyant English playwright, composer, director, actor and singer Noel Coward. Today $10 gets you a tour of the historic house and view of the panoramic shore.

PORT ANTONIO More stunning and less crowded than elsewhere, the beaches here put Port Antonio on the map. Jamaican Reef Beach, a short, clean, private strip of sand within Port Antonio Marina

is convenient for cruisers in town for the day. The beach is well admired from a dining table or barstool at Norma’s. Once upon a time at private Frenchman’s Cove east of town, you might have run into Queen Elizabeth or the lesser royals Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. The beauty of this narrow beach derives from its sandy bottom and the fresh waters flowing from a stream. At neighboring San San Beach, frequented by the wealthy owners of fancy homes nearby, guests of the Jamaica Palace, Goblin Hill and Fern Hill resorts can use the private beach for free. An offshore island is good for snorkeling, but beware of spiny sea urchins if you step onto it. The Blue Lagoon appeared in the movies Cocktail and Club Paradise, but not in the eponymous classic starring Brooke Shields. That’s a myth. Technically not a beach, this private swimming hole with inviting waters in otherworldly colors will make you forget about sand. Throughout the day, the sun recasts it between emerald, jade and sapphire. Arawak natives believed the inlet was bottom-

Cheryl xxxxx

Beach ‘wear’ Jamaican society is fairly conservative when it comes to dress codes thanks to its English colonial past, so please cover up before leaving the beach and strolling through town. On the other hand, Jamaica is quite tolerant of bearing skin on the sand, with several nude sections, generally the secluded corners of private beaches. Favorite bare- bottomed beaches include James Bond at Oracabessa and the beaches near Rutland Point in Negril, where the Hedonism II resort

less, but current estimates are 180–200 feet, fed by the salty sea and freshwater springs. Rent a snorkel to see rainbow-colored fish. Come to the small restaurant on Saturday night for live reggae. Another mile down the coast at Fairy Hill, beautiful Winnifred Beach offers clear waters and teeming coral reefs perfect for snorkeling. Popular with locals, this pretty gem buzzes with vendors selling crafts and preparing fresh fish and jerk delights. Sweating over the flames of a dozen pits at Boston Bay, the muscular masters of jerk, a fiery cuisine invented here in Portland Parish during slavery, zealously guard their family recipes. This public beach is known better for its piquant aroma of chicken and pork grilling slowly than for its golden sands or turquoise waters.

gained fame for letting it all

KINGSTON

hang out.

Fifteen minutes offshore from Port Royal, the languorous small island of Lime Cay, with clear waters, white sands and little else, is the perfect spot for a day of swimming, snorkeling and yachting near the big city. Find food and drinks on the weekend. Look for the oysterman on Sunday. On weekdays, clothing-optional sunbathing is acceptable since you may have the tiny spit of sand to yourself. The pretty public beach is open to anyone who

Nude beach etiquette requires that you do not bring cameras or cell phones with you out of respect to others, and self-preservation requires that you do bring sunblock — especially if you plan to lose that tan line.

can get out there. From Morgan’s Harbour at Port Royal, a boat shuttle or rental can be arranged.

SOUTH COAST Travelers in search of an authentic, timeless Jamaica find it at Treasure Beach, a charming string of fishing villages on the southwest coast. Among its coves and bays, with a mix of sandy and rocky shores, dark and light sands, fishermen’s enclaves and swimming spots, Treasure Beach lives up to its lofty name. Four lovely, laid-back, public beaches are perfect for swimming, snorkeling, biking or hiking. At Calabash Bay, friendly fishermen dock their brightly painted canoes to unload the daily catch. Visitors assemble in beachfront cafés and huts to taste the fare, seasoned and grilled to perfection. To hang awhile at Treasure Beach, check out bohemian Jake’s, which exudes the local personality from its secluded cottages and hotel rooms amid the ackee, almond and guinep trees. A more upscale South Coast can be found at Whitehouse, where Sandals maintains its section of beach to a very high standard, raked and cleaned each morning. Protected by a reef, waters are as still as a millpond. Visitors not staying at the luxurious Sandals can purchase an $85 day pass that includes resort facilities, meals, drinks and watersports. OurJamaicaMagazine.com

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WEDDINGS

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Say ‘I Do’ in Jamaica WHETHER LOVEBIRDS OPT FOR BAREFOOT on the beach, formal

in an elegant ballroom or amid bright blooms in one of the islands treasured gardens, fairy-tale weddings do come true in Jamaica. Celebrating love from coast to coast, passion abounds in countless picture-perfect venues. And with expert wedding planners, it’s a breeze to say “I Do” in Jamaica. “Destination weddings are the fastest-growing segment of the travel and tourism business,” says Wayne Cummings, president of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association. “Jamaica is proud of its history in that market, ensuring that brides and grooms are totally satisﬁed with their choice of where to begin the formal part of the lives together.” BY MELANIE REFFES

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WEDDINGS

Weddings are movie-set perfect at Round Hill in Montego Bay, where How Stella Got Her Groove Back was ﬁlmed.

Wooing the romance market, Sandals and Beaches Resorts have paired with Martha Stewart for a myriad of wedding options with six artistic themes: the “Vision in White” for couples who prefer a classic white wedding, from party favors to desserts; “Flutter of Romance,” incorporating butterflies for a splash of whimsy; “Seaside Serenade,” where couples exchange vows under a seashell-studded bamboo arch; “Chic and Natural” for the organic twosome; “Island Paradise,” a ceremony studded with rainbow-hued orchids; and the elegantly simple “Beautiful Beginnings” wedding that salutes the Jamaican tradition of romance. Celebrating “second time around” and “third time lucky” weddings, Franklyn D. Resort and FDR Pebbles Resort are delighted to host couples with kids in tow. While wedding planners look after every detail from the minister to the music, newly blended families have plenty of quality time to bond on the beach or enjoy a round of massages in the spa. At Couples Tower Isle, Couples Sans Souci, Couples Swept Away and Couples Negril, marriage proposals carved in ice are a cool way to pop the question. Add a bottle of bubbly and a box of chocolate-covered strawberries, and eager grooms will get a “yes” every time. Honeymoons in paradise are de rigueur at Tensing Pen on the western tip of Negril. Here scattered along the cliffs you’ll find a collection of thatch and stone cottages with interiors crafted by local artisans from bamboo, mahogany and cedar, and sunning patios carved out of the rocks. This is the stuff of storybook honeymoons for couples who dream of sultry sunsets and lazy mornings. Always the eternal optimists, all Breezes resorts are gifting newlyweds with a oneyear anniversary return stay. With a stay of six nights or more, the Dream Weddings Collection dishes up a complimentary ceremony that includes a champagne toast. A magical cornucopia of venues at all seven resorts aim to please from the seaside chapel at Breezes Runaway Bay to the photogenic rock bluff gazebo at Breezes Rio Bueno on the picturesque north coast. Across the road from Breezes in Runaway Bay, Villa Cindy at the Sunflower Cottages and Villas welcomes active honeymooners

who enjoy a round on the golf course, a game of tennis or an afternoon horseback riding on the beach. Secrets Ultimate Weddings at the adultsonly Secrets St. James and adjacent Secrets Wild Orchid in Montego Bay ooze grownup sophistication from sunrise to sunset. Newlyweds toast their nuptials in Vera Wang-designed champagne flutes as a Jamaican musical trio sets the mood and a photographer snaps souvenir memories of the special day. A treasure trove of treats awaits honeymooners at the Sunset Beach Resort in Montego Bay and the Sunset Jamaica Grande Resort in Ocho Rios. Room upgrades, complimentary photos of the happy couple, a bottle of sparkling wine and flower petal turndown service are the romantic signatures at the pair of all-inclusive resorts. Weddings are movie-set perfect at Round Hill in Montego Bay, where How Stella Got Her Groove Back was filmed, and where its star Taye Diggs returned to marry his sweetheart, Broadway singer Idina Menzel, in a seaside fairy tale wedding. Honeymooners create their own magic in chic villas with private pools while toasting the sunset with a chilled glass of the resorts own Cabernet Sauvignon. For the independent-minded couple, arranging a ceremony without the advice of hotel wedding planners is part of the fun. On Cornwall Beach, fronting the Hip Strip in Montego Bay, barefoot on the beach weddings are a breeze in a seaside gazebo adorned with bouquets of vibrant blooms. A minister not only performs the ceremony but also offers counseling to warm up cold feet, while the Cornwall’s resident chef whips up a Jamaican feast fit for a queen and king. Adored as the garden parish, St. Ann in Ocho Rios lures with awe-inspiring views of gushing waterfalls and rainforests brimming with wild ferns. With a name that gets its meaning from the Arawak word for paradise, Coyaba River Garden is teeming with green backdrops at every turn, while the Cranbrook Flower Forest is a garden within a park where the rare Triangle Palm and Traveller’s Palm stand proud during a wedding ceremony. Sky-high weddings are taking off at Rainforest Adventures at Mystic Mountain in

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Courtesy of Sandals Resorts

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Adored as the garden parish, St. Ann in Ocho Rios lures with awe-inspiring views of gushing waterfalls and rainforests brimming with wild ferns.

Ocho Rios. The “I Do at 700 Feet” ceremony woos daring couples who want to get hitched while flying high through the treetops on the Sky Explorer or on the lawn atop Mystic Mountain. Note to celebrity spotters: Olympic runner Usian Bolt is a fan of the park and visits often! Weddings include photographs of the high-octane ceremony and two witnesses — in case you forgot to bring them with you. Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Mountains, red cabana beds on a soft sandy beach are the stuff of musical memories at Geejam. Built as a recording studio for superstars like No Doubt and Amy Winehouse, this Island Outpost boutique resort is pitch-perfect for newlyweds and honeymooners. Friendly innkeepers also roll out the regal red carpet to those in love at the Hotel Mocking Bird Hill outside Port Antonio. The quaint 10-room hideaway built on a hillside celebrates love with complimentary afternoon tea service, Sundowner cocktails on the hotel terrace and heart-racing views of the awesome countryside. The five-night “Heavenly Honeymoon” package woos newlyweds with a leisurely

breakfast on the balcony, gourmet dinner in the Mille Fleurs restaurant and a unhurried afternoon floating down the Rio Grande River in a bamboo raft built for two. A scenic drive from Port Antonio winding through the majestic Blue Mountains takes you to Kingston. In the capital, the Jamaica Pegasus is the hotel of choice for city slickers in love. The spectacular Talk of the Town ballroom on the 18th floor boasts panoramic vistas of the city and a dance floor guaranteed to keep the happy couple and their guests jammin’ and jivin’ till the sun comes up. With a wedding party of 50 revelers or more, the lucky couple will receive a bouquet of gifts from the hotel, including a night in the honeymoon suite, breakfast the next morning and expert advice from the wedding team — from arranging limousine service to hiring disc jockeys and cake decorators. Next door, the Courtleigh Hotel is a favorite of savvy locals and discerning travelers. Weddings in the garden terrace won’t break the bridal bank with extras like mimosas for the wedding party and the honeymoon suite for the bride and groom, with late check-out the next morning.

Tying the Knot in Jamaica Just 24 hours after arriving in Jamaica, couples can legally wed, provided an application for a marriage license has been previously submitted. Although

beauty, have made Jamaica a preferred choice for destination weddings.” In addition to clergy who can perform weddings,

many resorts offer assistance in obtaining a mar-

there are also nondenominational marriage ofﬁcers

riage license, couples wanting to do it themselves

who can ofﬁciate either at their ofﬁces, in their homes

can contact Jamaica’s Ministry of Justice at 876-

or at a place chosen by the couple. The cost for

906-4923. Unlike other countries, Jamaica does not

arranging a private ceremony ranges from US$50–

require blood tests. However, for the ceremony to be

$250, with ofﬁcers located in Kingston, Montego Bay,

legally recognized back home, proof of citizenship

Negril, Ocho Rios and Port Antonio.

is required, including certiﬁed copies of birth cer-

“Passion fuels our culture and ignites our soul,

tiﬁcates, parental consent if the couple is under 18

therefore no other destination is as committed to a

years of age, and the original divorce decree if this

couple’s fantasy wedding and honeymoon than the

is a second marriage for one of the spouses.

land of ‘One Love’,” adds Lynch. “Whether couples

“Couples on the hunt for a tropical destination

prefer an all-inclusive hotel or a lush, private villa,

to exchange vows and celebrate the joys of

Jamaica has accommodations to ﬁt every desire

wedded bliss will ﬁnd their dreams come true on

and budget.”

the enchanted isle of Jamaica,” says John Lynch,

For more details on planning a wedding in Ja-

director of tourism. “The ease and convenience

maica, log on to the Jamaica Tourist Board’s website

with which people can get married, coupled

at visitjamaica.com, or call the Jamaica Tourist Board

with the island’s vibrant culture and unparalleled

at 1-800-526-2422. OurJamaicaMagazine.com

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Christopher Villano

156 BODY AND SOUL

Body and Soul Revival FROM VISTAS HIGH ATOP the Blue Mountains to

panoramas of the calm Caribbean Sea, Jamaica brims with the crème de la crème of Caribbean spas. Whether it’s rejuvenation for your soul or a massage for your soles, a day at the spa is a must-have guilty pleasure. Indulge in a pineapple body polish or seaweed facial in one of the many islands spas, where the wise and the weary soak, scour and soothe their way to feeling “irie, mon.” BY MELANIE REFFES

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SPAS

RELAXING UP NORTH Get mellow in Montego Bay at the Fern Tree Spa, which hosts ancient healing remedies in a state-of-the-art setting. On a sandy crescent dotted with fragrant gardens, the coveted spa at the Half Moon Resort is an über-luxe refuge of calm. The signature oils that blend allspice, ginger and orange is heaven on earth, while the Rum Body Splash is worth the splurge. For a bona fide island chill-out, soak stress away in a warm Jamaican Bush Bath that marries the healing herb known as cerasee with lemongrass, ackee leaves, aloe and citrus. Adults aren’t the only ones who enjoy a good rubdown after a game of tennis or a romp on the beach. At the Sunset Beach Resort in Montego Bay and the Sunset Jamaica Grande Resort in Ocho Rios, kids can relax Jamaica-style with a host of pampering options. A clever menu of treatments geared to young spa enthusiasts and their parents include the Mommy & Me package of blissful neck and shoulder massages and the Daddy & Me option, which includes mini-facials for the boys in the family. All-inclusive at the Rose Hall Resort means more than gourmet fare, fruity cocktails and watersports. Overlooking the 400-acre historic Rose Hall Plantation in Montego Bay, and cuddling up between the mountains and the unruffled Caribbean Sea, the aptly named Soothe Spa dishes up a kaleidoscope of rubs — from the Mango Citrus Facial that melts away stress to the Tropical Body Scrub that kneads weary and tired muscles. It’s a spa showstopper at the Round Hill Resort, where seaside massages complement the manicured gardens, rushing waterfalls and crystal-clear fountains that frame this

former pineapple and coconut plantation. Laid-back luxury abounds in the seven treatment rooms and an outdoor beachfront treatment area where skilled masseuses perform magic in a medley of massages, from a scrumptious pineapple body buff to a luscious papaya-mint body polish. Setting the gold standard for luxury in Montego Bay, the Ritz-Carlton Resort is home to a spa boasting 11 treatment rooms, a fitness center and saunas. Skilled massage therapists work miracles with a Carrot Cake Wrap and a Pumpkin and Yam Body Scrub. The two-hour Drift to Sleep is a relaxation bonanza, with an aromatherapy milk bath that submerges the body into a cloud-like sensation of soothing bubbles while sips of chamomile and passionflower-infused herbal tea seal the deal. Emerging majestically from the cliffs of the emerald mountains in Ocho Rios, Couples Sans Souci envelops you into a world where worries disappear and a warm vibe prevails. Taking its name from the centuryold resident turtle that lives in the mineral spring grotto on the resort, Charlie's Spa is an oasis of exotic massages like the Peppermint Sea Twist, which untangles the knots of nervous tension with splashes of minty oils and dollops of freshly harvested seaweed. A dip in the mineral pool, with its curiously curative powers, is the Jamaican antidote to the winter blahs. Life is a little easier at the KiYara Spa at the Jamaica Inn, snuggled in the cliffs of Cutlass Bay outside Ocho Rios. The name means “sacred place of the earth spirits” in the language of the native Taino Indians. Appropriately, the Spa uses indigenous ingredients in a array of tempting massages like the Hot Stone Energy Balancing treatment, in which the heat from river-smoothed stones

Courtesy of Sandals Resorts

A dip in the mineral pool, with its curiously curative powers, is the Jamaican antidote to the winter blahs.

penetrates tight muscles, and a calorie-free Chocolate Indulgence massage that is good enough to eat and too good to miss. Pampering is paramount as the tranquil scent of lemongrass permeates the air at the Red Lane Spas in all the Sandals and Beaches Resorts, including the swank Sandals Royal Plantation Ocho Rios. Revered for a myriad of massages that wed European traditions with Caribbean panache, the Red Lane Spas also entice with hot and cold plunge pools, eucalyptus saunas and perfumed garden sanctuaries. No-nonsense facials use vitamin-rich red oranges, tangy grapefruit oil and seaweed, while body treatments like the Wake Up and Smell the Coffee rubdown exfoliate the skin but wonâ€™t keep you up at night.

NIRVANA OUT WEST Stretching across the cliffs in Negril, Rockhouse Hotel is nestled among blossoming gardens with thatched-roof villas perched on the cliff's edge. On-the-rocks treatments like the Caribbean Drench, which mimics an island rainfall, and the Blue Mountain Coffee Scrub, with a whiff of orange, cinnamon, vanilla and brown sugar, will remind you why you booked a vacation in the first place. On a coral reef in Negril, holistic healing reigns supreme at Jackieâ€™s On The Reef. Seaside in a cabana, a symphony of chirping of birds is a melodic backdrop for an Ion Cleanse that leaves your skin feeling like hand-spun silk while your mind floats away. A Rosemary Mint Awakening Body Wrap inside a candlelit cave and the comforting OurJamaicaMagazine.com

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sound of the ocean is the secret to the success of the spa at The Caves Resort & Spa above the dramatic cliffs of Negril. Essences of rosemary and peppermint soften and smooth sleepy bodies, while the Elemental Nature Facial renews and revives happy smiles. Fresh from the sea, the Aqua Polish refines the skin with natural sea minerals and Dead Sea salts. For an après-massage glow, fine aged Jamaican rum at the Caves Rum and Cigar bar is a must.

from Kingston, the Living Spa specializes in organic healing based on the five elements of Ayurveda philosophies. A world away from the dazzling lights of the city below, the spa sits 3,000 feet above sea level with a hydrotherapy room, plunge pool and yoga deck. Main draws include a Lemongrass Wrap that combines a citrus exfoliation with a scalp massage, and the Traveler's Foot Bath, which pampers tender tootsies following your arrival in paradise.

REMOTE PEACE

A BREAK FROM CITY LIFE

Fronting Treasure Beach in the South Coast and framed by the Santa Cruz Mountains and the cascading Pedro Plains, the Driftwood Spa at Jake’s merges holistic techniques with global wellness philosophies. Stand-out scrubs rejuvenate with wild ginger and lemongrass while body wraps refresh with rum, mint and tropical fruit. On the other side of the island, high atop the Blue Mountains, Strawberry Hill is an über-hip haven for rejuvenation. An hour

In the heart of New Kingston, serenity rules at the Spanish Court hotel edged by ruby-red poincianas and palm trees. Relaxation is top priority with a peaceful décor that evokes the Jamaican palette of black, gold and green; spa services that can be custom-ordered for singles or couples; an airy mountain deck that overlooks the sundappled horizon; and a 50-foot infinity-edge pool unlike any other in Jamaica. For sunrise meditation or sunset vows, the Sky Lounge is polished sophistication.

Pure, Potent and Passionate Derived from the Latin salus per aqua, the word

irritation; aloe vera as a handy remedy for sunburns

“spa” means “good health through water.” Although

because of its anti-inﬂammatory properties; and laven-

many spa treatments incorporate H2O, a multitude

der and chamomile to calm the body and mind.

of natural curatives play a central role in the art

On Jamaica, you will even ﬁnd Blue Mountain coffee

and science of Jamaican rest and relaxation. Savvy

scrubs. More than a novelty treatment with a blend of

spa enthusiasts warm to the bounty of the Jamaican

aromatic coffee grounds, the caffeine in these treat-

harvest. With a wide spectrum of indigenous ingredi-

ments acts as a vascular restrictor, helping to prevent

ents, scrubs, rubs and soaks nurture the mind, body

or get rid of varicose veins and redistributing fat cells

and soul.

to lessen the formation of cellulite. Many coffee treat-

Jamaica’s abundant with sea salt, so it’s no surprise a salt glow is the body treatment of choice for that après-sun blush. Sea salt’s abrasive properties polish

ments are followed by steeping in a warm herbal bath, lulling you into a gentle sleep. Nothing says Jamaica more than a coconut palm

and exfoliate the skin, but it is also rich in minerals that

tree. A perennial spa staple, coconut oil is tried-and-

nourish and hydrate. Coupled with essential oils and

true for moisturizing dry skin, providing instant relief

rich body lotions, it is the perfect way to replenish and

from pesky bug bites and as a healer for skin infec-

rejuvenate your skin.

tions. Homegrown and homemade, coconut oil, cocoa

Creative therapists also improvise with lemongrass,

cream and delectable tropical lotions are avail-

which has analgesic properties that can soothe aching

able island-wide. And yes — you can try a Jamaican

muscles; sandalwood, which cools the skin and reduces

massage at home. OurJamaicaMagazine.com

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Championship Playground EVERYDAY FUN AND GAMES, big annual tournaments and

a quadrennial world cup make Jamaica the leader in Caribbean sports. Ranking up there with the warm beaches and cool culture, Jamaicaâ€™s greatest attraction has to be its rich sports heritage. In 2007, all eyes were on Jamaica as it hosted the opening ceremonies and several matches of one of the biggest tournaments in sports, the ICC Cricket World Cup. But every year, Jamaicans host anglers, sailors, runners and participants in a dozen other sports competitions. And every day, thousands more come to dive and snorkel among the corals, smash golf and tennis balls, ride horses and pursue their personal passions. BY JEFF BORG

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The island’s big annual track event is the Reggae Marathon & Half Marathon each December in Negril, blending music, sport and tourism.

EARTHLY ENDEAVORS Golf. From duffer to pro, every golfer’s dream vacation begins in Montego Bay. Roundly hailed as the best of the best, the White Witch Golf Course should be on everyone’s bucket list. This haunting layout gets its name from Annie Palmer, the 19th-century mistress of Rose Hall Plantation who earned infamy for mistreating her slaves and (allegedly) murdering her husband and lovers. Many holes of this mountain course require frightening carryovers across snarling chasms. Two hellish links drop from elevated tees down to waterfront greens far below. But the heavenly sea views and elegant dining at the clubhouse are your rewards. White Witch is part of the Ritz-Carlton Rose Hall. At the adjoining Cinnamon Hill Golf Club, part of Rose Hall Resort, designer Robert von Hagge described the holes as “among the most varied in the Caribbean.” He was referring to the course’s split personality: a gently rolling front nine under the gaze of the Rose Hall Great House and a roller-coaster back nine in the remote hills of the plantation, with narrow canyons, picturesque waterfalls and panoramic views. For something different, play Half Moon, a long linear layout hugging the sea. The 7,119yard Robert Trent Jones design is buffeted by winds: nine holes with, nine holes against. On the other side of town awaits the stately Tryall Club, ambling from the sea through forested hills and coconut groves past the 18thcentury waterwheel of an old sugar mill. Several resorts offer golf packages allowing play on all the great courses. Around Jamaica, an embarrassment of riches also awaits golfers on the North Coast (Breezes Rio Bueno, SuperClubs Runaway Bay, Sandals at Ocho Rios), in Kingston (Constant Spring, Caymanas), near the South Coast (Manchester Club) and at Negril (Negril Hills). jamaicagolfassociation.com Tennis. Jamaica is the optimal spot for tennis, especially in winter, offering three-dozen hotels and resorts with multiple courts. Half Moon presents 13 state-of-the-art courts, all lit for night play. Rose Hall Resort has six hard-surface courts, all lit. Tryall Club maintains nine hard-surface courts. Also featuring tennis around Montego Bay are El Greco, Holiday Inn SunSpree, Hotel

Riu, Iberostar, Ritz-Carlton, Round Hill, Royal Decameron, Sandals and Sunset Beach. Along the north coast, Sandals Grande Ocho Rios serves up three clay and three hard-surface courts. Find multiple courts at Beaches Boscobel, Breezes Rio Bueno, Breezes Runaway Bay, Breezes Trelawny, Couples Ocho Rios, Crane Ridge, Goblin Hill, Royal Decameron and Sunset Jamaica Grande. In Kingston, try Jamaica Pegasus. Along the South Coast, play Sandals Whitehouse. At Negril, check out Beaches Sandy Bay, ClubHotel Riu, Couples Negril, Couples Swept Away, Breezes Grand, Hedonism II, Hotel Riu Palace Tropical Bay and Sandals. In 1951 Althea Gibson, who became the first African-American to reach the finals of a U.S. Lawn Tennis Association tournament, won her first international title here in Jamaica. Today, Tennis Jamaica helps locals get game. The association has established regional learning centers, brought tennis into schools, trained coaches in every parish, provided racquets and balls, and arranged college scholarships. tennisjamaica.com Cricket. No mere athletic event, a cricket match in Jamaica sparks up a grand party, with color, crowds and calypso. The sharp crack of ball against bat, followed by a roar of fans with conchs, drums and horns, echoes from every TV and radio on the island. Cricket looks like baseball, but with a few differences in the equipment, play and organization of the game. The main objective is for a batsman in pads and helmet to protect his wicket by smacking the ball with his bat as far possible. If he can run to the other end of the oval without a fieldsman catching the ball, he scores. Games can go on for days. In 2007 Jamaicans loved hosting the ICC Cricket World Cup, one of the world’s largest sporting events after the Olympics and FIFA World Cup. Sixteen teams converged on the Caribbean, which hosted games across nine West Indian countries over 47 days. Two billion fans tuned in by television. cricketjamaica.org Running. The way France produces gourmet chefs, Jamaica produces amazing runners. They leave everyone in a blur of yellow and green

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Coral reefs vibrate with life, from tropical ﬁsh wearing neon spots and stripes to fearsome barracuda and docile nurse sharks.

Since 1948, Jamaicans have won 114 Olympic medals, all of them in track and field except one (track cycling). The island’s biggest haul was 26 medals in a single year (Sydney in 2000). At Berlin’s 2009 world championships, Jamaica ran away with 13 medals — more than any other country except the United States. Arthur Wint won Jamaica’s very first Olympic medal, a gold for the 400-meter race in the 1948 London Games. Sports legend Merlene Ottey was Jamaica’s first woman to win an Olympic medal, for the 200-meter race in Moscow in 1980. The Queen of the Track now holds nine Olympic medals, two earned as recently as 2000 at age 40. Until 2007, fellow Jamaican Asafa Powell reigned as the world’s fastest human, earning the 100-meter record in 2005 in Athens and repeating the feat twice. Proud countrymen emblazoned the image of Asafa, whose prophetic name means “rising to the occasion,” across billboards. At the 2009 championships, he won bronze in the 100 meters and, with his teammates, gold in the 4-by-100-meter relay. Currently, Jamaican Usain Bolt holds the world records in the 100 meters, 200 meters and,

with his teammates, the 4-by-100-meter relay. “Lightning Bolt” also holds the Olympic records in these events. The island’s big annual track event is the Reggae Marathon & Half Marathon each December in Negril, blending music, sport and tourism. Organized by Jamdammers Running Club of Kingston, the bash benefiting a charity starts with a gourmet pasta party, draws runners from 20 countries and generates a huge economic impact. It even has its own exhibition in the Berlin Sports Museum. reggaemarathon.com Bobsled. Jamaican sprinters even chase glory in the snow. Despite its unlikelihood, the beloved Jamaican Bobsled Team, a brainchild of businessmen George Fitch and William Maloney, burst onto the Olympic scene in 1988 at Calgary. While Disney’s 1993 comedy Cool Runnings was no documentary, that first Jamaican team did earn respect and admiration. The crew started its third run with the seventh fastest time, but ended the games in a spectacular crash. In 1992 they competed again. In 1994 the four-man team finished 14th. In 1998 and 2002, Jamaica quali-

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A sea of other watersports includes sailing, water skiing, kayaking, canoeing, windsurﬁng or just riding dry in a glass-bottom boat.

fied. Sales of green, gold and black souvenirs remain brisk even today. Visitors to Ocho Rios can get their own taste of bobsledding at Mystic Mountain. The thrill ride starts with a spectacularly picturesque 15-minute ride up in a chairlift, followed by a gravity-driven 3,300-foot plunge on a custom bobsled coaster you control. Complete with twists and turns at speeds up to 40 miles per hour, it’s a blast. Mystic Mountain also offers a 550-foot zipline adventure. rainforestrams.com

Divers certified by the Professional Association of Dive Instructors (PADI) or National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI) can take advantage of these beautiful sites. Newbies can take advantage of their vacation to get certified in three or four days. A resort course can get you started even quicker — a short class, a medical questionnaire and some pool time. No certificate is needed for a fun day of snorkeling. Most resorts partner with professional dive operators, and when the diving day is done, you still have all of Jamaica to enjoy.

AQUATIC PURSUITS

Yachting. When Columbus discovered Jamaica in 1494, it was big news. But these days, sailors discover Jamaica all the time. Winter reigns as peak sailing season, a time of cerulean sky, glassy water, cool dry breeze and warm sun. A great yachting event since 1961, the biennial Pineapple Cup race runs 811 miles from Fort Lauderdale through the Bahamas and the Windward Passage to Montego Bay. Three-time

Diving and Snorkeling. Just five minutes from shore, denizens of the deep entertain wide-eyed divers and snorkelers. Coral reefs vibrate with life, from tropical fish wearing neon spots and stripes to fearsome barracuda and docile nurse sharks. Besides natural reefs, divers can also explore the coral-crusted wrecks of airplanes, tugboats, tankers and minesweepers.

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GOLF LIKE THE PROS Montego Bay may be ground zero for top golf courses, but you’ll ﬁnd great play throughout Jamaica.

Sandals Golf and Country Club. In verdant hills 750 feet above Ocho Rios, elegant Sandals Golf at Upton presents a scenic course with narrow fairways and miniscule greens, a plantation-

Tryall Club. Designed around a 19th-century sugar plantation by

style clubhouse and a fully stocked pro shop.

architect Ralph Plummer, the course located west of Montego Bay

gave these links four stars. Greens fees and transportation are

offers nine level holes kissing the shoreline and nine more rolling

included for guests of Sandals Grande Ocho Rios, Beaches

through the hills. (6,772 yards, par 71, $100–$175, Flint River, 876-

Boscobel and Royal Plantation. (6,311 yards, par 72, $40–$140,

956-5681, tryallclub.com)

P.O. Box 771, Ocho Rios, 876-975-0119, sandals.com)

Half Moon Golf Club. Among the world’s best, this Robert Trent

Lime National Golf Academy. The academy puts golf lessons and

Jones layout at Half Moon resort hugs the coast east of Montego

a driving range in the heart of New Kingston, sponsored by LIME,

Bay. On the infamous 535-yard 3rd, you must choose to drive over

formerly Cable & Wireless, and the Jamaica Golf Association. (Park

a stand of trees or down an open side guarded by water. (7,119

Close, 80 Knutsford Blvd., Kingston 5, 908-4783 / 876-906-7636–7,

yards, par 72, $110–$165, Half Moon P.O., Rose Hall, 876-953-

jamaicagolfassociation.com)

2560, halfmoongolf.com) Constant Spring Golf Club. One of Jamaica’s ﬁrst courses, Constant White Witch Golf Course. Championship links by Von Hagge, Baril

Spring is the largest green space remaining in Kingston. Dauntingly

and Smelek undulate across 600 acres. The signature par-3 17th

narrow fairways of this tight course demand accurate driving.

plays to a tabletop green spooked by sand traps. Greens fees

(6,094 yards, par 70, $74–$78, 152 Constant Spring Road, P.O. Box

include caddie. (6,718 yards, par 71, $99–$185, One Ritz-Carlton

743, Kingston 8, 876-755-2066 / 924-1610)

Drive, Rose Hall, 876-518-0174, whitewitchgolf.com) Caymanas Golf & Country Club. Set between Kingston and Cinnamon Hill Golf Club. Von Hagge, Smelek and Baril designed

Spanish Town, Caymanas provides a great golf getaway for

this course at Rose Hall Resort, east of Montego Bay, from sea

city residents and visitors. Designed by Canadian architect

level to 900 feet. The signature 7th, Majestic Blue, is a 453-yard

Howard Watson, it features elevated tees and greens, lush

par-4 dogleg left that tees toward the beach. The scenic 15th,

fairways amid craggy hills, and big beautiful trees. A clubhouse

Mountain Falls, appeared in Live and Let Die. (6,637 yards, par 71,

overlooking Kingston has a restaurant, two bars and conference

$72–$154, Queen’s Highway, Rose Hall, P.O. Box 999, Montego Bay,

facilities. (6,844 yards, par 72, $70, Caymanas, 876-746-9772–4,

876-953-2984 / 3981, cinnamonhilljamaica.com)

caymanasgolfclub.com)

Breezes Resort & Spa Rio Bueno. On the North Coast with nine

Manchester Golf Club. Vacationers in historic Mandeville and

holes, the hazards, traps and bunkers here punctuate nicely

the South Coast play at Manchester Club, 2,000 feet above

landscaped fairways, making each approach surprisingly

sea level. Established in 1868, the oldest golf club in the Western

difﬁcult. (1,357 yards, par 28, $14–$81, Rio Bueno, 876-954-

Hemisphere is set on 55 acres. It has nine greens but 18 tee

0000, superclubs.com)

boxes, enabling you to play 18 holes. (5,776 yards, par 70, $35–$47, Mandeville, 876-962-2403)

Superclubs Golf Club at Runaway Bay. Within sight of the sea, this championship course designed by British Naval Commander James

Negril Hills Golf Club. A fun, affordable golf course designed by

D. Harris offers exhilaration for beginners and purists. Play progresses

Robert Simmons. Fairways twist and turn, with uphill approaches

over a gully toward the sea. (6,814 yards, par 72, $35–$85, Main

to invisible ﬂags. (6,333 yards, par 72, $92, Negril Hills P.O.,

Street, Runaway Bay, 876-973-7319, superclubs.com)

Negril, 876-957-4638 / 3614, negrilhillsgolfclub.com)

Advertised rates were correct at time of publication, and are subject to change. Some courses require a caddy.

winner Ted Turner called it â€œthe worldâ€™s greatest ocean racing course.â€? The 2011 installment runs Feb. 4â€“11, organized by the Jamaica Yachting Association, Lauderdale Yacht Club, Montego Bay Yacht Club and Storm Trysail Club. montegobayrace.com Another huge race that now calls at Jamaica is the biennial Clipper Ventures Round the World Yacht Race. Ten teams circumnavigate the globe for nearly a year, logging 40,000 miles with 450 crew members in eight legs and 15 races. The Jamaica Tourist Board now has its own boat in the race, named Jamaica Lightning Bolt after Usain Bolt, the worldâ€™s fastest human. clipperroundtheworld.com You donâ€™t have to win a race to be welcomed in Jamaica. Just check in with immigration and customs at any port of entry: Bowden, Discovery Bay, Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Port Antonio, Port Esquivel, Port Kaiser or Port Royal. Officers request a crew list, ship registration, list of ship stores and departure permission from your previous port. Each person should have a passport and visa, if applicable. Charter companies offer bareboat, skippered and fully crewed options, usually for a week or 10 days. Catamarans are comfortable for kids, firsttimers and passengers prone to motion sickness. Three major marinas are Montego Bay Yacht Club, with docks for visiting yachts drawing up to 20 feet (mobayyachtclub.com); Errol Flynn Marina in Port Antonio, with deluxe new facilities for ships up to 350 feet long (errolflynnmarina. com); and Royal Jamaica Yacht Club in Port Royal, a venerable private club with slips to 50 feet (rjyc.org.jm). Fishing. Schools of hungry anglers travel through these waters, with billfish as the big lure. They come in yachts from around the Americas, and charter boats from around Jamaica. Each October, the prestigious Port Antonio International Marlin Tournament qualifies its winner to represent Jamaica in the huge IGFA Offshore World Championship in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, which draws 70 teams from 33 countries in May. Started in 1959, the Port Antonio classic draws 30 to 40 boats each year and educates anglers on the need for marlin conservation by releasing specimens under 99 inches or 345 pounds. Other annual contests include the Montego Bay Yacht Club and James Bond fishing tournaments in October; the Sir Henry Morgan Port Royal Kingston Tournament in December; the PWD Hunting and Sporting Fishing Tournament in January/February; and the Royal Jamaica Yacht Club Spring Fishing Tournament in March. jamaicasportsfishing.com

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MORE WATERSPORTS A sea of other watersports includes sailing, water skiing, kayaking, canoeing, windsurfing or just riding dry in a glass-bottom boat as the sights pass beneath. All-inclusive resorts usually include nonmotorized watersports at no charge.

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Calendar of Events MAKE SURE TO CHECK the calendar to see what’s happening on Jamaica during your

stay. Dates and venues are subject to change without notice. For more details and events, please go to visitjamaica.com.

JANUARY

Fi Wi Sinting

APRIL

Accompong Maroon Festival

Somerset Falls, Portland

Jamaica Cricket Festival

Accompong, St. Elizabeth

876-913-0103

Kingston & Trelawny

876-952-4546

Misty Bliss Festival

876-967-03220 or 876-967-0657

Rebel Salute

Hollywell, Kingston

Jamaica International Kite Festival

Port Kaiser’s Sports Club, Manchester

876-384-2923

876-934-0827

Richmond Estate, St. Ann 876-377-0622

Jamaica Jazz & Blues Festival

MARCH

Trelawny 10K Road Race

Rose Hall, Montego Bay

Jamcen Health & Wellness Expo

Falmouth, Trelawny

305-932-9931

Mandeville, Manchester

876-610-0818

JSP High Mountain Coffee

876-381-4818

Trelawny Yam Festival

10K Road Race

Soul Rebellion Spring Break Party

Hague Show Grounds, Trelawny

Williamsﬁeld, Manchester

Negril

876-610-0818

876-963-4211

516-850-6330

MBYC Easter Regatta

Royal Jamaica Yacht Club Spring

Montego Bay Yacht Club, Montego Bay

FEBRUARY

Tournament 2010

876-979-8038

Bob Marley Birthday Celebrations

Kingston

Treasure Beach Off Road Triathlon

Islandwide

876-383-2926

Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth

Jamaica Polo Association

JAMFEST Spring Break

876-978-9950

Tournament

Concert Series

Kingston

Waves, Negril

MAY

876-952-4370

410-787-9500 ext. 230

20th Annual Jamaica Product Exchange

Jamaica Fat Tire Festival

AMCHAM/BMW Golf Classic

(JAPEX)

Ocho Rios

Caymanas Golf Club, Kingston

Ocho Rios & Montego Bay

876-975-3393

876-929-7866 / 7

876-926-3635 / 6

Sugarcane Carnival

Jamaica Orchid Society Show

Style Week Jamaica / Fashion Block

Round Hill Resort, Montego Bay

Kingston

876-956-7050/5

876-927-6713

876-969-9645 / 3829

Calabash International

The Seville Emancipation Jubilee

Rose Hall Triathlon

Literary Festival

Seville Heritage Park, St. Ann

& Wellness Festival

Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth

876-972-9407

Rose Hall, Montego Bay

876-965-3000

Jamaica Festival

888-910-7673

Kingston & Montego Bay

48th Port Antonio International

876-926-5726

Marlin Tournament

JUNE All Jamaica Grill Off

Port Antonio, Portland

876-796-4008

AUGUST

876-927-0145 or 876-925-0699

Kingston

Mello-Go-Roun’

Jamaica Product Exchange (JAPEX) II

Caribbean Fashion Week

Kingston

Montego Bay

Villa Ronai, Kingston

876-926-5726 / 9

876-952-4425

876-968-1089

National Float Parade

Michael Holding Masters Cricket

Ocho Rios Jazz Festival

and Gala

Tournament

Islandwide

Kingston

Sabina Park, Kingston & Trelawny Stadium,

876-927-3544

876-926-5726 / 9

Trelawny

Treasure Beach Jazz Escape

Bath Food Festival

246-228-4717 or 718-270-5300

Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth

Bath, St. Thomas

876-571-0818

876-860-2014

On the Edge Urban Art Festival

NOVEMBER Port Royal Music Festival

Kingston

SEPTEMBER

Morgan’s Harbour Hotel, Port Royal,

876-909-9594

Stir It Up Film & Music Festival

Kingston

876-908-0398

786-208-0487

JULY

MBYC Annual

Restaurant Week

International Reggae Day

Fishing Tournament

Kingston, Montego Bay, Ocho Rios

Kingston

Montego Bay Yacht Club, Montego Bay

876-978-6245

876-929-0693

876-979-8083

Jamaica Open & Pro AM

Portland Jerk Festival

Wine and Food Festival

Montego Bay

Boston Playing Field, Portland

Knutsford Boulevard, Kingston

876-906-7636 / 7

876-715-6553

876-926-4378

Little Ochi Seafood Carnival

Shakti Love Fest

DECEMBER

Alligator Pond, Manchester

Kingston & Negril

Flashpoint Film & Music Festival

876-965-4449

876-906-9403

The Caves, Negril

Makka Pro Surf Contest

975-957-0270

St. Thomas

OCTOBER

Annie’s Revenge

876-750-0103

Pineapple Ball

Montego Bay

Reggae Sumfest

Ritz-Carlton Golf & Spa Resort,

305-665-0557

Catherine Hall, Montego Bay

Montego Bay

Reggae Marathon

876-953-2933

876-953-8150

Negril

Hi Pro Low / High Goal Family Polo

Jamaica Stay Week

876-922-8677

Tournament

Islandwide

Christmas Fest

St. Ann

876-437-4164

Kingston

876-952-4370

Lucea Across the Harbour

876-926-5567

Red Stripe Dream Weekend

Swim Meet & Regatta

New Year’s Harbour Fest and Fireworks

Negril

Lucea, Hanover

Downtown Harbour, Kingston

876-924-6761

876-977-0049

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Useful Information AS YOU GET TO KNOW JAMAICA, you'll learn the

ins and outs of the culture and people who call this paradise home. But it always helps to have a little help â€” and a nice crash course â€” whenever exploring a new destination. Here is your guide to Jamaica to get you started on a memorable stay. Phone numbers and rates listed here were correct at press time.

The currency of Jamaica is the Jamaica Dollar. Licensed “cambio” (exchange) centers and commercial banks are accessible in all resort areas.

AIRLINES

ATMS

Air Canada .............................1-800-677-2485 / 924-8211 Air Europe ............................. 1-888-238-7672 Air Jamaica .......................... 1-888-359-2475 / 922-3460 Air Turks and Caicos ...................... 926-1762 American Airlines ................. 1-800-744-0006 British Airways ...................... 1-800-247-9297 Caribbean Airlines................. 1-800-744-2225 Cayman Airways ..................1-800-422-9626 / 929-7778 / 929-7779 Continental Airlines .............. 1-800-231-0856 Copa Airlines.......................1-800-234-2672 / 968-5330 / 926-0326 Delta Airlines ........................ 1-800-221-1212 Northwest Airlines ................ 1-800-225-2525 Jamaica Air Shuttle .................... 906-9025-30 Spirit Airlines ........................ 1-888-477-4748 US Airways ............................ 1-800-428-4322 Virgin Atlantic .....................1-800-744-7477 / 971-8917 WestJet Airlines ..................... 1-800-538-5696

Most Jamaican ATMs (called ABMs on the island) accept international bank cards with Visa, MasterCard, Cirrus and Plus logos.

AIRPORTS Norman Manley International Airport, Kingston ........................1-888-AIRPORT / 924-8452-6 Donald Sangster International Airport, Montego Bay ......................................................... 952-3124

BUSES Buses are a cheap way to get around, although it will be an unfamiliar experience to most Westerners since bus stands are rarely marked and vehicles do not follow a strict schedule. Some resorts offer bus excursions to different tourist sites. Check with your hotel’s concierge for more information.

CLIMATE Jamaica enjoys a tropical climate, characterized by high temperatures and humid conditions year-round. Average temperature ranges from 66 degrees Fahrenheit (19 degrees Celsius) to 99 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius). Though it’s known for warmth and sunshine, the island sees two rainy seasons from May to June and September to November. Also, hurricanes may pass over the island primarily from June to September. If it rains during your stay, don’t worry. Most times, the short tropical showers provide a welcome break from the afternoon heat. OurJamaicaMagazine.com

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178 CREDIT CARDS Major credit cards such as Visa, MasterCard and American Express are accepted throughout the island.

CURRENCY The currency of Jamaica is the Jamaica Dollar. Licensed “cambio” (exchange) centers and commercial banks are accessible in all resort areas. Official currency exchange rates vary daily, so it’s advisable to shop around for the best rate before converting your cash.

CUSTOMS AND DUTY United States residents who have been out of the country for 48 hours or more may take home items valued up to US$800 once every 30 days without incurring duty. Adults may include 200 cigarettes, 100 non-Cuban cigars and one liter of alcohol. A second liter of alcohol is allowed duty-free if it is produced by a Caribbean Basic country. Family members who return home together may combine their personal exemptions on a joint declaration. Visit cbp.gov/xp/cgov/ travel/vacation/kbyg/duty_free.xml for more information. Canadian residents who have been out of the country for more than 48 hours can claim up to CAN$400 worth of goods without paying duty if they carry the goods with them. After each absence of seven days or more, they can claim up to CAN$750 worth of goods without duty. Except for tobacco products and alcohol, they do not need to have the goods with them. Visit cbsa-asfc.gc.ca for more information. United Kingdom residents 17 or older may take home duty-free two liters of table wine and one liter of spirits or liquors, or two liters of fortified or sparkling wine or other liquors; 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos, or 50 cigars or 250 g of tobacco; 60 cc of perfume and 250 cc of eau de toilette; plus other goods worth up to £145. Travelers cannot group their allowances. Visit hmrc.gov.uk for more information.

DEPARTURE TAX There is a $27 departure tax that must be paid upon departure. However, most airlines

include this tax in their tickets. Otherwise, the fee may be paid only in cash upon check-in.

DRIVING In Jamaica, drivers must keep to the left, although some flexibility is required to avoid collisions with pedestrians, cows, goats, chickens and other domestic animals. The speed limit is 30 mph (50 kmph) in urban areas and 50 mph (80 kmph) on highways. Given the mountainous terrain, rural roads are often winding, bumpy and narrow. Tourists can rent cars in most major towns and cities, and usually, clients must be no less than 25 years old to rent. The driver and front passenger are required to wear safety belts, and children under 3 years old must travel in infant carriers. All drivers are required to carry a valid license. Jamaica recognizes valid International Driver’s Licenses, but visitors from North America may use their country’s license for up to three months per visit, and United Kingdom residents may use theirs for up to one year.

Heroes’ Day.............................Monday, October 17 Christmas Day ....... Sunday, December 25 (actual) Monday, December 26 (celebrated) Boxing Day............Monday, December 26 (actual) Tuesday, December 27 (celebrated)

LANGUAGE The official language of Jamaica is English, although most locals speak Patois, a colorful dialect. No matter where in the world you travel, it is always wise to read the news, stay safe and protect your property. Here are some tips to make your Jamaican vacation safe as well as fun.

SAFETY As with any place in the world, you should always remember to follow basic precautions to avoid possible predicaments. Keep all luggage in view at all times and your personal effects close to your body; don’t carry large amounts of cash; and avoid wearing expensive jewelry outside of your resort.

TAXIS DRUGS In Jamaica, the use, sale and possession of drugs such as marijuana (ganja), cocaine, crack, ecstasy, heroin and any other controlled substances is illegal. Offenders are subject to severe punishments, including arrest, fines and imprisonment.

ELECTRICITY Standard electrical service is similar to that of the United States and Canada: 110 volts, 50 cycles AC. However, there is 220 volts service available at some hotels.

HOLIDAYS 2011 On public holidays, all government agencies, schools and most private businesses are closed, and much of the country celebrates. Please plan accordingly. New Year's Day ..........................Saturday, January 1 Ash Wednesday ......................Wednesday, March 9 Good Friday ..................................... Friday, April 22 Easter Monday............................. Monday, April 25 Labor Day ......................................Monday, May 23 Emancipation Day......................Monday, August 1 Independence Day ................... Saturday, August 6

Taxis are the most convenient modes of transportation, but not always the cheapest. All registered taxis in Jamaica are required by law to have red “PP” license plates. You are advised not to board any taxi operating illegally. Although all taxis have meters, drivers will rarely use them and will instead negotiate a fare with you. It is best to discuss this fare with the driver before boarding the taxi. The fastest and most economical taxis are those used by locals, called “route taxis” — cars that drive a designated course and pick up and drop off passengers at will. These are shared cabs that will usually pack several people willing to go on the same route.

TIPPING It is customary to leave a 10 to 15 percent gratuity at restaurants. Please make sure to check your bill, as some establishments will have already included the gratuity to your total.

WATER All piped water in Jamaica is treated and purified in accordance to international standards. You may drink it, bathe in and brush your teeth with it.

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JHTA MEMBERS HOTELS / RESORTS KINGSTON Altamont Court Hotel 1-3 Altamont Terrace, Kingston 5 876-929-4497/8 / 876-929-5931 The Courtleigh Hotel & Suites 85 Knutsford Blvd., Kingston 5 876-929-9000 Golden Shore Resort Limited Lot 288b Windward Drive Lyssons, St. Thomas 876-982-9657 / 734-0923 / 4 Hotel Four Seasons 18 Ruthven Road, Kingston 10 876-926-0682 / 8805 Jamaica Pegasus Hotel 81 Knutsford Blvd., Kingston 5 876-926-3690 / 9 / 926-3100/8 Knutsford Court Hotel 16 Chelsea Ave., Kingston 10 876-929-1000 / 3407 Mayfair Hotel 4 West Kings House Close, Kingston 10 876-926-1610 / 2 Medallion Hall Hotel 53 Hope Road, Kingston 6 876-927-5721 / 5866 Morgan’s Harbour Hotel Port Royal, Kingston 1 876-967-8040 Spanish Court Hotel 1 St. Lucia Ave., Kingston 5 876-926-0000 Strawberry Hill Hotel & Spa Liguanea, Kingston 6 876-944-8400 Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel 17 Waterloo Road, Kingston 10 876-926-2211 Wyndham Kingston, Jamaica 77 Knutsford Blvd., Kingston 5 876-926-5430 / 7

MONTEGO BAY Altamont West Hotel 33 Gloucester Ave., Montego Bay, St. James 876-952-9087 / 876-929-4497 Breezes Resort & Spa Rio Bueno Rio Bueno, Trelawny 876-954-0000-19 Breezes Resort & Spa Trelawny Falmouth, Trelawny 876-954-2450

Coyaba Beach Resort & Spa 22 Mahoe Bay, St. James 876-953-9150

Sandals Montego Bay Kent Avenue, Montego Bay, St. James 876-952-5510

Doctor’s Cave Beach Hotel Gloucester Avenue, Montego Bay, St. James 876-952-4355

Sandals Royal Caribbean Resort & Private Island Mahoe Bay, Rose Hall, Montego Bay, St. James 876-953-2231 / 953-2301

El Greco Resort 11 Queens Drive, Montego Bay, St. James 876-940-6116 / 940-6120

Secrets St. James Montego Bay Montego Freeport, St James 876-953-6600

FDR Pebbles Falmouth, Trelawny 876-973-4142

Secrets Wild Orchid Montego Bay Montego Freeport, St. James 876-953-6600

Grand Palladium Resort Point District, Montego Bay, St. James 876-619-0000

Sunset Beach Resort & Spa Montego Freeport, Montego Bay, Hanover 876-979-8800

Half Moon Rose Hall Montego Bay, St. James 876-953-2211

Toby’s Resort 1 Kent Ave., Montego Bay, St. James 876-0952-4370

Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort Montego Bay, St. James 876-953-2485-9

Tryall Club Sandy Bay Main Road, Hanover 876-956-5660-3

Hotel Gloriana 1-2 Sunset Blvd., Montego Bay, St. James 876-979-0669

The Wexford Hotel 39 Gloucester Ave., Montego Bay, St. James 876-952-2854-5

Iberostar Rose Hall Beach & Spa Resort Rose Hall Main Road, Montego Bay, St. James 876-680-0000

NEGRIL

The Palmyra Resort & Spa The Palms, Rose Hall Montego Bay, St. James 876-953-9787

Beachcomber Club Norman Manley Boulevard Negril, Westmoreland 876-957-4171-4

Richmond Hill Inn Union Street, Montego Bay, St. James 876-952-3859

Beaches Negril Negril, Westmoreland 876-957-9270-4

The Ritz-Carlton Golf & Spa Resort Montego Bay, St. James 876-953-2204 / 953-2800

Beaches Sandy Bay Negril, Westmoreland 876-957-5100-3

Riu Montego Bay Mahoe Bay, Rose Hall, Montego Bay 876-940-8010

Breezes Grand Resort & Spa Negril, Westmoreland 876-957-5010-8

The Rose Hall Resort & Spa Montego Bay 876-953-2650

Charela Inn Hotel Norman Manley Boulevard, Negril, Westmoreland 876-957-4277 / 4648-50

Round Hill Hotel John Pringle Drive, Montego Bay 1, St. James 876-956-7050

Cocolapalm Resort Norman Manley Boulevard, Negril, Westmoreland 876-957-4227 / 3457

Sandals Inn Kent Avenue, Montego Bay, St. James 876-952-4140

Country Country Ltd Norman Manley Boulevard Negril, Westmoreland 876-957-4273

Bar-B-Barn Hotel & Restaurant Negril 876-957-4267

Couples Negril Negril, Westmoreland 876-957-5960-9

Sandals Negril Beach & Spa Norman Manley Boulevard, Negril, Westmoreland 876-957-5216-7 / 5230-1/ 5254-5

Riu Club Ocho Rios Mammee Bay, St. Ann, 876-972-2200

Couples Swept Away Negril, Westmoreland 876-957-4062-6

Sea Splash Resort Norman Manley Boulevard, Negril, Westmoreland 876-957-4041-3

Rooms On The Beach Ocho Rios Main Street, Ocho Rios, St. Ann 876-974-2008 / 6632

Foot Prints On The Sand Negril, Westmoreland 876-957-4300

Seastar Inn Seastar Road, Negril, Westmoreland 876-957-0553

Royal Decameron Club Caribbean Runaway Bay, St. Ann 876-973-4675 / 6348 / 4802

Grand Pineapple Beach Resort Norman Manley Boulevard Negril, Westmoreland 876-957-4408 / 4475

Sunrise Club Hotel Ltd Norman Manley Boulevard, Negril, Westmoreland 876-957-4293

Royal Plantation Golf Club & Spa 142 Main Street, Ocho Rios, St. Ann 876-974-5601

Kuyaba Negril Norman Manley Boulevard, Negril, Westmoreland 876-957-9815 / 4318

Sunset At The Palms Resort & Spa Norman Manley Boulevard, Negril, Westmoreland 876-957-5350 / 5360

Runaway Bay H.E.A.R.T. Hotel Runaway Bay, St. Ann 876-973-6671 / 4

Hedonism II Negril, Westmoreland 876-957-5200

Travellers Beach Resort Norman Manley Boulevard, Negril, Westmoreland 876-957-9308 / 3039

Hotel Samsara Norman Manley Boulevard, Negril, Westmoreland 876-957-4395

OCHO RIOS

Merrils Beach Resort Norman Manley Boulevard, Negril, Westmoreland 876-957-4751 Negril Tree House Resort Norman Manley Boulevard, Negril, Westmoreland 876-957-4287-8 Negril’s Idle Awhile Ltd. Norman Manley Boulevard, Negril, Westmoreland 876-957-3302 / 3303 Point Village Norman Manley Boulevard, Negril, Westmoreland 876-957-5170-9 Riu Club Negril Villas Norman Manley Boulevard, Negril, Westmoreland 876-957-5700 / 5985 Riu Palace Tropical Bay Resort Bloody Bay Negril, Westmoreland 876-957-5900 Rockhouse Hotel Lighthouse Road, Negril, Westmoreland 876-957-4373 Rondel Village Norman Manley Boulevard, Negril, Westmoreland 876-957-4413 / 4651-2 Rooms On The Beach Negril Norman Manley Boulevard, Negril, Westmoreland 876-957-3500

Beaches Boscobel Ocho Rios, St. Ann 876-975-7777 Breezes Runaway Bay Resort & Golf Club Runaway Bay, St. Ann 876-973-6099

Sandals Grande Beach and Villa Resorts Main St., Ocho Rios, St. Ann 876-974-5486 Sunset Jamaica Grande Resort & Spa Ocho Rios, St. Ann 876-974-2200 Super-Fun Beach Resort & Spa Runaway Bay, St. Ann 876-973-6924

PORT ANTONIO Club Ambiance Runaway Bay, St. Ann 876-973-6167 Couples Ocho Rios Ocho Rios, St. Ann 876-975-4271 / 5 Couples Sans Souci Ocho Rios, St. Ann 876-994-1206 Franklyn D. Resort Runaway Bay, St. Ann 876-973-4591 / 8 Gran Bahia Principe Jamaica Hotel Salt Coppers, Runaway Bay, St. Ann 876-973-7000 / 7655

Bay View Villas Anchovy, Williamsﬁeld Port Antonio, Portland 876-993-3118 Fern Hill Club Hotel Port Antonio, Portland 876-993-7374 / 5 Hotel Mocking Bird Hill Port Antonio, Portland 876-993-7267 / 7134

SOUTH COA ST Golf View Hotel & Conference Centre 51/2 Caledonia Road, Mandeville, Middlesex 876-962-4471 / 4474

Hibiscus Lodge Hotel 83 Main St., Ocho Rios, St. Ann 876-974-2676

Jake’s Village Calabash Bay P.A., Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth 876-965-3000 / 0635 / 3185

Jamaica Inn Main Street, Ocho Rios, St. Ann 876-974-2514 / 8

Mandeville Hotel 4 Hotel St., Mandeville, Manchester 876-962-2138

The Jewel Dunn’s River Beach Resort & Spa Mammee Bay, St. Ann 876-972-7400

Sandals Whitehouse European Village & Spa Whitehouse, Westmoreland 876-640-3002 / 9 OurJamaicaMagazine.com

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SERVICES AND ALLIED ACCOMMODATIONS Beach House Villas Jamaica Ltd. Norman Manley Boulevard, Negril, Westmoreland 876-957-4731 / 4647 / 9162 Caves Resort & Spa, The Lighthouse Road, Negril 876-957-0270 Chrisann’s Beach Resort (Affiliate) St. Mary 876-975-4467 / 4766 Christar Villas Limited 99A Hope Road, Kingston 6 876-978-3933 / 7864 / 8066-71 Coral Cove 2 Old Hope Road, Little Bay, Westmoreland 217-649-0619 Crystal Ripple Beach Lodge White River Bay, Ocho Rios 876-975-4763-4 Firefly Beach Cottages Negril 876-957-4368 / 9325 Geejam Outpost Ltd. San San, Port Antonio, Portland 876-993-7000 Glenn’s Restaurant & Tower Cloisters Resort (Affiliate) Ocho Rios 876-974-6132

Negril Hills Golf Club & Resort Negril, Westmoreland 876-957-4638 / 4240 / 3614 Palm View Resort & Conference Centre 22 Delisser Drive, Montego Bay 876-952-1738 / 8321 / 1800 Prospect Plantation Villas P.O. Box 38, Ocho Rios P.O., St. Ann 876-994-1373 / 1452 Sandals Golf & Country Club (Afﬁliate) Upton, Ocho Rios 876-975-0119-21 Shirley Retreat Hotel 7 Maeven Ave., Kingston 10 876-927-9208 / 946-2679-81 Silent Waters Villas White Sands Beach P.O., Montego Bay 876-971-9119-21 Sunﬂower Beach Resort Villas / Leisure Holiday Runaway Bay 876-973-4809 Tensing Pen Hotel West End Road, Negril 876-957-0387 The Golden Sunset P.O. Box 3021, Norman Manley Boulevard, Negril 876-957-4241 / 9703 White Sands Cottages Ltd. Norman Manley Boulevard, Negril 876-957-4291 / 4445

Goblin Hill Villas Port Antonio, Portland 876-993-7443 / 5737 / 7549

AIRLINES & AIRPORTS

Gore Villas 22 Trafalgar Road, Ste. 11 & 15, Kingston 5 876-978-1520 / 2

Air Jamaica Limited 72-76 Harbour St., Kingston 876-922-3460-9 / 876-922-3560-3 / 4661-9 1-888-359-2475

Jamaica Treasures Villas c/o 17 Dacosta Drive, Ocho Rios, St. Ann 876-974-6228

British Airways Norman Manley International Airport 876-656-8961

Kircamp Properties / The Gardens 23 Liguanea Ave., Kingston 10 876-927-8275

Caribbean Airlines Norman Manley International Airport, Kingston 876-924-8318

Liguanea Club 80 Knutsford Blvd., Kingston 5 876-926-8144 / 5 or 6

Delta Airlines Inc. Sangster International Airport, Montego Bay 876-952-4033

Marblue Villa Suites & Restaurant Old Wharf, Calabash Bay P.A. Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth 876-965-3408

Jamaica Air Shuttle Ltd. (Airways International Ltd.), Tinson Pen Aerodrome P.O. Box 50, Kingston 11 876-901-5196 / 818-8964 (c)

Moon Dance Villas Norman Manley Boulevard P.O. Box 2588, Negril 876-957-9000

A SSOCIATIONS Association of Duty Free Shops of Jamaica, The P.O. Box 538, Montego Bay 876-952-6982-3 / 979-9028

Association of Jamaica Attractions Ltd., The c/o Tropical Battery 14 Ashenheim Rd., Kingston 11 876-923-6231-3 Jamaica Association of Villas & Apartments Pineapple Place, P.O. Box 298, Ocho Rios, St. Ann 876-974-2508 / 975-5653 Jamaica Automobile Association 7 Central Ave., Swallowﬁeld, Kingston 5 876-968-6007 / 929-1200-1 Jamaica Reggae Industry Association 18 Trafalgar Road, Kingston 10 876-978-7755 Jamaica Rent-A-Car Assoc. Ltd. 31 Hope Road, Kingston 10 876-920-2872 National Cruise Council Of Jamaica Shop #2, Montego Freeport Shopping Centre Freeport Montego Bay, St. James 876-953-6691

ATTRACTIONS Appleton Estate Rum Tour c/o Appleton Estate Siloah P.O., St. Elizabeth 876-963-9215-7 Bob Marley Group of Companies 56 Hope Road, Kingston 6 876-978-2991 / 927-9152 Business Recovery Services Limited T/A Eco Tours-The Enchanted Gardens 3rd Floor, Victoria Mutual Building 53 Knutsford Blvd., Kingston 5 876-920-8128 / 974-8508 Chukka Caribbean Adventure Tours Ltd. Shop #2, Freeport Shopping Centre Montego Bay, St. James 876-953-6699 / 684-9934 Chukka Cove Farm Ltd. Laughlands P. O., St. Ann 876-972-2506 / 2727 Doctor’s Cave Bathing Club White Sands Beach P.O. Gloucester Avenue, Montego Bay 876-952-2566 Dolphin Cove P.O. Box 21, Dunn’s River, Ocho Rios 876-795-2272 Five Star Watersports Limited 121 Main St. Shop #14, Santa Maria Shoppes Ocho Rios, St. Ann 876-974-2446 / 4593 / 6838

Green Grotto Caves & Attractions St. Ann Development Company P.O. Box 205, Ocho Rios, St. Ann 876-973-3217 / 2841 Kool Runnings Water Park Norman Manley Boulevard P.O. Box 3475, Negril, Westmoreland 876-957-5400 / 5620 / 5418 Mystic Mountain Limited P.O. Box 259, Ocho Rios, St. Ann 876-974-3990 / 382-6124

CONSULTANTS & MANAGEMENT C O M PA N I E S Airports Authority of Jamaica Norman Manley International Airport Palisadoes, Kingston 876-924-8452-6 Best Travel Ltd. 121 Main St., Ocho Rios 876-974-0653

A U D I O V I S U A L C O M PA N I E S

Echos Consulting Limited Technology Innovation Centre 237 Hope Road, Kingston 6 876-512-2558

Frame By Frame Film and Video Productions Ltd. (Island Stylee & R&R Television) 80a Lady Musgrave Road, Kingston 10 876-978-2200

Evelyn Smith & Associates 43 Orange Bay Country Club Orange Bay, Hanover 876-869-8156

Jamaica Audio Visual Company Ltd. (Javco) Shop #3, Half Moon Shopping Village Rose Hall, St. James 876-953-2546

AUDITORS Pricewaterhousecoopers P.O. Box 180, 32 Market St. Montego Bay, St. James 876-952-5065 / 6151

Falmouth Jamaica Land Company Limited 6a Holborn Road, Kingston 10 305-539-6071 Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC) 14 Camp Road, Kingston 4 876-928-5161-5 Time Square Plaza P.O. Box 2989, Norman Manley Boulevard, Negril 876-957-9263

CAR RENTALS Budget Rent-A-Car / International Rental 53 South Camp Road, Kingston 4 876-759-1793

Tourism Consultants Ltd. P.O. Box 383, Ocho Rios 876-974-1921

Challenger Transport Ltd. 24 Lyndhurst Road, Kingston 5 876-960-5974-5

ENTERTAINMENT

Fiesta Car Rentals (Ja) Ltd. 14 Waterloo Road, Kingston 10 876-926-0133 / 929-3832 Galaxy Leisure & Tours Ltd. 75 Red Hills Road, Kingston 20 876-925-4176 Hemisphere Car Rentals Co. Ltd. 51 Manchester Road, Mandeville 876-962-1921 / 6111 Hertz / Liberty Car Rentals Ltd. 28 Sunset Blvd., P.O. Box 210 White Sands P.O., Montego Bay 876-952-4250 / 5200 Jamaica Rent-A-Car Assoc. Ltd. 17 Antigua Ave., Kingston 10 876-926-8861 / 5991 Sunsational Car Rental & Tours Ltd. Suite 206, Chatwick Plaza 10 Queens Drive, Montego Bay 876-952-1212

Headline Entertainment Ltd. 8 Haughton Ave., Kingston 10 876-754-1526

GROUND TOUR OPERATORS & TO U R C O M PA N I E S Caribbean Cruise Shipping & Tours 66 Claude Clarke Ave., Montego Bay 876-952-6260 / 2007

Island Hoppers Helicopter Tours Reynolds Pier, P.O. Box 226, Ocho Rios, St. Ann 876-974-1285 Island Routes 5 Kent Ave., Montego Bay 876-979-9130 / 549-5940 J.U.T.A. Negril Norman Manley Boulevard, Negril 876-957-4620 Jamaica Co-Operative Automobile Limousine Tours Ltd. 80B Claude Clarke Ave. P.O. Box 265, Montego Bay 876-952-7574 / 8277 Jamaica Tours 1207 Providence Drive, Ironshore P.O. Box 227, Montego Bay 876-953-3700 Jamaica Union Of Travellers Association (Juta) Montego Bay 60 Claude Clarke Ave. P.O. Box 1155, Montego Bay 876-952-0813 / 979-0778 Johns Hall Adventure Tours 26 Hobbs Ave., Montego Bay, St. James 971-7776 Knutsford Express Services Ltd. 69 Gloucester Ave., Montego Bay 876-971-1822 Leisure For Pleasure Holiday & Tours Ltd. 14 Ballatar Ave., Kingston 10 876-968-6986 / 6988 / 6819 Prestige Leasing & Tours Ltd. 53 South Camp Road, Kingston 4 876-759-1793 / 953-9764 / 952-8495 Sunshine Adventure Jamaica Ltd. Providence Drive, White Sands Beach P.O., St. James 876-953-2919

Caribic Vacations Ltd 1310 Providence Drive, Ironshore Estates White Sands Beach P.O., St. James 876-953-9895 / 9878

Tourwise Ltd. 103 Main St., P.O. Box 17, Ocho Rios 876-974-2344 / 2323

Exclusive Holidays Of Elegance 28 Queenâ€™s Drive, P.O. Box 85, Montego Bay 876-952-5825 / 4297

Tropical Tours Ltd. 28 Queens Drive, P.O. Box 85, Montego Bay 876-952-1126

Glamour Destination Management Company Lot 1225 Providence Ave., Ironshore Industrial Estate Montego Bay #2, St. James 876-953-3810 / 0762

Vacation Master Jamaica Ltd. Shop #44 P.O. Box 394, Blue Diamond Shopping Mall Morgan Road, Montego Bay 876-953-2691 / 8357

Hola Tours & Travel Ltd. Chatwick Plaza, 10 Queens Drive, Montego Bay 876-971-1298

IN-BOND JEWELERS

Holiday Services Ltd. 73 Main St., Ocho Rios, St. Ann 876-974-2948 / 5377 / 0192

Khiatani International Ltd. P.O. Box 2559, Half Moon Shopping Village 876-953-9237

B.D. Dadlani Jamaica Ltd. 36 City Centre Building, P.O. Box 350, Montego Bay 876-952-3502 / 3476

CONFERENCE CENTERS Jamaica Conference Centre 14-20 Port Royal St., Kingston 876-922-9160-9

OurJamaicaMagazine.com

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The Shoppes at Rose Hall P.O. Box 6576, Half Moon P.O., Montego Bay 876-953-3245 / 8739 Swiss Stores Ltd. 107 Harbour St., P.O. Box 171, Kingston G.P.O. 876-922-8050-4 Tropicana Duty Free Jewellers 42-44 City Centre Building P.O. Box 538, Montego Bay 876-952-6982

I N S U R A N C E C O M PA N I E S CGM Gallagher Group 27 Harbour St., Kingston 876-948-6995

MARKETING, PROMOTION & P U B L I C R E L AT I O N S C O M PA N I E S American Chamber of Commerce of Jamaica, The Room 119, Jamaica Pegasus Hotel 81 Knutsford Blvd., Kingston 5 876-929-7866-7 Caribbean World Enterprises Ltd. 28 Queen’s Drive Montego Bay, St. James 876-952-6404 Creative Communications Inc. (Afﬁliate) 29 Munroe Road, Kingston 6 876-977-5020-4 JAMPRO Trade & Investment Jamaica (AFFILIATE) 18 Trafalgar Road P.O. Box 8658 C.S.O., Kingston 10 876-978-7755 / 3337 Marzouca Marketing & Sales Ltd. 39 Gloucester Ave. P.O. Box 326, Montego Bay 876-952-8784

PURVEYORS Appliance Traders Limited 35 Half Way Tree Road, Kingston 5 876-926-3371-5 Billy Craig Insurance Brokers 28-30 Portsville Plaza, Montego Freeport Montego Bay #1 P.O. Box 214 St. James, Jamaica W.I. 876-952-5070 Bogues Brothers Industries Ltd. 471/2 Old Hope Road, Kingston 5 876-978-4310-4 Caribbean Producers (Jamaica) Ltd. Unit #2, L.O.J. Freeport Center 1 Guinep Way, Montego Bay 876-979-8725-8 / 8134-6 Cool Connection Ltd. / X-Pose Services (Afﬁliate) 12 Central Road, Kingston 10 876-968-9032 / 3

Diverseylever Jamaica Ltd. 83 Hagley Park Road, P.O. Box 230, Kingston 11 876-926-8678

Smith & Stewart Distributors Ltd. 2-10 McArthur Ave., Kingston 11 876-923-3020 / 5610

Ecolab 6 Elgin Road, Kingston 5 876-926-0750 / 0755

Sun Island Jamaica Ltd. (Cm Associates) 45 Molynes Road, Kingston 10 876-926-1330-4

GraceKennedy Ltd. 73-751/2 Harbour St., Kingston 876-922-3440-9 / 3540-5 Heart Institute Of The Caribbean Ltd. 23 Balmoral Ave., Kingston 10 876-906-2105-8 Humiclima Jamaica Limited 77 Claude Clarke Ave. Flanker, Montego Bay 876-564-2959 Inter-Dec Designs Limited 35 Burlington Ave., Kingston 10 876-929-2683 Implementation Limited (Afﬁliate) 56 Hope Road, Kingston 6 876-978-2997-9 J. Wray & Nephew Ltd. 234 Spanish Town Road, P.O. Box 191, Kingston 11 876-923-7331-5 / 6670 Jackie’s On The Reef West Cliff Estates, West End Negril, Negril 876-957-4997 Jamaica Bedding Company Ltd. 29 East St. Old Harbour, St. Catherine 876-983-0583 / 0646 Jamaica Broilers Group McCooks Pen, St. Catherine 876-943-4370

RECEPTION AGENTS A-Z Information Jamaica Limited (T/A CaribExperience.com) The e-Biz Centre 12-14 Worthington Terrace, Kingston 5 876-702-0368 / 927-6137 / 960-4636 Great Vacations Ltd. 54 Haining Road, Kingston 5 876-920-8146

RESTAURANTS & BARS Cosmo’s Restaurant Norman Manley Boulevard, Negril 876-957-9072 / 4784 Evita’s Italian Restaurant Eden Bower Road, Ocho Rios, P.O. Box 118 876-974-2333 / 1718 / 1012 Margaritaville White Sands P.O., Montego Bay 876-952-4777 / 3290 Margaritaville Caribbean Bar & Grill P.O. Box #2819, Norman Manley Boulevard, Negril 876-957-4467 Versair In-Flite Services Norman Manley International Airport 876-924-8131-6

SPORTS Kimberly-Clark Corporation 8 Olivier Road, Kingston 8 876-925-9723 Morgans Group Of Companies 68 Lady Musgrave Road, Kingston 10 876-927-7307 / 9466 / 5439 Perry’s Manufacturing Co. Ltd. 82 Hagley Park Road, Kingston 10 876-923-4810 / 4340 Red Stripe 214 Spanish Town Road, Kingston 11 876-923-9291 Sealy Mattress Co. (W.I.) Ltd. 519 Spanish Town Road, P.O. Box 229, Kingston 11 876-923-8420 / 0363 or 765-2225 / 2233

Caymanas Track Limited Gregory Park P.O. St. Catherine 876-988-2523-6

TELECOMMUNICATIONS Anbell Agencies Ltd. 51 Hagley Park Road, Kingston 10 876-968-5640-1 Columbus Communications Jamaica Limited (Flow) 6 St. Lucia Ave. Courtleigh Corporation Centre (Ground Floor), Kingston 5 876-620-2200 / 3111 LIME (Cable & Wireless) 2-6 Carlton Crescent, Kingston 10 876-926-9455 / 936-2725

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No other watch is engineered quite like a Rolex. The Submariner, introduced in 1953, was the first watch to be water resistant up to 100 metres. It was later strengthened by its patented triple-seal Triplock winding crown, making it capable of withstanding depths of up to 300 metres. The new 40 mm Submariner is fitted with a blue Cerachrom disc and is presented here in Rolex signature Rolesor, a unique combination of 904L steel and 18 ct yellow gold.

t he subm a r iner

KINGSTON

The Mall Plaza, Constant Spring Road 926 4861

OCHO RIOS

Island Village Shopping Centre

Official Rolex Retailer since 1935 MONTEGO BAY Shoppes at Rose Hall

675 8975 953 9274