Jamaica-Ag 5Th Ed.Vp
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HUNTER TRAVEL GUIDES dventure Guide BEST-SELLING SERIES Jamaica Paris Permenter & John Bigley 5th Edition Paris Permenter & John Bigley HUNTER HUNTER PUBLISHING, INC, 130 Campus Drive, Edison, NJ 08818 732-225-1900; 800-255-0343; Fax 732-417-1744 www.hunterpublishing.com Ulysses Travel Publications 4176 Saint-Denis, Montréal, Québec Canada H2W 2M5 514-843-9882, ext. 2232; fax 514-843-9448 Windsor Books The Boundary, Wheatley Road, Garsington Oxford, OX44 9EJ England 01865-361122; fax 01865-361133 ISBN 1-58843-504-0 © 2005 Paris Permenter & John Bigley Manufactured in the United States of America All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, elec- tronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher. This guide focuses on recreational activities. As all such activities con- tain elements of risk, the publisher, author, affiliated individuals and companies disclaim responsibility for any injury, harm, or illness that may occur to anyone through, or by use of, the information in this book. Every effort was made to insure the accuracy of information in this book, but the publisher and author do not assume, and hereby disclaim, any li- ability for loss or damage caused by errors, omissions, misleading infor- mation or potential travel problems caused by this guide, even if such errors or omissions result in negligence, accident or any other cause. Cover photo: Palm tree & sailboards (Corbis) Back cover: Painting by Milton Messam (Gallery of West Indian Art) Maps by Kim André, © 2005 Hunter Publishing, Inc. 1234 www.hunterpublishing.com Hunter’s full range of guides to all corners of the globe is featured on our website. You’ll find guide- books to suit every type of traveler, Adventure Guides – Covering destinations from Costa Rica and the Yucatán to Tampa Bay & Florida’s West Coast, New Zealand and Panama. What to do, where to stay and eat, plus hiking, biking, canoeing, horseback riding, watersports, and all other kinds of fun. Alive Guides – Dining, jazz clubs, first-class hotels and resorts. Top-sellers include: The Cayman Islands, St. Martin & St. Barts, and Aruba, Bonaire & Curaçao. Cruise Guides – These include Cruising the Eastern Caribbean, Cruising Alaska and Cruising the Mexican Riviera. Each is a guide to the ports of call and to the ships that serve these regions. Landmark Visitors Guides – All-color guides that cover Iceland, the Italian Lakes, St. Lucia, Aruba, Antigua, the Cayman Islands and many more destinations. Sunflower Guides – With color illustrations throughout and fold- out maps, these pocket-sized books include Sicily, Tuscany, Ireland, Sardinia, Slovenia, Provence and Corsica. Ulysses Guides – Highly detailed guides to dozens of destinations, from Montreal to Atlantic Canada, Costa Rica to Cancun. One-of-a-kind travel books available from Hunter include London A-Z and A Traveler’s Guide to the Galapagos Islands. Full descriptions are given for each book are given on our website, along with reviewers’ comments and a cover image. Books may be purchased on-line via our secure transaction facility. About the Authors John Bigley and Paris Permenter fell in love with the Caribbean over a dozen years ago and have turned their extensive knowledge of the re- gion into an occupation. As professional travel writers and photogra- phers, the pair contribute travel articles and photographs on the US and the Caribbean to many national consumer and trade publications. The husband and wife team have also written numerous guidebooks. The writing team are the authors of numerous Hunter guides: Adven- ture Guide to the Cayman Islands, Adventure Guide to Antigua, Barbuda, Nevis, St. Barts, St. Kitts & St. Martin, Cayman Islands Alive! and Romantic Escapes in the Caribbean. Paris and John are also frequent television and radio talk show guests on the subject of travel. Both are members of the prestigious Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and the American Society of Journal- ists and Authors (ASJA). Readers can follow the couple’s travels on their websites: Travels with Paris and John (www.parisandjohn.com) and Lovetripper Romantic Travel Magazine (www.lovetripper.com). Contents Introduction to Jamaica Finding What You Want .......................1 Sightseeing ............................1 Adventures ............................3 Where to Stay & Eat .......................5 Pricing ..............................5 Family-Friendly Pursuits .......................6 Anancy Park............................6 YS Falls ..............................7 Black River Safari Cruise .....................7 Dunn’s River Falls ........................7 Cranbrook Flower Forest .....................7 Discovering Jamaica .........................8 History ..............................10 Geography/Land .........................12 Climate ..............................15 Flora & Fauna ..........................18 Environmental Organizations .................28 Government ...........................30 People & Culture ........................31 Holidays & Festivals ......................37 Island Art ............................46 Island Cuisine ..........................48 Shopping .............................52 Travel Information ..........................52 When To Go ...........................52 Immigration & Customs.....................53 Transportation To, From & Around Jamaica .........55 Accommodations .........................67 Travel Concerns, A-Z ......................71 Banking ............................71 Clinics & Hospitals ......................71 Montego Bay ..........................71 South Coast ..........................72 Port Antonio ..........................72 St.Ann’s............................72 Kingston ............................72 Credit Cards ..........................72 Crime ..............................72 Protect Yourself ........................73 Currency ............................73 Departure Tax .........................74 Dress ..............................74 Drugs ..............................75 Electricity ...........................75 Embassies ...........................76 Gratuities............................76 vi n Adventure Guide to Jamaica Tip Guidelines .........................76 Immunizations .........................77 Marriage ............................77 Pets ...............................77 Photography ..........................78 Sunburn ............................78 Telephones & Faxes ......................78 Time ..............................79 Water ..............................79 Rainy Day Activities .........................79 Information Sources .........................80 Adventuring in Jamaica Packing for Adventure ........................85 Adventures on Foot..........................87 Hiking ..............................87 Caving ..............................88 Golf ................................90 Tennis ..............................92 Adventures on Wheels ........................93 Bicycling .............................93 Off-Road Touring ........................94 Adventures on Water .........................95 Fishing ..............................95 Watersports ...........................97 Yachting .............................97 Scuba Diving ...........................98 Submarine Tours ........................100 Adventures in the Air ........................100 Flying Tours ..........................100 Parasailing ...........................101 Adventures on Horseback......................101 Eco-Tourism.............................102 Birding .............................102 Cultural Excursions ........................104 Meeting Jamaica’s People ...................104 Spectator Sports ........................105 Montego Bay Introduction .............................107 History................................107 Getting Around ...........................108 Sightseeing .............................117 Rum Distillery .........................117 Plantations & Great Houses ..................118 Reggae Delights ........................120 Adventures .............................121 Adventures on Foot.......................121 Golf ..............................121 Adventures on Water .....................122 Beaches ............................122 Contents n vii Sailing.............................123 Fishing ............................124 Scuba Diving .........................124 Snorkeling ..........................125 Underwater Exploration ...................125 River Rafting & Cruises ...................125 Adventures on Horseback ...................126 Eco-Travel ...........................127 Birding ............................127 Cultural Excursions ......................128 Interesting Communities...................128 Shopping ..............................128 Shopping Districts .......................129 Galleries ............................129 At the Airport..........................129 Craft Market ..........................130 Where to Stay ............................130 Where to Eat ............................139 All-Inclusive Dining ......................140 American Dining ........................140 Asian Restaurants .......................141 Bars ...............................141 Caribbean Restaurants ....................142 Continental Cuisine ......................142 Indonesian Restaurants ....................144 Italian Restaurants ......................144 Jamaican