05_570641 ch01.qxd 7/14/04 10:06 AM Page 3 1 The Best of Jamaica Most visitors already have a mental picture of Jamaica before they arrive: its boisterous culture of reggae and Rastafarianism; its white-sand beaches; and its lush foliage, rivers, mountains, and clear waterfalls. Jamaica’s art and cuisine are also remarkable. Yet Jamaica’s appealing aspects have to be weighed against its poverty, crime, and racial tensions, the legacy of colonial rule and subsequent political upheavals. So, should you go? By all means. Just be prudent and cautious. The island has fine hotels and savory food. It’s well geared to heterosexual couples who come to tie the knot or celebrate a honeymoon. And Jamaica boasts the best golf courses in the West Indies, some of the finest diving waters in the world, and good river rafting. In this chapter we’ll lay out our favorite places and experiences. 1 The Best Beaches • Doctor’s Cave Beach (Montego sands are fine for families, though Bay): This 8km (5-mile) stretch of there are several (sectioned-off) white sand made “Mo Bay” a nudist patches where guests bare tourist destination. Waters are all. See p. 93. placid and crystal clear, and there • Treasure Beach (South Coast): are changing rooms and a beach Tired of fighting the crowds? bar. This one is a family favorite. Head for this beach on the dry, See p. 72. sunny South Coast. The undertow • Cornwall Beach (Montego Bay): can be dangerous, so swimming is Although it’s often crowded, this tricky. But crashing waves make it beach is covered with soft, white, one of the most dramatic beach- sugary sand. The water is clean scapes in Jamaica. See p. 124. and warm, and it’s a good spot to • Boston Bay Beach (Port Anto- take the family. But “higglers”— nio): It’s known not only for its vendors—will aggressively hawk white sands and clear waters, but anything from jewelry to drugs. also for the great jerk-pork stands. SeeCOPYRIGHTED p. 72. ThisMATERIAL beach has the biggest waves • Seven Mile Beach (Negril): This in Jamaica, and you can rent surf- beach stretches 11km (7 miles) boards and even get a lesson. See along the west coast. These golden p. 176. 2 The Best Watersports Outfitters • North Coast Marine Sports of instructors knows some great (Montego Bay; & 876/953- spots to dive among coral reefs. 2211): Offering the best scuba See p. 74. diving in Montego Bay, this staff 05_570641 ch01.qxd 7/14/04 10:06 AM Page 4 4 CHAPTER 1 . THE BEST OF JAMAICA Jamaica Cornwall Beach See "Montego Bay" map, See "Walking Tour: Strolling chapter 3 Through Falmouth" map, Doctor’s Cove Beach chapter 3 Greenwood Walter Fletcher Beach Rose Hall Great House Puerto Seco Beach Montego Runaway Sandy Bay Little River Bay Bay A A Donald Sangster Falmouth 1 1 International Airport Discovery Green r LuceaLucea e Bay Barnett iv Island R Ocho Rios Estates e Wakefield a B r Montpelier B 9 M a 106 art h B B Seven Grange Hill 5 3 Mile B NegrilNegril CambridgeCambridge Beach 8 Albert Town AlexandriaAlexandria Savanna-La-MarSavanna-La-Mar See "Negril" map, chapter 4 Bluefields Christiana Maggotty See "Mandeville & Port Bluefields Bay Environs" map, Antonio Whitehouse chapter 5 A Frankfield A 2 2 Mandeville River ck A la B 2 Black River Santa Cruz Black River Bay 0 300 mi Kingston FFLORIDALORIDA Harbour MMiamiiiamii 0 300 km ATLANTIC Treasure BBAHAMASAHAMAS OCEAN Beach Bull Savannah TURKS & CAICOS Long Bay CCUBAUBA ISLANDS VIRGIN CAYMAN ISLANDS ISLANDS DDOMINICANOMINICAN HAITIHAITI REPUBLICREPUBLIC Caribbean Sea PUERTO JAMAICA Caribbean Sea RICO • Negril Scuba Centre (Negril; is “We Be Divin’,” and this outfit- & 800/818-2963 in the U.S., or ter takes you to some of the best 876/957-9641): This is the best- dive sites along the northern coast. equipped dive facility in Negril, Equipment can be rented on-site, with a very professional staff. See and offerings range from one-tank p. 113. dives to six-boat packages. See • Jamaqua Dive Center (Runaway p. 158. Bay; & 876/973-4845): Its slogan 3 The Best Golf Courses • White Witch of Rose Hall Golf & 876/953-2650): This has been Course (Montego Bay; (& 876/ called one of the top courses in 953-2204): This is the newest the world. It’s a challenging sea- Jamaican golf course and one of side and mountain course. The the most spectacular, set on 80 14th hole passes a waterfall. See hectares (200 acres) of lush green- p. 74. ery. See p. 74. • Tryall Club Jamaica (Montego • Wyndham Rose Hall Golf & Bay; & 876/956-5660): Jamaica’s Beach Resort (Montego Bay; finest course, this is the site of the 05_570641 ch01.qxd 7/14/04 10:06 AM Page 5 THE BEST TENNIS FACILITIES 5 0 15 mi N Turtle Mallard’s 0 15 km Beach Beach St. Ann’s James Bond Bay Beach Lucea Caribbean Sea OchoOcho RiosRios Oracabessa Dunn’s River Falls Port Maria See "Ocho Rios" map, See "Port Antonio" map, A chapter 6 Claremont 3 A chapter 7 Negril Cambridge Alexandria Fern 3 Gully Navy Island Savanna-La-Mar Annotto Bay A Buff Bay 1 Hope Bay San San Beach PortPort Ewarton Castleton Boston Beach B AntonioAntonio Boston Bay Linstead A 1 B L 3 U E Long Bay M O Rio Grande U A See "Spanish Town" map, N T chapter 8 A I 4 Manchioneal Newcastle N S Chapelton Spanish KINGSTON Town See "Kingston Area" map, May Pen A Portmore Golden KingstonKingston chapter 8 FLORIDA 2 HarbourHarbour Grove Port Bull Bay Miiamii Old Harbour Royal Norman Manley Morant Bay International A Bowden BAHAMAS Galleon Airport 4 Yallahs Harbour See "Port Royal" map, chapter 8 CUBA Lionel Town DOMINICAN HAITI REPUBLIC Carlisle Bay Airport Beach Cruise Ship Dock annual Johnnie Walker World but it’s not as challenging as the Championship. Wind direction one at Tryall. See p. 56. can change suddenly, making the • Sandals Golf & Country Club course even harder. See p. 57. (Ocho Rios; & 876/975-0119): • Half Moon Golf, Tennis & Beach This course is known for Club (Montego Bay; 876/953- panoramic vistas, rolling terrain, 2211): A top island course, Half and lush vegetation. Sandals Moon features well-manicured guests play for free. See p. 147. and interestingly shaped greens, 4 The Best Tennis Facilities • Half Moon Golf, Tennis & Beach has six hard-surface courts, all lit Club (Montego Bay; & 876/953- at night. Hotel guests play free. 2211): This is Jamaica’s best See p. 74. tennis—13 state-of-the-art courts, • Tryall Club Jamaica (Montego 7 of which are lit for night games. Bay; & 876/956-5660): Tryall See p. 56. has nine superb hard-surface • Wyndham Rose Hall Golf & courts, three of which are lit for Beach Resort (Montego Bay; night play. See p. 57. & 876/953-2650): This resort 05_570641 ch01.qxd 7/14/04 10:06 AM Page 6 6 CHAPTER 1 . THE BEST OF JAMAICA • Grand Sport Villa Golf Resort & lit at night. Twice-a-day clinics are Spa (Ocho Rios; & 876/974- offered for beginners as well as 1027): This resort offers three clay advanced players. See p. 147. and three hard-surface courts, all 5 The Best Natural Attractions • Martha Brae’s Rafters Village chambers and eerie Grotto Lake, (Montego Bay; & 876/952- which you can visit in a boat. 0889): Martha Brae’s Rafters See p. 149. Village offers the best river-rafting • Somerset Falls (Port Antonio): experience in and around this Waters from the Daniels River popular resort. You sit on a raised race down a deep gorge through a dais on bamboo logs and watch rainforest. Flowering vines, water- the river scenery unfold. See falls, and foaming cascades form a p. 75. lush backdrop. You can swim in • The Black River (South Coast): the deep rock pools. See p. 185. You can explore what feels like real • Rafting on the Rio Grande (Port Tarzan country, with mangrove Antonio; & 876/913-5434): trees and crocodiles in the wild, Shades of Errol Flynn, this is the on an outing with South Coast grandest rafting experience in Safaris (& 876/965-2513). Lots Jamaica. The rafts are propelled by of wild things grow in these bamboo poles. See p. 178. swamps, and birders delight in the • Exploring the Blue Mountains bird life. See “The South Coast,” (outside Kingston; & 876/960- on p. 123. 6685): This is one of the biggest, • Green Grotto Caves (Discovery wildest, and greenest parks in the Bay; & 876/973-2841). These Caribbean, ideal for exploring. limestone caves were once used to You must hike 5 to 6 hours hide runaway slaves. They’re a through thick vegetation (hearing world of stalagmites and stalac- amazing birdsong on the way) to tites, with seemingly endless reach the summit. See p. 213. 6 The Best Honeymoon Resorts • Sandals (Montego Bay, Negril, • Half Moon Golf, Tennis & Beach and Ocho Rios; & 800/ Club (Montego Bay; & 876/953- SANDALS in the U.S.): These 2211): This resort offers honey- resorts pride themselves on fun, mooners deluxe oceanview rooms food, and drink, laid out in abun- and cottages fronting a near- dance and all paid for in perfect crescent-shaped beach. advance—no tips or bills here. There are lots of activities, too, Staff members bring heroic such as aerobics, tennis, swim- amounts of community spirit and ming, and, most definitely, golf. enthusiasm to weddings. All the See p. 56. properties are high-quality, but • Jake’s (Treasure Beach; & 800/ Sandals Royal Caribbean at Mon- OUTPOST): Funky and idiosyn- tego Bay and Sandals Dunn’s cratic, this is a really offbeat River at Ocho Rios are probably choice for a honeymoon where no the best in the chain.