Jamaica
Travel Information
Without question, Jamaica is one of the Caribbean's most beautiful
islands.The Arawak Indians, Jamaica 's earliest
known inhabitants, named their land well: Xaymaca,
"land of woods and streams.
Strangely, the name does not refer mountains. Jamaica is about
80 percent hilly and almost one-half of the land area is above 1,000 feet. This is not a flat island.
Between 40 to 50 percent of the island is still forested.
And the Caribbean water temperatures are ideal all year round in Montego Bay, Negril and Ocho Rios. (See When To Go)
Jamaica also has tremendous geographic variety: desert, high
mountains, beaches...almost everything but snow (but it may get below
freezing on Blue Mountain Peak in winter).
One reason Jamaica can offer so much is because it's the third largest
Caribbean island, 146 miles long and varying between 22 and
51 miles wide.
(See map)
Jamaica's
main tourist areas have been famous for decades.
Port Antonio, where Jamaica's tourism started.
Ocho
Rios, home of Dunn's
River Falls, Fern Gully and Dolphin
Cove.
Montego Bay (or Mo Bay), convenient to golf, great
houses, shopping, rafting and river
hiking.
Negril,
with its famous beach and rock cliffs.
Kingston,
which has become the jumping off place for
trips to the Blue Mountains,
especially hikes up Blue Mountain Peak.
Port
Royal, considered the world's most wicked city during
the Golden Age of Piracy,is now a quiet fishing village.
A few essentials
about Jamaica:
The
Rastafarian Religion
Reggae Music
Blue
Mountain Coffee The
Maroons
But Jamaica is a rose with very obvious thorns
because of its well publicized problems with drugs and crime.
Jamaica's major tourist areas, like towns everywhere, do have parts that shouldn't
be visited after dark. As most hotels have their own security
staff, room break-ins tend to be more rare than crime on the
street. But both do happen.
Despite
its problems, I like Jamaica and everything about it. I suspect
you will, too.
Jamaica Travel Information
Jamaica
Deep Background
Courtesy of the CIA
Jamaica
Arrival Briefing
What You Need to Know If You Go
Getting
Married in Jamaica
No problem, mon!
Jamaica's
Crime Problem
How safe is travel to Jamaica?
Major
Attractions
Bamboo Avenue
A famous, shady place
Black River
More than 2 dozen falls in a little over 2 miles
Blue Mountain & John Crow Mountains National Park
The most complete description of Jamaica hiking on the web
Blue Mountain Peak Hike
One of the Caribbean's great hikes
Bob
Marley's Grave at Nine Mile
A mind altering experience
but have a designated driver!
Camping
in Jamaica
This island welcomes campers
Cockpit Country
A remote stronghold
of the Maroons
Dolphin
Cove Ocho Rios
A large water park with more
than dolphins
Dunn's
River Falls
One of the Caribbean's
most famous landmarks
Fern
Gully
A former riverbed
and now a busy roadway
Firefly
Home of English actor,
dramatist, & songwriter Noel Coward
Great
Houses of Montego Bay
Rose Hall & Greenwood Great Houses
Hellshire
Hills
A remarkable dry forest near Kingston
Hiking
Guides
They are especially important in out-of-the-way places
Lodging
for Hikers
Put a hard roof over your head, not a tent
James
Bond Beach
Here's the recipe to the bar's signature drink
Montego
Bay River Valley Hikes
Few tourists ever make these walks
Negril
Beach Walk
On Jamaica's most famous beach
Things To Do
Diving, hiking, river rafting, great houses and more
Walkerswood
Jerk Seasoning
This wonderful spice is
made near Ocho Rios
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