Copyright (c) 2009 Michael Ogden

We had decided to try the Caribbean as a January destination as it is always warm the whole year, the people speak English, the country is stable economically and otherwise, and it offered scuba diving. We tried destinations closer to home such as Eilat, Hurghada, Lanzarote and Tenerife. I was coming to scuba dive whilst Alison was coming to do some sunbathing at the pool. But we discovered a “buzz” that which had not been described in the guide books……

The airport then was nothing like as modern as it is now and by the time we had waited in a tourist minibus for about an hour in the carpark for other passengers, it was already getting dark. We’d arrived from Heathrow on an AirJamaica Boeing 747 flight

The road took us along the edge of the airport and then on a number of occasions it ran alongside the shore on a sort of corniche road. We quickly discovered that the Jamaicans drive like mad, blow their horns a lot, while dodging the potholes of which the old road had plenty. The first town we reached was Falmouth, which seemed rather old and tired. We were glad we had not hired a car at the airport as we would already have been lost.

Subsequently, we learnt that Falmouth is frequently used as a location for films because the houses in one part were built in Victorian times. Along the way, we noticed that Jamaica has a large number of different churches. There were stalls and roadside cafes and restaurants with signs promoting such dishes as jerk chicken and jerk pork, whatever they were. The road then took us to Trelawney and then Duncans, where the singer Sir Harry Belafonte was raised and then to Discovery Bay where Jamaica’s first tourist, Christopher Columbus, landed. It seemed to take forever to get to the hotel in Runaway Bay. At long last, after nearly 3 hours we reached our hotel, Royal Decameron Club Caribbean.

There was a warm gentle breeze wafting into the lobby area from the beach and there was the the sound of Jamaican calypso music too. We were served with a fruit punch cocktail while we were allocated our accomodation. Then a porter collected our bags and room key and asked to follow him. It appeared the rooms were separate, rondavel-type bungalows set in a garden, which added to the mystique. We followed hime down the path and it was all very strange, with gentle light showing the way through tropical vegetation. It was warm too. We reached our bungalow which seemed enormous with a kingsize double bed and subdued lighting. We had a quick unpack and then set off for dinner in the restaurant wondering if we would get lost on the way back to the central area! So what was the buzz we had not bargained for?

My wife, Alison, said that her most memorable impression was the buzzing sound from the trees, which we later discovered were tree frogs. They perfomed every night after dark.

This green jewel basking among the warm blue waters of the Caribbean is a great place to take in exotic scenery and Old-World history. Jamaica has excellent facilities for tourists and great beaches and outdoor destinations. You can do a lot, from seeing remnants of the island’s history, to exploring the verdant jungle on foot and horseback, to working on your tan in one of the numerous beaches.
1.) Spanish Town
Visit the former capital of Jamaica, Spanish Town, and get an idea of what made Christopher Columbus enthusiastic about the beauty of the island. Check out the old buildings including the St. Jago de la Vega cathedral built by the Spaniards. Have your picture taken in the Spanish Town Square, a charming representation of colonial architecture brought over by the island’s colonizers.
2.) Negril
Those who have a passion for activities such as scuba diving, sailing, fishing, and windsurfing are in for a treat when they visit this town 80 kilometers beyond Montego Bay. A bustling nightlife and many small shops are among the things tourists will encounter in this place where an alternative lifestyle was practiced in the past. Watch the sunset from West Point, the westernmost place in the whole of the island, then dance until sunrise in the many clubs along the beach.
3.) Ochos Rios
This town whose name means “eight rivers” in Spanish was once a sleepy village that now boasts of international-class resorts and hotels. Ochos Rios is a haven of gardens, such as the Shaw Park Botanical Gardens. See the sparkling beauty of Dunn’s River Falls, dine in one of the local restaurants and sample their varied cuisine, and visit Brimmer Hall, a plantation where, like in the old days, crops are still cultivated and harvested according to age-old methods.
4.) Montego Bay
This large, modern city is the second largest in Jamaica. While there, drop in at Rose Hall, a restored house belonging to an old sugar plantation. Gaze upon the blue Caribbean from the city avenues with that special someone and then take them frolicking on one of the city’s three main beaches.
5.) Falmouth
Located 40 km west of Montego Bay, this resort town contains the Church of Saint Paul. Visit the Greenwood Great House, which was once owned by poetess Elizabeth Barrett-Browning and her husband. For the energetic, the Martha Brae can be rafted from Rafters Village.
6.) Kingston
Jamaica’s capital, Kingston offers a lot to see and do. Learn about the island’s past by visiting the White Marl Museum, dedicated to the Arawak Indians who lived on Jamaica, and the Port Royal, which features exhibits and information on the bad old days of the buccaneers. Sample the cuisine of the local restaurants and buy a souvenir from the Crafts Market, and if you’re feeling lucky, you can gamble on horse races in Cuyamas Park.
7.) Treasure Reef
Swim with marine life at this aquatic park located near the Dunn’s River Falls. Make some piscine friends while feeding the sharks and interacting with the dolphins at Dolphin Cove. Or, if getting wet doesn’t suit you, explore the lush greenery of the Jungle Trail Walk.
8.) Green Grotto Caves
Go exploring this cavern east of Discovery Bay. A sanctuary for people since prehistoric times, these caves have seen occupants such as the Taino Indians, refugee Spaniards hiding from the English, smugglers, and rumrunners. Green Grotto is a kilometer and a half long and contains an underground lake, Grotto Lake.
9.) Water Sports
Outdoor activities of all kinds can be found on Jamaica, but among the most prevalent are water sports, which are available at myriad locations. Fresh and saltwater fishing is permitted without a license. Parasailing, scuba diving, surfing, rafting, and the like are also offered at many locations such as Negril.
10.) Beaches
Jamaica would be nothing without its beaches. The island offers many types to suit any person’s tastes. From the busy sand of MoBay and Ocho Rios to the private tranquility of the beaches of Port Antonio, Jamaica offers beachgoers of all type the blend of sun, fun and friendship that will suit them perfectly.