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Caribbean » Jamaica
 City Guide
 
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Caribbean travel destination is one of the most popular in the world. Beaches, boats, banks and bikinis are Caribbean menu essentials. But the No. 1 playground for the America s also comprises movie-set beauty, coconut-tree-clad mountains, verdant valleys of sugar cane and bananas, and seashore galore.
Jamaica
Jamaica is the third largest island of the Caribbean. Travelers have regarded Jamaica as one of the most alluring of the Caribbean islands. Its beaches, mountains and carnal red sunsets regularly appear in tourist brochures promising paradise. Most of the action is concentrated in Ocho Rios, Port Antonio, Negril, the Blue Mountains with its gourmet coffee, and Montego Bay, affectionately known as Mo Bay. The natural beauty of the island also offers endless entertainment. A trip to Jamaica may include river rafting, waterfall climbing, horseback riding, beachcombing, ballooning, diving, mountain biking, snorkeling or just relaxing in a swaying hammock watching the sunset.
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By Air
Direct Flights: Air Jamaica, American Airlines, United Airways
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Marine Sports:
Go for the big ones! Deep-sea fishermen can really enjoy the thrills of the deep blue. Blue marlin, dolphin (fish, not mammal), tuna, kingfish and Wahoo are waiting to be challenged.
Dolphine Cove:
Interact with a family of Bottlenose dolphins in an idyllic tropical retreat on Jamaica s North Coast.
Adjacent to the famous Dunn s River Falls, Dolphin Cove also offers snorkeling, kayaking and shark petting in lush tropical surroundings with a beach, waterfall and jungle trail.
Coyoba River Garden & Museum:
Offers the serenity of a genuine water garden fed by streams that rise on the property, exquisite Jamaican-Spanish architecture and natural aquarium.
Braco Stables Ltd.:
A two-hour ride with trained guides through the scenic countryside onto the shores, to a beautiful private beach location where you can ride bareback on the horses into the sea. Braco Estates has a story to tell with its history of farming which today still continues. The ride ends at the picturesque Great House by the poolside where refreshments are served
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Among the items available are rum, Blue Mountain coffee, gemstone jewelry, shells, local art (everything from neo-expressionist to primitive), colorful clothing and fabric, preserves and spices, musical instruments, hand-carved mahogany items, local handicrafts, woven straw baskets, embroidery, leather goods and CDs and cassettes of reggae music.
You can get Cuban cigars, but if you re a U.S. citizen, be aware that they may be confiscated if you try to take them home. The sale of black and white coral is banned (for good reason - some of Jamaica s reefs have been heavily damaged). Law also protects turtles so don t buy turtle products.
Duty-free shopping is available at most large hotels, at the Kingston and Montego Bay airports and in select stores in Ocho Rios, Kingston and Montego Bay (everything from watches and crystal to local liqueurs).
Shopping will bring you in contact with many aggressive vendors, who can be intimidating. If you aren t interested, a firm "No thank you" should suffice. And keep walking. If you do see something you like, expect to bargain: It is a time-honored tradition, always conducted with humor and mutual respect. Never pay a vendor the first asking price.
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By Bus/MiniVan - For very cheap transportation there are the local buses, also called mini-buses.
Public transport is a great way to meet people, and it s also absurdly cheap Each town has a bus terminal of sorts, often near the market. The destination is usually written on the front of the vehicle, along with its name). The conductor shouts out the destination before departure, scouting the area for potential passengers and cramming in as many as possible. Buses and minibuses stop anywhere en route to pick up or drop off passengers (except in major towns, where they are restricted to bus stops and terminals).
By Taxi - On the whole, fares are hefty and you ll always pay a little more if you take a taxi licensed to a hotel. Meters are non-existent, so always establish a price before you get in (or over the phone if you re calling for one). The first quoted price may well be just an opener, particularly if you hail a vehicle on the street; don t be afraid to negotiate. Once a price is agreed, a tip is unnecessary. Shared taxis are usually crammed with as many passengers as the driver/owner can fit in, and operate on short, busy set routes around the main towns, picking up and dropping off people anywhere along the way in the same manner as the buses and minibuses. Prices are much closer to bus fares than to taxi rates
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Akbar Restaurant
Passage To India
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