General: Jamaica > Reviews (18)

Jamaica, the very word conjures up a picture of lush tropical beaches, sun-filled days and romantic nights as the sun goes down in a dramatic blaze of colour. Yet there is far more to the island than just beaches and scenery. I went there in the mid 1990's but my memory of that two-week holiday is as fresh in my mind as if it was yesterday.
At that time it was still fairly expensive to spend a holiday there despite it being one of the largest and cheapest islands to visit in the Caribbean. My partner and I saved up for over a year to indulge in a little luxury the cost at that time came to a total of over £2000 but we had booked an hotel near to the beach in Montego Bay which is still the most popular destination in Jamaica.
☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼

Overview
^^^^^^^^^^^^

The rich cultural heritage

of Jamaica comes from a long history of conquerors including the Spanish and the British who introduced new plants, spices and a different way of life. The island gained its independence from Britain in 1962 but remained within the Commonwealth and still today counts the Queen as head of state although the title is mainly honorary. The main language is English although some local patois are still used by many of the people.
The Island itself is a rocky outcrop some ninety miles from Cuba and 600 miles from Hawaii.
Its 146 miles long and much of the land is over 1000 feet which despite it's nearness to the equator keeps the vegetation lush and green. It is an island of contrasts with long sandy beaches and inland rises to the slopes of the mountains from where the coffee beans are grown. There are over 252 species of birds on Jamaica of which 27 varieties are found nowhere else in the world. At night you hear the hum of the birds and the dawn chorus is a wonderful sound to awake to.

☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼

Resorts
^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The most popular are Montego Bay, Negril, Ocho Rios but the South Coast is worth exploring for its lesser-known resorts. Kingston is the capitol of the island and mostly known as the birthplace of Bob Marley.
We stayed at Montego Bay at the Doctor's Cave Beach Hotel, a four star hotel which included a full breakfast and a three course dinner with a wide range of dishes.
The Doctor's Cave beach is reputed to have spa properties; certainly I found the water to be quite salty and very buoyant. A word of caution though, single women or women whose partners are not with them are considered fair game by the locals but a polite warning is enough for them to back off.
From Montego Bay you can take coach trips to other resorts but the roads are very bumpy and not for anyone with a hangover! Expect some delays as well the average driver is pretty laid-back and will happily wait for ages in queues or for other cars to overtake you.

I wanted to go to Ocho Rios first and climb the waterfall one of the most popular attractions in Jamaica. The waterfall itself cascades through a series of rocks and pools to tumble onto the beach. I wanted to climb the full 600 feet although most people are happy to stay in the larger pools, which is an adventure in itself, still I did make it to the top with plenty of slithering and sliding into warm pools.

As a resort to stay in this was fast becoming more popular when I went there with numerous water-sports and inland trips starting from this resort.

Our next trip was to Negril, a resort where you can just laze on the beach in hammocks and have an aloe Vera massage definitely recommended by both of us. Our stay on the beach was limited to two hours as the highlight of the trip was the spectacular cliff dive made famous by one of the James Bond movies followed by a sunset barbeque. I stood on the edge of the cliff wondering if I had the nerve to dive into the crystalline waters below. It looked like a long drop but many people were having a go so I flung myself wide out and felt as if I were flying before plunging deep in the water. I can't explain the sheer exhilaration of it all but one go was all I got before climbing back up the steep path to knock back a rum punch and settle down to the barbeque. The sunset was awesome and I snapped about five shots as the sun dipped into the sea.

I never did get to Kingston but my partner went and had a great day out bringing back loads of souvenirs and some Bob Marley albums that were dirt cheap to buy. He also bought me a gold chain, which I still have today paying about half the price it would cost in Britain.
We didn't go to see any more resorts as I had a few more trips planned; besides, there is plenty to do and see in Montego Bay itself.

☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼

Other Attractions
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

These are so numerous it would prove impossible to see and do things in just two weeks so when we first arrived we chose a range of things to see and do that we could both enjoy. My partner was a poor swimmer whereas I used to be a very strong swimmer so we compromised.

One thing we both wanted to do was to take the Appleton Estate Rum tour and since I wanted to sample the native rum we went by way of a full day's train tour. The train starts at the far end of Montego Bay and wends it way through the mountains up to the rum estate. This was an old steam train and I did wonder frequently if it would ever reach the top. The carriages were all non-smoking which I found rather strange as smoking was still commonplace everywhere. The only place I could light up was in the refreshments compartment (clever way to get you to spend some money). However, this meant going through several compartments and as I only found out about thirty minutes into the journey this was a risky business. To go from one carriage to another meant actually stepping outside and wobbling into the next carriage (think of old-fashioned Westerns and you will know what I mean.) When I finally got there I decided to stay there so happily lit up and joined in with the reggae party going on aided by some rum punch.

There were a few stops on the way, one to visit some caves and one to see a local market half way up the mountain! A villager would happily measure you up for a shirt or sarong and it was delivered a few hours later on the return journey. The tour round the estate was fascinating and ended up with some free rum tasting.

The strongest was 100proof but I can't resist a dare so knocked it back in one go, God it was fiery! We bought some white and dark rum and used it later on to make cocktails. Now you know why I missed the trip to Kingston!

One thing else we both wanted to try was being poled down the river by a Jamaican while sipping at the usual rum punch. It was a nice relaxing experience until the boatman asked my partner if he wanted a try. He refused but I was game for a laugh until I saw the length of the pole all fifteen feet of it. Still I tried and with a wobbly start I did manage to keep us afloat for ten minutes before deciding a cool dip in the river seemed a good idea. I had all my inoculations before flying so with the water being so clear I thought it would be okay and it was. Getting back on the raft was a bit more difficult but I managed not to sink it, really its amazing what the rum punch does to your nerves.

No trip to Jamaica would be complete without a trip to the Blue Mountains, but it's not for the faint-hearted with bad roads and poor transport. We booked with a small group and went by land rover but once there the view is fantastic although we chose a day when the famous blue mist cast a haze across the view. It was quite chilly so we only stopped to buy some Blue Mountain coffee beans and took some pictures. Trips can be arranged for hikers and cyclists with overnight camping available but even then I wouldn't have tackled it although the hiking routes at supposed to be an unforgettable experience.

☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼

Food
^^^^^^^^^^^^

I can honestly say this was the only holiday where I didn't suffer from tummy bugs. The water is clean and drinkable although I did see some tourists being extra careful with bottled water. There is quite a large choice of cuisine in the bigger hotels with fish always caught fresh and cooked perfectly. I did try some raw fish and had no side effects from this. Curry is a popular dish with chicken, pork and goat on the menu served with rice and peas. By far the cheapest and most abundant dish is jerk-pork and jerk-chicken served with rice and peas and not a chip in sight.
Vegetables are quite exotic and I learned to love Okra when I ate out. The fruit is heavenly and appears at every meal along with freshly squeezed juices. In the day I found that the local Vegan burgers were fine to tide me over until the evening meal. I dubbed them Rasta burgers as a small Rastafarian shop made them.
The local drink is Red Stripe that came in cans, bottles and sometimes by the jug full, beware though they contain four pints. Rum punch seemed to be served everywhere but can be quite high in alcohol so take care, as it just tastes of fruit. I used to be very fond of Malibu and also Tia Maria so I knew exactly what would be ordering on a night out.

☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼

Sundries
^^^^^^^^^^^^

I think I have covered as much as possible without making this an epic so I'll just add a few more points.
1) Shopping is fun and expect to haggle in the markets it's a way of life here.

2) Avoid having your picture taken with local people as they do expect a small tip.
3) It's your own choice if you want to buy some ganja but its illegal although most police officers turn a blind eye; it's also far more potent than anything you may have tried before.
4) Some parts of Jamaica are very poverty-stricken I chose to look around but there are some parts especially Kingston which can be dangerous.
5) Make sure you have inoculations well beforehand as my arm got very swollen with the typhoid injection. Check with your doctor what inoculations you need.
6) It's still a long journey especially if the plane refuels in America and as you are not allowed to leave the plane wear travel stockings and move around as much as possible.

Would I go again?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Even with my health problems I would love to go back and swim in the beautiful sea, watch the marvellous sunsets and chill out. This time I would stay in one place alone, as disabled facilities are still pretty poor. It's a wonderful place to go for any age but active people would get a lot more out of the holiday. The people are friendly, the food suits me and even now I am sure I could still reggae along with anyone.
Prices are cheaper now and for the artist, explorer, adventurer and poet it's a dream come true.
Happy Holidays
Lisa.