Jamaica
Overview
Jamaica is a tropical island of lush green vegetation, waterfalls and dazzling white beaches. Columbus was in the habit of declaring that each new island he chanced upon was more beautiful than the last, but he seems to have maintained a lifelong enthusiasm for the beauty of Jamaica, despite having been marooned there for a year on his last voyage.
One of the larger islands of the Caribbean, Jamaica offers excellent tourist facilities and superb beaches and scenery.
Geography:
Jamaica is the 3rd largest island in the West Indies, a narrow outcrop of a submerged mountain range. The island is crossed by a range of mountains reaching 2,256 metres (7,402 feet) at the Blue Mountain Peak in the east and descending towards the west with a series of spurs and forested gullies running north and south. Most of the best beaches are on the north and west coasts. The island's luxuriant tropical and subtropical vegetation is probably unsurpassed anywhere in the Caribbean.
Nightlife
There is no shortage of night-time entertainment on the island that is the home of reggae music. Every town or village has some sort of nightlife, and there are regular street dances. Folkloric shows at larger resort hotels are held and steel bands often play. At least once a week there is a torchlit, steel-band show with limbo dancing and fire-eating demonstrations. Nightclubs feature jazz, soca, reggae and other music. For details of events, visitors should consult local newspapers. The Jamaica Tourist Board arranges 'Meet the People' evenings in various scenic locations through the island. Contact the Tourist Board in Kingston, Montego Bay, Port Antonio or Ocho Rios.
Outdoor Attractions
Watersports:
Many hotels have swimming pools and beaches. The best beaches for bathing are mainly on the northern coast.
Surfing is also best on the north coast, east of Port Antonio, where long lines of breakers roll into Boston Bay. Most beach hotels have sunfish, sailfish and/or windsurfing boards for hire. To charter larger boats contact the Royal Jamaica Yacht Club. Facilities for water-skiing are offered at most beach hotels and at the Kingston Ski Club at Morgan's Harbour.
Diving:
Jamaica has many attractions for divers, including close-to-shore wrecks, sponge forests, underwater caves and coral reefs. In some areas, visibility is exceptional, reaching 30 metres (100 feet). Popular dive sites include the Throne Room near Negril, where it is possible to see corals, sponges, nurse sharks and cubera snapper; Ricky's Reef, with brightly coloured fish; and the wreck of the Kathryn. There are many professional dive operators on the island; contact Tourist Board for a list of licenced operators. Shops are equipped for hires and offer guided snorkel and scuba trips.
