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Jamaica Activities

Beaches

Jamaica's white-sand beaches are some of the most appealing in the Caribbean and range from relatively secluded strips to hopping spots complete with water sports, vendors, and evening parties.

In Montego Bay, the public beaches are usually superior to the beaches fronting resort properties. For a lively atmosphere and good swimming conditions, try Doctor's Cave Beach or Cornwall Beach.

If you're visiting the laid-back town of Negril, any part of its famous seven-mile stretch of beach is desirable; but be prepared for water-sports and souvenir vendors. You can also find topless sunbathing here and nude sunbathing on
nearby Bloody Bay Beach.

In Ocho Rios, where the beaches all line a little bay, you'll find good swimming, sunbathing, and water sports at Turtle and Mallard's beaches, both of which derive their names from the hotels they front.

Water Sports

Jamaica's opportunities for water sports are extensive. Most of the all-inclusive and other luxury resorts are situated on spectacular beaches, and offer snorkeling, scuba diving, waterskiing, jet-skiing, and windsurfing. Tour operators all
over the island offer diving excursions away from the resort properties.

Snorkeling and scuba fans will be especially delighted by Jamaica. A single reef borders the north coast, and visibility where can reach up to 120 feet. Probably the best-known dive on the island is Old Airport Reef off Montego Bay, where the water teems with sea life of many types, and coral caves, tunnels, and canyons make for great underwater
exploring.

Rafting

Quite popular among tourists, especially couples, river rafting offers the opportunity to see Jamaica's inland jungle from a peaceful, romantic raft. Locals row the long, somewhat rickety vessels down the gently flowing rivers, often stopping along the way to allow passengers to take quick dips in the water. If you're staying in Montego Bay, try a rafting trip
down the Martha Brae, near Falmouth. Staying in Ocho Rios? Take a trip down nearby White River.

Golf

Golf, anyone? The rippling fairways at exclusive Tryall Golf Club, 12 miles west of Montego Bay, careen up and down hillsides overlooking the sand-fringed coast, and play host to the Johnnie Walker World Championship, with the richest
purse in the golfing world.

The Negril Golf Club, inaugurated in late 1994, offers 18 holes, a golf pro and shop, and a splendid club house. The water hazard on the 8th hole is in the shape of a figure eight.

Dining

Jamaican cuisine utilizes the island's bounty of fresh spices, produce, and seafood, and regional dishes draw inspiration from European, Indian, and African culinary traditions. Allspice, a combination of nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves, appears often in island recipes; and jerk seasoning, Jamaica's famous super-spicy, barbecue-style sauce, is used to season meats. Condiments include the blazing-hot Pick-a-peppa sauce, made from Scotch bonnet peppers.

The national dish, codfish and ackee (a fruit that resembles scrambled eggs when cooked), is usually served for breakfast. Jerk pork and chicken are favorite daytime meals among locals, and informal stalls all over the island offer this delicious treat. Other common dishes include curried goat, peppered shrimp, johnny-cakes, codfish critters, rice
and peas, and callaloo soup, made from callaloo (the leaves of the dasheen plant), coconut milk, and spices. Bring a taste of the island home with you by cooking up some yummy Jamaican recipes.

If you're looking for some fabulous places to dine while in Jamaica, thumb through this local restaurant guide.

Nightlife

Reggae reigns supreme in Jamaica, and no matter where you are in the island, you are sure to hear the infectious sounds of this uplifting music. Resort spots such as Montego Bay, Negril, and Ocho Rios offer laid-back dance clubs and musical performances, where locals and visitors mix it up freely. Beach parties, such as the weekly event in
Cornwall Beach in MoBay, are also popular gathering places, offering a mix of reggae, soca, and other island music.

Most all-inclusive and other luxury resorts put on Jamaica-style parties, with entertainment well into the night. These properties sometimes also have small casinos, though these are nothing like their lavish counterparts found in Las Vegas or Reno.

While Kingston is the island's undisputed king of fashionable nightclubs, the city's rough neighborhoods should encourage you to explore its nightlife only in the company of knowledgeable locals.

Shopping

Jamaica is a shopper's paradise. Everything from Cuban cigars to finely crafted woodcuttings are available here, and the prices are surprisingly reasonable when compared to stateside imports.

Duty-free shops are popular among cruise-ship passengers. Offering discounts on china, crystal, watches, perfume, and more, these shops dot the streets of the port city of Ocho Rios. For a more exciting experience, take a walk through Negril's or Ocho Rios's public market. These colorful gathering places are packed with stalls vending everything from breadfruit to straw baskets. Bargaining here is a fine art, and animated exchanges between customers and sellers are all part of the fun.

Traditional island souvenirs include Blue Mountain coffee, Myer's rum, Walker's Wood jerk sauce, Jamaican ginger, and items sporting the Rastafarian color scheme of green, red, yellow, and black. Jamaicans are excellent craftspeople, and talented local artisans create striking woodcuttings, jewelry, and other artistic objects, which are also excellent
souvenirs.

Excursions to Cuba

Excursions to Cuba are a popular option for vacationers keen to discover the pleasures of the Caribbean's largest (and only Communist) island. Caribic Vacations offers frequent excursions from the airport in Montego Bay to Havana,
Santiago de Cuba, and Varadero, the main beach resort. Savvy Cubans welcome U.S. citizens and their dollars; what's more, customs officials will avoid stamping your passport at your request. Be aware, however, that because Cuba and the U.S. do not maintain trade relations you cannot use credit cards issued from U.S. banks on the island.