Most of Jamaica's tourist business is concentrated in the
resorts of Montego Bay, Ocho Rios and Negril, which together
attract hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. Montego
Bay is a busy, commercial city with hotels lined up along its
lively main strip, a stone's throw from a couple of Jamaica's most
famous beaches. There's a great entertainment scene, especially
during the annual August Reggae Sumfest festival. To the
west is Negril, its low-rise hotels slung along seven miles
of fantastic white sand and two miles of dramatic cliffs. It's
younger, more laid-back, and with a longstanding reputation for
hedonism that still carries a hint of the truth. East of MoBay, and
the least individualistic of the big three, Ocho Rios
embodies high-impact tourism - purpose-built in the 1960s to
provide the ultimate package of sun, sand and sea. It's not an
overly attractive place, and the beaches don't compare favourably
with Negril and MoBay, but its tourist infrastructure is undeniably
strong - the place is packed with shops, restaurants, bars and
watersports - and you're right by some of Jamaica's leading
attractions, including the famous Dunn's River
waterfall.
Jamaica's quieter east and south coasts offer a far less
packaged - perhaps more rewarding - experience, and there are
plenty of real gems worth hunting out. In the island's east
, lush, sleepy Port Antonio and its increasingly popular
neighbour, Long Bay , provide gateways to some of Jamaica's
greatest natural attractions, like the cascading waterfall
at Reach. The south coast offers different pleasures, from
gentle beach action at easy-going Treasure Beach - the
perfect base from which to explore area delights such as the YS
waterfalls - to boat safaris in search of local wildlife on the
Black River .
Last, but in no way least, Kingston is the true heart of
Jamaica, a thrilling place, pulsating with energy and spirit, that
is home to more than a third of the island's 2.5 million people.
This is not just the nation's political capital but the focus of
its art, theatre and music scenes, with top-class hotels,
restaurants and shopping, a clubbing scene that is second to none
and legendary fried fish on offer at the fabulous Hellshire beach.
A stunning backdrop to the city, the cool, coffee-smothered Blue
Mountains offer plenty of hiking possibilities, while the
nearby fishing village of Port Royal , once a pirate refuge,
provides historic diversion.