Island of

Marley’s spirit
With its lush mountains, waterfalls, stunning beaches, all-inclusive resorts and
a history rich in buccaneer mystique, Jamaica is a swashbuckling cut above
many Caribbean rivals. Sara Macefield explores the island whose famous son
Bob Marley gave the world reggae music

“G
et your legs up,
up, up”, screamed
my Jamaican
guide. It wasn’t
the usual sort of
command you’d
expect, but as I was racing along a zip-wire
at full pelt towards the landing platform
– it seemed a sensible request!
Only a few seconds earlier, I’d
stood at the top of the tropical
river gorge, knowing I would
be skimming across the
treetops held up by noth-
ing more than just a cou-
ple of cables hundreds of feet up in the air.
Having reached the other side in one
piece, my trepidation was swiftly replaced
by elation and I felt ready to tackle anything.
After all, this is just one of the adrenalin-
busting activities designed to tempt holiday-
makers off Jamaica’s beautiful beaches and
into its rugged, jungle-filled interior.
As the third-largest island in the Caribbean,
Jamaica offers much to entrance visitors, from
the misty peaks of the Blue Mountains with
their beautiful landscapes of rivers and water-
falls, to the rocky cliffs and wide open sandy
beaches of the laid-back resort of Negril, the
coolest of all chill-out zones.

6 The Travel & Leisure Magazine November/December 2009

 getting to KNOW
Jamaica Tourist Board
Sandals
I At your
service – a
Sandals butler
I A taste of
Jamaica
Jamaica is where you’ll find historic old hub of the city is Gloucester Avenue, the so-
plantation houses rubbing shoulders with called “Hip Strip” full of restaurants, bars,
luxurious hotels and sprawling all-inclusive art galleries and duty-free shops.
resorts; where you can hide away in chic Mo Bay, as it is called by the locals, has
boutique hotels tucked into rocky cliffs or on its own marine park which covers 10 miles
lush mountain slopes. of coral reefs. There is also the
It is a place of local legends of bucca- famous white-sand Doctors
neering pirates and murderous witches, of Cave Beach and its mineral
romance tinged with royalty and old spring, said to have therapeu-
Hollywood glamour. tic powers. Nearby is the
But underpinning it all is the raw reggae attractive town of Falmouth, noted
vibe that dominates this island and envelops for its well-preserved Georgian
its culture, stemming from Jamaica’s most buildings, dating from the
famous son Bob Marley, who planted his dis- 1700s.
tinctive beat across the world. Ocho Rios –
“Ochi” as it is
Tourist areas affectionately
Most of Jamaica’s tourist resorts are along called, is more
the north coast, though one or two resorts tourist-friendly than
have sprung up on the lesser-developed Montego Bay with its craft
south coast. These are the island’s tourist market, duty-free shops,
areas: restaurants and cafes and
Montego Bay – Jamaica’s second city more relaxed atmosphere.
after the capital, Kingston – which is bigger Visitors should aim for the
and busier than the other tourist resorts. The outdoor Island Village shopping
November/December 2009
JAMAICA
Jamaica Tourist Board
I Hanging around
on a canopy tour
Healing waters
Jamaica’s waters have healing powers.
The most famous – and touristy – are at
Doctors Cave Beach where the mineral
springs are said to be therapeutic.
Then there are the mineral waters of
Milk River, said to be the most
radioactive in the world with high levels
of magnesium, calcium, sulphate and
natural chloride.
The baths here date from 1794, but
users are warned not to stay in the
waters for more than 10 or 20 minutes
at a time because of their potency.
Jamaica even has a town called Bath
which was founded because of the
nearby mineral springs which are high in
sulphate.
In the 18th century, Bath was popular
with the European elite who flocked
here for the healing powers of the
scalding hot waters and elegant botanical
gardens – the first on the island.
I Frenchman’s Cove Image: Jamaica Tourist Board
The Travel & Leisure Magazine 7
 SuperClubs
Sandals

I Diving off Jamaica

I Canoeing

Water sports
With more than 600 miles of coastline and over 100 rivers
Jamaica offers ample opportunity for water sports fans to
make a big splash.
From river tubing and river rafting to diving, sailing and
under-sea tours on a semi-sub reef explorer, Jamaica has
plenty of watery attractions.
As well as the usual range of water sports and boat trips,
there’s the Kool Runnings water park in Negril, which claims
to be the largest in the Eastern Caribbean and is packed full
of thrilling aqua rides.
Alternatively, sun-worshippers wanting to bare all can choose

Sandals
from a wide selection of naturist spots – Jamaica claims to I Sailing a catamaran
offer more nude beaches than any other Caribbean island.

centre in the heart of the resort which English-speaking city in the Waterfalls
houses the Reggae Xplosion Caribbean. It sits at the head of The island’s scenic beauty and colourful
museum that tells the fasci- one of the world’s biggest history have always helped it to attract
nating story of how natural harbours which in legions of visitors, but in recent years
Jamaican music has years past was home to Jamaica has turned up the thrill factor to
influenced the world. buccaneering pirates offer an adrenaline-pumping alternative to
Negril – the so- who based themselves adventure-seekers wanting to explore the
called “capital of at nearby Port Royal. stunning rugged interior. The top natural
casual” is famous for The old city, described attraction has to be Dunn’s River Falls
having the best beach in the 17th century as (www.dunnsriverfallsja.com) near Ocho
on Jamaica and the the “wickedest city in the Rios. These 600ft falls were just made for
most beautiful sunsets. west”, was destroyed by climbing, and it is great fun to scramble over
This is a place to kick off earthquake and now lies huge boulders and plunge into the tempting
your shoes, sit back and chill I Sunset over Jamaica underwater in the bay. Kingston pools.
out. Some of the hippest boutique Jamaica Tourist Board may have a tough reputation, but its You need to be reasonably agile and you
hotels in the Caribbean are tucked into the location on the south of the island means it have to concentrate, especially at some of
rocky cliffs behind the beach, offering a real is far removed from the main tourist areas. It the steepest points, but the reward is the
laid-back escape. However, more active trav- also has a number of its own visitor great sensation of standing
ellers can take advantage of the excellent attractions under one of the many
choice of water sports or try out the local South Coast – this is one of waterfalls and gasping
restaurants. the most unspoilt parts of for breath from the
Port Antonio – set on the north-east coast, the island and one of the sheer power of the
this is the romantic heart of Jamaica where most beautiful with its torrent.
the Blue Mountains sweep down to the sea. deserted beaches, tiny If you only do
Less touristy than the other resorts, this lush fishing villages and tradi- one thing when
retreat is known for its beautiful setting tional towns. This is the you’re in Jamaica –
which decades ago attracted film-stars, most place to come crocodile- do this. It’s unique,
notably Hollywood swashbuckler Errol spotting on wildlife safaris invigorating and
Flynn, who declared it “more beautiful than along the Black River or unforgettable.
any woman I have ever seen”. splash around in the cascading Just a few words of
I Romantic bridge
Kingston – Jamaica’s capital is the largest waters of the 120ft YS Falls. warning….try to avoid visiting
Jamaica Tourist Board

8 The Travel & Leisure Magazine November/December 2009

 when cruise ships call, other- Bob Marley drive from Ocho Rios.
wise the falls are mobbed But it’s the beautiful Blue Nearby is Goldeneye, the former hide-
with cruise passengers. Mountains that were made for away of James Bond author Ian Fleming,
Aim for the morn- exploring and hikers; bikers and Firefly, the beautifully-located retreat of
ings too, as these and adventurers can dis- famous English playwright Noel Coward
tend to be less cover a rich array of flora which has been preserved and is well worth
busy than after- and fauna. visiting, if only for the views.
noons. For serious walkers, Visitors looking for a more local flavour
For a quieter the seven-mile hike to the should step out on hikes in Maroon Country
alternative, visit summit takes three to four in the east of the island where there’s the
Somerset Falls hours, while chance to meet local maroons – descen-
near Port Antonio, cyclists can get dants of runaway slaves who made
which are less-known, a lift up one of their home in the
or the Mayfield Falls the mountains and mountains.
I The Bob Marley Museum
near Negril which are in a enjoy the 18-mile But probably the
perfect area for cave diving, cliff- Jamaica Tourist Board downhill ride which finishes most famous local is
jumping or simply messing about in the with a refreshing waterfall dip. Bob Marley. He may
water. Wildlife fans can swim with have died nearly 30
And if you want a true chill-out, try river dolphins at Dolphin Cove years ago, but nowhere
rafting on one of the long bamboo rafts that (www.dolphincovejamaica.com)

Jamaica Tourist Board

drift lazily down the Rio Grande or the Great near Ocho Rios or at the Half Moon
or Martha Brae rivers. resort near Montego Bay
Daredevils can visit Mystic Mountain (www.halfmoon.com/dolphin-
(www.rainforestbobsledjamaica.com), encounters.php).
one of the island’s newer attractions near Alternatively they can splash
Ocho Rios where they can soar through the around with stingrays at Stingray City
treetops on a chairlift, hurtle through the for- (www.stingraycityjamaica.com) on
est on a bobsled or swing through the forest James Bond Beach, near the north
on a zip-wire. coast village of Oracabessa, a 25-minute

All-out fun at Jamaica’s It was almost midnight and I was being

given a severe dressing down by the two
girls manning the doorway I wanted to

all-inclusive resorts enter. So severe, they made me strip down

to my underpants before they would let
me pass. But then they were virtually as
nature intended, save for some tiny scraps
of cloth and strategic body painting.
I should have expected nothing less.
After all, it was the official opening night of
Jamaica’s adult-only Hedonism III resort
and the event I was trying to get into was
the late-night disco following the
Neptune-themed opening party.
This was clearly not going to be a night
for the self-conscious or prudish. A fact
underlined by the sight that caught my eye
when I stepped up to the bar. As the sea
of near-bare flesh gyrated on the dance
floor, a naked body suddenly flashed past
just above the crowd’s heads in a large,
clear plastic tube hung from the ceiling.
The resort’s flume tube goes straight
through the disco, and revellers had
obviously decided to discard all their
clothing to try it out.
It may have been 10 years ago, but the
experiences from that visit are etched
SuperClubs

vividly in my memory. Perhaps none more

I Hedonism III disco and flume tube
so than during the golf tournament the

10 The Travel & Leisure Magazine November/December 2009

 I Pool-side at

Sandals Negril
does his spirit live on more strongly than in
Jamaica.
His birthplace and final resting place in
the rural district of St Ann near Ocho Rios
and the Bob Marley Museum in Kingston
(www.bobmarley-foundation.com/
museum.html) are among Jamaica’s most
popular tourist attractions, drawing thou-
sands of visitors wanting to pay homage to
the music legend.
The Bob Marley Museum is located in
the superstar’s original recording studio in
New Kingston where he recorded many of
his songs.
Sandals
One of his former homes in the
Trenchtown area of the capital, called
Culture Yard, is also open to the public.
His final resting place is the Bob Marley
Mausoleum (www.ninemilejamaica.com)
which comprises the tiny house in the vil-
lage of Nine Mile where he was born.

model had dispensed with her bikini and

was being body painted by any golfers
who fancied giving her a lick of paint. All
very distracting as you tried to hit your
ball from the nearby tee.
Back at the resort, things continued in
similar vein. A stage show ended with a
member of the audience being covered in
whipped cream and volunteers sought to
SuperClubs

remove it without using their hands.
On the way to the beach, I walked
I Water sliding at Hedonism III underneath a see-through Jacuzzi –
next day. Organised by the resort’s parent diverting my eyes from the naked German underpants, to the wind.
company, SuperClubs, it featured guests whose bodily bits were wobbling in
hospitality tents by the tees of several the bubbles.There were actually two
holes, each hosted by a different resort beaches: one labelled the Nudes Beach,
branch. At the first tee, chefs in white hats and the other the Prudes
cooked up breakfast while uniformed Beach.
masseuses gave golfers a pre-game Of course there
massage in the tent hosted by its were many other
upmarket Grand Lido Resorts & Spas. A activities and
few holes along, the Cuban resorts were parts of the
serving up lashings of rum while a salsa resort that did
band laid down infectious rhythms. not involve
Then there was the Hedonism tent, disrobing. It was
hosted by the new resort and its more just an option if
established and equally-outrageous sibling, you had no
Hedonism II. Outside, two bikini-clad inhibitions and
I Snorkelling at Hedonism III
models wearing giant angel wings sat on wanted to throw
the edge of a hot tub, while inside another caution, and your
SuperClubs
Half Moon
I Fern Tree Falls at Half Moon
The two Hedonism resorts represent
one extreme of the all-inclusive scene in
Jamaica.There are family resorts, such as
SuperClubs’ Starfish Trelawny Resort &
Spa or the Beaches resorts
operated by Sandals. Some are
romantic escapes popular with
honeymooners or couples
getting married, while others
appeal to the sporty and
active types.The choice is
yours.
And of course, if you really
want to, you can let it all hang
out...
Peter Ellegard

November/December 2009 The Travel & Leisure Magazine 11


I Jamaica’s waterfalls are among its top attractions
Where to stay
Large family-orientated resorts, chic upmar-
ket retreats, trendy boutique hideaways and
small independent hotels – Jamaica has
them all.
But it is most famous as the birthplace of
the all-inclusive concept which started with
the opening of the Jamaican resort, Couples,
in the Seventies.
Couples Resort is still open, but it has
since been joined by a huge choice of other
all-inclusives, namely those owned by the
Sandals/Beaches group and SuperClubs –
both of which are owned by Jamaican fami-
lies and have several resorts on Jamaica and
other Caribbean islands.
More recently, Spanish hotel chains such
as Riu, Iberostar and Barcelo have built a
string of modern all-inclusive hotels, but
holidaymakers wanting something more
unusual should head for the mountains.
Strawberry Hill in the Blue Mountains is
an 18th century plantation house that
became the hideaway of record mogul Chris
Blackwell and the place where Bob Marley
recuperated after being shot in the 1970s.
It offers rustic, laid-back luxury along
with stunning views over Kingston.
Other one-off gems include Rockhouse,
The Caves, Jake’s (described as the chic-est
shack in the Caribbean) and Tensing Pen –
built into the cliffs overlooking Negril’s
stunning white-sand beach.
Well established upmarket alternatives
that still hold traditional charm include
Jamaica Inn in Ocho Rios, plus Round Hill
and Half Moon near Montego Bay. TL
Sara Macefield has been writing about
the Caribbean for the last 15 years, visiting
so many times she has been nicknamed the
“Caribbean Queen”. She has been to most
islands, but Jamaica is one of her favourite
places to relax with a rum punch.
12 The Travel & Leisure Magazine
All photos: Jamaica Tourist Board
I Rafting on the Martha Brae
Jamaica facts
When to go
The best weather is from December to April,
which is the high season. July and August are
also popular, but are in the hurricane season
which runs from June to September/October.
Visa
UK passport holders do not need a visa for
stays of up to 90 days.
Getting there
British Airways (www.ba.com) flies from Gatwick to Kingston and Montego
Bay and Virgin Atlantic (www.virginatlantic.com) operates from Gatwick to
Kingston and Montego Bay.There are also charter flights with Thomsonfly
(www.thomsonfly.com) and Thomas Cook Airlines
(www.thomascookairlines.co.uk). Flight time is around 10 hours.
Tour operators
UK operators featuring Jamaica include British Airways Holidays
(www.ba.com),Thomas Cook Holidays (www.thomascook.com),Thomson
(www.thomson.co.uk),Virgin Holidays (www.virginholidays.co.uk), First
Choice Holidays (www.firstchoice.co.uk), ITC Classics
(www.itcclassics.co.uk), Kuoni (www.kuoni.co.uk), Hayes & Jarvis
(www.hayesandjarvis.co.uk) and Harlequin Holidays
(www.harlequinholidays.com).
Getting around
Choose from domestic flights between Kingston
and Montego Bay, local buses, JUTA tourist buses
(www.jutc.com), taxis or hire cars.Travelling
around can be an adventure, but it gives visitors
a great flavour of the island. Make sure you
travel only on licensed buses and taxis. Jamaica
has a good network of roads but they may not always be in the best condition,
plus other drivers tend to drive fast and furiously – so be warned!
Tourist information
Jamaica Tourist Office: call 020 7225 9090 or visit www.visitjamaica.com
November/December 2009