Things to do in Jamaica
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Dunn's River Falls
Widely held to be one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the world, these famous falls, on the A3, 3km west of town, are Jamaica’s top-grossing tourist attraction. As long as you’re not expecting a peaceful communion with nature, a morning here can be an enjoyable and invigorating experience. Join hands in a daisy chain at the bottom and clamber up the tiers of limestone that stairstep 180m down to the beach in a series of cascades and pools. The water is refreshingly cool and the falls are shaded by a tall rain forest and a number of magnificent tree specimens. Today, the place seems more like a man-made theme park than a natural wonder. The St Ann Development Company s…
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Clive’s Transport Service
Offers reliable, comfortable tours islandwide and airport transfers (one to three people US$50) in a nine-passenger minivan.
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Pelican Bar
Built on a submerged sandbar 1km out to sea, this thatch-roofedeatery on stilts provides Jamaica’s – and perhaps the planet’s – most enjoyable spot for a drink. Getting there is half the fun: hire a local boat captain (you can book passage from Jake’s for US$30). The clientele is a mix of enchanted travelers and repeat-business fishermen who while away the hours playing dominoes, talking on their cell phones, checking the cricket scores or exchanging pleasantries with the self-satisfied owner. In between Red Stripes, or perhaps before your meal of lobster, shrimp or fish, feel free to slip into the salubrious waters for a dip.
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Puerto Seco Beach
The eastern side of the bay is rimmed with white-sand beaches. With its soft sand and limpid waters, Puerto Seco Beach, in the center of town, is a real charmer. Open to the public, it sports rustic eateries and bars and a fun park with a waterslide for kids not interested in sun-tanning. On weekends and holidays the beach is teeming, but during the week the place is often deserted. You can rent fishing boats, sea bikes and jet skis.
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3 Dives Jerk Centre
It’s no small tribute to 3 Dives that its jerk overshadows its reputation for lengthy waits (sometimes over an hour). Fortunately, the chefs are more than happy to let you peek into the kitchen, where there’s bound to be a pile of super-hot Scotch bonnet peppers threatening to spontaneously combust, and you can sip cheap Red Stripe on the cliffs at the end of a small garden. This is also the site of the annual Negril Jerk Festival.
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Toscanini
One of the finest restaurants on the island, this roadside spot is run by two gracious Italians who mix local ingredients into recipes from the motherland. The daily menu ranges widely, encompassing such appetizers as prosciutto with papaya or marinated marlin and mains like lobster pasta, or shrimp sautéed with garlic and Appleton rum. Leave room for desserts such as strawberry tart or apple and plum strudel. Treat yourself!
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Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville
This corporate franchise has turned getting drunk into big business. As with its counterparts in Montego Bay and Negril, the music is too loud and the drinks are too expensive, but some people find the orchestrated good-time vibe to be irresistible. The menu aims for the lowest common denominator with selections including the artery-clogging ‘Cheeseburger in Paradise’ and Caesar salads, pizzas and sandwiches.
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Rick’s Café
You’ll join the touristy throng at this ever-popular West End institution. The somewhat pricey menu features steaks, fresh seafood and Cajun fare. The loud music precludes an intimate meal, but if you’re in the mood for a party – or a dip in the pool between courses – this place fits the bill. While you eat, local divers try to outdo each other from the 10m-tall cliffs.
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Cosmo’s
A steadfast beach favorite with three thatched bars and dining areas near Long Bay Beach Park. Conch is the specialty here, whether steamed, curried or anchoring a hearty soup. Your host, Cosmo Brown, is also universally saluted for the pot of curried goat or oxtail that is perpetually simmering on the back burner.
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Nature Village Farm
Driving west to the small village of Lethe, about 3km from the B8, you’ll arrive at a Y-junction. The fork to the left leads to Lethe; the one to the right leads to Nature Village Farm, a farm turned family resort and restaurant that offers fishing and other attractions.
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Turtle River Park
Near Island Village on Main St, this welcome new green space in the middle of downtown represents a positive new trend in Jamaica’s approach to urban development. The lushly gardened park with manicured lawns also provides a zone free from the hustle of the main drag.
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Scotchie’s
This roadside offshoot of the superlative jerk center in Montego Bay lies adjacent to an Epping Gas station just west of Dunn’s River Falls, where its pork, chicken and sausage water the mouths of locals and visitors alike.
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Turtle Beach
The main beach of Ocho Rios is the long crescent of Turtle Beach, stretching east from the Turtle Towers condominiums to the Renaissance Jamaica Grande Resort. There are changing rooms, and palms for shade.
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General Foods Supermarket
There’s a General Foods Supermarket and smaller grocery stores scattered along Main St. You can buy fresh produce at the produce market on the south side of DaCosta Dr near the clock tower.
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Island Village Beach
Island Village Beach, located at the west end of Main St, is a peaceful, small beach that offers lockers (US$5), towels (US$5) and beach chairs and umbrellas (US$5 apiece).
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Lady G’diver
Located at the new marina, Lady G’Diver is a full-service dive shop; dive boats leave at 11am and 2pm daily. It has a retail store, PADI instruction and equipment rentals.
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Harmony Hall
Six kilometers east of town, Harmony Hall has the best quality art. It’s renowned for its Christmas, Easter and mid-November craft fairs, and regular exhibitions.
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Jamaica Agricultural Society Shop
This organization has been championing the cause of the small farmer in Jamaica since 1895. Here you can buy local honey, spices and Blue Mountain coffee at a fair price.
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Michelle’s Pizzeria
In addition to four styles of pizza (including a ‘Hawaiian’ with pineapple), this causal spot serves an array of pastas and hero sandwiches to be eaten on a small patio.
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Taj Mahal
Soni Plaza and Ocean Village Plaza, both on Main St, host duty-free stores, including Taj Mahal, which offers a vast array of watches and jewelry.
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Mother’s
Mother’s, with several outlets, and Juici-Beef Patties are fast-food eateries serving patties and pastries (US$1).
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Juici-Beef Patties
Mother’s, with several outlets, and Juici-Beef Patties are fast-food eateries serving patties and pastries (US$1).
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Island Grill
Branch of the ubiquitous chain is good for take-out jerk dishes.
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National Gallery of Jamaica
The superlative collection of Jamaican art housed by the National Gallery is quite simply the finest on the island and should on no account be missed. In addition to offering an intrinsically Jamaican take on international artistic trends, the collection attests to the vitality of the country’s artistic heritage as well as its present. The core of the permanent collection is presented on the 1st floor in 10 galleries representing the Jamaican School, organized chronologically spanning the years 1922 to the present. The first rooms are mainly devoted to the sculptures of Edna Manley and the spectacularly vibrant ‘intuitive’ paintings, notably the dark landscapes of John Du…
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