The Best Beaches
Doctor's Cave Beach (Montego Bay)--This
5-mile stretch of white sand made "Mo Bay" a tourist destination.
Waters are placid and crystal clear, and there are changing rooms and
a beach bar. This one is a family favorite.
Cornwall Beach (Montego Bay)--Although
it's often too crowded, this beach is covered with soft, white, sugary
sand that's deep enough to really sink your toes into. The water is
clean and warm, and it's a place to take your family. The admission
charge entitles you not only to swim and sunbathe but also to use the
changing room. The beach is near the main tourist strip and close to
the popular and larger Doctor's Cave Beach (see above). The "higglers"--as
local vendors are called--will seek you out and try to sell you
everything from black-coral jewelry to drugs.
Seven Mile Beach (Negril)--On the
island's west coast, this beach stretches for 7 miles along the sea.
It was once the haunt of the Caribbean's most notorious pirates. In
the background are some of the most hedonistic resorts in the
Caribbean, mixed in with a few family favorites. Many strips of these
golden sands are fine for families, although there are several nudist
patches where guests bare all. The nude-beach areas are sectioned off,
even though some new oceanfront resorts have Peeping Tom views of
these areas.
Booby Cay (Negril)--Although it's
X-rated, the aptly named Booby Cay is the haunt of snorkelers as well
as nude sunbathers. Many folks come here from Hedonism II, Jamaica's
answer to Club Med. Once they've landed by motor launch or even by
kayak, bathers in the buff--mainly male/female couples--disperse to
seek out their own little white-sand patch of private heaven.
Treasure Beach (South Coast)--Tired of
fighting the crowds for your place in the sun? Head for Treasure Beach
on Jamaica's dry, sunny, and isolated South Coast, a real hideaway
that's a secret among young Jamaicans. There are drawbacks here: The
undertow can be dangerous, so swimming is a bit tricky. These secluded
sands are gray, and waves crash into the shore. It's one of the most
dramatic beachscapes in Jamaica.
Boston Beach (Port Antonio)--It's known
not only for its white sands, but for its jerk pork stands. You can
enjoy your unique beach barbecue while gazing out upon the incredibly
clear waters of the bay. The beach has the biggest waves in Jamaica,
and young men will rent you surfboards and even give you lessons.
The Best Natural Attractions
Martha Brae's Rafters Village (Montego
Bay; tel. 876/952-0889)--Martha Brae's Rafters Village offers
the best river-rafting experience in and around this popular resort.
You sit on a raised dais on bamboo logs and watch the river scenery
unfold before you.
The Black River (South Coast)--You can
explore what feels like real Tarzan country, with mangrove trees and
crocodiles in the wild, on an outing with South Coast Safaris
(tel. 876/965-2513). At the mouths of the Broad and Black
rivers, saltwater meets freshwater, and extensive red mangroves are
formed with aerial roots of some 40 feet. Lots of wild things grow in
these swamps. Birders: Look for ring-necked ducks, whistling ducks,
herons, egrets, and even the blue-winged teal.
Dunn's River Falls (Ocho Rios)--A
favorite of cruise-ship passengers, these 600 feet of clear, cold
mountain waters race over a series of stone steps. Visitors (and we
mean lots of visitors) splash in the waters at the bottom of
the falls or drop into the cool pools higher up between cascades of
water. It's the best way to cool off on a hot day in Jamaica. Visitors
hold hands climbing the falls and trust that the human chain won't
have a weak link!
Somerset Falls (Port Antonio)--This
sun-dappled spot is not as touristy as Dunn's River. The waters from
Daniels River race down a deep gorge split through a rain forest.
Flowering vines, waterfalls, and foaming cascades form the lush
backdrop. You can swim in the deep rock pools.
Rafting on the Río Grande (Port
Antonio; tel. 876/993-5778)--Shades of Errol Flynn. This is the
grandest rafting experience in Jamaica. Popularized by the late movie
star, the rafts propelled by bamboo poles take you through Jungle Jim
country on a soft adventure.
Exploring the Blue Mountains (outside
Kingston; tel. 876/920-8348)--Sprawled across 192,000 acres,
the Blue Mountain-John Crow Mountain National Park is one of the
wildest and most lush in the Caribbean, ideal for exploring. You must
hike 5 to 6 hours through thick vegetation and an amazing amount of
bird life to reach the summit at about 3,000 feet above sea level.
It's a heavy-duty trek, but well worth it if you have the stamina.
The Best Golf Courses
Wyndham Rose Hall Golf & Beach Resort (Montego
Bay; tel. 876/953-2650)--Wyndham has been called one of the
top-five courses in the world. That may be a bit of an exaggeration,
but it is an unusual and challenging seaside and mountain course. The
10th fairway abuts the family burial grounds of the Barretts of
Wimpole Street, and the 14th passes the vacation home of singer Johnny
Cash. The 300-foot-high 13th tee offers a rare panoramic view of the
sea and the roof of the hotel, and the 15th green is next to a 40-foot
waterfall, once featured in a James Bond movie.
Tryall Golf, Tennis & Beach Club (Montego
Bay; tel. 876/956-5660)--Jamaica's finest course, Tryall is the
site of the annual Johnnie Walker World Championship. A par-71,
6,680-yard course, it crosses hills and dales on what was once
sugarcane farmland. Some ruins, including an old waterwheel, remain.
Wind direction can change suddenly, making the course more intriguing.
One golfer whom we interviewed confessed he's played the course 50
times, and "each game was different."
Half Moon Golf, Tennis & Beach Club (Montego
Bay; tel. 800/626-0592 in the U.S. or 876/953-2211)--This, the
island's second championship course, was designed by Robert Trent
Jones, Sr. in 1961. Played by the likes of former U.S. President
George Bush, the course has manicured and diversely shaped greens, but
it's not as challenging as the one at Tryall.
Sandals Golf & Country Club (Ocho Rios;
tel. 876/975-0119)--This 6,500-yard course is known for its
panoramic vistas. Rolling terrain, lush vegetation, and flowers and
fruit trees dominate the 120-acre course where Sandals guests play for
free. Others are welcome for a fee.
