Landmark Visitors Guide Jamaica 1901522318, 9781901522310

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Jamaica

Don Philpott

Jamaica PACK 2 MONTHS INTO 2 WEEKS Our carefully researched text brings you more fun and pleasure as you explore Jamaica's attractions You'll find touring and visiting suggestions easy to follow

Jamaica: where warm seas lap soft sandy beaches fringed by palms. For romantic river rafting, hiking to inland waterfalls or just exploring this lovely island, this book shows you how.

Published in the UK by: Landmark Publishing Ltd Published in the USA by: Hunter Publishing Inc ISBN 1-901522-31-8

9 781901 522310

£6.95 (UK) $12.95 (USA)

The comprehensive FactFile tells you all you need to know about essentials

Jamaica Do n Philpo tt

Flo rid a ys

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JAMAICA

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Gulf of Mexico

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Caym an Islan d s

JA M A I CA

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Do m in ican Rep u b lic

Kingston

CARIBBEAN SEA

De d ic a t io n To Pam , m y b e autiful Am e ric an Ro se .

Ac kno wle d g e m e nts My thanks to e ve ryo ne who assiste d m e in the writing o f this guid e b o o k. In p artic ular, I wo uld like to thank the Jam aic an To urist Bo ard , the Sand als te am , Jo rge Martine z and Barringto n Ed ward s.

ay Run awa yB

Sangster International Mountain Spring MONTEGO BAY Airport Falmouth Bay Montego Rose Hall Bay A1 Great House A1 Discovery Rafting Sandy Bay Bay Rafting

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Rio Bue Disc no Har over b y Ba our y

JAMAICA Dunn's River Falls

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y St Anns Cousins Bay OCHO Cave Green Island RIOS Oracabessa St Anns Harbour B9 A3 Bay Orange Bay A1 Port A3 Long Maria B8 ay B9 Bay NEGRIL Annotto Alexandria Negril BEACH Little B7 Bay B3 A1 London Moneague B6 A4 PORT Negril ANTONIO Enfeld Hope Bay Lighthouse Savanna-la-Mar Dragon Bay St Castleton Chepstow Bluefields Bay Bluefields Margarets Boston Somerset A3 Stoney bay A1 Frankfield Bay Bay Falls Auchindow n Long Bay Bamboo Walk Hill Blue Mo u Bog Long Bay Whitehouse A2 n tain Manchioneal Walk s Spanish Whitehouse Rockfort Manchioneal Comfort Mandeville Tow n Bay Black River Leeds Mineral A4 Harbour A2 Castle Black River Baths A2 Golden Holland Bay Eleven Old Harbour KINGSTON Grove Mile Treasure Bay Port Royal Bay Starve Gut Bay White Morant Bull Bay A4 Beach Alligator Cross Race Bay Great Norman Horses Salt Sandy Folly Pond Keys Course Manley Salt Pond Morant Great Pedro Bay Lovers Alligator Bay Old Harbour Island Salt Bay Long Bay Lagoon Pond International Bay Salt Ponds Bay Bay Leap Pond Macarry Bay The Morant Airport Lionel Tow n Bay Alley Point West Harbour 0 5 10miles Lighthouse Carlisle Bay 0

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Jamaica Do n Philpo tt

CONTENTS Intro ductio n Geography History People Captain Bligh Culture Econom y Natural History Clim ate Food Jam aican Drinks

6 7 7 13 14 16 17 18 23 29 32

Explo ring the Is land: Kings to n and the e as te rn Is land Kingston and the eastern tour Exploring Kingston on foot

Map: Kingston Map: Down town Kingston Port Royal and The Palisadoes Other things to see and do In and around Kingston Eating Out: Kings to n Place s to Vis it: Kings to n Galle rie s The eastern tour Eating Out: Po rt Anto nio Exploring the Blue Mountains

34 35 36 38 39 39 41 42 46 48 55 58

Explo ring the Is land: We s t o f Kings to n The southern coastal tour Spanish Town May Pen Mandeville Eating Out: Mande ville and the s o uth co as t Place s to Vis it: Mande ville Other things to see and do in and around Mandeville On along the south coast Negril and the western coast Eating Out: Ne gril

62 62 63 65 65 67 68

69 71 73 74

Place s to Vis it: Ne gril Galle rie s Ne gril and the w e s te rn Co as t Lucea to Montego Bay Montego Bay

77 77 77 78

Map: Montego Bay The origins of Montego Bay

79 82

Eating Out: Mo nte go Bay Place s to Vis it: Mo nte go Bay Place s to Vis it: Mo nte go Galle rie s Montego Bay to Port Maria Eating Out: Falmo uth Runaway Bay Eating Out: Runaw ay Bay Salem to Ocho Rios Ocho Rios Place s to Vis it: Ocho Rio s Galle rie s Eating Out: Ocho Rio s

84 86 86 89 92 97 97 98 100 101 102

Acco mmo datio n and Spo rt

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Accom m odation Sports: Cricket Cycling Deep sea fishing Diving Golf Horseback Riding Horse Racing & Polo Jogging Sailing and surfing Swim m ing Tennis Water skiing Waterfall clim bing

107 114 114 114 115 115 119 120 120 120 120 120 120 120 120

Factfile Getting there: Airports/ Airways Banks

121 121 122

Beaches Bicycles, m opeds and scooters Car rental Car rental com panies Churches Clothing and packing Currency and credit cards Custom s and Im m igration Departure tax Electricity Em ergency num bers Gam bling Health Hospitals Tanning safely Hustling Insurance Language Media Mineral springs National sym bols

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122 124 124 125 125 126 126 126 127 127 127 127 127 128 128 129 129 129 130 130 130

Nightlife 131 Pets 131 Photographs 131 Post 132 Public holidays and m ajor events 132 Security 134 Shopping 134 Taxes 134 Telephones and communications 136 Tim e 136 Tipping 136 Tourist offices 136 Canada 137 United States 137 UK 137 Travel around the island: 137 Mini buses 137 Bus stations 138 Taxis 138 Weddings 138

A T U R E

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O X E S

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Clim a t e

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Jam aic an Drin ks

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Th e o rig in s o f Mo n t e g o Bay

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ntroduction

amaica is a fabulous year-round holiday destination with stunning natural beauty and a wealth of attractions and recreational opportunities. There are superb palm-fringed, golden sand beaches, secluded coves, warm, turquoise seas, superb scenery, historic landmarks and worldclass diving, fishing and sailing. There is a huge range of accommodation from luxury resorts to charming, homely, welcoming guesthouses, great food, rum and reggae and a welcome everywhere that is as warm as the The perfect place to have fun Jamaican sun.

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Opposite page: Grand Lide

GEOGRA P HY Jamaica is the third largest of the Caribbean islands and the largest of the English-speaking islands. It is 90 miles (145km) south of Cuba, and 390 miles (628km) north east of Cape Gracias a Dios in Nicaragua, the nearest point on the American continent. The island was formed as a result of massive volcanic activity about 140 million years ago, when it was literally heaved up from the floor of the sea. Between 40 and 50 million years ago the land mass was again submerged, and about 15 to 20 million years ago, the East Pacific and Caribbean plates broke apart and the upheaval produced huge ridges such as the Blue Mountains, and massive depressions, like the 24,750ft (8,120m) deep Cayman Trench to the west of Jamaica. The edge of the East Caribbean plate then slid under the edge of the American plate, and was tilted, which thrust many of the mountain peaks upwards creating a chain of islands, including Jamaica. The limestone that constitutes most of the island is the result of millions of years of sedimentation and compression of dead marine life on the sea bed. Cockpit Country is an area of limestone particularly susceptible to water erosion. This erosion process has resulted in the incredible landscape of caves, gorges and strangely-shaped limestone hillocks. The island covers 4,411 sq miles (11,424 sq km), and is 146 miles

(235km) long and between 22 and 51 miles (35 and 82km) wide. It consists of coastal plains with an interior of limestone mountains and plateau, increasing in altitude as they run from west to east. It is very mountainous with almost half the island more than 1,000ft (305m) above sea level. Blue Mountain Peak is the highest point at 7,402ft (2,256m). There are about 120 rivers, and those in the north tend to be shorter and run faster than those in the south, where many of the waterways have formed fertile alluvial plains. The Black River runs for 44 miles (71km) to the sea in the south west, it is the island’s longest river and navigable by small boat for 25 miles (40km) from its estuary. There are a number of waterfalls and mineral springs, four of which have bathing facilities. Tides vary little around the island, and the difference between high and low tide is rarely more than 16in (41cm).

HIS TORY The island’s first settlers were Amerindians from South America. They paddled their way north in open canoes about 5000BC. Their descendants the peaceful Arawaks arrived between AD600 and AD700, and established settlements throughout the island. They were farmers and fishermen who lived in small villages ruled by chiefs called caciques. The Arawaks named the island Xaymaca, which means ‘land of wood and water’, and the name 7

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has changed only slightly over the centuries to become Jamaica. When Columbus ‘discovered’ Jamaica on 5 May 1494, during his second voyage, his ships were met by about 70 Arawak canoes. The Arawaks were overawed by the Spaniards, their ships and weapons, and treated them as gods. There were about 100,000 Arawaks on the island, and many were later enslaved.

Columbus olu m bu s lan ded at wh at is n ow Discover y Bay, an d called t h e islan d San t iago. Aft er a few days h e sailed west past wh at is n ow Mon t ego Bay, wh ich h e n am ed Golfo de Bu en Tiem po. In h is log h e wr ot e: ‘it is t h e fair est isle t h at m y eyes h ave beh eld.... t h e m ou n t ain s t ou ch t h e sky’, an d in r ecogn it ion of t h e discover y, t h e Span ish Kin g gr an t ed San t iago t o t h e Colu m bu s fam ily. Colu m bu s spen t alm ost a year st r an ded on t h e islan d bet ween 1503 an d 1504 du r in g h is fou r t h voyage, aft er t wo of h is t h r ee wor m -eat en sh ips san k in St An n s Bay. Two m em ber s of h is cr ew paddled a can oe t o Hispan iola t o aler t t h e au t h or it ies an d h ave r eplacem en t sh ips sen t .

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In 1509 the first European settlement was founded by Juan de Esquiva at Sevilla la Nueva on the north coast close to St Ann. 8

The first African slaves were introduced about 1517. The settlement did not prosper because of the unhealthy climate and disease, and in 1534 it was moved to what became Villa de la Vega, later called Santiago de la Vega (St Jago de la Vega), and finally Spanish Town. Plantations reared cattle and grew staple foods to feed the island, the settlements on Hispaniola and passing Spanish ships. Archaeological excavations have started to unearth Sevilla la Nueva.

THE A RRIVA L OF THE S PA NIS H The Spanish and in particular their Western diseases, proved disastrous for the Arawaks. Many were taken away as slaves to work in the gold and silver mines on Hispaniola, and by the end of the sixteenth century, almost all had died in slavery or from disease. Although the Arawaks disappeared, however, there are many reminders of their culture and language. Words such as tobacco, hurricane, hammock, potato, maize, barbecue, cannibal and canoe, all come from the Arawak language. At the beginning of the seventeenth century, the island had a population of about 3,000 Spanish and a few African slaves. The Spanish invested in Jamaica at first because they thought there was gold, but when none was found, they lost interest and did little to develop Jamaica. During the first half of the seventeenth century, there were frequent raids on Jamaica by English and French forces. It was also frequently attacked by pirates, but it remained in Spanish hands. In May 1655, a British force led by Admiral William Penn landed off what is now Kingston and captured

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Jamaica with hardly a fight. Most of the Spanish, alerted to their imminent arrival, had fled to the north of the island then escaped by boat to Cuba. The Spanish attempted to recapture the island in June 1658 but were defeated in a major battle at Rio Nuevo. Spanish troops fled to the mountains and were not finally expelled until 1660.

A RRIVA L OF THE BRITIS H The British take-over signaled a period of rapid expansion as British planters arrived and the island became virtually one huge sugar cane plantation, earning enormous profits. In London at the time, a frequently heard expression was ‘as rich as a West Indian planter’. Thousands of slaves from West Africa, particularly the Fanti, Ashanti, Ibo and Yoruba tribes were shipped across in chains to work the plantations. Many of the slaves of the Spanish fled to the mountains, resisting all attempts at capture. These former slaves were called Maroons, from the Spanish word cimarron meaning ‘wild’, and their numbers were swelled by runaway British slaves. They lived in fortresses in the mountains, and eventually to end the fighting, the British signed peace treaties with them in 1739-40, granting the Maroons effective selfgovernment over their mountain territories. Descendents of the Maroons still live in the parish of Trelawny, in the hilly Cockpit Country and in the mountains at Moore Town.

Privateers and Pirates am aica was u n der m ilit ar y r u le u n t il 1661 wh en Edwar d D’Oyley was appoin t ed t h e fir st Br it ish Gover n or. Lar gely wit h official appr oval, Jam aica becam e t h e base for m an y pr ivat eer s an d pir at es wh o pr eyed on t h e r ich Span ish t r easu r e galleon s sailin g t h e Span ish Main . Th e Br it ish au t h or it ies n ot on ly t u r n ed a blin d eye on t h ese act ivit ies, bu t secr et ly en cou r aged t h em as t h e Br it ish an d Span ish wer e fr equ en t ly in dispu t e, an d all t h e t im e pr ivat eer s wer e h ar assin g Span ish vessels an d t yin g u p t h e Span ish n avy, t h e Br it ish did n ot n eed t o h ave a n aval fleet st at ion ed on Jam aica. Port Royal becam e th e base for m an y of th e Caribbean ’s m ost fam ou s an d in fam ou s pirates, su ch as Hen ry Morgan , an d later Bristol’s Edward Leach , kn own as Blackbeard, an d Calico Jack with h is fem ale crew.

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The Treaty of Madrid in 1670 recognized Britain’s title to the island, and in 1672 the Royal African Company was founded with a monopoly of the English slave trade. Jamaica became one of the largest slave markets in the world, and although the pirates had largely been driven out, the island became a hub for smugglers trading with Spanish America. Jamaica rapidly prospered and was one of the most valuable of all the British colonial possessions with 70 sugar mills, 60 indigo factories and 60 cocoa mills. The wealth of the island was such that in 1678 9

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the British Crown tried to levy its own royal taxes. When the island’s legislature refused to accept this, its privileges were revoked and it was not until 1682 that they were restored. It was not until 1728 that the issue was resolved when the island agreed to pay the Crown £6,000 a year in lieu of the uncollected royal taxes, in return for an undertaking that new taxation had to be approved by the island’s legislature. Port Royal was largely destroyed by an earthquake in 1692 and the site chosen for the new capital became Kingston. Shortly after the earthquake a Spanish force invaded Jamaica taking advantage of the disarray, but the attackers were defeated at Carlisle Bay. Jamaica’s prosperity was boosted even further in 1713 by the Treaty of Utrecht which gave Britain the right to supply slaves to all the Spanish West Indies possessions. The island continued to prosper and in 1739 there were more than 400 sugar plantations on the island, and more than 5,000 slaves, although this was only a fraction of the Africans sold in the Jamaica slave markets and shipped to other Caribbean islands. In 1760 there was an unsuccessful slave uprising led by Tacky, one of many against the harsh conditions most had to endure.

FRENCH INTERVENTION A bid by France and Spain to seize control of Jamaica in April 1782 failed when their combined fleets were defeated by a British naval force, led by Admiral Rodney, at the Battle of the Saints off Dominica. It was the most decisive British victory ever in the Caribbean, and had the battle gone the other way, Britain could well have lost all its West Indian colonies. Another attempt by the French to 10

take Jamaica in 1806 was defeated by Admiral Sir John Duckworth. At this time Jamaica had more than 30,000 slaves working on the hugely profitable sugar cane and coffee plantations. The last slave uprising was in Montego Bay over Christmas, 1831, and led by Baptist preacher Sam Sharpe, and although unsuccessful, it paved the way for Emancipation two years later.

Freedom from Slavery ll slaves were granted their freedom by the British Government in 1834, but in effect they did not get their freedom until 1838. Following protests from the plantation owners alarmed at the sudden loss of cheap labor, it was agreed that all slaves serve a four-year apprenticeship before finally being given their freedom. They had to agree to work free of charge for their old masters for threequarters of each working week, but were allowed to spend any other time working their own plots of land cleared from the forest. After em ancipation and ‘apprenticeship’, large num bers of freed slaves left the plantations and m oved to the hills, clearing the land to establish their own ‘free villages’. These settlem ents, like Wilberforce, nam ed after the anti-slavery cam paigner, and Seaford, resulted in m ost of the inland villages and com m unities that can be seen today. The owners received £19 for each slave freed, but with a shortage of labor, m any of the plantations ceased to be profitable.

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Above left: Ocho Rios Above Right: Franklyn D. Resort Below: Cranbrook, with Cranbrook orchids in the foreground

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Indian and Chinese labor was introduced and the railroad was built to help ease transport, but the island’s decline continued. Widespread poverty and unemployment led to an uprising in Morant Bay in October, 1865, led by a black Baptist deacon called Paul Bogle in which a magistrate and 18 white residents were killed. The uprising was harshly put down and hundreds of people including Bogle were publicly executed. Although not involved in the uprising Kingston legislator G. W. Gordon, who had spoken in defense of the poor was also tried and publicly hanged.

RECA LL OF GOVERNOR The savagery of the authority ’s response led to the recall of Governor Eyre, and the abolition of the island’s legislature, with all power effectively transferred to the new Crown Colony Governor, Sir John Peter Grant. He introduced a judicial system, public health, education, police, government savings bank and a public works department. He oversaw the introduction of irrigation and the planting of the first bananas, the island’s ‘green gold’. His administration saw a recovery in the island’s fortune, and in 1872 the capital was moved from Spanish Town to Kingston. In 1887 national hero Marcus Garvey was born in St Anns Bay, and he was largely instrumental in laying the roots for Rastafarianism (see St Annes Bay). On 14 January 1907 the island was hit by a major earthquake, and about 800 people were killed. Most of the buildings in Kingston and Port Royal were destroyed or badly damaged in the earthquake or the fire that then swept through the towns. Kingston’s impressive present 12

Emigration h e islan d h as seen m ajor em igr at ion over t h e last 150 year s. Th e 1850s saw t h e fir st wave of em igr at ion fr om t h e islan d wit h m an y Jam aican s m ovin g t o Pan am a as r ailr oad wor ker s. Th er e was a secon d wave in t h e lat e 1870s as t h e Fr en ch sou gh t wor ker s t o h elp bu ild a can al acr oss t h e Ist h m u s of Pan am a. Alt h ou gh t h is pr oject failed m an y Jam aican s m oved t o Pan am a in t h e ear ly 1900s t o wor k on t h e con st r u ct ion of t h e US fu n ded Pan am a Can al, wh ile ot h er s wer e em ployed on t h e su gar can e an d coffee plan t at ion s in Cu ba, an d t h e ban an a plan t at ion s of Cen t r al Am er ica. Th er e was also sign ifican t em igr at ion fr om Jam aica t o t h e US fr om t h e en d of t h e n in et een t h cen t u r y u n t il qu ot as wer e in t r odu ced. Can ada t h en becam e t h e focu s of em igr at ion an d even t u ally Br it ain in t h e 1950s. Du r in g t h e decade abou t 200,000 Jam aican s em igr at ed t o t h e UK u n t il qu ot as wer e in t r odu ced. Sin ce t h e m id-1960s m ost em igr at ion h as been t o t h e US an d Can ada. Th is em igr at ion h as led t o a sit u at ion wh er eby m or e Jam aican s live ou t side t h e cou n t r y t h an wit h in it .

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layout is largely as a result of rebuilding following this disaster. The island has had representative government since 1884, and powerful trade unions and political parties emerged after rioting in 1938 brought about by the harsh economic conditions following the

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Depression. The People’s National Party was founded by Norman Manley (PNP), and the Jamaican Labour Party (JLP), was founded by Manley’s cousin Alexander Bustamante. A new constitution in 1944 introduced a house of representatives elected by universal suffrage, and full internal government was obtained in 1959, although external policy was still determined by Britain. Jamaica attained full independence on 6 August, 1962, with Queen Elizabeth II the head of state, represented on the island by the GovernorGeneral. General elections are often violent affairs and best avoided. The two major political parties are still the JLP and the ruling PNP, led by the Rt. Hon Percival J. Patterson who was appointed Prime Minister in 1992 on becoming the new party leader.

P EOP LE The vast majority of the 2.6 million population are descended from African slaves, although there is a multi-racial mix. Apart from African and Afro-Europeans, there are East Indians, Indians, Chinese and AfroChinese, descendents of workers who came to the island as indentured labor. There are also small groups of European descent, predominantly English but also German, Portuguese and Lebanese. The island has a very young age profile with about two-thirds of the 800,000 plus residents of Kingston under the age of 30. English is the official language but a local Creole patois is widely spoken. The vast majority of Jamaicans take their religion very seriously, and many are members of indigenous religious groups such as Pocomania and Revivalism, which believe that

spirits roam the earth, and Rastafari, which gave birth to the island’s distinctive national music called reggae, popularized world-wide by the late Bob Marley. There are also a number of cults that combine aspects of Christianity with West African traditions, folklore and tribal religions, such as Bongo and Kumina which involves rhythmic dancing and drumming. The Government has expanded its successful ‘Meet the People’ project, which gives visitors the opportunity

Rastafarianism h er e is n o dou bt t h at Rast afar ian ism is lar gely m isu n der st ood, par t ly per h aps becau se of t h e appearan ce of m an y of it s adh er en t s wh o, for r eligiou s r eason s, wear t h eir h air in dr eadlocks. Rast afar ian s ar e gen er ally you n g, peace-lovin g, t eet ot al veget ar ian s, wh o wor sh ip t h e Black Messiah . Th eir spir it u al leader is t h e lat e Em per or Haile Selassie of Et h iopia, wh om t h ey believe is st ill wit h t h em , an d wh ose t it le in clu des ‘r as’ m ean in g pr in ce an d ‘t afar i’ m ean in g ‘t o be fear ed’. Th ey believe t h ey ar e on e of t h e lost t r ibes of Isr ael an d t h at Et h iopia is t h e Pr om ised Lan d. Th ey do n ot sm oke t obacco bu t m an y u se ‘sacr ed’ gan ja, wh ich t h ey sm oke fr om a pipe called a ch alice, wh ich r ein for ces t h e r eligiou s sym bolism at t ach ed t o it . Most pr efer t o com m u n e wit h n at u r e an d avoid t h e t ou r ist ar eas, bu t t h er e ar e m an y Rast a im it at or s wh o t r y t o h u st le for m on ey, so be war n ed.

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Captain Bligh apt ain Bligh in t r odu ced br eadfr u it t o t h e Car ibbean in 1793. He br ou gh t 1200 br eadfr u it saplin gs fr om Tah it i aboar d t h e Providence , an d t h ese wer e fir st plan t ed in Jam aica an d St Vin cen t , an d t h en qu ickly spr ead t h r ou gh ou t t h e islan ds. It was Bligh ’s at t em pt s t o br in g in you n g br eadfr u it t r ees t h at led t o t h e m u t in y on t h e Bounty fou r year s ear lier. Bligh was given t h e com m an d of t h e 215-t on Bounty in 1787 an d was or der ed t o t ake t h e br eadfr u it t r ees fr om Tah it i t o t h e West In dies wh er e t h ey wer e t o be u sed t o pr ovide ch eap food for t h e slaves. Th e sh ip h ad collect ed it s car go an d h ad r each ed Ton ga wh en t h e cr ew, u n der Flet ch er Ch r ist ian , m u t in ied. Th e cr ew claim ed t h at Bligh ’s r egim e was t oo t yr an n ical, an d h e an d 18 m em ber s of t h e cr ew wh o st ayed loyal t o h im , wer e cast adr ift in an open boat . Th e car go of br eadfr u it was du m ped over boar d. Bligh , in a r em ar kable feat of seam an sh ip, n avigat ed t h e boat for 3,600 m iles (5796km ) u n t il m akin g lan dfall on Tim or in t h e East In dies. Som e au t h or it ies h ave claim ed t h at it was t h e br eadfr u it t r ee car go t h at spar ked t h e m u t in y, as each m or n in g t h e h u n dr eds of t r ees in t h eir h eavy con t ain er s h ad t o be car r ied on deck, an d t h en car r ied down in t o t h e h old at n igh t fall. It m igh t h ave pr oved ju st t oo m u ch for t h e alr eady over wor ked cr ew. Wh at ever t h e r eason for t h e m u t in y, t h e br eadfr u it is a ch eap car boh ydr at e-r ich food, alt h ou gh pr et t y t ast eless wh en boiled. It is best eat en fr ied, baked or r oast ed over ch ar coal. Th e slaves did n ot like it at fir st , bu t t h e t r ee spr ead an d can n ow be fou n d alm ost ever ywh er e. It h as lar ge, dar k gr een leaves, an d t h e lar ge gr een fr u it s can weigh 10 t o12lbs (4.5 t o 5.4kg). Th e fallin g fr u it s explode wit h a lou d ban g an d splat t er t h e pu lpy con t en t s over a lar ge dist an ce. It is said t h at n o on e goes h u n gr y wh en t h e br eadfr u it is in season .

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Puerto Seco Beach

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Above Left: Rastafarian man Above Left: Look no hands! Below: Buying fresh fruit from one of the island’s markets

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to spend time with islanders. Volunteers in Kingston, Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Negril, Port Antonio and other centers open their homes and lives to entertain holidaymakers in a number of ways, from being invited to dinner or a trip into the countryside, to spending a day on the beach with a family or spending time at their workplace. Details of how to participate in the program are available from Jamaica Tourist Board offices abroad or on the island.

National Symbols am aica’s Coat of Arm s was granted in 1661 and designed by the Archbishop of Canterbury. It has rem ained virtually unchanged ever since, and shows a m ale and fem ale Arawak standing on either side of a shield, which bears a red cross with five golden pineapples. The crest is a Jam aican crocodile surm ounting the Royal Helm et and Mantlings with the m otto: ‘Out of Many One People’. The national bird is the doctor bird, a hum m ing bird found only on Jam aica, the national fruit is the ackee, an edible fruit brought to Jam aica from West Africa in the eighteenth century. The national flower is the lignum vitae (Wood of Life), which is indigenous to Jam aica, and gets its nam e because of m edicinal qualities ascribed to it. The national tree is the blue m ahoe, which has econom ic im portance, and is popular with furniture m akers because of its attractive blue-green wood that polishes well.

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CULTURE Jamaica because of its multi-racial mix has a rich cultural heritage and tradition. There is reggae whose roots are in African drum music, soca and calypso, folk dance and folk art, and above all, Carnival which brings all of these together and much more. Mento is Jamaican to its roots and can be sad and plaintive, loud and lively, or downright sexy like ska. Music is played everywhere, and usually at full volume. It blasts from open doors, from passing cars and buses, and bars seem to compete with each other for the largest and loudest speakers. Reggae Sunsplash and Reggae Sumfest are Jamaica’s two international annual reggae events. Sunsplash is held at the Bob Marley Centre in Montego Bay in late July and attracts more than 200,000 people over five days. Sumfest takes place in August also in Montego Bay, and both events attract the world’s top reggae names. Carnival is celebrated around the island after Lent, and particularly in Kingston, Montego Bay and Ocho Rios. The Negril Carnival is held in the summer. The Jamaica Cultural Development Commission organizes a series of events between March and August to showcase local talent in the performing, visual and entertainment arts. And, another popular August event is the ten-day Portland Jamboree held in Port Antonio, with street parades, parties, street dancing and cultural events. In October, the National Mento Yard takes place across the island and offers traditional and cultural folk events, arts and crafts and traditional dishes. The Cultural Training Centre

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promoted by the Institute of Jamaica, fosters art and sponsors many awards and exhibitions, and runs schools of art, dance, drama and music. The Institute is also responsible for the excellent National Library and National Gallery, and there are many other public and privately-run galleries. Jamaica has produced a wealth of acclaimed writers and artists. There are the Intuitives and Revivalists like Kapo, and the Jamaica School, a style which developed from the 1920s, which includes Edna Manley, and the new wave avant-garde. The work of contemporary artists can be seen gracing many of the island’s hotels, such as the massive and spectacular wall decoration by Margaret Robson in the reception area of the Strawberry Hill Hotel in the Blue Mountains.

The Festival h e Fest ival is t h e m ajor an n u al cu lt u r al even t , an d is n ow in cor por at ed as par t of t h e In depen den ce celebr at ion s at t h e begin n in g of Au gu st . Th er e ar e fin e ar t displays, ar t s an d cr aft s exh ibit ion s, cookin g displays, lit er ar y, t h eat r ical an d m u sical even t s an d com pet it ion s. It also in clu des par ades an d t h e Miss Jam aica Pagean t .

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There are several theatre and musical groups, and the National Dance Theatre Company, formed in 1962, is widely acclaimed and frequently performs abroad. It stages its summer season between mid-July and mid-August at the Little Theatre, New Kingston, with

a second season in November and early December. It features every dance form, including traditional dances such as the quadrille, which was adapted from the European version. There is the Jamaica Philharmonic, the National Chorale, the Jamaica Folk Singers and various musical and dramatic groups at the University of the West Indies. Another cultural tradition is the National Pantomime that opens its season on Boxing Day at the Ward Theatre in Kingston. It is a magical mix of panto tradition, and Jamaican satire, and even if you cannot understand the patois, it still makes a great night out. The Barn Theatre and the Centre Stage, both in New Kingston, also stage theatrical productions.

ECONOMY Agriculture, mining, manufacturing and tourism are the mainstay of the island’s economy. There are still some large estates but most farmers have holdings of 5 acres (2 hectares) or less. Sugar cane and bananas are the main crops, although coffee, citrus, cocoa, ginger, tobacco and pimento are grown. Smallholders still grow crops which they sell on to women called ‘higglers’ who sell the produce in the markets, a practice that has been carried on since before Emancipation. Fishing is a major industry although mostly for the home market. The mountains are rich in minerals and silica for glass, ceramic clays, marble, phosphates and limestone are extracted commercially. Bauxite and refined alumina for export is the main mineral-industry, and most gypsum is also exported. Other industries produce cement, processed 17

foods, textiles, metal products, printing and rum. Jamaica Promotions (JAMPRO) is a statutory body which encourages local and foreign investment. Tourism is increasingly important as an income earner. Major exports are sugar cane, bananas, coffee, bauxite, alumina and clothing, although world markets for all but coffee and clothing are declining, and coffee production has only recently recovered from the damage caused by Hurricane Gilbert.

Ganja lt h ou gh illegal, gan ja (m ar iju an a) is st ill expor t ed. Aft er Em an cipat ion , In dian in den t u r ed labor was in t r odu ced, an d t h ese wor ker s br ou gh t wit h t h em t h e h er b gan ja. It qu ickly spr ead an d was legal u n t il t h e Fir st Wor ld War. It is st ill lar gely t oler at ed becau se it h as for so lon g been par t of t h e islan d’s cu lt u r e, an d m an y h om es open ly cu lt ivat e it in t h eir gar den s. Th er e h ave been con cer t ed effor t s, h owever, t o cr ack down on lar ge-scale pr odu ct ion t h at was flown ou t fr om pr ivat e air st r ips. Man y islan der s u se gan ja in on e for m or an ot h er, an d it is easily available. It can be sm oked, t aken as a h er bal t ea or st eeped in r u m or win e wh ich is t h en dr u n k, an d m ost Jam aican s con sider it a h er b r at h er t h an a dr u g. Possession , h owever, is a ser iou s cr im e an d t h er e ar e st iff pen alt ies if cau gh t wit h t h e dr u g.

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NATURA L HIS TORY The island has a wide variety of habitats because of different vegetation zones created by the mountains, and centuries of planting. Flowers, fruit trees and plants have been imported from Africa, Asia, the Pacific, England and even evergreens from Canada.

P LA NT LIFE Originally the island was covered entirely by trees that were cleared for plantations. Today there are distinct vegetation zones. The main vegetation zones consist of lush, tropical coastline with mangrove swamps, tropical rain forest with West Indian mahogany, lignum vitae and mahoe, the national tree, and giant vines and huge stands of towering bamboo; high mountain landscapes with elfin woodlands, and near-desert cactus belts in the south. There are even tracts of rolling green land which reflect their former owners and look as if they might be parts of the English countryside – except for the palm trees. There are wonderful flowering plants and trees such as jasmine, orchids, hibiscus, poinsettia, thryallis and bougainvillea, the amazing century plant, which blooms every ten years or so, and the spreading cotton tree, which can grow to be hundreds of years old. The cotton tree figures prominently in folklore as ghosts (duppies) are said to live among the branches. Although hibiscus and bougainvillea bloom everywhere, neither are native to the islands. Bougainvillea, named after a French explorer, was brought to the West Indies from Brazil in the early 1700s, while the hibiscus comes from Hawaii.

Banana Plantation

Jamaica has more botanical gardens than any other Caribbean island and most homes have impressive flower gardens, especially in Mandeville. The flamboyant tree with its spectacular red flowers originally came from Madagascar, while the tulip tree, which bursts into a canopy of red blossom, comes from West Africa. The frangipani, however, is a native, and one of the most spectacular flowering trees. There are many species of palm, including the towering royal palm, the native prickly pole and macca fat, and coco palms which fringe many of the beaches. Other common tree species include West Indian cedar, ebony, Spanish elm, boxwood, red-barked turpentine, strangler fig, bay rum, sandbox, satinwood, rosewood, fiddlewood, kapok, yellow cedar, mahoe, wattle, cinnamon and buttonwood. Many of the trees are grown for their fruit. These include the native pimento, ackee, fig, mango, guango, casuarina, almond, guava, sugar apple, soursop, coconut, tamarind

and breadfruit. The seagrape, which can be found along many beaches, produces edible fruit, but is much more important because its roots prevent sand erosion. Cacti and acacia abound in the lowland areas, and there are several species of climbing cactus which often only bloom at night.

Orchids h er e ar e m or e t h an 235 species of or ch id of wh ich 60 species ar e en dem ic an d m ost ly fou n d in t h e h ills. It is in t er est in g t o n ot e t h at t h e fir st t wo species of or ch ids ever t o flower at Kew Gar den s wer e plan t s sh ipped fr om Jam aica in 1787 an d 1788. An d, it was an ot h er Car ibbean or ch id t h at st ar t ed t h e or ch id gr owin g cr aze in Eu r ope in t h e n in et een t h cen t u r y, aft er bein g exh ibit ed at t h e Gr eat Exh ibit ion in Lon don ’s Cr yst al Palace.

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There are also hundreds of different species of ferns and grasses, and at least 80 species of pine. The giant pea vine can be found along riverbanks smothering other vegetation in its path.

MA RINE LIFE The marine environment is even more spectacular. There are scores of species of brightly marked fish to be seen in and around the coral reefs, while the warm waters teem with larger fish, especially game fish such as tarpon, tuna, barracuda, jacks, sailfish, marlin, kingfish, swordfish and wahoo. There are also Queen conch, southern stingray, long-spined black sea urchin, and green, hawksbill, loggerhead and trunk turtles, all threatened species. The mountain mullet is the most numerous fresh water fish. Manatees can be seen grazing off the south coast. Coral is very delicate and should not be touched and never

damaged or removed. Some coral, such as fire coral, needs treating with great caution, but most are beautifully marked and safe. There are more than 50 species of coral, some of which are only found off Jamaica. Most common corals include seafan, staghorn, elkhorn, brain, large star, pillar and orange reef. Coral reefs are the ocean’s equivalent to tropical rain forests, and only grow in waters with a year-round temperature of 68°F (20°C). Stony coral grows less than half an inch (1.25cm) a year, and staghorn, the fastest growing coral in the Caribbean, only grows between 4 and 6 in (10 to 15cm) a year. There are hundreds of types of shells and the inshore waters and beaches are a shell collector’s dream. Whale watching is a popular pastime from February to April as humpback whales pass by the islands on their annual migration, and there are boat trips to see them.

The Manchineel h e m an ch in eel, wh ich can be fou n d on m an y beach es, h as a n u m ber of effect ive defen sive m ech an ism s t h at can pr ove ver y pain fu l. Tr ees var y fr om a few ft t o m or e t h an 30 ft in h eigh t , an d h ave widely spr eadin g, deep for ked bou gh s wit h sm all, dar k gr een leaves an d yellow st em s, an d fr u it like sm all, gr een apples. If you exam in e t h e leaves car efu lly wit h ou t t ou ch in g t h em , you will n ot ice a sm all pin h ead sized r aised dot at t h e ju n ct ion of leaf an d leaf st alk. Th e apple-like fr u it is poison ou s, an d sap fr om t h e t r ee cau ses ver y pain fu l blist er s, an d was u sed as a poison . It is so t oxic, t h at ear ly Car ibs ar e said t o h ave dipped t h eir ar r ow h eads in it befor e h u n t in g t r ips, an d an effect ive, an d appar en t ly oft en u sed u n t r aceable m et h od of killin g som eon e in olden t im es, was t o add a few dr ops of t h e sap t o t h eir food over a per iod. Th e sap is r eleased if a leaf or br an ch is br oken , an d m or e so aft er r ain . Avoid con t act wit h t h e t r ee, don ’t sit u n der it , or on a fallen br an ch , an d do n ot eat t h e fr u it . If you do get sap on you r skin , r u n in t o t h e sea an d wash it off as qu ickly as possible.

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A NIMA L LIFE Island wildlife includes more than 25 species of bats; fruit, insect and fish-eating, the coney, a large member of the rodent family including the Jamaican hutia, a species of hog rat; and the mongoose, which was imported in 1872 from Asia, to kill rats – which came ashore from ships – and snakes that flourished in the sugar cane plantations. The three species of snake are all harmless. The blind worm snake lives below the ground, the tree boa rarely grows to more than 1.5 ft (0.5m) in length, and the elusive Jamaican boa constrictor, which lives in the high forest, can grown up to 10 ft (3m) long – although there are stories of much longer serpents. There are many species of toads and small frogs, including the snoring frog, the world’s second largest tree frog, and freshwater terrapins. There are several species of lizards including the rare iguana, the Jamaican gecko or croaker, and anoles that puff out their throats and are able to change shade like chameleons. The galliwasp lizard is harmless although folklore claims it is poisonous. There are wild pigs in the mountains, although these are rarely seen, and the largest creatures are the endangered Jamaica crocodiles, known locally as alligators, and found on the south coast. Some insects, especially the mosquitoes, can be a nuisance. There are wasps, ants and termites. Scorpions are very rarely seen and the trapdoor spider, which lives in a small burrow, can bite but is very timid and rarely does so. Most insects, however, are a delight. There are more than 100 species of butterfly, many of them large and spectacular, and some

swallowtails have a wing span of more than 6 in (15cm). The Islanders call butterflies ‘bats’, while bats are known as ‘rat bats’. There are also fascinating stick insects which can grow to 10in (25cm) in length, and scores of different beetles, fireflies and dragonflies.

BIRD S More than 250 species of birds have been recorded. Jamaica has 25 native species and it attracts migrants from both north and south America. The national bird is the indigenous streamer tail hummingbird, also known as the doctor bird, with beautifully, iridescent green plumage and long tail feathers that give it its name. There are several other species of humming bird including the mango hummingbird, and the tiny bee, or vervain hummingbird. The black and yellow sugar bird, is the ‘yellow bird’ in the famous calypso of the same name. Other species include the strutting grackle which has little fear of man, the Jamaican euphonia, Blue Mountain vireo and the Jamaican tody. This is also known as the robin redbreast, although it has a white breast with a vivid red throat, and lays its eggs in a burrow underground. There are two species of parrot – green – black and yellow billed – Guiana parrotlet, wild canary, nightingale (identical to the mocking bird), solitaire, egret kingbird, the rare crested quail dove, thrush, sparrow, crow and several types of bird of prey, the most common of which is the turkey buzzard, also known as John Crow. Around the coast and out to sea, you can spot brown pelicans, the magnificent frigate bird, great blue heron, whitetailed tropicbird, gulls and terns. 21

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Above: Flowers of Jamaica, (left) Bougainvillea and (right) Hibiscus Below: A great way to relax at pool side bar at Sandals

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• CLIMATE • verage annual temperature is 8 2 °F ( 2 7 °C) although there are us ually welcoming ons hore breezes during the day. The daytime ons hore winds are known locally as the ‘doctor’s breeze’, while the overnight winds which come down the mountains and blow out to s ea, are called the ‘undertaker’s breeze’.

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Maxim um tem peratures rarely top 90 °F (32 °C) on the coast, or fall below 40 °F (4 °C) in the high m ountains. Tem peratures drop about 3.5 °F for every 1,000 feet (305m ) of altitude, so the Blue Mountain Peak has an average annual tem perature of 56 °F (13 °C). Average annual rainfall is 78inches (198cm ) with the wettest m onths being May and June and Septem ber and October. Rainfall varies enorm ously around the island, however, because of the influence of the m ountains. Som e high m ountain areas get m ore than 300inches (118cm ) a year, while the dry southern plains get about 30inches (12cm ). Sum m er thunderstorm s are also com m on and while they do not last long, they can be very heavy and give you a good soaking if caught unawares. 80

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Jam aica lies in the hurricane belt although m ajor storm s are thankfully, a rare occurrence. The m ain hurricane season is from June to October, with August and Septem ber generally posing the greatest risk. Because of constant tracking, however, considerable warning is given of the approach of any tropical storm . If a warning is given, follow advice given locally. The area is also susceptible to earthquakes but there have only been two sizeable trem ors in the last 400 years – in 1692 and 1907.

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Migratory birds include many species of warblers, bobolink, buntings, king bird and large numbers of sea birds and waders. As most of the plants, fruits, vegetables and spices will be new to the first time visitor, the following brief descriptions are offered:

FRUITS

Acke e Ackee (akee) are hugely popular in Jamaica and the fruit is part of the national dish of salt cod and ackee. The tree is a member of the soapberry family and is a native of West Africa. It grows to about 30ft (10m) and is widely cultivated for its fruit, which is sold from road side stalls around the island. It was introduced to Jamaica by Captain Bligh, thus its botanical name of Blighia sapida. When ripe, the bright red fruit split open to reveal three segments of white flesh each with a large black seed. The soft white flesh is eaten as a vegetable and has the look and texture of pasta.

Ban an as Bananas are one of the Caribbean’s most important exports, thus their nickname ‘green gold’ – and they grow everywhere. There are three types of banana plant. The banana that we normally buy in supermarkets originated in Malaya and was introduced into the Caribbean in the early sixteenth century by the Spanish. The large bananas, or plantains, originally came from southern India, and are mostly used in cooking. They are often fried and served as an accompaniment to fish and meat. The third variety is the red banana, which is not grown commercially, but which 24

can occasionally be seen around the island. A banana produces a crop about every nine months, and each cluster of flowers grows into a hand of bananas. A bunch can contain up to twenty hands of bananas, with each hand having up to 20 individual fruit. Although they grow tall, bananas are not trees but herbaceous plants which die back each year. Once the plant has produced fruit, a shoot from the ground is cultivated to take its place, and the old plant dies. Bananas need a lot of attention, and island farmers will tell you that there are not enough hours in a day to do everything that needs to be done. The crop needs fertilizing regularly, leaves need cutting back, and you will often see the fruit inside blue tinted plastic containers, which protect it from insect and bird attack, and speed up maturation. Jamaica is still a major exporter of bananas and shipments in 1996 are expected to top 100,000 tons.

Th e Bay tre e The Bay tree is from the Windward Islands, a member of the Laurel family and can grow to a height of 30 ft (10m). The leaves can be crushed for their oil which is used in the perfume industry. The leaves are used in cooking.

Calab ash tre e Calabash trees are native to the Caribbean and have huge gourd like fruits that are very versatile when dried and cleaned. They can be used as water containers and bowls, bailers for boats, and as lanterns. Juice from the pulp is boiled into concentrated syrup and used to treat coughs and colds, and the fruit is said to have many other medicinal uses.

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Cin n am o n

Co co n u t

Cinnamon comes from the bark of an evergreen tree, also related to the laurel. The bark is rolled into ‘sticks’ and dried, and then ground or sold in small pieces. It is used as a spice, and adds a sweet, aromatic taste to many dishes. Oil from the bark is added to sweets, soaps, toothpastes and liqueurs, while oil from the leaves is used in perfumes.

Coconut palms are everywhere and should be treated with caution. They are incredibly hardy, able to grow in sand and even when regularly washed by salty sea water. They can also survive long periods without rain. Their huge leaves, up to 20ft (6m) long in mature trees, drop down during dry spells so a smaller surface area is exposed to the sun that reduces evaporation. Coconut palms can grow up to 80ft (29m) tall, and produce up to 100 seeds a year. The seeds are the second largest in the plant kingdom, and these fall when ripe. Anyone who has heard the whoosh of a descending coconut and leapt to safety, knows how scary the sound is. Those who did not hear the whoosh, presumably did not live to tell the tale! Actually, very few people are injured by falling coconuts and that is a near miracle in view of the tens of thousands of palms all over the island, but it is not a good idea to picnic in a coconut grove! The coconut traditionally bought in greengrocers, is the seed with its layer of coconut surrounded by a hard shell. This shell is surrounded by copra, a fibrous material, and this is covered by a large green husk. The seed and protective coverings can weigh 30lbs (13.5kg) and more. The seed and casing is waterproof, drought proof and able to float, and this explains why coconut palms which originated in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, are now found throughout the Caribbean – the seeds literally floated across the seas. The coconut palm is extremely versatile. The leaves can be used as thatch for roofing, or cut into strips

Co co a Cocoa was another important crop, and its Latin name theobroma means ‘food of the gods’. A cocoa tree can produce several thousand flowers a year, but only a fraction of these will develop into seed bearing pods. It is the heavy orange pods that hang from the cocoa tree which hold the beans that contain the seeds that produce cocoa and chocolate. The beans, containing a sweet, white sap that protects the seeds, are split open and kept in trays to ferment. This process takes up to eight days and the seeds must be kept at a regular temperature to ensure the right taste and aroma develop. The seeds are then dried. In the old days people used to walk barefoot over the beans to polish them to enhance their appearance. Today, the beans are crushed to extract cocoa butter, and the remaining powder is cocoa. Mixing cocoa powder with cocoa butter and sugar makes chocolate. You can buy cocoa balls in the markets and village shops, which make a delicious drink. Each ball is the size of a large cherry. Simply dissolve the ball in a pan of boiling water, allow to simmer and then add sugar and milk or cream, for a rich chocolate drink. Each ball will make about four mugs of chocolate.

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and woven into mats and baskets, while the husks yield coir, a fiber resistant to salt water and ideal for ropes and brushes and brooms. Green coconuts contain delicious thirstquenching ‘milk’, and the coconut ‘meat’ can be eaten raw, or baked in ovens for two days before being sent to processing plants where the oil is extracted. Coconut oil is used in cooking, soaps, synthetic rubber and even in hydraulic brake fluid. As you drive around the island, you will see groups of men and women splitting the coconuts in half with machetes preparing them for the ovens. You might also see halved coconut shells spaced out on the corrugated tin roofs of some homes. These are being dried before being sold to the copra processing plants.

Dash e e n Dasheen is one of the crops known as ‘ground provisions’ in the Caribbean, the others being potatoes, yams, eddo and tannia. The last two are close relatives of dasheen, and all are members of the aroid family, some of the world’s oldest cultivated crops. Dasheen with its ‘elephant ear’ leaves, and eddo grow from a corm which when boiled thoroughly can be used like potato, and the young leaves of either can be used to make callaloo, a spinach-like soup. Both dasheen and eddo are thought to have come from China or Japan but tannia is native to the Caribbean, and its roots can be boiled, baked or fried. Callaloo is still grown in gardens and can be seen growing wild.

Coffee r it er Ian Flem in g wh o lived on Jam aica was a ch am pion of t h e islan d’s coffee, an d h is m ost fam ou s ch ar act er, su per-spy Jam es Bon d, wou ld on ly dr in k Blu e Mou n t ain coffee. It is con sider ed by m an y t o be t h e m ost ar om at ic coffee, an d it is cer t ain ly on e of t h e m ost expen sive. It h as less caffein e t h an ot h er bean s an d t h e t ast e com es fr om t h e volcan ic loam in wh ich it is gr own h igh in t h e Blu e Mou n t ain s. Th e pr ice is h igh becau se dem an d ou t st r ips su pply as it t akes five year s t o h ar vest t h e fir st cr op of ch er r ies (bean s). Coffee was in t r odu ced t o t h e Car ibbean fr om t h e Middle East , an d in 1723, Lou is XV of Fr an ce is said t o h ave sen t t h r ee coffee plan t s collect ed in t h e Yem en t o Mar t in iqu e. Two plan t s died du r in g t h e voyage, an d t h e t h ir d som eh ow fin ish ed u p in Jam aica wh er e it was plan t ed, an d t h e coffee in du st r y was bor n . Coffee plan t in g was en cou r aged t o r edu ce t h e islan d’s depen den ce on su gar, an d flou r ish ed. Most of t h e coffee est at es wer e dest r oyed by t h e 1951 h u r r ican e, an d in 1973 t h e Gover n m en t in t r odu ced t h e Blu e Mou n t ain appellat ion . On ly fou r est at es wer e allowed t o sell 100% Blu e Mou n t ain Coffee, an d t h e ot h er s h ad t o label t h eir pr odu ct s Blen ded, High Mou n t ain Blen d an d Low Lan d Coffee. Hu r r ican e Gilber t also h it t h e in du st r y badly in 1989 alt h ou gh pr odu ct ion is n ow back t o pr e-1989 levels.

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Nutmeg u t m eg t r ees or igin ally cam e fr om t h e Ban da Islan ds in In don esia an d for cen t u r ies it s sou r ce was kept secr et becau se it was su ch a valu able com m odit y t o t h e m er ch an t s sellin g it . In 1770 a Fr en ch n at u r alist r aided t h e islan ds, t h en u n der Du t ch con t r ol, an d st ole sever al h u n dr ed plan t s an d seedlin gs t h at wer e plan t ed on Mau r it iu s an d in Fr en ch Gu yan a, bu t t h ese alm ost all died. At t h e en d of t h e eigh t een t h cen t u r y Br it ain was at war wit h Napoleon Bon apar t e an d Hollan d, wh ich h ad allied wit h Fr an ce. Th e Br it ish capt u r ed t h e Ban da Islan ds du r in g t h e war an d befor e t h ey h an ded t h em back in 1802 as par t of t h e Tr eat y of Am ien s, t h ey h ad lear n t t h e secr et of t h e n u t m eg an d su ccessfu lly plan t ed it in Pen an g in Malaya, an d t r opical t er r it or ies ar ou n d t h e wor ld, in clu din g t h e West In dies. Th e t r ee t h r ives in h illy, wet ar eas an d t h e fr u it is t h e size of a sm all t om at o. Th e ou t er h u sk, or per icar p, wh ich split s open wh ile st ill on t h e t r ee, is u sed t o m ake t h e ver y popu lar n u t m eg jelly.

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Gu ava Guava is common throughout the island, and the aromatic, pulpy fruit is also a favorite with birds who then distribute its seeds. The fruit-bearing shrub can be seen on roadsides and in gardens, and it is used to make a wide range of products from jelly to ‘cheese’, a paste made by mixing the fruit with sugar. The fruit that ranges in size from a golf ball to a tennis ball, is a rich source of vitamin A and contains lots more vitamin C than citrus fruit.

Man g o Mango can be delicious if somewhat messy to eat. It originally came from India but is now grown throughout the Caribbean and found wherever there are people. Young mangoes can be stringy and unappetizing, but ripe fruit from mature trees that grow up to 50ft (18m) and higher, are usually delicious, and can be eaten raw or cooked. The juice is a great reviver in the morning, and the fruit is often used to make jams and

other preserves. The wood of the mango is often used by boatbuilders.

Passio n fru it Passion fruit is not widely grown but it can usually be bought at the market. The pulpy fruit contains hundreds of tiny seeds, and many people prefer to press the fruit and drink the juice. It is also commonly used in fruit salads, sherbets and ice creams.

Paw p aw tre e Pawpaw trees are also found throughout the islands and are commonly grown in gardens. The trees are prolific fruit producers but grow so quickly that the fruit soon becomes difficult to gather. The large, juicy melon-like fruits are eaten fresh, pulped for juice or used locally to make jams, preserves and ice cream. They are rich sources of vitamins A and C. The leaves and fruit contain an enzyme which tenderizes meat, and tough joints cooked wrapped in pawpaw leaves 27

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or covered in slices of fruit, usually taste like much more expensive cuts. The same enzyme, papain, is also used in chewing gum, cosmetics, the tanning industry and, somehow, in making wool shrink-resistant. A tea made from unripe fruit is said to be good for lowering high blood pressure.

Pig e o n Pe a Pigeon Peas are widely cultivated and can be found in many back gardens. The plants are very hardy and drought resistant, and give prolific yields of peas that can be eaten fresh or dried and used in soups and stews.

Pim e n to (allsp ice ) Pimento, or allspice, is a native of Jamaica and an important ingredient in many dishes. Jamaica is also the leading exporter of this spice. The dried berries are said to have the combined taste of cinnamon, clove and nutmeg, which is how it gets its name.The dried fruit is used for pickling, for curing meat and adding taste to wines, and it is usually an ingredient in curry powder. An oil extracted from the berry and leaf is used in the perfume and pharmaceutical industries.

Pin e ap p le s Pineapples were certainly grown in the Caribbean by the time Columbus arrived, and were probably brought from South America by the Amerindians. Jamaica’s native pineapple was sent to Hawaii. The fruit is slightly smaller than the Pacific pineapple, but the taste is more intense.

Su g ar Can e Sugar Cane is still grown commercially on the island. The canes can 28

grow up to 12ft tall and after cutting, have to be crushed to extract the sugary juice. Most estates had their own sugar mill powered by water wheels or windmills. The remains of many of these mills can still be seen around the island, as well as much of the original machinery, mostly made in Britain. After extraction, the juice is boiled until the sugar crystallizes. The mixture remaining is molasses and this is used to produce rum.

Su g ar Ap p le Sugar Apple is a member of the anona fruit family, and grows wild and in gardens throughout the islands. The small, soft sugar apple fruit can be peeled off in strips when ripe, and is like eating thick apple sauce. It can be eaten fresh or used to make sherbet or drinks. Soursop, is a member of the same family, and its spiny fruits can be seen in hedgerows and gardens. It is eaten fresh or used for preserves, drinks and ice cream.

Tu rm e ric Turmeric comes from the dried root and underground stems of a plant, which is a relative of ginger. The bright yellow spice is used to add taste to foods, and as a coloring, in English mustard for instance. It is also used as a dye.

Van illa p lan t The Vanilla plant is a climbing member of the orchid family which produces long, dangling pods containing beans. The vanilla is extracted by distilling the beans and is used as a food flavoring, as well as in the pharmaceutical industry.

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FOOD You can dine in style enjoying international cuisines from around the world, or the best of Creole cooking. You can experiment with local vegetables and enjoy the freshest of fish and shellfish, or sample the many ethnic restaurants, from Mexican to Chinese and Lebanese to finest French. There is also a wide range of fast food outlets, both US and Jamaican-style, for those who want to eat in a hurry and get back out into the sun as quickly as possible. Remember, however, that this is still the Caribbean and there is not the same degree of urgency experienced elsewhere, so if you think things are taking a long time, order another drink, relax and take in the view. The great attraction of Jamaican cooking is that it is a blend of so many other cuisines. Some cooking styles have been passed down from the Arawak Indians, others were introduced from Africa, India and China, there are still traces of Spanish, and you can still be offered traditional Yorkshire pudding. The overriding emphasis in all Jamaican food, however, is fresh, natural and spicy, with food purchased, prepared and served as quickly as possible. One of the great attractions is being able to dine alfresco. Most hotels and large restaurants accept credit cards but to avoid embarrassment always check first to make sure that if you do need cash you have enough. Dining out is not only fun, it is very affordable. It seems a shame to visit Jamaica and not enjoy the excellent local spicy dishes, especially in true Jamaican eateries, which offer excellent value.

IS LA ND FA S T FOOD Eating on the move or out of doors can be very enjoyable, and there are many opportunities to eat from the snack bars on the street or by the beach. This ‘street food’ ranges from juices and ice creams tasting of local fruits, to hot snacks such as fritters, patties and roti. Most of this food is fried but it is usually wholesome, delicious and cheap. Snacks include pork chops, conch fritters, fried pumpkin slices, and johnny cakes (unleavened fried bread). Patties and pates, are pastry envelopes filled with seafood or spiced meat, especially beef, and rotis, which originated in the East Indies, are another form of soft pastry envelope stuffed with curried meats or vegetables. Take care if ordering a chicken roti, because in many places the meat contains small bones, which some people like to chew on! Jamaican ‘fast food’ is traditionally served on a bed of rice in a take-away paper box, which makes it great for picnics. For real fast food, stop by one of the road side stalls and buy freshly picked fruit or pick out a green coconut for a refreshing drink. The vendor will slice the top of the coconut off and make a hole so you can drink the liquid inside. When you have finished drinking, hand the coconut back, and the vendor will split the nut in half and chop off a sliver of the hard shell which you use as a spoon to gouge out the white soft jelly inside. Always ask for a really green coconut because the liquid is sweeter, and the jelly softer.

FIS H A ND S EA FOOD There is wonderfully fresh seafood, especially lobster, conch, yellowfin 29

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Firefly view

tuna, grouper and wahoo, a large mackerel type fish. Crabcakes are a specialty of the islands, as are conch fritters, and Solomon Grundy, which are delicious, seasoned, pickled herrings. Try peppered shrimps or Stamp and Go (crispy cod fritters) at one of the roadside or beachside stalls, which serve a variety of island ‘fast food’ specialties, like patties, pastries and fritters.

Try Caribbean black bean or red pea soup (for pea always read bean), pumpkin soup , conch chowder or callaloo, a rich soup made from spinach and kale with pieces of pepper, flakes of fish, crab and meat and often, spiced up with pepper. Pepperpot soup can be another meal in itself, made with salted meat and vegetables with local spices and seasonings.

National Dish am aica’s n at ion al dish is ackee an d salt fish , ser ved wit h h ot boiled r ice an d bu t t er ed callaloo. Ackee, like br eadfr u it , was br ou gh t fr om Afr ica as a ch eap food for t h e slaves. It is a br igh t yellow fr u it t h at is u su ally sau t éed, an d t h en m ixed wit h t om at oes, scallion s an d spices befor e bein g added t o t h e fish . Ackee can on ly be picked aft er t h e pods open n at u r ally, an d m u st be vigor ou sly boiled t o r em ove a t oxin t h at can be poison ou s. Wh en boiled an d ser ved, it looks like scr am bled eggs an d h as t h e t ast e an d t ext u r e of past a.

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Rice and peas (kidney beans) are usually served as accompaniments to main meals, although you may be offered green bananas, fried plantain, pumpkin or sweet potatoes. Cho-cho is a sort of squash, used in soups, stews or served as a vegetable. Many fruits are also traditionally served with meats. Sweet yam is often served with fish and meat instead of potato, yellow yam is also served

as a potato substitute and has a nutty taste. The ortanique is a juicy cross between a tangerine and a Seville orange, unique to Jamaica, and the cho-cho, is also boiled and served as an accompaniment to meat. Jamaica produces some of the world’s finest ginger and this is used to make cakes, puddings and the famous Old Jamaica ginger beer.

Specialty Dishes h ese in clu de jer k (Jam aican bar becu e) ch icken an d por k, wit h t h e season ed m eat m ar in at ed for h ou r s an d t h en slowly cooked over a pim en t o wood fir e in a pit in t h e gr ou n d. Th e pit is cover ed an d t h e fir e bu r n s ver y slowly so t h e m eat r et ain s all it s t ast e wh ile becom in g sat u r at ed wit h t h e t ast e of t h e wood. Th is m et h od of cookin g was developed by t h e Mar oon s wh o discover ed t h at if t h e m eat was cooked slowly, it was ‘cu r ed’ an d wou ld keep lon ger. Jer k Cen t er s, eit h er r est au r an t s or r oad side st alls, offer gr eat food, por k, ch icken , won der fu l sau sage an d fish . Th e food is oft en im pr essively ch opped in t o bit e-size pieces wit h a m ach et t e, an d t h e m eal is ser ved wit h a bam m ie (or bam m y) or fest ival, savor y an d sweet m u ffin -sh aped cassava r olls, an d a h ot pepper sau ce wh ich sh ou ld be t r eat ed wit h t h e u t m ost cau t ion u n t il you h ave det er m in ed ju st h ow h ot it is! Escovit ch fish is an ot h er islan d specialt y, in wh ich pieces of fish ar e sau t éed in a pepper y vin egar, lim e ju ice an d on ion sau ce. It can be ser ved h ot or cold, an d u su ally com es wit h a bam m ie. Fish or veget able r u n down is a dish cooked wit h cocon u t m ilk, scallion s an d pepper s. You m igh t be offer ed Sou se, a deliciou s m eat st ew in wh ich lot s of u n m en t ion able bit s fr om t h e pig ar e u sed, in clu din g h ead an d t ail. Th er e ar e cu r r ies wh ich wer e br ou gh t t o t h e islan ds by In dian labor er s in t h e m id-n in et een t h cen t u r y, an d ar e deliciou s. Th ey can feat u r e con ch , ch icken , lam b or goat . An ot h er islan d specialt y is t r ipe an d bean s. Th er e ar e won der fu l fr esh fr u it ju ices, an d t h e fr u it is also u sed t o m ake t ast y desser t s t h at oft en in clu de sou r sop ice cr eam or sapodilla pu ddin g. Tr y or t an iqu es, st ar apple, sou r sop, sapodilla, u gli, pin eapple an d m an go, or fr esh paw paw (papaya) sliced wit h a squ eeze of lim e ju ice. Th er e ar e also cocon u t cakes, gu ava ch eese, past r ies an d du cku n oo, m ade fr om gr een ban an as, cocon u t , cor n flou r, su gar an d n u t m eg an d st eam ed in a ban an a leaf.

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JAMAICAN DRINKS

YO, HO, HO A ND A BOTTLE OF RUM. olumbus is credited with planting the firs t s ugar cane in the Caribbean, on His paniola, during his third voyage, and the S panis h called it aguardiente de cana, meaning cane liquor. The Latin name for s ugar cane is s accharum, and it was Englis h s ailors who s hortened this to rum.

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Th e fir st r u m was pr odu ced at least 300 year s ago an d becam e an im por t an t in t er n at ion al com m odit y. It figu r ed pr om in en t ly in t h e in fam ou s Tr ian gle Tr ade in wh ich slaves fr om Afr ica wer e sold for r u m fr om t h e West In dies t h at was sold in Eu r ope t o r aise m on ey t o bu y m or e slaves. Ru m h ad su ch for t ifyin g power s t h at Gen er al Geor ge Wash in gt on in sist ed ever y soldier be given a daily r at ion , an d a daily t ot also becam e a t r adit ion in t h e Br it ish Royal Navy. Jam aica r u m is con sider ed t h e wor ld’s fin est , an d t h er e ar e st ill a n u m ber of dist iller ies on t h e islan d pr odu cin g r u m u sin g t r adit ion al m et h ods, an d m ost can be visit ed an d t h eir war es t ast ed an d pu r ch ased. All sor t s of r u m s ar e pr odu ced fr om ligh t t o dar k an d of var yin g st r en gt h s. Th e islan d’s m ost fam ou s r u m is Applet on Ru m . It h as been pr odu ced on t h e Applet on Est at e sin ce 1745, an d m ay well h ave been m ade lon g befor e t h at . How t h e dist iller y st ar t ed is su r r ou n ded by legen d. Th er e ar e st or ies t h at sh ipwr ecked sailor s cam e ash or e at Black River in t h e fou r t een t h cen t u r y, an d m ade t h eir way in lan d t o t h e fer t ile Nassau Valley wh er e su gar can e gr ew, an d t h ey pr odu ced t h e fir st r u m . It is kn own , h owever, t h at t h e Applet on Plan t at ion in t h e Black River Valley, was on e of sever al own ed by Cabel an d Ezekiel Dickin son , t h e gr an dson s of on e of Lor d Oliver Cr om well’s lieu t en an t s, wh o h elped capt u r e Jam aica fr om t h e Span ish in 1655. By 1755 r u m was t h e plan t at ion ’s m ajor pr odu ct . Th e Est at e was acqu ir ed by Joh n Wr ay an d h is n eph ew in 1825. Th ey con t in u ed t h e t r adit ion s of pr odu cin g on ly t h e fin est aged r u m s, a t r adit ion t h at con t in u es t oday.

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OTHER D RINKS Ru m feat u r es in m an y of t h e islan d’s m ost popu lar cockt ails, bu t t h er e ar e m an y excellen t local soft dr in ks as well, su ch as m au by, som et im es m au bi, m ade fr om a m ixt u r e of h er bs, bar k an d gin ger, or sor r el, m ade fr om t h e flower s of t h e plan t . Red St r ipe is t h e excellen t islan d-br ewed beer an d t h e sam e br ewer y pr odu ces Dr agon St ou t , a dar k beer. Beer is u su ally ser ved UKst yle – at r oom t em per at u r e. Tin g, is a r efr esh in g car bon at ed gr apefr u it dr in k an d, of cou r se, t h er e is Tia Mar ia, flavor ed wit h Blu e Mou n t ain Coffee, an d on e of t h e wor ld’s gr eat liqu eu r s. Th er e ar e also m an y differ en t sor t s of h er bal an d fr u it t eas available t h at m ake gr eat t h ir st qu en ch er s an d r eviver s. Jam aican gin ger, t h e fin est in t h e wor ld, led t o t h e cr eat ion of gin ger ale, an d Blu e Mou n t ain Coffee is on e of t h e wor ld’s best , an d m ost expen sive.

D RINK RECIP ES

Plan te r’s Pu n ch Com bin e 2 ou n ces each of pin eapple ju ice, r u m , cr eam of cocon u t an d h alf an ou n ce of lim e in a blen der for on e m in u t e. Pou r in t o a ch illed glass, add a spr in kle of cocon u t sh avin gs an d gar n ish wit h a ch er r y an d a slice of or an ge.

Jam aica Ru m Pu n ch An easy way of r em em ber in g t h e r ecipe is t o r ecall an old sayin g t h at goes: ‘on e of sou r, t wo of sweet , t h r ee of st r on g, an d fou r of weak’. Mix on e par t lim e or lem on ju ice, t wo par t s of st r awber r y syr u p, t h r ee par t s of r u m an d fou r par t s of wat er or fr u it ju ice. Pou r over cr u sh ed ice an d add a slice of or an ge, lim e, lem on or a wedge of pin eapple. Th e pu n ch is even bet t er if pr epar ed an d allowed t o ‘m at u r e’ for 24 h ou r s.

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Exploring the Island: Kingston and the eastern Island

he island is divided into three counties – Cornwall, Middlesex and Surrey – and 14 parishes. These are Hanover, Westmorland, St James, Trelawny, and St Elizabeth in Cornwall; St Ann, St Mary, Manchester, Clarendon and St Catherine in Middlesex; and the combined Kingston and St Andrew Corporation, St Thomas and Portland in Surrey. 34

Opposite Page: Somerset Falls

KINGSTON AND THE EASTERN TOUR

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ingston is the capital and the commercial, administrative and cultural heart of the island. It is the largest Englishspeaking city in the Caribbean, has the seventh largest natural harbor in the world, and lies on a wide plain with the sea to the south and the St Andrew Mountain as its backdrop to the north. It was founded in 1692 after an earthquake devastated the capital Port Royal. New Kingston

The survivors moved to what is now Kingston and were able to plan a new city from scratch. It was laid out in a grid pattern, which remains today and makes it very easy to get around, especially in the downtown area. It became the capital in 1872, and considerable rebuilding was needed after an earthquake and fire on 14 January 1907 that killed almost 1,500 people. It is now a modern, bustling, sprawling city that never seems to sleep. It is the seat of Government, has an international airport, busy port and modern cruise ship facilities, as well as a wealth of tourist facilities from accommodation to restaurants and gift shops to galleries.

The town was built on the waterfront but has gradually spread inland over the Liguanea Plains, with new business and shopping districts. New Kingston has emerged as the commercial heart of the capital and with its skyscrapers, is like a mini-Manhattan in New York. A major renewal scheme is underway to revitalize the former downtown area. The downtown area also houses many banking, commercial and government institutions. Residential Kingston is a charming mix of old and new, with wonderful traditional gingerbread homes with their elaborate balconies and fretwork, classic eighteenthcentury Georgian mansions, and 35

Kingston and the eastern Island

modern houses and apartment blocks. It has to be added, however, that while Kingston has many fine old buildings and some hugely expensive new ones, it also has appalling slums, especially in western Kingston. While the downtown area, close to the waterfront, is the place to explore, the heart of Kingston is now in New Kingston, a triangular area to the north, largely bordered by Half Way Tree Road, Old Hope Road and Hope Road.

EXP LORING KINGS TON ON FOOT Start your walking tour by the cruise ship piers in front of Ocean Boulevard, although cruise ships no longer call at Kingston. The area just inshore, between Princess Street and Duke Street which both run inland parallel with each other, contain a number of interesting buildings. The Oceana often hosts live conferences, and the main post office is on Temple Lane. Kingston Mall runs between Princess Street and King Street parallel with and one block in from Ocean Boulevard. The National Art Gallery ☎: 922-1561, is between Orange Street and King Street. Open from 10am to 5pm daily, it is in the Roy West Building with exhibits about Jamaica’s art history and featuring many of the island’s most talented artists. There is a fantastic bronze statue of Bob Marley on the ground floor, and upstairs there are works by Intuitive artists John Dunkley, David Miller and Sidney McLaren, sculptress Edna Manley and modern pieces by Tina Matkovic, Colin Garland and Mallico Reynolds, known as Kapo, and regarded as one of Jamaica’s modern artistic geniuses. The annual exhibition, featuring the 36

island’s best artists, is held from December to January. Off Ocean Boulevard between Church Street and Duke Street is the Jamaica Conference Center with its ultra-modern convention hall. It is open on Thursday only between 11am and 2pm Tel: 922-9160. It has on-site restaurants, gardens, offices and in-bond and souvenir shops that are open daily. On the other side of Duke Street are the headquarters of the Bank of Jamaica. The Coin and Notes Museum is in the Bank of Jamaica building and exhibits the history of Jamaican tokens, coins and paper money. It is open 8.30am to 2pm, Monday to Friday ☎: 992-0750. Head inland up Duke Street, turn right into Tower Street and continue just past the junction with East Street. On your right is the Institute of Jamaica ☎: 922-0620. The Institute is noted for its collection of historic documents about the Caribbean, and the National Library next door has the largest collection of books, articles and prints in the West Indies. The Institute also houses the Natural History Museum, formerly the Science Museum. It is the oldest museum in Jamaica and exhibits the preserved animals and plants found on the island. The Herbarium (where dried plants are stored) contains over 125,000 specimens and is the best in the Caribbean. It is open from 8.30am to 5pm, Monday to Thursday. Keep right to Georges Lane, turn left and proceed across East Queen Street with the police headquarters on your right, and then turn left into Sutton Street, then right into Duke Lane which has many fine old buildings, including the St Andrew Scots Kirk Church Tel: 922-1818.

Kingston and the eastern Island

Headquarters House eadquarters House is south of the junction with Beeston Street, and one of the m ost interesting and historic buildings in Kingston. It was originally built as part of a bizarre bet in the m iddle of the eighteenth century. A group of wealthy m erchants decided to see who could build the m ost elegant m ansion. Thom as Hibbert won the bet and the house was originally nam ed Hibbert House after him . In 1814 it becam e the official res-idence of the island’s m ilitary com m ander, and it is the only one of the four that survives today. It has an observation post on the roof, where Hibbert used to watch for ships approaching the water front. In 1972 it becam e the offices of the Colonial Secretary and was also used as a m eeting place by the first legislature. It is open from 9am to 5pm , Monday to Saturday. The legislature m oved into Gordon House across the junction, in 1960 and the Jam aica National Trust Com m ission m oved in 1983.

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Kings House, the gleaming white Governor General’s official residence is set in 200 landscaped acres (80 hectares) at Vale Royal on Montrose Road which lies between Hope Road and Old Hope Road, and the gardens are open to the public daily. The Prime Minister’s office is in Jamaica House, built in the 1960s and originally the official residence. Continue over the junction with Charles Street to visit

Kingston Synagogue on the right. The United Congregation of Israelites is the island’s only synagogue.

William Gran t Park Retrace your steps to Charles Street, turn right and then left into Love Street and head for William Grant Park. Just before the Park which is in the heart of downtown Kingston is the 1,000-seat Ward Theatre. There has been theater, both indoor and open air, of one kind or another on this site for more than 200 years. The present theater, rebuilt after the 1907 earthquake, is now most famous for its unique Jamaican pantomime season which opens each year on 26 December, although there are musical and theatrical events throughout the year ☎: 9220453. The park is more often referred to as the Parade, so called because it used to house military barracks before these were moved to Up Park Camp in the middle of the eighteenth century. Today, the Parade and adjacent streets, especially to the east, bustle with activity during the day. There is the Coronation produce market with its hagglers (street vendors), and it is not unusual to see street musicians or religious temperance groups. The Parade also boasts a bandstand, fountains and open-air theater. It is also the terminal for many of the town’s buses. Cross over the park to Kingston Parish Church on South Parade. The church was rebuilt in 1909, two years after being destroyed in the earthquake. Buses for the airport leave from across the junction of North Parade and West Queen Street. If you continue westwards along South Parade 37

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DOWN TOWN KINGSTON Opposite page left: Old Kingston Harbour Opposite page right: Devon House Left: Bob Marley Museum, Kingston

and then Beckford Street, you reach its junction with Pechon Street where many of the buses leave for areas outside Kingston, and the railway station is off Barry Street that runs off Pechon Street.

Take Ocean Boulevard back down towards the harbor to complete the tour.

Sh o p p in g Are a

A drive to Port Royal is also a must. The island stands at the end of the Palisadoes, a promontory that nearly encircles the waterfront. Port Royal has a long and interesting history and has had many names, both official and unofficial. It was originally called Cayo de Carena, because Spanish vessels would be hauled on shore and then laid on their sides so the hulls could be careened – repaired and cleared of barnacles. The English named it the Point, and realizing its strategic importance built Fort Cromwell, later renamed

From the parish church head south on King Street, the main shopping street, with as many stalls and vendors on the street as there are in the shops. The Post office is just beyond the junction with Barry Street. Continue south, and then turn right into Harbour Street, and left into Pechon Street to visit the Victoria Crafts Market on the waterfront that caters for the tourists hunting souvenirs. It offers woodcarving, woven goods, linen and silk batiks and other island crafts.

P ORT ROYA L A ND THE P A LIS A D OES

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Kingston and the eastern Island

Fort Charles. It was the first of six forts to be built manned by a garrison of more than 2,500 men. A town developed to service the needs of the garrison, its soldiers and the pirates who also used it as a base, and at one time there were said to have been one inn or rum shop for every ten residents, and this gave rise to some of its nicknames, including the Babylon of the West, City of Gold and Sin City. One writer described it as: ‘the richest, wickedest city in Christendom’.

Memorable Past blind eye was turned on the activities of the pirates as they attacked Spanish shipping, which suited the British authorities, and then they spent their illgotten gains in Port Royal adding to its prosperity. At one stage there were 2,000 buildings cram m ed into the town, m any built on stilts over the water. One of Port Royal’s m ost fam ous sons was Henry Morgan. Born in Wales, he ran away to sea and becam e an adventurer sailing out of Port Royal. His m any exploits included the sacking of Panam a in 1671 even though Britain and Spain had by then signed a peace deal. He was sum m oned to London to explain him self but instead of being punished, he was knighted and sent back to Jam aica as Lieutenant Governor. A century later, Adm iral Horatio Nelson was also stationed on Port Royal, first as a newly appointed naval lieutenant and then as the captain of a frigate.

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On 7 June 1692, Port Royal was struck by a massive earthquake and tidal wave. More than 2,000 people died and most of the buildings were destroyed with many literally falling into the sea or the huge crevices that opened up. The tidal wave was so powerful that it lifted one vessel in the harbor and dropped it on the roofs of the ruined buildings. The causeway that connected Port Royal to the Palisadoes was also swept away. Legend has it that the bell in the church tower which fell into the sea, can still sometimes be heard tolling from beneath the waves. Although work started on rebuilding Port Royal almost immediately, the town was gutted by fire in 1703, and many residents decided it was time to relocate. The Royal Navy stayed on and Port Royal was their main Caribbean base until 1905. Because of the naval presence, there were also traders but these gradually moved to Kingston as the mainland settlement grew. Port Royal was hit by Hurricane Gilbert in 1988 but escaped remarkably unscathed, and there are many buildings and museums to explore. After your explorations you can enjoy a tasty snack and then perhaps visit one of many nearby cays for a swim or snorkel. Fort Charles is at the western tip of The Palisadoes and is very well preserved with its rows of semi-circular gun ports in the fading red brickwork. The young lieutenant Nelson was stationed here, and a plaque in his memory reads: ‘You who tread in his footprints, remember his glory’. Fort Charles Maritime Museum exhibits displays of man’s relationship to the sea from the times of the Arawaks, and traces the

Kingston and the eastern Island

Jamaican Jonah t Pet er ’s Ch u r ch was bu ilt in 1725 r eplacin g Ch r ist Ch u r ch t h at was en gu lfed by t h e sea du r in g t h e 1692 ear t h qu ake. In t h e ch u r ch t h er e is a plaqu e t o Lou is Galdy, Jam aica’s equ ivalen t of Jon ah wh o was swallowed by t h e wh ale. Du r in g t h e 1692 ear t h qu ake Galdy fell in t o a h u ge cr evice an d disappear ed. Lat er t h e st or m seas r aced in t o t h e cr evice an d h e was m ir acu lou sly t h r own back on t o lan d u n scat h ed. He is bu r ied in t h e ch u r ch yar d. It is claim ed, alt h ou gh n ot pr oven , t h at t h e cer em on ial silver com m u n ion vessels on ce belon ged t o Hen r y Mor gan . Th e ch u r ch also h as a n u m ber of in t er est in g plaqu es an d t om bst on es.

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development of Jamaican maritime history. There is a scale model of the fort and models of ships of past eras. It is located in the old British naval headquarters and is open from 10am to 4pm, daily. The National Museum of Historical Archaeology is located in what used to be the naval hospital that spent a lot of its time fighting epidemics of yellow fever. The museum displays the history of the Jamaican people and techniques of excavation being used in the study of Port Royal’s history based on marine and land deposits. It is open from10am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday. Giddy House close to the fort, is a former artillery store, and gets its name because of its strange tilt, the result of having been moved by the 1907 earthquake. Port Royal Marine Laboratory of the University of the West Indies is based in Port Royal. Founded in 1955, the laboratory began as a small room in the Old Naval Dockyard but later moved to a one-acre site, ‘Crab Hall’ beside the Navy Hospital. The Port Royal Laboratory has been important in undergraduate teaching of marine biology and marine ecology and in recent years has undertaken

courses in aquaculture, fisheries and coastal management. For additional information on Marine Sciences, contact the Centre for Marine Science, University of the West Indies, P.O. Box 32, Kingston, Jamaica, W. l. ☎: 927-1660 As you head back along the promontory, you can spot the remains of other fortifications and be on the look out for wildlife. The whole area is protected and home to a large number of birds, animals and reptiles.

OTHER THINGS TO S EE A ND D O IN A ND A ROUND KINGS TON. The African Museum is in the gleaming white Devon House complex on the corner of Hope Road and Waterloo Road. It was established in 1971. It contains artifacts relating to Jamaica’s African Heritage. Devon House, a national monument, is an elegant white three story Georgian-style Great House built in 1881 by George Stiebel, the Caribbean’s first black millionaire. It has been beautifully restored by the National Trust. It contains one of the world’s finest collections 41

E A T I N G

O U T

Th e followin g sym bols ar e u sed: $ in expen sive, $$ m oder at e, $$$ expen sive.

Ed e n $ - $ $

Akb ar $ $

El Do rad o $ $

In dian , Holbor n Road, ☎: 926-3480

Jam aican -In t er n at ion al Ter r a Nova Hot el, ☎: 926-2211

Ale xan d e r’s $ $

Et h iopian -Veget ar ian , Cen t r al Plaza, ☎: 926-3051

In t er n at ion al an d Car ibbean , Cou r t leigh Hot el, ☎: 929-9000

Fis h Po t Jam aic an

Bam b o o Village $ $

Fo o d Fo r Life $ - $ $

Ch in ese, Village Plaza, ☎: 926-8863

Veget ar ian -Et h iopian , Du m fr ies Road, ☎: 926-5609

Baro n s $ $ - $ $ $ Con t in en t al, Br aem ar Aven u e, ☎: 927-7114

Blu e De rb y $ $ St eaks, seafood an d Islan d far e, Devon Hou se, ☎: 968-5488

Con st an t Spr in g Road, ☎ : 925-7188

Go rd o n ’s Re s tau ran t $ $ Far East , Tr afalgar Road, ☎: 929-7046

Gro g Sh o p p e $ $

Blu e Mo u n tain In n $ $

En glish pu b far e, Devon Hou se, ☎:929-7027

In t er n at ion al, ☎: 927-2606

Gu ilt Trip $ - $ $

Bras s e rie $ $

Bar bican Road, Kin gst on , ☎: 977-5130

Car ibbean bist r o, Jam aica Pegasu s, ☎: 926-3690

Bu lls e ye $ $ St eakh ou se, Kn u t sfor d Blvd, ☎: 960-8724

Calc u tta $ $ In dian , Holbu r n Road, ☎: 960-0211

Co u n try Kitc h e n $ $ Jam aica, Jam aica Pegasu s, ☎: 926-3690

De vo n s h ire Grill $ - $ $ Jam aican -Con t in en t al, Devon Hou se, ☎: 929-7046

Drago n Co u rt $ $

He ath e rs $ $ Jam aican -Middle East er n , Hain in g Road, ☎: 926-2826

Ho te l Fo u r Se as o n s $ $ Jam aican -Con t in en t al, Hot el Fou r Season s, ☎: 926-8805

Ho t Po t $ - $ $ Jam aican , Alt am on t Ter r ace, ☎: 929-3906

In d ie s $ - $ $ En glish , Jam aican , Holbu r n Road, ☎: 926-2952

Is ab e lla’s $ $ - $ $ $

Chinese, Dragon Centre, ☎: 920-8506

Fin e din in g an d m agn ificen t views, Cr own e Plaza Hot el, ☎: 925-7676

Th e Eate ry $

Ivo r’s $ $ - $ $ $

Jam aican fast food, Th e Mir age Disco, ☎: 978-8557

Gou r m et , Jacks Hill, ☎: 927-1460

42

• IN AND AROUND KINGSTON• Jad e Gard e n $ $

Qu e e n o f Sh e b a $ - $ $

Ch in ese, Hope Road, ☎: 978-3476

Et h iopian , Hope Road, ☎: 978-0510

Lyc h e e Gard e n s $ $

Rap h ae l’s $ $

Ch in ese, Dom in ica Dr ive, ☎: 929-8619

It alian , Hill Cr est Aven u e, ☎: 978-1279

Man d arin Re s tau ran t $ $

Re d Bo n e s $ $

Can t on ese, Nor t h side Dr ive, ☎: 927-0237

Sou t h er n cu isin e, live jazz an d blu es, Br aem ar Aven u e, ☎: 978-8262

Mayfair $ $ - $ $ $

Se a Witc h $ $

Con t in en t al, Mayfair Hot el, ☎: 926-1610

Seafood, Kn u t sfor d Bou levar d, ☎: 929-4386

Me e Me e Re s tau ran t Ch in e s e

Th e Se ttin g $ $

Nor t h side Dr ive, ☎: 927-9361

In t er n at ion al, Ph oen ix Aven u e, ☎: 926-7830

Min n ie ’s $ - $ $

Sir He n ry’s $ $ $

Veget ar ian , Old Hope Road, ☎: 927-9207

Ne w Ch in a To w n $ $

Gou r m et Seafood-Jam aican Con t in en t al, Mor gan Har bou r Hot el, ☎: 924-8464

Ch in ese, Con st an t Spr in g Road,

Straw b e rry Hill, $ $ - $ $ $

No rm a’s o n th e Te rrac e $ $

Jam aican /Con t in en t al, Ir ish Town , Blu e Mou n t ain s, ☎: 944-8400

Jam aican , Devon Hou se, ☎: 968-5488

Te rra No va $ $ - $ $ $

Pago d a $ $

Jam aican -Con t in en t al, Ter r a Nova Hot el, ☎: 929-4933

Ch in ese, Belm on t Road, ☎: 926-2561

Te rrac e Cafe $ $ - $ $ $

Th e Palm $ $

Jam aican -Con t in en t al, Wyn dh am Kin gst on Hot el, ☎: 926-5430

Seafood an d local, Ch r ist ar Villas, ☎: 978-8066

Palm Co u rt $ $ It alian , Hilt on Kin gst on Hot el, ☎: 926-5430

Pe p p e rs $ - $ $ Jam aican , Upper Wat er loo Road, ☎: 925-2219

Jam aica fast food ou t let s: Br ick Oven , Devon Hou se; Ch elsea Jer k Cen t r e, Ch elsea Aven u e; Fee Fee, Sou t h Aven u e; Fish Place, Con st an t Spr in g Road; Pepper s, Upper Wat er loo Road; Rot i Bazaar, Sovereign Cen t r e; an d Tast ee , Kn u t sfor d Bou levar d,

Po rt Ro yal $ $ - $ $ $ In t er n at ion al-Seafood, Pegasu s Hot el, ☎: 926-3690

43

Kingston and the eastern Island

of antique mahogany furniture. A large shaded verandah runs round the ground floor, and there are balconies on the first floor with great views over the gardens and surrounding countryside. In the landscaped grounds with towering palms and lush vegetation, are a Port Royal-style grog shop, Norma’s on the Terrace restaurant specializing in Jamaican cuisine, craft shop, souvenir shop, and a ice cream shop where you can try delicious tropical fruit tasting ices. It is open from 10am to 5pm, Tuesday to Saturday ☎: 929-7029. The Bob Marley Museum is further along at 56 Hope Road on the corner with Marley Road. It opened in 1986 and was formerly Bob Marley’s residence and the site of the Tuff Gong recording studio. It contains an incredible mural ‘The Journey of Bob Marley Superstar’, painted by Everald Brown, and has a collection of Marley memorabilia depicting the life and career of the late reggae superstar. No photography is allowed. It is open 9.30am to 5pm, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and 12.30pm to 6pm on Wednesday, Saturday and public holidays ☎: 927-9152 Caymanas Park offers horse racing every Wednesday, Saturday, and on public holidays. 12.30p.m. to 6.00p.m. The course is in Waterford to the west of Kingston and is best reached by taking the Causeway from Marcus Garvey Drive in the city center. The Folk Musical Instrument Exhibition opened as a teaching aid to Jamaica School of Music in 1981, and contains unusual musical instruments collected between 1966 and 1981. The Geology Museum exhibits rocks and minerals of Ja44

maica and collections from other countries, many of them rare. The Hope Botanical Gardens are on Old Hope Road past Jamaica College and next to the College of Arts, Science and Technology. Founded in 1881, it is the largest botanical gardens in the West Indies, covering 200 acres (80 hectares). The huge lawns are surrounded by towering royal palms. It is open daily from 8.30am to 6.30pm ☎: 927-1257. The Jamaica Defense Force Museum (Military Museum) is in Up Park Camp, off South Camp Road. There are fascinating plans of the many forts built around Kingston in the eighteenth century, as well as information, weapons, medals and uniforms of the West Indies Regiment and the Jamaica Infantry Militia that existed from 1662 to 1906. It is open from 10am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, and visits are by appointment. Liguanea is north of New Kingston and site of the Sovereign Centre, the capital’s newest shopping complex, with cinemas, banks and a food hall. Lime Cay is a glorious sunspot off Kingston’s shore. South of The Palisadoes the uninhabited island can be reached by boat and it is great for swimming and snorkeling. It is open all day, daily. The National Arena and National Stadium are side by side off State Road that runs off Mountain View Avenue on the eastern side of town. The arena is used for a wide range of activities from trade exhibitions to the Caribbean’s largest flower show, the National Festival Song Competition and the Festival King and Queen Costume Show ☎: 9294970. Close by the arena is another fine bronze of Marley.

Kingston and the eastern Island

Heroes Park h e Nat ion al Her oes Par k, r each ed by East St r eet fr om down t own , h as m an y st at u es an d m on u m en t s dedicat ed t o t h e islan d’s h er oes, as well as a n u m ber of t om bs. Th er e ar e m on u m en t s t o Pau l Bogle an d Geor ge Gor don , h er oes of t h e Mor an t Bay r ebellion , an d t h e t om bs of Mar cu s Gar vey, Nor m an Man ley an d Alexan der Bu st am an t e.

T

Port Henderson lies to the south west of the capital connected to it by a causeway that runs from Kingston waterfront across Hunts Bay to Portmore. When Spanish Town was the island capital, Port Henderson was the main harbor and protected by two forts – Fort Clarence and Fort Augusta, and it became a fashionable nineteenthcentury spa resort. The town was badly damaged by the 1951 hurricane and is now a small coastal community opposite Port Royal. It is worth visiting as a number of its older buildings have been restored or their ruins uncovered by the National Trust. These include the ruins of Green Castle Great House and Bullock’s Lodge and the Longhouse, which was an inn until the end of the nineteenth century. Fort Clarence stood at the end of an arid promontory to the south of Port Henderson and guards the harbor approaches. Today you can enjoy a swim off Fort Clarence Beach or Hellshire Beach to the south. The Arawaks were early settlers in this area and there are petroglyphs in Two Sisters Cave at Hellshire Beach.

It is a small white sand beach with nearby steps that lead down to the 200,000 year-old cave below sea level. The area also has interesting vegetation and wildlife adapted to the very dry conditions, including some iguana. The Rockfort Mineral Baths are in a natural mineral spa on the coast on Windward Road (A4) that runs east out of Kingston ☎: 938-5055. Sabina Park on South Camp Road is where you go if you want to experience a West Indian cricket match. The University of the West Indies is off Old Hope Road on the eastern outskirts of town. Turn off on to Mona Road, past the Mona Reservoir to reach the university campus, originally part of the Mona Sugar Estate. You can stroll around the campus where there are old aqueducts, machinery and other reminders of its agricultural past alongside modern murals. The chapel close to the entrance used to be a sugar warehouse on the Gales Valley Estate in Trelawny. It was taken down brick by brick and rebuilt on its present site. Under the roof you can make out the name of the original owner and the date when it was first built. The university is open from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday. The Zoology Museum, operated by the University of the West Indies houses exhibits similar to those at the Natural History Museum, but contains many more animals. The marine and entomology collections are considered the best in the West Indies. The University’s Creative Arts Centre has a varied program of student productions. The University Carnival is held during February ☎: 927-1660. 45

the eastern Island P lKingston a c and e s t o V i s i t

Kingston Galleries Amalc raft

Gro s ve n o r Galle rie s

Red Hills Road, ☎: 920-9168

Gr osven or Ter r ace, ☎: 924-6684

An tiq u arian an d Trad in g Co .

Hi Qo

30 Hope Road, ☎: 926-8778

In s titu te o f Jam aic a

Th e Art Galle ry

12 East St r eet , ☎ : 922-0620

10 Gar eli Aven u e, ☎: 926-5097

Me d allio n Galle rie s

Th e Artis an

Hope Road, ☎:

14 Dom in ica Dr ive, ☎: 978-8514

Mu tu al Life Galle ry

Bab ylo n Jam aic a

2 Oxfor d Road, ☎: 929-4302

10 A. W. Kin g’s Hou se Road, ☎: 926-0416

Natio n al Galle ry o f Art

Bo livar Bo o ks / Galle ry 1D Gr ove Road, ☎: 926-8799

Ch e ls e a Galle rie s

12 Ocean Bou levar d, ☎: 922-1561

Olym p la In te rn atio n al Art Ce n tre

12 Ch elsea Aven u e, ☎: 929-0045

202 Old Hope Road ☎: 927-1608

Co n te m p o rary Art Ce n tre

Th e Pale tte

1 Ligu an ea Aven u e, ☎: 927-9958

21 Hain in g Road, ☎: 929-8203

Es s e l Galle ry

Pato o

Old Hope Road, ☎: 977-2067

Con st an t Spr in g Road ☎: 924-1552

Fo u r Co rn e rs Galle ry

State m e n ts Ph o to art Galle ry

7 West Ar cadia Aven u e, ☎: 929-2846

Fram e Art

14 Car valh o Dr ive, ☎: 929-2072

1 Belm on t Road, ☎: 926-5014

Se rigrap h ic s Jam aic a

Fram e Ce n tre Galle ry

Th in gs Jam aic an

10 Tan ger in e Place, ☎: 926-4644

Devon Hou se, 26 Hope Road, ☎: 929-6602

Galle ry Mako n d e

70 Han over St r eet , ☎: 922-2072

Wyn dh am Kin gst on Hot el, ☎: 977-4409

Up s tairs Do w n s tairs

Galle ry Pe gas u s

Th e Wan d e re r

Jam aica Pegasu s, ☎: 926-3690

Qu een sway, ☎: 926-6071

Th e Gard e n Galle ry 1 Man n in gs Hill Road, ☎ : 925-2272

46

Span ish Cou r t , ☎: 926-4183

108 Har bou r St r eet , ☎: 922-8260

Kingston and the eastern Island

Above: Reach Falls Right: Manchioneal Below: Long Bay Vendors Market

47

Kingston and the eastern Island

THE EASTERN TOUR

T

ake the A4 that runs eastwards along the south coast from Kingston through Rockfort to Fort Nugent. The road continues past Seven Mile and Palm Beach, Copacabana and Bull Bay. From Bull Bay you can detour inland to Newstead and then visit the falls on the Cane River, and at Eleven Mile, you can make another small detour inland to visit the falls near Newstead. The coast road continues to Grants Pen and Albion where you can detour inland to Ellington on the Yallahs River. There are good views here of the massive escarpment known as Judgement Cliff, a lasting reminder of the 1692 earthquake. The cliff is said to have got its name because during the upheaval that created it, a landslide destroyed the plantation of

a cruel owner – a fitting judgment. Drive past Poor Man’s Corner to the lovely beaches at Flemarie and Bailey’s near Yallahs. West of Yallahs the road runs past the Salt Ponds which run for more than 5 miles (8km) past Pomfret to Green Wall. Seawater evaporates in the shallow ponds and the Indians and early settlers collected the salt that was left.

1865 Uprising or an t Bay is t h e ch ief t own of St Th om as Par ish , alt h ou gh it is lit t le m or e t h an a village. It s m ain claim t o fam e is as t h e sit e of t h e Pau l Bogle-led u pr isin g in 1865 wh en t h e Bapt ist m in ist er led abou t 400 of h is follower s t o Mor an t Bay Cou r t Hou se on 11 Oct ober t o h an d over a list of gr ievan ces. Th e au t h or it ies, aler t ed of t h is, called ou t t h e local volu n t eer m ilit ia. In t h e r u n n in g bat t les t h at followed, the Court House was burned down and m any townspeople lost their lives. Martial law was declared and the troops rushed in, burnt down m ore than 1,000 hom es and executed after sum m ary trial m ore than 400 m en and wom en. Gover n or Eyr e also u sed t h e r ebellion as an excu se t o r id h im self of Geor ge Gor don , a m em ber of t h e legislat u r e an d an ou t spoken ch am pion of t h e poor. Gor don was br ou gh t in ch ain s fr om Kin gst on t o Mor an t Bay an d falsely accu sed by wit n esses of bein g t h e r ebellion r in gleader. He was fou n d gu ilt y an d pu blicly h an ged wit h Pau l Bogle in fr on t of t h e bu r n edou t cou r t h ou se. Sh or t ly aft er war ds t h e Gover n or was r ecalled t o Lon don in disgr ace an d Jam aica fr om t h en on was adm in ist er ed as a Cr own Colon y. Th e cou r t h ou se was r ebu ilt an d a st at u e of Bogle, scu lpt ed by Edn a Man ley, st an ds in fr on t of it . Excavat ion s in t h e m id-1970s in side Mor an t Bay For t discover ed t h e skelet on s of 79 people wh ose bodies h ad been h idden in r u bbish du m ps.

M

48

Kingston and the eastern Island

The stone signal tower is a listed national monument. There are fine beaches at Lyssons and Retreat, and then the road runs inland round the large bay on which Port Morant and Bowden stand. Both were once prosperous ports loading ships with bananas and sugar cane, and the flat area of land east of Bowden down to the sea is known as Holland. It was once owned by Simon Taylor, the richest sugar cane plantation owner on Jamaica, and perhaps the wealthiest man in the West Indies. Just east of Golden Grove is Stokes Hall, one of the island’s oldest plantations.

Healing Waters t Hor dley you can t ake t h e r oad for an in t er est in g det ou r t o Bat h six m iles (10km ) du e west in lan d. Th e t own was n am ed becau se of it s h ot spr in gs an d t h e official n am e is Th e Bat h of St Th om as t h e Apost le. Legen d h as it t h at t h e fir st spr in g, deep in t h e for est , was discover ed by a r u n away slave at t h e en d of t h e seven t een t h cen t u r y. He bat h ed h is u lcer at ed legs in t h e war m wat er an d gr adu ally t h e u lcer s h ealed. It is said t h at h e t h en r u sh ed back t o t ell h is own er abou t t h e cu r at ive wat er s. It is n ot kn own wh at t h e own er t h ou gh t of t h is st or y or wh at h appen ed t o t h e slave!

A

In the eighteenth century the town that developed became a fashionable spa resort, but today little remains other than the Bath

Fountain Hotel ☎: 982-2132, housing the baths and the botanical gardens. There are both hot and cold water springs feeding the baths, and the high sulfur content can be smelt in the air. The waters are said to be particularly beneficial for people with skin complaints or rheumatic ailments. The botanical gardens are the second oldest in the Western Hemisphere, and although past their heyday, they contain many fascinating trees and plants. Many of the new species introduced to the island were planted here first, and many of their offspring survive, including plants grown from the first breadfruit tree brought by Captain Bligh. From Bath there is a path over the mountains to Four Feet at the end of the road that runs north into Port Antonio. You can drive down to the southeast tip of the island at Morant Point Lighthouse. This is a very marshy area with reefs offshore. The bay to the southwest must have been a dangerous place for ships, thus its name of Folly Bay. The route then continues along the eastern coastline through Hectors River and Manchioneal where you should detour to visit the delightful Reach Falls, reached by taking the inland road off the A4 just over one mile (1.6km). The largest of the falls is about 40ft (12m) high, and you can swim in the pools or picnic nearby. Long Bay has a fabulous beach, and Boston Bay has a popular bathing beach beneath towering cliffs, and the waves are high enough for surfing. The famous Jamaican dish ‘Jerk Pork’, originated in this area, and was passed down from the Maroons. There is a nice beach at Fairy Hill with changing rooms and showers. 49

Kingston and the eastern Island

Blue Hole he Blue Lagoon, also known as Blue Hole, is a mineral-rich lagoon, which according to legend is bottomless. Take the side road that runs downhill from the A4 to the water’s edge. The lagoon is, in fact, about 210ft (64m ) deep, but the waters are remarkably clear because of a mix of salt and freshwater. The salt water comes from the Caribbean and blends with freshwater from several underground streams that run into the lagoon. The steeply sloping walls of the lagoon are also rich in minerals, including the semi-precious lapis lazuli. The stretch of coastline from the Blue Lagoon to Port Antonio has some of the island’s most exclusive resorts.

T

San San Beach is one of the prettiest beaches along this stretch of coast and is rarely busy other than at weekends. Monkey Island lies just offshore, and although the little island is still covered in trees and lush vegetation, there are no monkeys – if indeed, there ever were any. Just inland are the Caves of Nonsuch and the Gardens of Athenry. The caves are set in the 185-acre (74 hectare) of tropical rain forest 1,000ft (305m) above sea level in the Seven Hills Of Athenry Garden Plantation. You can see fossilized sea sponges, volcanic rock, clamshells and a frozen waterfall. There are winding paths through the caves that are lit to show the stalactites and stalagmites, and other limestone formations. There are daily 30-minute guided tours. The caves and gardens are open from 9am to 5pm daily ☎: 993-3740. 50

New Mall, Port Antonio

Kingston and the eastern Island

Above: Port Antonio Below: Belle View looking towards Port Antonio bay

Trident Castle

51

Kingston and the eastern Island

Trident Castle n t h e h eadlan d, t h er e is an im posin g cast le. As you dr ive alon g t h e win din g coast r oad it su dden ly appear s in fr on t of you , an d it t ook on e bu s dr iver so m u ch by su r pr ise t h at h e dr ove st r aigh t off t h e r oad in t o t h e sea. Th er e ar e lot s of m yt h s abou t t h e cast le, bu t it was act u ally bu ilt by pr om in en t ar ch it ect Ear l Levy wh o own s t h e adjoin in g Tr iden t Villas an d Hot el, an d it is kn own as Tr iden t Cast le. Th e Levy fam ily is on e of t h e oldest on t h e islan d an d t h e cast le is n ot cu r r en t ly open t o t h e pu blic alt h ou gh t h is m ay ch an ge as par t of t h e h ot el’s expan sion plan s. Even if you ar e n ot plan n in g t o st ay over n igh t , it is wor t h visit in g t h e Tr iden t Villas an d Hot el t h at boast s lovely gar den s, a ver y good r est au r an t an d som e ver y fr ien dly peacocks an d gu in ea fowl. It is also a ch ar m in g place t o st op for aft er n oon t ea.

O

Trident Castle should not be confused with the Jamaica Palace that is a little further along on the opposite side of the road. Built by a German lady who expanded it into a magnificent house, it is now the centerpiece of the Jamaica Palace hotel. Port Antonio is on the island’s northeast coast and is a charming blend of old and new. It was Jamaica’s first tourist resort and although still popular as a resort with cruise ship facilities, it is in need of a face-lift, and a campaign 52

has been mounted locally to get Government funds for this. It has, however, managed to retain much of its quiet fishing village charm. The location could not be more perfect with sheltered harbor, beautiful scenery and landscapes inland, and long stretches of stunning white sandy beaches. The scenery is obviously good for inspiration, as Port Antonio is a favorite area for writers and artists, and Robin Moore is said to have written the French Connection while sitting under a mango tree in his yard. It has also long been popular with the rich and famous, and was a playground of Royalty and movie stars like Errol Flynn, Ginger Rogers and Bette Davis. It also claims to have been used as a setting for more films than anywhere else in the Caribbean. The town was named Puerto Anton by the first Spanish, and although the English settlers renamed it Titchfield, the original name has survived. Titchfield was also the name of the estate of Lord Portland, a former Governor, after whom the parish is named. Land grants were offered to Europeans to boost settlement and the town was fortified to protect both the harbor and the residents who were heavily outnumbered by slaves in the surrounding plantations, and there were a number of uprisings. The main part of Port Antonio is shaped like a horseshoe around the large East Harbour. On the eastern tip of the horseshoe is Folly Point Lighthouse, and Fort George was built on the shorter western tip known as Titchfield Peninsula. Navy Island stands off Titchfield Peninsula and although known as Lynch Island, after an

Kingston and the eastern Island

early Governor, was renamed because it was fortified and used by the navy as a hospital and land base in the 1720s. Over the years the town has expanded westwards and now includes West Harbour, which is why Port Antonio is sometimes referred to as the Twin Harbours. The Twin Harbours were described by American poet Ella Willa Wilcox, as the ‘most exquisite port on earth’, and are great places to fish for marlin, tarpon and red snapper. Today Port Antonio is popular with those seeking a more peaceful, relaxing holiday although there is still plenty to see and do for those who want to get around. There are lots of restaurants and bars, and shopping along Harbour Street and City Centre Plaza. The offshore waters offer great game fishing and there are a number of fishing tournaments from the Marina. The tourist office is in the City Centre Plaza (☎: 993-3051). A good way to get your bearings is to walk up Bonnie View, the road that runs

up Richmond Hill to the vantage point near the summit which has magnificent views of the town and surrounding areas. It is a great place to watch the sunset. There are historical tours of the town from the sea, and details are available from the tourist office, but the town is easy and fun to explore on foot. Start by exploring Titchfield Peninsula. In 1947 Errol Flynn arrived in town and immediately fell in love with it. Ironically, in one of his swashbuckling films, he had played adventurer Henry Morgan, who became Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica. Flynn bought the Titchfield Hotel, which he renamed Jamaica Reef, and also purchased Navy Island. The town became very fashionable in the 1950s and was the haunt of the rich and famous. Many of the buildings in the area, including the hotel, were destroyed by fire. Titchfield School was built on the site of the hotel, and nearby is the

Banana Trade h e ar ea’s pr osper it y r eally dat es fr om t h e 1870s an d t h e st ar t of t h e ban an a t r ade bet ween Jam aica an d Br it ain an d t h e Un it ed St at es. Ban an as h ad been im por t ed fr om Hispan iola by t h e Span ish bu t t h ey wer e lar gely u sed for an im al feed. Th ey wer e n ot expor t ed becau se t h er e was t h ou gh t t o be n o dem an d for t h em , an d even if t h er e wer e, t h e ban an as wou ld be r ot t en befor e t h ey cou ld be sold. It was n ot u n t il 1871 t h at Capt ain Lor en zo Dow Baker r ealized t h at ban an as cou ld be sh ipped if t h ey wer e picked ver y gr een an d allowed t o r ipen on boar d. His fir st sh ipm en t t o Bost on sold for $2,000. He h elped fou n d t h e Bost on Fr u it Com pan y an d t h e ban an a t r ade was bor n . Est at es flou r ish ed an d m an y lar ge h ou ses wer e bu ilt . Th e DeMon t evin Lodge Gu est Hou se ☎: 993-2604, was on e of t h ose bu ilt du r in g t h e ban an a boom , an d it h as t h e t ypical or n at e fr et wor k on balcon ies an d u n der t h e eaves, t h at ch ar act er izes t h e Car ibbean gin ger br ead st yle.

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shell of the hotel staff quarters and two swimming pools that used to belong to the hotel. The site has now been taken over by the Jamaican Defence Force and is used as a training camp. You can visit the eighteenth-century Christ Church that is still in use. Fort George with its 10ft (3m) thick walls, is mostly in ruins but the Titchfield School, founded in 1785, is housed in the former barracks. Other sights on the peninsula include De Montevin Lodge, an historic landmark, and the former

home of an admiral. At the neck of the peninsula around the junction of Harbour Street and West Street are the Court House, Capitol Cinema and Market. There is a pleasant walk along the Harbour Street, past the Anglican Christ Church, built in the early 1840s, and Allan Avenue that follows the harbor’s edge to the eastern arm of the horseshoe. There is a road off the A4 that leads through the Folly Estate where you can visit Mitchell’s Folly and the Folly Point Lighthouse.

Navy Island ou can t ake t h e fer r y for t h e seven -m in u t e boat r ide acr oss t o Navy Islan d an d spen d as lon g as you like as t h e boat s oper at e 24 h ou r s a day. Con du ct ed t ou r s of t h e islan d can be ar r an ged. Aft er Er r ol Flyn n bou gh t it , h e im por t ed exot ic bir ds an d plan t ed h u n dr eds of palm s an d ot h er t r opical plan t s. Today, t h er e ar e Afr ican -st yle cot t ages an d villas, t h e Adm ir alt y Clu b wit h it s fabu lou s m ar in a, t h r ee beach es an d wat er spor t s. Th e Clu b’s bar h as a r oom of Er r ol Flyn n m em or abilia. Th e islan d is st ill a gr eat place for bir din g wit h m an y sea bir ds, egr et s, wh it e owls an d per egr in e falcon s. Wh en Er r ol Flyn n was n ot sailin g in t h e Car ibbean , h e u sed t o an ch or h is yach t Zacca , off t h e seven -acr e (2.8 h ect ar e) islan d.

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Navy Island

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E A T I N G

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• IN AND AROUND PORT ANTONIO• Eat in g ou t in an d ar ou n d Por t An t on io Th e followin g sym bols ar e u sed: $ in expen sive, $$ m oder at e, $$$ expen sive.

Grill Re s tau ran t $ $

Ad m iralty Clu b $ $ - $ $ $

casu al wat er fr on t din in g, seafood ☎: 993-3053

Jam aican -Con t in en t al ☎: 993-2667

Jam aican -Con t in en t al, Dr agon Bay Villas ☎: 993-3281

Hu n tre s s Marin a $ $

Bam b o o Grill Ro o m $ - $

Jam aic an Palac e Ho te l $$- $$$

Jam aican -In t er n at ion al, Dr agon In n ☎: 993-3281

Gou r m et , ☎: 993-2020

Pavilio n $ $

Blu e lago o n $ - $ $ Jam aican -In t er n at ion al, live jazz Fr iday ☎: 993-8491

Nou velle cu isin e wit h Jam aican t wist s, Dr agon Bay Beach Resor t , ☎: 993-8514

Bo n n ie Vie w $ $

Rafte r’s Re s t $ - $ $

Excellen t Jam aican , Bon n ie View Plan t at ion Hot el ☎: 993-2752

Jam aican -In t er n at ion al, Rio Gr an de Raft in g Cen t r e ☎: 993-2778

De Mo nte vin Lo d ge Jam aic an

San San Tro p e z $ $

☎: 993-2604

It alian , opposit e Fr en ch m an ’s Cove, ☎: 993-7213

Fe rn Hill Clu b $ $

Trid e n t $ $ - $ $ $

Jam aican -In t er n at ion al, su per b views, ☎: 993-7374

Elegan t Car ibbean -Con t in en t al, Tr iden t Villa an d Hot el ☎: 993-2602. Aft er n oon t ea, r eser vat ion s for din n er r equ ir ed.

Crumbling Folly h e Folly was bu ilt in 1905 by a wealt h y Am er ican , Alfr ed Mit ch ell fr om Con n ect icu t He also h elped design t h e h ou se an d it is said h is wife disliked it so m u ch , t h at sh e r efu sed t o set foot in it . He visit ed fr om t im e t o t im e u n t il h is deat h in 1912. Th e Man sion was bu ilt t o wit h st an d h u r r ican es u sin g con cr et e an d r ein for ced st eel. Legen d h as it t h at salt wat er was u sed t o m ix t h e con cr et e du r in g t h e con st r u ct ion an d t h e salt cor r oded t h e st eel an d t h e st r u ct u r e st ar t ed t o cr u m ble in t h e 1930s. In fact , t h is is n ot t r u e, bu t soft m ar l was u sed in t h e con st r u ct ion an d t h e bu ildin g was sit ed in su ch a way t h at it cau gh t t h e fu ll br u n t of on sh or e win ds an d salt -bor n e spr ay, an d it was t h is t h at cau sed t h e er osion . In 1938 t h e r oof fin ally collapsed, an d t h e h ou se r em ain ed der elict .

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In the late 1940s it was acquired by the Government, and for a time was leased to Mrs. Errol Flynn who planned to develop it into a resort. The project collapsed like the house, although the crumbling structure, with some interesting graffiti, impressive columns, arches and stone steps, can be seen. It is possible to swim from the nearby beach over to Wood Island. The red and white striped Folly Point Lighthouse stands at the end of the promontory. A wide range of tours are organized from Port Antonio including trips into the Blue Mountains. There are tours of the Blue Mountain Coffee Plantations and even a Blue Mountain Cycle Ride on mountain bikes, led by experienced guides. Port Antonio-based Valley Hikes offer conducted walks, raft trips,

waterfall and caving visits in the Rio Grande Valley. Rafting down the Rio Grande is another exciting outing, and is said to have been started by Errol Flynn. Rio Grande Rafting offer 6 mile (10km) cruises on bamboo rafts for two, poled by expert raftsmen through spectacular scenery. The trip can take between two and three hours. About 150 rafters operate on the river, and they follow the route traditionally taken by the Maroons, and later used to transport bananas to the sea. The Rafters Pavilion is at Rafters Rest at the mouth of the river and was built by the Earl of Mansfield. If not on an organized tour, drive to Rafters Rest to pick up a driver who will take you to the start point, and then drive your hire car back so that it is waiting for you. Do

The Moore Town Maroons here is an interesting detour inland from Port Antonio to Fellowship, Windsor and Seam an’s Valley. Take the left fork for Moore Town and the Maroon Museum . There was a large Maroon settlem ent in the area around Moore Town, and because they were virtually self-ruling, their culture and traditions rem ained intact. Many of their traditional dances and cerem onies today can be traced directly back to their African roots, and have changed little over the centuries. The m ost im portant of these cerem onies is the Krom anti Drum Dance, nam ed after the infam ous slave m arket on the west coast of Africa in what is now Ghana, and the m ost traditional of all the Krom anti Dances is danced by the Moore Town Maroons. The dance is used both to com m unicate with ancestral spirits and for healing. It is very elaborate with the ‘m yal’ or ritual doctor, presiding as the ‘fete m an’. The drum m ing, dancing and singing often last for hours with different styles and m ood changes until the participants are ‘possessed’ by the beat of the drum s. Sacrifices, usually chicken or sm all pig, often m ark the clim ax of the dance. Maroon m usic still reflects the styles of the m any West African tribes it cam e from , such as Mandinga, from Senegal and Gam bia, Ibo from Nigeria, Akans of Ghana, Mongola from Angola and Krom anti from the Gold Coast, although there has been m uch m erging over the years.

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not forget your cameras. It is available from 8.30am to 4.30pm daily ☎: 993-2778. Moore Town is the home of the Windward Maroons, and governed by an elected committee chaired by a colonel, a reminder of the days when the Maroons were organized into military bands to fight the British. The Anglican Church at the entrance to the town, is the oldest building, and Bump Grave, opposite the school, is the tomb of Nanny, an eighteenthcentury Maroon leader who was known for her fighting skills. The site of Nanny Town is across the hills to the west of Ginger House, and you can appreciate how remote it is when you consider that British troops under orders to find the camp at all costs, took six years to locate it. When they did finally attack the town, Nanny and her Maroon troops had climbed to higher ground and poured boiling water on to the soldiers who fled. It took repeated attacks before the town was finally taken and destroyed, and now it has been taken over by the forest, and although there have been some archaeological digs, nothing of great interest has yet been found. The road ends a little further on at Cornwall Barracks, another Maroon settlement. From here you can cross the rope bridge to visit Jupiter Falls, beside a mineral spring. The right fork at Seaman’s Valley runs to Alligator Church, Ginger House, Comfort Castle and ends just beyond Four Feet, high in the John Crow mountains. This is the wettest place in Jamaica and annual rainfalls of 459in (1166cm) have been recorded. To your right are the peaks of Macca Sucker 4380ft (1335m) and Dinner Time 3851ft (1174m) beyond. There is a path from Four Feet across the

mountains south to Bath. The route continues westwards along the north coastline to Hope Bay and the Somerset Falls. The Daniels River plunges through a gorge of natural rock in a series of cascades and pools. The Lower falls are set in tropical gardens and the Higher falls are reached by swimming or rafting into the narrow gorge. There is a restaurant and rest rooms. The admission charge includes the raft trip, and the falls are open from 10am to 5pm daily, except Christmas and Good Friday ☎: 926-2952. Continue to Orange Bay and Buff Bay, where you can take secondary road B1 through the mountains back to Kingston. Crystal Spring Eco-Resort is a 156-acre (62 hectare) recreational center with picnic ground, botanical garden, orchid forest, bird sanctuary, and apiary located in Buff Bay. The park has more than 15,000 varieties of plants and one of the largest orchid collections in the Caribbean. It is open from 9am to 6pm, daily ☎:1-800-532-2271. Continue past Windsor Castle to Annotto Bay and then just past Grays Inn turn left on the A3 for the drive south back to Kingston through Broadgate, and Devon Pen. At Castleton there are Botanic Gardens founded in 1859, close to the Wag Water River. The gardens have reduced in size over the years and now cover about 15 acres (6 hectares) and are still worth visiting for their exotic flora much of which is identified by labels. They contain both native and exotic species and many varieties of fruit trees found on the island ☎: 927-1257. The road then continues through Golden Spring and Stony Hill back into Kingston. 57

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EXPLORING THE BLUE MOUNTAINS

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he Blue Mountains get their name because from a distance they actually look blue when seen through the shimmering heat haze. The mountains are a delight to visit, offer stunning scenery and are a sharp contrast to the tourist areas around the coast. The mountains are wet, receiving more than 300in (762cm) of rainfall a year, but it is this that accounts for their incredible lushness even at high altitude. The Blue Mountains occupy almost a quarter of the island, virtually all the interior land east of Kingston, known as the Eastern Highlands.

The Blue Mountains he m ountains are geologically interesting because they were form ed about 25 m illion years ago and upheaval is still continuing, at the rate of just under one inch (2.5cm ) every 100 years or so. The northern slopes of the m ountains are heavily forested and receive the highest rainfall, while there has been a lot of deforestation on the southern slopes both for tim ber and to clear the land for crops, not all of them legal! More than 193,260 acres (77304 hectares) of the area is now part of the Blue Mountain National Park, the largest park in Jam aica. It covers parts of the Blue Mountains, Port Royal Mountains and John Crow Mountains, and contains a huge A view of The Blue variety of plants and anim als, Mountains including the giant swallow-tailed butterfly, papilio hom erus, with a six inch (15cm ) wingspan, found nowhere else in the world, and the Jam aican hutia. Many of the island’s 27 endem ic birds are also found within the park’s boundaries, including the Vervain hum m ingbird, the rare Jam aican blackbird, and the Jam aican tody.

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Above: Dr Sangster’s Rum Factory, Blue Mountains Below: Buff Bay

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Blue Mountain Peak, the highest point on the island at 7402ft (2257m) is in the heart of the mountains and the John Crow Mountains run down the eastern flanks, parallel with the east coast. There are many peaks above 5000ft (1524m). The Grand Ridge has five main peaks: John Crow 5750ft (1753m), St John’s 6332ft (1930m), Mossman’s 6703ft (2044m), High Peak 6812ft (2077m), and Blue Mountain Peak. There are several roads into the mountains while the A3 that runs north to Annotto Bay through Castleton offers great views along and access into the western flank. The best way of reaching Blue Mountain Peak is to take Gordon Town Road which runs north out of Kingston just past the Hope Botanical Gardens and College of Arts, Science and Technology, both on Old Hope Road. Gordon Town is a charming small hill town where you can stop off for

a relaxing drink and take in the views. The road splits at the Cooperage and you should take the right fork through Industry Village and Guava Ridge to Mavis Bank. A botanical garden was planted at Guava Ridge in the 1770s but has long since disappeared, while a short detour north leads to Content Gap and World’s End, where you can visit Dr. Sangster’s Rum Factory (☎: 926-8888). This small distillery was started by a Scotsman and is now a popular tourist attraction. At Mavis bank there is a trail to Blue Mountain Peak and the Jablum Coffee Processing Plant that can be toured for a small fee. The roads in this area are not of the best and great care needs to be taken when driving on them. The only way to explore this area is on foot, and the walking is spectacular and in places strenuous. Temperatures are much cooler than on the coast, but it can still feel hot if you are toiling up a mountain through the humid

Climbing Blue Mountain Peak h e m ou n t ain s ar e cr iss-cr ossed by m an y pat h s an d t r ails bu t it is best t o u n der t ake t r ips in t h is ar ea wit h a gu ide. A gu ide will n ot on ly en su r e you do n ot get lost , h e will en su r e you get t h e m ost ou t of t h e t r ip by poin t in g ou t plan t s an d bir ds alon g t h e way, an d a h ost of ot h er t h in gs t h at visit or s n or m ally m iss. Sever al com pan ies offer con du ct ed t ou r s t o t h e Blu e Mou n t ain Peak an d m an y of t h ese leave in t h e ear ly h ou r s of t h e m or n in g so t h at you can be on t h e su m m it t o celebr at e su n r ise. Th e clim b t akes abou t t h r ee h ou r s if you ar e fit an d fou r t o six h ou r s if you ar e n ot . Th er e ar e also m u les for t h ose wh o do n ot h ave t h e pu ff t o m ake it on t h eir own . Th e pat h clim bs fr om beau t ifu l t r opical r ain for est wit h m ah ogan y an d bam boo, t h r ou gh dam p ar eas wit h woodlan d an d fer n s, m oss u n der foot an d on t r ees, an d m assive air plan t s, t o elfin woodlan ds as you appr oach t h e su m m it . Th e m ou n t ain woodlan ds h ave an am azin g var iet y of or ch ids, m an y of t h em t in y an d easily m issed.

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forest. There are no main highways and most of the mountain roads can only be travelled by four-wheel drive vehicles. Camping is allowed in this area and you need to carry in all the equipment and supplies you need. There are some cabins at Clydesdale on an old coffee plantation, and Hollywell, which can be rented from the Forestry Department if booked early enough, and again it is advisable to carry in everything you will need. If you take the left hand fork at the Cooperage, the road runs to Newcastle, originally a coffee estate, and then in 1814 a hill station for troops garrisoned on the island. As in India, the troops would be given leave to spend time at the hill station to escape the heat of the coast. There is now a Jamaica Defence Force Camp overlooking the Mamee River that runs south to the sea, east of Kingston. The area is still an important training camp for both island and visiting forces. It then continues past the 300 acre (120 hectare) Hollywell Forest Park on your left, where there are extensive trails and camping, and

Catherine’s Peak on your right to a T-junction at Section. The left fork goes to Green Hill and then on over the mountains to Buff Bay on the north coast, while the right hand fork heads east to Westphalia. The road runs just to the south and nearly parallel with the Grand Ridge of the Blue Mountains. The Cinchona Botanic Gardens are on the left hand side of the mountain road near Clydesdale and before Westphalia. Despite their altitude – about 5,000ft (1524m) – the gardens have a very English feel and are surrounded by estates producing the world famous aromatic coffee. The gardens are named after the tree that was grown commercially for its bark from which quinine is obtained, although it was originally a tea plantation. As the tea estate ceased production, the gardens developed. There are many exotic plants and trees planted around the Great House as well as many native species, including the Blue Mountain Yacca. You can also visit the Silver Hill coffee estate while Pine Grove, another working coffee farm, offers accommodation and has a good restaurant.

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Exploring the Island: West of Kingston THE SOUTHERN COASTAL TOUR

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ake the A1 west out of Kingston past Ye Olde Ferry Inn on your right to Ferry which is on the Fresh River marking the boundary between St Andrew parish in Surrey and the parish of St Catherine in Middlesex. A little further along on the right is the White Marle Arawak Museum, which has displays of Arawak history, relics and culture from before Columbus. It is located on the site of the largest Arawak village on the island, and the museum is in the shape of a typical Arawak house – octagonal with a conical roof.

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Opposite page: Lucea Church

S PA NIS H TOWN Spanish Town is about 2 miles (3.2km) along the road. It was the former capital of the island and the town square is said to be one of the finest examples of Georgian architecture in the western hemisphere. The Spanish originally called it Villa de la Vega, which means town on the plain, after abandoning their first settlement at Sevilla la Nieva on the north coast in 1534. The town came under repeated attacks from pirates and the English over the next 120 years. Finally, in 1655 the English captured it and moved in. As was the custom of the day, the English soldiers were allowed to loot the town, but the citizens had fled with almost everything of value, and in their anger they burnt most of the houses down. The town remained the capital and was rebuilt with some splendid buildings, such as the Court House, Legislature and official residence of the Governor. Spanish Town was the administrative and judicial heart of the island, but Kingston was rapidly becoming the commercial center, and in 1755, exactly 100 years after the English took over Jamaica the capital was transferred to Kingston. After three years of litigation, however, the move was ruled illegal because Kingston merchants had bribed the Governor to sign the capital-changing decree and the King had never sanctioned it. Spanish Town became the capital again, but Kingston continued to prosper and in 1872 it was made the chief city again.

Most of the historic buildings are around the Park in the center of town, although the impressive cathedral is a few blocks south on Red Church Street. The Court House stands on the south of the Park. It was rebuilt after being destroyed by fire in 1985 and is now used for meetings. Kings House is in King Street on the western side of the Park although only the front of the original 1762 building remains. The rest of the building was destroyed by a fire in 1925 and rebuilt. The building has a special place in Jamaican history because it was from the steps that the proclamation of Emancipation was read on 1 August 1938. It was the Governor’s official residence until 1872, when the capital was transferred to Kingston. It now contains the Archaeological Museum with artifacts excavated at the site and exhibits tracing the history of the area between 1534-1872. The Jamaican Peoples Museum of Craft and Technology is in the former stables block. Exhibits include implements, machinery and utensils, and displays featuring the architecture and industrial culture used throughout Jamaican history. It also traces the links between the various cultures that have merged on the island from the original Amerindians. The Post Office is further along King Street. The Rodney Memorial flanked by cannon, on the northern side of the park commemorates Admiral George Rodney whose victory over the combined Spanish and French fleets at the Battle of the Saints in 63

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1782, almost certainly prevented Jamaica from falling into enemy hands. Why sculptor John Bacon should have portrayed Rodney wearing a Roman toga and carrying a scroll, is not clear. The National Archives are next to the Memorial and contain a number of fascinating documents, including a number about the Moravian Church, a missionary sect that spread through many of the Caribbean Islands educating the slaves. The House of Assembly on the east side of the park, was completed in 1762 although it has seen many changes since, which explains the contrast between the grand colonnade ground floor and the wooden first floor.

The Oldest Cathedral h e Cat h edr al of St Jam es (Jago de la Vega) is t h e oldest in t h e West In dies an d is on Red Ch u r ch St r eet a few blocks sou t h of t h e Par k. It is bu ilt on t h e sit e of a Span ish ch apel dest r oyed by En glish t r oops in 1655, an d was dest r oyed in 1712 by a h u r r ican e. It was r ebu ilt in r ed st on e in 1714 an d is t h e islan d’s secon d oldest st r u ct u r e aft er For t Ch ar les. It is n ow t h e An glican Cat h edr al Ch u r ch for t h e Jam aican Diocese. It h as m an y in t er est in g feat u r es an d som e beau t ifu l m ar ble t om bs, bot h in side an d ou t side in t h e cou r t yar d. It is open daily. Th e pu blic libr ar y is opposit e.

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Other sights include the busy little Market at the end of Adelaide Street that runs west from the Park. The tin-roofed market offers local produce, T-shirts and some souvenirs. Nature’s Habitat is a fishing and recreational facility with picnic area, playing area for children and a 9-hole mini golf course. The Baptist Church, on the corner of French and William Streets, was built in the late 1820s but badly damaged by a hurricane in 1951. At the time of Emancipation the missionary minister was the Rev. J. M. Phillippo. Just outside Spanish Town is Serenity Wildlife Park and Zoo with exotic birds, petting zoo, horseback riding, picnic area and restaurant. You can take the A1 north out of town to Bog Walk and then the secondary road east through Jackson to Sligoville, the former summer home of the Governor, and the first ‘free village’ founded after Emancipation in 1835 when the land was bought by the Rev. Phillippo and made available to former slaves who wanted to settle there. From Spanish Town the tour continues east on the A2. You can detour north on the small road through Innswood to Guanaboa Vale, where there are a number of interesting tombstones in the church cemetery. The settlement was the scene of an English mutiny in 1660. Close by is Mountain River Cave, noted for its Arawak rock paintings. You can return south through Springfield and Spring Village to rejoin the A2 for the drive through Tamarind to Old Harbour. To the south is Old Harbour Bay where Columbus is said to have seen manatees for the first time, and mistaken them for mermaids. Little

West of Kingston

Goat and Great Goat Islands lie offshore, and get their name from the custom of sailors leaving goats on easily accessible islands so there would be a fresh meat supply when they next sailed by. Little Goat was used by the US as a naval base for part of the Second World War. North of Old Harbour is the Little Ascot Race Course, and just to the northwest are the ruins of Colbeck Castle. The house, at one time the largest on the island, is believed to have been built by Colonel John Colbeck, an officer in Cromwell’s army that took the island in 1655.

MAY P EN The road continues to May Pen, the main town of the parish of Clarendon. Many of the towns and villages have the name Pen, and this denotes that they have grown from farms where livestock was kept in pens. From Old Harbour you can take the coastal road that runs south from Freetown to Salt River to Lionel Town. You can then explore the promontory as far as Mahoe Garden, and visit the Portland Lighthouse. Carlisle Bay lies to the west of the promontory and there is a nice beach at Jackson Bay that is part of it. You can then take the B12 north back into May Pen past Hayes and the quarries on the right and then Halse Hall Great House on the left, or through Alley and Race Course on the more westerly secondary road which rejoins the B12 just south of town at Curatoe Hill. Alley used to be an important producer of indigo and the surrounding Vere area was so prosperous that it had its own parish status. The former parish church of St Peter’s in Alley was built in

1715 and is noted for its organ. From May Pen continue on the A2 past the Denbeigh Agricultural Showgrounds to Four Paths and Toll Gate where the road splits. The B12 runs off to the left back down to the coast to Rest. Just south of Rest is the Milk River Spa at Milk River Bath, which has the highest naturally occurring radioactive water in the world. The water is very warm as it comes out of the ground and is said to have great therapeutic powers. From Rest you can get down to the small Farquhars Beach. It then runs along the south coast past Long Bay (not to be confused with Long Bay on the east coast, south of Boston) and Old Woman’s Point to Alligator. You can then head north again to reconnect with the A2 at Gutters, south of Mandeville.

MA ND EVILLE Our route continues along the A2 through Porus, at the center of an important citrus growing area, into sprawling Mandeville. It was named after Lord Mandeville, the eldest son of the Duke of Manchester, the Governor after whom the parish is named. Manchester parish is the island’s largest producer of bauxite, a red ore. This explains the red soil seen throughout the parish. Mandeville is the chief town of Manchester parish, Jamaica’s mountain resort, the island’s largest hill town and the fifth largest urban center. The town was laid out in 1816 and many of the original buildings can still be seen. Although only 64 miles (103km) from Kingston, Mandeville has a charm – and a climate – all of its own, as if it has been sheltered against all the developments in the capital and around the 65

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coast. It has a town square, parish church and clock tower, and many large, elegant early nineteenth-century houses to see along the winding streets. The square is more like a village green and Mandeville has been described as the most English town on Jamaica. It is now a tourist center with delightful and charming hotels and guesthouses, and the market town for the surrounding rich agricultural areas. You can buy a wide variety of fruit and nuts for a picnic from the roadside stalls. It is also a service center for the two nearby bauxite works.

Origin of the Ortanique he year round good weather brings out the best in Mandeville’s am ateur gardens, and the annual Spring Flower Show is well worth visiting. One of the town’s claim s to fam e is as the place where the juicy ortanique was cultivated. This unique Jam aican fruit was developed in the 1920s by C. P. Jackson, and gets its nam e because it is part orange, part tangerine and unique.

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Examples of the splendid architecture of Spanish Town

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Mandeville Hotel

E A T I N G

O U T

• IN AND AROUND MANDEVILLE AND THE SOUTH COAST• Rest au r an t s ar e gr aded $ in expen sive, $$ m oder at e, $$$ expen sive

Man c h e s te r Arm s Pu b an d Re s tau ran t $ $ - $ $ $

Bam b o o Village $ - $ $

Jam aican -Con t in en t al, Man deville Hot el, ☎: 962-9764

Ch in ese, War d Plaza, ☎: 926-4515

Co u n try Fre s h $ $ Hom e cookin g Jam aican , Ast r a Cou n t r y In n , ☎: 962-3265

Go lf Vie w $ - $ $ Jam aican -In t er n at ion al, Golf View Hot el, ☎: 962-4471

Villa Be lla $ $ - $ $ $ Jam aican an d gr eat br eakfast s, Villa Bella Hot el, ☎: 964-2243

Willo w s , $ $ Local-In t er n at ion al, In ver cau ld Gr eat Hou se an d Hot el, ☎: 965-2750

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Mandeville Square and Green are the heart of the town and surrounded by most of the oldest buildings. The Court House was built in the 1820s from locally hewn limestone blocks. Beside it is the former rectory, the oldest building in the town which over the years has been an inn, guesthouse and is now a private house. The Parish Church also dates from the early 1820s, while the Mandeville Hotel on Hotel Street is a town landmark. It was built as a barracks for English troops, later became the Officers’ Quarters and Mess, and in 1875 changed to a hotel. The Information Centre is at the Astra Inn on Ward Avenue, beyond the Tudor Theatre, and the

P l a c e s

Sugar Industry Research Institute is to the north off Kendal Road. There is a S.W.A. Craft Centre close to the Manchester shopping plaza, and the town market, just south of the square, sells fruit and vegetables, fresh fish and meat, including goat heads that are considered a delicacy. The railway station is just to the north at Williamsfield where there is also the small High Mountain coffee factory and the Pioneer Chocolate factory ☎: 963-4216, both of which can be visited. There are tours of the Coffee Factory where you can see the whole coffee process from the roasting of the beans to grinding and packing. By appointment ☎: 963-4211.

t o

V i s i t

In and around Mandeville Mars h all’s Pe n ☎: 963-8569.

Os tric h Park at Lac o via ☎: 997-6555.

YS Falls Th e falls can be visit ed fr om 9.30am t o 4.15pm Tu esday t o Su n day ☎: 997-6055. Sou t h Coast Safar is ☎: 965-2513,an d St Elizabet h Safar is ☎: 965-2374, r u n boat t ou r s of t h e Black River an d t r ips t o t h e YS Falls fr om Black River t own , daily bet ween 9am an d 3.30pm . Tou r s leave fr om t h e old r u m war eh ou se jet t y for t h e 7 m ile (11km ) gu ided t ou r.

Maggo tty Falls an d th e Ap p le Valle y Park ☎: 997-6000

Gle n w yn Halt ☎: 997-6036

Ap p le to n Es tate Th er e ar e t ou r s of t h e dist iller y an d t ast in g, daily bet ween 10.30am t o 6pm ☎: 963-2210.

Blac k Rive r Sp a ☎: 965-2255

Mayfie ld Ran c h ☎: 965-6234

Mayfie ld Falls ☎: 888-974-8000

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OTHER THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN AND AROUND MANDEVILLE.

T

he massive Alcan Kirkvine bauxite works are to the north east, and tours can be arranged. The Cecil Charlton Mansion is a mile and a half (2.5km) south of town on Huntingdon Summit. The unusual octagonal house looks out over pastures and corals with grazing cattle and horses, and there are aviaries in the garden.

About 10 miles (16km) north of Mandeville is the delightful hill town of Christiana. It is remarkably well preserved, the churches date from the mid-1800s and there are many fine old buildings. If visiting this market town, visit Hotel Villa Bella, a hill top plantation surrounded by citrus trees and coffee plants. You can enjoy traditional English tea on the verandah which offers stunning panoramic views, eat in the excellent restaurant, or stay overnight in one of the delightful rooms. You can also visit the Magic Toy Factory, which produces all wood toys and souvenirs. The Gourie Recreation Centre is just north of Christiana on the B5 and offers many hiking trails and the Gourie Cave the source of the Black River. Grove Place has the island’s largest livestock breeding research station. It is to the northwest on the B6 and further up the road is Mile Gully that has a pretty nineteenth century church. The Paul Cross Nursery, on Manchester Road, near Newleight Road, was started by a New Jersey Catholic priest as a self-help project.

Plants produced, mostly anthuriums, are mainly exported to the US. There is a charming courtyard area with lily pond and a large variety of orchids. You can also visit by appointment the gardens of Carmen Stephenson off New Green Road. She specializes in orchids, anthuriums and ortaniques. The beautiful grounds of the 120 year-old Manchester Club, off Caledonia Road, host championship golf and tennis tournaments during July. The 9-hole course is the Island’s and the Caribbean’s oldest, with a very English feel about it. Marshall’s Pen is an eighteenthcentury Great House on a 300-acre (120-hectares) cattle ranch and wildlife sanctuary. The former coffee plantation was bought by Arthur Sutton in 1939 and is now famous for rearing Red Poll calves. The present owner, Robert Sutton, is one of the Island’s leading ornithologists, and there are birding tours of the estate and almost 100 different species have been recorded. The estate can be visited by appointment only. Shooter’s Hill offers great panoramic views, and just to the east, 69

West of Kingston

Treasure Beach

Above: Negril, waters end Right: Negril Lighthouse

Treasure Beach

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close to the junctions of routes B4, B5 and B6 is the Pickappeppa factory, which produces a piquant pepper sauce, not unlike Worcestershire sauce, which is exported worldwide. Bill Laurie’s Steak House is rated one of the best in the Caribbean and overlooks Mandeville. It also has a museum of antique cars, carriages and license plates from all over the word. The area offers the chance for hiking, horse riding, birding and camping.

ON A LONG THE S OUTH COA S T From Mandeville the A2 runs to Spur Tree, the site of Marlborough Great House, built in 1795 in Palladian style, and then on to Wilton and Santa Cruz. It then runs along a stretch of highway known as Bamboo Avenue to Middle Quarters. For almost three miles (5km) the

towering bamboo forms a gently swaying tunnel. As this is a very popular scenic drive, there are the attendant vendors along the roadside, and if you are feeling hungry, you can snack on delicious shrimps. You can also visit one of Jamaica’s newest attractions, the Ostrich Park at Lacovia. This 100-acre (40hectare) working ostrich farm also features a collection of exotic birds, petting zoo, horseback riding and a food pavilion. There are a number of trips into the interior that can be taken here. It is worth taking the short detour north here on the B6 to YS (really Wyess, but almost always written as YS), north of Middle Quarters, to visit the YS Falls set in 2,000 acres (800-hecatres) of pastureland. The seven waterfalls cascade down about 120ft (37m) into the YS River that then runs south into the Black River.

Black River Safari Tour

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Gernman Origins ou can con t in u e n or t h on t h e B6 t o visit S eaford Town . Th e ar ea was set t led by a gr ou p of Ger m an s fr om Br em en in t h e 1830s an d wit h in t en year s, m or e t h an 1,500 h ad m oved in t o t h e set t lem en t t h an ks t o lan d gr an t s m ade available by Lor d Seafor d. He don at ed 500 acr es of h is West m or elan d Est at e t o en cou rage Eu r opean im m igr an t s. Each set t ler was given a sm all par cel of lan d, m ost ly for est t h at h ad t o be clear ed. Most of t h e fam ilies st ill h ave Ger m an n am es an d t h er e is a sm all m u seu m abou t t h eir h ist or y n ear t h e Cat h olic Ch u r ch .

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From YS take the right hand fork, still the B6, to Maggotty with the Maggotty Falls and the Apple Valley Park, in the center of town with fishing ponds and rods for hire, boating, trails, waterfalls and camping. Also visit Glenwyn Halt, on the riverbank just outside town with its thatched huts and local arts and crafts. In Appleton you must visit the Appleton Estate that produces what many people consider to be the world’s finest rum. From Maggotty you can continue north through Retirement to visit the Accompong Maroon Village, although if you are continuing round the coast to Montego Bay, it is perhaps better to take an organized tour from there. Return to the A2 that then runs south to the fishing village of Black River with its bright gingerbread houses along the water’s edge. The 72

town used to be a busy port, noted for the export of timber, sugar and honey. There is a popular produce market on Friday and Saturday. The Black River is the longest in Jamaica and one of the haunts of the rare Jamaica crocodile. It runs to the sea on the left hand side of the road through a marshy area. The Waterloo Guest House in Black River was the first property in Jamaica to have electric lights, and if you want to relax you can bathe in the Black River Spa or the nearby Crane Beach. From Black River you can drive south east through Watchwell to quiet Treasure Beach where you can watch the fishermen in the village at one end of this beautiful south coast beach in the parish of St Elizabeth. Treasure Beach really consists of four small bays, which in order from the north are Billys, Frenchmans, Calabash and Great Pedro. There are many walking trails in the area, especially around Great Bluff. You can eat at Jakes, or the Yabba Restaurant or Old Wharfe Restaurant, both at the Treasure Beach Hotel and offering Jamaican cuisine. The road then continues a short distance to Southfield, where you can ride at the Mayfield Ranch. You can take an exciting cycle trip or hike with Bike Mountain Water Fall Tours to visit Mayfield Falls. Continue to Yardley Chase where the road runs out near Lover’s Leap. According to legend, the 1,500ft 457m) sheer cliffs got their name because two young slaves who had fallen in love, jumped to their deaths rather than be split up. There are great scenic views along the south coast from the sheer cliffs that plunge to the sea. The area is open from 9am to 5pm daily. The island tour continues along the

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A2 which runs along the coast through Whitehouse and Bluefields, both of which have fine beaches, to Savannala-Mar, where the A2 ends. There is an early morning fish market at Whitehouse, and in 1670 adventurer Henry Morgan sailed from Bluefields for Panama where he achieved notoriety by sacking the city. Savanna La Mar has literally had a stormy existence, and has been hit several times by hurricanes. In 1748 ships sheltering in the bay in the shelter of Cabrita Point were driven by the winds onto the beach and wrecked. The town was almost totally flattened by a hurricane in

1780 and during a hurricane in 1912 the schooner Laconia was dumped in the middle of the main street. Today it lies rotting in the bay. The locals have long used the fort as a swimming pool, and if you look over the walls into the water you can see a large cannon resting on the seabed. When you arrive at the fort, you may come across Moses, the self-appointed guide, who has a fund of interesting information in return for an appropriate tip. The town is unusual in that it is almost entirely built along the sprawling Great George Street that runs for one mile (1.6km) to the fort on the waterfront.

NEGRIL AND THE WESTERN COAST

N

egril is the main resort area on the island’s west coast, and extends from the nineteenth-century Negril Lighthouse in the parish of Westmoreland in the south, to Bloody Bay in Hanover Parish in the north. Bloody Bay gets its name because it used to be a whaling station and whales would be hauled on to the beach to be cut up for their blubber. The Negril Bay waters are shallow and protected by the offshore reef. The coastline takes in seven miles (11km) of white sand beach, which centuries ago was used by pirates to bring their captured treasure ashore.

Calico Jack Rackham alico Jack Rackh am , t h e m ost n ot or iou s pir at e in Jam aica’s h ist or y, was t aken pr ison er at Negr il Beach in 1702 wh ile lan din g on t h e beach wit h An n e Bon n ey an d Mar y Read, t wo of h is fem ale cr ew. Calico Jack got h is n ickn am e becau se of h is pr efer en ce for Calico u n der wear. He was t r ied for pir acy an d h an ged, an d h is body left on display in an ir on fr am e. Th e t wo wom en bot h claim ed t o be pr egn an t so wer e spar ed deat h , bu t spen t som e t im e in pr ison .

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E A T I N G

O U T

Th e followin g sym bols ar e u sed: $ in expen sive, $$ m oder at e, $$$ expen sive.

Co u n try Re s tau ran t $ $

Be ac h Co m b e r $ $

Eric a’s Café $ $ - $ $ $

It alian , ☎: 957-4170

Seafood an d lobst er specialit ies, ☎: 957-4322

Café Au Lait $ $ Fr en ch -Jam aican an d good win e list , Mir age Resor t , ☎: 957-4471

Cap tain’s Tab le $ $ - $ $ $ Con t in en t al-Car ibbean , Poin cian a Beach , ☎: 957-4100

Ch are la In n $ $ Jam aican -Con t in en t al, Ch ar ela In n , ☎: 957-4277

Ch ar Grill $ - $ $ Seafood-Jam aican , Xt abi Resor t , ☎: 957-4336

Ch e z Mau ric e $ $ - $ $ $ Seafood-It alian , Hot el Sam sar a, ☎: 957-4395

Ch u c kle s $ Jam aican , Ch u ckles, ☎: 957-4250

Co c o n u t Palm $ - $ $ Car ibbean , Negr il Cabin s Resor t , ☎: 957-5350

Co ral Se as Be ac h $ - $ $ It alian , Cor al Seas Beach , ☎: 957-9226

Co ral Se as Cliff $ $

Veget ar ian , Cou n t r y Resor t Cot t ages, ☎: 957-4273

Fe ath e rs $ $ Past a-It alian , Swept Away Resor t , r eser vat ion s r ecom m en ded, ☎: 957-4061

Fu n Ho lid ay Be ac h $ $ Seafood, Nor m an Man ley Bou levar d, ☎: 957-3585

Gam b in o ’s $ $ It alian , Beach com ber Hot el, ☎: 957-4171

Hap p y Ban an as $ $ En glish pu b far e, West En d, ☎: 957-0871

Hib is c u s Din in g Ro o m $ $ Jam aican -Con t in en t al, T-Wat er Beach Hot el, ☎: 957-4270

Hu n gry Lio n $ - $ $ Veget ar ian -Seafood, West En d,

Kais e r’s Cafe $ - $ $ Jam aican , Ligh t h ou se Road, ☎: 957-4070

Ku yab a o n th e Be ac h $ - $ $

Seafood-Jam aican , ☎: 957-3147

Jam aican , Ku yaba on t h e Beach , ☎: 957-4318

Co s m o ’s Se afo o d $ $

Lio n ’s He ad Galle ry $ - $ $

Seafood-Jam aican , Nor m an Man ley Bou levar d, ☎: 957-4330

Jam aican -con t in en t al, Bar-B-Bar n Hot el, ☎: 957-4267

Co u n try Co u n try Be ac h Bar an d Grill, $ $

Man Frid ay’s Patio $ - $ $

Seafood an d gr ill, Cou n t r y Cou n t r y ☎: 957-4273

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Jam aican , Foot e Pr in t s, ☎: 957-4300

• IN AND AROUND NEGRIL •

Margu e ritaville $ $ Spor t s bar an d all day gr ill, 52 differ en t m ar gu er it as, Nor m an Man ley Blvd, ☎: 957-4467

Ro n d e l Village Re s tau ran t $ - $ $ Jam aican -Am er ican , Ron del Village, ☎: 957-4403

Marin e r’s In n $ $

Ru n aw ay Jam aic an

Seafood-Jam aican ,Mar in er ’s In n , ☎: 957-4348

Ru n away Bay, ☎: 973-2671

Me rrils $ $ Seafood-gr ill, Mer r ils Beach Resor t , ☎: 957-4741

Ne gril Tre e Ho u s e $ $ Jam aican , Negr il Tr ee Hou se, ☎: 957-4287

Orc h ard Te rrac e $ $ Jam aican -In t er n at ion al, Negr il Gar den s, ☎: 957-4408

Parad is e Gard e n Café $ $

Se e th in g Cau ld ro n $ $ Seafood-Jam aican , Negr il Beach Clu b, ☎: 957-4220

Silve r San d $ $ Jam aican -In t er n at ion al, Silver San d Hot el, ☎: 957-4207

Summe rs e t Village $ - $ $ Seafood-Jam aican , Su m m er set Village, ☎: 957-4409

Tan ya’s $ $

It alian , Poin t Village, ☎: 957-5170

Eu r opean -Nou velle Jam aican , Sea Splash Resor t , ☎: 957-4041

Parad is e Yard $ $

Un d a d e Th atc h $ - $ $

Mexican -Rast a, Savan n a-la-Mar Road, ☎: 957-4006

Jam aican -In t er n at ion al, Ch u ckles, ☎: 957-4250

Pic kle d Parro t $ $

Ve n d o m e $ $ - $ $ $

Am er ican -Jam aican , West En d Road, ☎: 957-4336

Fr en ch -Jam aican , Ch ar ela In n , ☎: 957-4277

Ric k’s Cafe $ $ - $ $ $

Village Co n n e c tio n $ $

Jam aican -Con t in en t al, vot ed on e of t h e wor ld’s t op t en bar s, Cliffside din in g an d cliff divin g, West En d, ☎: 957-0380

Jam aican , Poin t Village Resor t , ☎: 957-5170

Ro b in s o n Cru s o e $$- $$$

Xtab i $ $ Seafood, West En d, ☎ : 957-4336

Seafood, Foot e Pr in t s, ☎ : 957-4300

Ro c k Cliff $ - $ $ Jam aica-In t er n at ion al, Rock Cliffs Hot el, ☎: 957-4331

Ro c kh o u s e $ $ - $ $ $ New Jam aican cu isin e, Rockh ou se Hot el, ☎: 957-4373

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Then continue west through London to Negril. Negril is very popular and has grown rapidly in recent years. Most of this stems from the early 1960s when new roads and drainage canals were built, and it was then ‘discovered’ by the hippies who set up a colony. Their easy-going attitude remains today throughout the town that stretched for miles along the bay. Resort development is supposed to be carefully controlled, and no building by law is allowed to be taller than the tallest palm. Apart from the beautiful beaches, the waters offer world-class diving and a wealth of watersports. The tourist office, is in the Adrija Plaza De Negril, with the post office, police station and Negril Yacht Club further along West End Road, and the two-floor crafts market almost opposite on Lighthouse Road, where there is Island clothing, woodcarvings and local crafts. It opens early and closes late! The Anancy Family Fun and Nature Park on bustling Norman Manley Boulevard, has an 18-hole miniature golf course, go kart rides, mini-train, fishing pond, nature trail and three small museums. Because of the rapid resort development, you are likely to be hustled in Negril. Ignore the hustlers and enjoy the town. Its location on the west coast of the Island, means there are fabulous sunsets. The town boasts many fine resorts but you should try and check out the foyer of the Grand Lido with its marble reception area, waterfalls and Tiffany glass chandeliers. The hotel

76

also boasts the 147ft (45m) motor yacht Zein, which was the wedding gift from Aristotle Onassis to Prince Rainier of Monaco and Grace Kelly and used for their honeymoon. It is now used for sunset cruises. Opposite the Grand Lido is Hedonism 11, another Superclubs Resort where the bars and discos stay open to dawn. Booby Cay, the island at the northern end of the beach, was used during the filming of Walt Disney’s film ‘Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea’, and for some scenes from the James Bond film ‘Thunderball’. Negril Lighthouse, at the southern end of the bay, is the tallest structure in Negril at 100ft (30m) above sea level. It can be visited daily between 9am and 4pm. There are good views here of the West End Cliffs where cliff diving and sunset watching are popular pastimes. Much of the area inland is a huge marsh with mangroves and a wealth of water birds. There are also cruises (☎: 957-4323) to Negril’s Reef with visits to nearby coral islands, such as Booby Cay. Another mini-trip is to visit Whitehall Great House, ten minutes away, on a former 300-acre (129-hectare) pimento plantation. The great house was built by slaves at the end of the seventeenth century, but was damaged by fire in 1985 and has not been repaired. The estate is noted for a giant cottonwood tree reputed to be 900 years old and is the resting place of Robert Parkinson, who discovered the disease named after him. It is open daily.

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P l a c e s

t o

V i s i t

Negril Galleries Galle ry Ho ffs te ad

Le Bric a Brac

Plaza de Negr il, ☎: 956-2241

Negr il Beach , ☎: 957-4277

Ge rald in e Ro b in s West En d Road (u n list ed n u m ber )

Patric k We is e Stu d io Galle ry

Ko o l Bro w n

West En d Road, ☎: 957-4456

West En d Road, ☎ : 957-4361

Negril and the Western Coast Th e to u ris t o ffic e

Ne gril Ligh th o u s e ,

☎: 957-4243

Can be visit ed daily bet ween 9am an d 4pm .

Th e An an c y Fam ily Fu n an d Natu re Park ☎: 957-5100.

Wh ite h all Gre at Ho u s e Open daily.

LUCEA TO MONTEGO BAY

T

o most people this stretch of coastline is what the Caribbean is all about and what the perfect tropical beach should look like. Coral reefs off shore provide safe swimming in the clear, warm waters, the golden sand beaches are fringed with gently swaying palms that provide shade, and there are street stalls and beach bars providing Jamaican fast food, snacks and drinks.

Lucea, once a flourishing sugar port, still has a fine natural harbor and is a charming little town. It is the chief town of Hanover parish, and you can visit the eighteenthcentury Fort Charlotte that stands

on a promontory overlooking the harbor, the parish church with its steeple, and interesting tombstones in the cemetery. The nineteenthcentury Court House has a clock tower modeled after the helmet once 77

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worn by the German Royal Guard. The clock was made in 1817 and it is thought that the ‘helmet’ tower was sent by mistake but having arrived was erected anyway. Between Lucea and Sandy Bay there are miles of coastal mangrove swamps which are rich in bird and marine life. At Kenilworth there are the ruins of one of the best examples of old industrial architecture in Jamaica, including the remains of a sugar mill and distillery.

MONTEGO BAY Montego Bay, or Mo Bay as it is popularly known, is deservedly one of the most famous tourist destinations in the world. Over the years it has attracted the rich and the famous, and been the haunt of royalty. Many of their luxury villas still grace the hills with fabulous sea views. The bay offers wonderful beaches and the town has lots to offer. The town of Montego Bay is divided into two distinct areas, the residential and the tourist. The former is largely to the south of Sam Sharpe Square and west of St James Street until its junction with Barnett Street. The main tourist part of town, packed with vendors, stalls, higglers and hustlers, is east of Sam Sharpe Square nearer the waterfront, and most of the main resorts and hotels are to the north, between the town and the Sir Donald Sangster International Airport, or east of it. Today, Montego Bay is Jamaica’s second city with its international airport and modern cruise ship pier that make it the tourism capital of the north coast. It has four championship golf courses close by, and boasts one of the Island’s most beautiful beaches at Doctors’ Cave. 78

There are more guest rooms in and around Montego Bay than anywhere else on the Island, and some of the most luxurious private villas in the Caribbean. There are several all-inclusive luxury resorts, plenty of nightlife and a number of special weekly events. These include the Cornwall Beach Party, an Evening on the Great River – a torchlight ride in dugout canoes followed by dinner, dancing and entertainment – and MoBay Monday Night Out, an evening of traditional folk music and dancing and island fare.

A S HORT WA LKING TOUR OF MONTEGO BAY Sam Sharpe Square in the heart of Montego Bay makes a good place to start a walking tour of the town. The square, formerly called Charles Square, contains a collection of bronze statues sculpted by islandborn Kay Sullivan that show the Bible-thumping Sam Sharpe talking to four of his followers. The stone Cage is the other main feature of the square. The Cage was built in 1806 and originally used to hold captured runaway slaves and sailors, and those out after Curfew. Since then it has been a town lock-up, latrine, a clinic and a tourist office. It now houses a small museum. The square is still used for political and other local meetings, and it and the surrounding narrow streets, are filled with vendors selling everything from fresh produce and T-shirts to arts and crafts.

Opposite page: Montego Bay from Richmond heights

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Doctors Cave Beach

MONTEGO BAY

Sangster International Airport

U p p er

n Ki

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Post Office

Prin ce St

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Ba rn

B ar

et

n R et a i lw La a y La River Bay A ve Green

A v

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r Co

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ld i in a

e Av

Jarrett Park

d ge R

De an

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Fish La

St Perr y

Q u een St

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Cruise Dock Yacht Club Bob Marley Performance Centre

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et St M ark h St Ch u rc Water La

O ran g e

St St Jam es

The Court House Craft Market

d St Str an b ou r St H ar

BAY

U n io n

Payn e st

MONTEGO

Du ke St

The Sam Cage Sharp Square

T h

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Ta te o m St so cC n a tt St y St

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Mistaken Enemy ead n or t h on St Jam es St r eet past t h e m ain post office an d libr ar y, bot h on you r left , t h en For t St r eet t o t h e r u in s of For t Mon t ego (also kn own as For t Fr eder ick) t h at gu ar d t h e in n er h ar bor. Th e for t did n ot see an y ser iou s act ion alt h ou gh in 1760 on e of t h e can n on blew u p du r in g a vict or y volley t o celebr at e t h e su r r en der of Havan a, an d in 1794 t h e for t open ed fir e on wh at it t h ou gh t was a h ost ile Fr en ch sh ip, on ly t o discover it was an En glish sch oon er. For t u n at ely, t h e gu n n er s m issed t h eir t ar get . You can st ill visit t h e gu n bat t er y wit h it s t h r ee can n on an d t h e powder m agazin e. Th e For t Mon t ego cr aft s m ar ket is locat ed h er e.

H

Inland from the fort is the area known as Canterbury, a densely packed shantytown, and a stark contrast to the homes of the wealthy to be seen on the hills above the town. Gloucester Avenue, along the waterfront, has many of the duty-free shops. Head back into town and at the roundabout take Cooke Boulevard that runs along the waterfront to the Parish Wharf. Two blocks inland from Parish Wharf is Strand Street and the Strand Theatre. The Crafts Market is in Harbour Street beside the bay with The Creek running inland just to the south of it. The mini-bus terminal is alongside the craft market. The small promontory just south of the creek is Gun Point Wharf, and beyond that 80

are the banana wharves, and across the bay is the cruise ship dock on the man-made Freeport peninsula, which is also the home of the Montego Bay Yacht Club, and the Bob Marley Performing Centre. The area was reclaimed from the sea in the 1960s, by a combination of dredging and infill. If you follow the road by the Creek inland, you meet Barnett Street that runs southeast out of town. The railway station is off Barnett Street in Railway Lane, and a little beyond in Fustic Street is the produce market. Continue up Creek Street to the junction with Dome Street to visit the Dome. The structure was built in 1837 over the creek that used to supply the town with water. The Keeper of the Creek had his office and living accommodation on the first floor. Continue along Dome Street and turn right into Prince Street, where at the end of the road there is a path to the 82-foot (25m) deep Brandon Hill Cave. Return to Dome Street and turn right to its junction with Union Street. Just before the junction on the right is the Montego Bay High School, and round the corner in Union Street, on the right just before East Street is the old Slave Ring. Originally used to sell slaves, it later became one of the island’s most popular cock fight rings. Turn left into East Street then right into Church Street then left into Payne Street for the parish church, back near the square. St James Parish Church was started in 1775 and dedicated in 1778, and is regarded as one of the finest on the island. It was almost completely destroyed by an

West of Kingston

Montego Bay Marine Park n May 1990 t h e Mon t ego Bay Mar in e Par k was est ablish ed cover in g m or e t h an 9 sq m iles (15.3 sq km ), an d st r et ch in g fr om t h e Don ald San gst er In t er n at ion al Air por t t o t h e Gr eat River. Th e par k cover s a n u m ber of differ en t m ar in e en vir on m en t s wh ich can be visit ed an d st u died, an d allows wat er spor t s in design at ed ar eas. It s pu r pose is t o pr eser ve an d m an age Mon t ego Bay’s m ar in e r esou r ces for t h e ben efit an d en joym en t of t h e people of Jam aica as well as visit or s t o t h e islan d. Th e m ar in e r esou r ces in clu de t h e cor al r eefs, seagr ass beds, m an gr ove wet lan ds, an d all t h e fish , con ch , lobst er an d ot h er plan t s an d an im als livin g in t h e sea or alon g t h e sh or e lin e. Moor in g bu oys h ave been locat ed at leadin g dive sit es t o r edu ce an ch or dam age t o t h e cor al r eefs.

I

earthquake in 1957 but has been faithfully restored to its original appearance. The graveyard contains several elaborate tombs of planters. Montego Bay has several art galleries, including the Gallery of West Indian Art and the Bay Gallery. Other shopping opportunities include rum and island liquors, perfumes, glassware, English cashmere and local arts and crafts. There is also shopping at Freeport. The Burchell Memorial Church was established in 1824 by the Rev. Thomas Burchell, a Baptist missionary and outspoken abolitionist. Most of the early congregation were slaves, and Sam Sharpe was a deacon there.

OTHER THINGS TO S EE AND DO AT MONTEGO BAY The Barnett Estate Plantation offers a range of activities, including jitney tours of the historic sugar, banana and mango plantation. There are tropical gardens featuring native flora and fauna, and fine dining at the restored Sugar Mill. The estate covers 3,000-acres (1200-hectares) and stretches from

the sea to the mountains and offers great views over Montego Bay. There are guided tours of the Great House that contains a wealth of memorabilia about the many famous people who have entertained in the house over the past three centuries. The estate has been owned and run by the Kerr-Jarretts, one of Jamaica’s oldest families for 11 generations. Colonel Nicholas Jarrett came to Jamaica in 1655 with the British army to take the Island from Spain. The Belvedere Estate offers tours of the 1,000-acre (400-hecatare) working estate. The heritage tour with guides in period costumes, includes 14 delightful houses, each used for a different purpose, and explanations of bush medicine. There is also citrus and herb farming and the old sugar mill. Blue Hole Museum is in the hills 6 miles (10km) from Montego Bay. The museum’s exhibits include a reconstruction of an Arawak village, and there is a mini-zoo. There are tours of the eighteenth century Great House.

( Co n t in u e d o n p a g e 8 8 ) 81

West of Kingston

THE ORIGINS

OF

MONTEGO BAY

h en Colu m bu s fir st lan ded on Jam aica h e an ch or ed fu r t h er east in Discover y Bay. Aft er fou r days h e st ar t ed t o explor e west war ds an d sailed in t o Mon t ego Bay wh er e h e was able t o pick u p win ds t o sail back t o Cu ba. Becau se of t h is h e n am ed t h e bay Golfo de Bu en Tiem po, m ean in g t h e Gu lf of Good Weat h er. In t h e ear ly-seven t een t h cen t u r y, it was r en am ed by Span ish sailor s wh o an ch or ed offsh or e t o collect car goes of lar d. Th e ear ly est at es r en der ed an im al fat , fr om t h eir own cat t le an d slain wild pigs, t o pr odu ce lar d t h at was u sed aboar d for cookin g. Th e Span ish wor d for lar d is m an t eca, an d Mon t ego Bay fir st appear ed on Span ish m aps as Man t er ias in 1655. Ten year s lat er t h e islan d was in Br it ish h an ds an d t h e par ish of St Jam es was est ablish ed, alt h ou gh t h er e was n o set t lem en t at Mon t ego Bay becau se pir at es r aided t h e coast , an d h ost ile Mar oon s occu pied t h e in t er ior. Th e t own developed in t h e lat e-1700s, an d becam e a m ajor sh ippin g por t for su gar can e an d lat er ban an as, an d m an y of t h e est at e own er ’s fin e gr eat h ou ses, su ch as Gr een wood an d Rose Hall can st ill be seen on t h e ou t skir t s of t own . It was t h e scen e of Jam aica’s m ost im por t an t slave u pr isin g. It t ook place over t h e win t er of 1832-3 an d st ar t ed at t h e Ken sin gt on Est at e, abou t five m iles in lan d t o t h e sou t h east . It was led by Bapt ist Sam u el (Sam ) Sh ar pe wh o was an ou t spoken oppon en t of slaver y an d it sh ou ld h ave been a peacefu l sit -in over Ch r ist m as. Som e of h is su ppor t er s, h owever, br oke in t o t h e plan t at ion ’s r u m st or e, got dr u n k an d set fir e t o bu ildin gs an d t h e can e fields. Slaves on ot h er plan t at ion s join ed in an d it spr ead t o Mon t ego Bay. Th e r evolt t ook sever al m on t h s t o cr u sh an d Sh ar pe was h an ged in t h e squ ar e, bu t it did sow t h e seeds for Em an cipat ion t h at was gr an t ed by t h e Br it ish Par liam en t t wo year s lat er. Th e ar ea’s fir st h ot el open ed in 1924 an d as agr icu lt u r e h as declin ed, t ou r ism h as t aken over as t h e m ain in du st r y an d em ployer.

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82

West of Kingston

Opposite page: White sands of Montego Bay Above: Rose Hall Left: Lush Vegetation of Montego Bay Below: Sam Sharpe Square, Down Town Montego Bay

83

E A T I N G

Th e followin g sym bols ar e u sed: $ in expen sive, $$ m oder at e, $$$ expen sive.

Akb ars $ $ In dian , Glou cest er Aven u e, ☎: 979-0133

Am b ro s ia $ $ - $ $ $ Medit er r an ean , Rose Hall, ☎: 953-2650

Atriu m $ $ Con t in en t al-Jam aican , Mor gan Road, ☎: 953-2605

Ban an a Walk Re s tau ran t $ $ - $ $ $

O U T

Day- O Plan tatio n Re s tau ran t $ $ Seafood-Jam aican , Fair field, ☎: 952-1825

Dip lo m at $ $ - $ $ $ Open -air Con t in en t al, Qu een s Dr ive, ☎: 952-3353

Do lp h in Grill $ $ - $ $ $ Seafood-Con t in en t al, Rose Hall, ☎: 953-2676

Du n n ’s Villa $ $ Jam aican specialt ies, close t o t h e Wyn dh am Hot el, ☎: 953-7459

Fis h n ’ Bits $ $

In t er n at ion al, Seawin d Beach Resor t , ☎: 979-8070

Seafood, Jam aica Gr an diosa Resor t , ☎: 979-3205

Be lfie ld 1 7 9 4 $ $ - $ $ $

Fo u n tain Te rrac e $ $

Jam aican -Car ibbean , Bar n et t Est at e, ☎: 952-2382

It alian Seawin d Beach Resor t , ☎: 979-8070

Bre w e ry $ - $ $

Ge o rgian Ho u s e $ $

Pu b far e, Mir an da Ridge, ☎: 940-2613

Jam aican -Con t in en t al, Or an ge St r eet , ☎: 952-0632

Calab as h $ - $ $

Gre at Ho u s e Ve ran d ah $$- $$$

Jam aican ☎: 952-3891

Cas c ad e Ro o m $ $ Seafood-Jam aican , Glou cest er Aven u e, ☎: 952-3171

Cas tle s $ - $ $ 3 r est au r an t s offer in g gr ill, à la car t e an d bu ffet , San d Cast les, ☎: 953-3250

Co c o n u t Gro ve $ $ Jam aican -It alian , Doct or ’s cave Beach Hot el, ☎: 952-4355

Cru s o e ’s $ $ - $ $ $ Car ibbean , Wyn dh am Rose Hall Resor t , ☎: 953-2650

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Elegan t can dlelit din in g, Tr yall Clu b, ☎: 956-5660

Gre e n h o u s e $ - $ $ Jam aican -fast food, Glou cest er Aven u e, ☎: 952-7838

Gu an gz h o u $ $ Ch in ese, Mir an da Ridge Plaza, ☎: 952-6200

Ho u s e b o at $ $ Can dlelit fon du e, an ch or ed off Mon t ego Fr eepor t , ☎: 979-8854

Il Giard in o $ $ - $ $ $ Excellen t It alian , Half Moon Hot el, ☎: 953-2211

• IN MONTEGO BAY • Jamaka- Mi- Kraz y $ - $ $

Po rk Pit $ - $ $

Jam aican -seafood, on t h e beach 10 m iles (16km ) fr om Mon t ego Bay, ☎: 956-5448

Jam aican , Ken t Aven u e, ☎: 952-1046 Rich m on d Hill $$ Seafood-Con t in en t al, Rich m on d Hill In n , ☎: 952-3859

Ju lia’s $ $

Ris to ran te Il Giard in o $ $

It alian over lookin g t h e bay, ☎: 952-1772

It alian -Eu r opean , Half Moon Beach Clu b, ☎: 953-2211

Kin g Arth u r’s

Rite Stu ff Cafe $

Seafood an d Con t in en t al Rose Hall, ☎: 953-2022

Fast food-ice cr eam West gat e Plaza, 952-3199

La Sc ala $ $ - $ $ $

Ro yal Sto c ks $ $

It alian , Holiday In n , ☎: 953-2480

En glish pu b far e an d st eakh ou se, Half Moon Sh oppin g Village, ☎: 953-9770

Lu n a d i Mare $ $ - $ $ $ It alian fin e din in g, Wyn dh am Rose Hall Resor t , ☎: 953-2650

Se agrap e Te rrac e $ $ - $ $ $

Lyc h e e Gard e n s $ $

Nou velle Car ibbean , Half Moon Beach Clu b, ☎: 953-2211

Ch in ese, East St r eet , ☎: 952-9428

Se avie w Te rrac e $ $

Margu e ritaville Sp o rts Bar an d Grill, $ - $ $

Seafood-Jam aican -Con t in en t al, Holiday In n , ☎: 953-2485

Hot n igh t spot , fast food gr ill, r oof t op h ot t u b, Glou cest er Aven u e, ☎: 952-4777

Tap as $ $

Margu e rite ’s By Th e Se a $ $

Span ish -Ar abic, beh in d Cor al Cliff Hot el, ☎: 952-2988

Tas te o f Jam aic a $ $

Seafood-Con t in en t al, Glou cest er Aven u e, ☎: 952-4777

Exot ic West In dian , Half Moon Village Plaza, ☎: 953-2576

Th e Native $ $

To n y’s Piz z a $ - $ $

In n ovat ive Jam aican , Qu een ’s Dr ive, ☎: 979-2769

Pizza, Fan t asy Ar cade, ☎: 952-6365

Pe lic an $ - $ $

Seafood-Jam aican , Mon t ego Bay Clu b Resor t , ☎: 952-4310

Jam aican -In t er n at ion al, Glou cest er Aven u e, ☎: 952-3171

Pie r 1 $ $ Seafood-Con t in en t al, on t h e wat er fr on t , ☎: 952-2452

To p O’Th e Bay $ $

To w e r Re s tau ran t $ $ Jam aican , Seawin d Beach Resor t Village, ☎: 979-8070

To w n Ho u s e $ $ - $ $ $ Seafood-Con t in en t al, Ch u r ch St r eet , ☎: 952-2660

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P l a c e s

t o

V i s i t

Ac c o m p o n g Maro o n To urs

Th e Barn e tt Es tate Plantatio n

All day t ou r s t o visit t h e Mar oon s in Cockpit Cou n t r y. 8am . Tu esday, Th u r sday, an d Sat u r day ☎: 952-3539

It is open for t ou r s daily fr om 9am t o 5.30pm , an d in t h e even in g for din in g an d en t er t ain m en t . ☎: 952-2382.

Ap p le to n Exp re s s

Th e Be lve d e re Es tate

Air-con dit ion ed bu s r ide fr om Mon t ego Bay t o t h e Applet on Dist iller y in clu din g t ou r of Ipswich Caves an d t h e dist iller y. 8.30am t o 4pm Tu esday t o Th u r sday ☎: 952-6606

It is open fr om 10am t o 4pm , Mon day t o Sat u r day ☎ : 952-6001.

Aq u as o l Th e m e Park

Bo o no o no o no o s Be ac h Party

A $20 m illion at t r act ion t h em ed ar ou n d t h e su n an d t h e sea. It h as gr eat wat er at t r act ion s in clu din g a gian t wat er slide, bat h in g an d su n n in g ar eas, go-kar t in g, r est au r an t , spor t s bar an d n igh t clu b. ☎: 940-1344.

Tryall Water Wheel

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Blu e Ho le Mu s e u m It is open daily 9am t o 4pm . ☎: 995-2070

Live r eggae ban d, 3-cou r se Jam aican din n er open bar an d n at ive floor sh ow. 7pm t o 11 pm , Fr iday. Ch est er Cast le Gr eat Hou se is 14 m iles (23km ) west in Han over, an d is set in 100 acr es (80 h ect ar es). Th er e ar e all-day t ou r s.

Montego Bay Co c kp it Co u n try To u r

Jam aic a Qu e e n IV

9.30am t o 5.30pm , daily. Cor al See offer s su n set par t ies an d m ar in e san ct u ar y cr u ises. Th e vessel h as seat in g for 48 passen ger s wh o can see m ar in e life t h r ou gh viewin g win dows six ft below t h e su r face. Sh e depar t s fr om Pier 1. ☎: 971-1049.

A 61 foot (19m ) dou ble-decker, glass bot t om power boat wh ich offer s day, su n set an d din n er wit h dan cin g cr u ises ☎: 953-3392.

Co rn w all Be ac h Th is is t h e sm allest of t h e pu blic beach es in t h e ar ea offer in g wat er spor t s an d safe swim m in g. It is open daily fr om 9am t o 5pm .

Cro yd o n in The Mo untains A 132-acr e (53 h ect ar e) wor kin g plan t at ion in Cat adu pa (45 m in u t es fr om Mon t ego Bay). It s m ain cr ops ar e coffee, pin eapples, plan t ain s an d cit r u s. Gu ided 1/2 day t ou r. 10:30am t o 3pm , Tu esday, Wedn esday an d Fr iday ☎: 979-8267.

Do c to r’s Cave Be ac h Th e beach is open 8.30am t o 5.30pm , daily. Even in g on Th e Gr eat River : Can oe t r ip u p t or ch -lit r iver. Din n er, open bar m u sic an d folklor e sh ows. 7pm t o 11pm , Tu esday, Th u r sday an d Su n day.

Ham p d e n Gre at Ho u s e To u r Gr eat Hou se, r u m dist iller y an d fact or y t ou r Hilt on High Day Tou r : Con du ct ed fu ll day plan t at ion t ou r in clu din g br eakfast an d lu n ch wit h an en joyable Men t o ban d. 7am t o 3pm , Tu esday, Wedn esday, Fr iday an d Su n day ☎: 952-3343.

Lo llyp o p b y th e Se a Glass bot t om boat r ide wit h r eggae ban d an d din n er. Dan cin g on t h e beach . 7.30am t o12.30pm , Wedn esday.

Mis kito Co ve Be ac h Pic nic 1Oam to 4pm , Tuesday and Thursday. Mou n t ain Valley Raft in g at Let h e 1 h ou r r aft in g t r ip on Th e Gr eat River disem bar kin g at scen ic r ecr eat ion ar ea. An opt ion al h ayr ide an d plan t at ion t ou r is available. 9am t o 5pm , daily ☎: 952-0527.

Th e Ro c klan d s Bird San c tu ary at An c h o vy Bir d feedin g t akes place daily at 3.15 p.m . You can wat ch or you can h an dfeed t h e t am e bir ds you r self. ☎: 952-2009.

Tryall Wate r Wh e e l Th is gigan t ic wat er wh eel is n ear ly 200 year s old an d st ill t u r n in g. Th e wh eel was badly dam aged du r in g t h e 1832 u pr isin g, an d t h e dat e 1834 is t h ou gh t t o in dicat e wh en it was r ebu ilt . ☎: 956-5660.

Walte r Fle tc h e r Be ac h

Hilto n High Day To u rs

Beach wit h locker s, ch an gin g r oom s, sn ack cou n t er, gift sh ops an d boat cr u ises. 9am t o 5pm daily. Beach par t y Fr iday even in gs wit h live r eggae ban d, Jam aican din n er, open bar an d n at ive floor sh ow 7 t o 11pm .

Offer t et h er ed h ot air balloon r ides fr om Mon t ego Bay t o St Leon ar d, a 360 acr e (110h ect ar e) pr ivat e plan t at ion ☎: 952-3343.

Wyn d h am Ro s e Hall’s Su gar Mill Fall’s Wate r Park Th e lar gest in t h e Car ibbean wit h slides, t u be r aft in g an d pools.

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West of Kingston

P l a c e s

t o

V i s i t

Montego Bay Galleries Elgo ’s Art Galle ry Glou cest er Aven u e, ☎: 971-3310

Galle ry o f We s t In d ian Art

Ne ville Bu d h ais Galle ry Main Road, Readin g, ☎: 979-2568

Or an go Lan e, ☎: 952-4547

Su n Art Galle ry

Galle ry Ho ffs te ad

Half Moon Sh oppin g Village, ☎: 953-3455

Lu cea ☎: 956-2241

Th in gs Jam aic an

He ave n ’s Art Galle ry

Mon t ego Bay, Air por t ☎: 952-1936

2 Ch u r ch Lan e, ☎: 52-2852

Image s Half Moon Sh oppin g Village, ☎: 953-9043

Ke ith Ch an d le r

Th in gs Jam aic an 44 For t St r eet , ☎: 952-5605

Was s i Art Holiday In n Village, ☎: 953-2338

Rock Wh ar f, ☎: 954-3314

Doctor’s Cave Beach: World famous white sand and clear water beach believed to be fed by mineral springs. In 1906 the beach was donated to the town by Dr Alexander McCatty, an advocate of the therapeutic benefits of sea bathing. The cave was demolished during a hurricane in 1932. The area just inland from the beach was used as a burial ground. There is excellent snorkeling around the offshore reef, and glass bottom boats can be hired. Orange River Lodge is an eighteenth-century sugar estate, and a former cattle and citrus property. It is also a backpacker’s paradise. The 980 acres (392 hectares) nestle

88

in the hills about 25 miles (40km) south east of Montego Bay. The Great House overlooks the River Valley with guest rooms and hostel accommodation, as well as camping facilities. Activities offered range from walking, mountain hiking, birding and cycling to river bathing, swimming, canoeing and horseback riding. The Rocklands Bird Sanctuary at Anchovy, just inland to the south, features Doctor bird hummingbirds, the national bird, and other species only found on the island. The sanctuary and feeding station are run by the very knowledgeable Lisa Salmon.

West of Kingston

MONTEGO BAY TO PORT MARIA

T

he stretch of coast road (A1) east from Kingston passes a number of resorts and hotels between Mahoe Bay and Rose Hall, including Sandals Royal Caribbean, Caribbean Beach, Half Moon, The Palms and Wyndham Rose Hall Beach and Country Club.

Just inland from Little River is the magnificent stone Rose Hall Great House, which has been faithfully restored to its eighteenth-century Georgian elegance. Its white fronted facade is illuminated at night and looks splendid from a distance.

Continue east for about 5 miles (8km) from the turn off to another grand old house. Greenwood Great House is more than 200 years old, and was owned by the family of Elizabeth Barrett-Browning, the famous English poet. The museum

Ghost Story ose Hall Great Houser een wood Gr eat Hou se was said t o h ave been t h e fin est eigh t een t h cen t u r y Gr eat Hou se in t h e Car ibbean . Bu ilt bet ween 1770 an d 1780 by Joh n Palm er, t h e r epr esen t at ive of Geor ge 111, it was, accor din g t o legen d, lat er t h e h om e of An n ie Palm er, t h e beau t ifu l ‘Wh it e Wit ch ’, wh o m oved t h er e in 1820 an d r u led wit h in cr edible cr u elt y befor e m eet in g a violen t deat h . It is said sh e m u r der ed all h er t h r ee h u sban ds, as well as n u m er ou s slave lover s, befor e bein g killed h er self in bed by h er slaves in 1833. In 1978 a h u ge cr owd gat h er ed as psych ics t r ied t o com m u n icat e wit h h er gh ost . On e psych ic was led t o a lar ge t er m it e m ou n d t h at was br oken open an d in side t h er e was a br ass u r n con t ain in g a voodoo doll. It is a gr eat st or y bu t t h er e is n o solid eviden ce t o su ppor t it . It s pr esen t own er, US in du st r ialist Joh n Rollin s, r est or ed t h e h ou se in t h e 1960’s. He wen t t o gr eat len gt h s t o r e-fu r n ish it au t h en t ically. Th e h ou se con t ain s an t iqu es an d ar t t r easu r es fr om ar ou n d t h e wor ld, an d is open fr om 9am t o 6pm , daily ☎ : 953-2323. Th er e is a sou ven ir sh op in t h e old du n geon an d in An n ie’s Pu b t h er e ar e som e in t r igu in g ph ot ogr aph s t h at seem t o sh ow a gh ost ly figu r e lu r kin g in t h e backgr ou n d!

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89

West of Kingston

Above: Safari Village (near Falmouth), a popular location with film makers Right James Bond Beach Below: Falmouth Church

90

West of Kingston

contains one of Jamaica’s finest collections of antique furniture, musical instruments and maps. It is open daily from 9am to 6pm ☎: 953-1077. The route then passes Flamingo Beach and Salt Marsh on Half Moon Bay. Visit the Half Moon Shopping Village with its world-class shopping, restaurants and galleries. It is also the home of the Bob Marley Experience and Theatre which presents a 30-minute biographic documentary on the performer every hour on the hour. ☎: 953-3946. Then continue to the historic Georgian town of Falmouth. Laid out in 1790, Falmouth is considered the best-preserved Georgian town on the island, thanks largely to the efforts of the Georgian Society. Although many of the original shingle roofs have been replaced with zinc and tin, it is still easy to visualize how the town must have been in its heyday when it was the busiest port on the north coast. Today, fishermen sit on the grass banks mending their nets, while donkeys and goats often mingle with the townsfolk and tourists in the streets. The town’s prosperity, based on sugar cane, was short lived and by the mid-nineteenth century it had lost most of its trade to the new railhead at Montego Bay and the larger port and harbor at Kingston. Named after the Cornish port, Falmouth has many interesting old buildings, especially along Main Street, around Water Square and in Market Street, with its stone and wooden homes with elegant wrought iron balconies and Adam-style doorways and friezes. Main Street was used for the location of several of the scenes in the film Papillon, which starred

Steve McQueen. Wednesday, Friday and Saturday are market days, Wednesday for fabrics, clothing and crafts, and Friday and Saturday for produce. St Peter’s Church, built in 1795, in Duke Street is the second oldest church in Jamaica and noted for its stained glass windows, and there are usually craftsmen’s stalls in the church car park and nearby road. The old Courthouse dates from 1815, although it was burnt down about 10 years later.

Passionate Abolitionist h e William Kn ibb Pr esbyt er ian Ch u r ch is n am ed aft er on e of t h e islan d’s m ost passion at e abolit ion ist s. F or year s h e pr each ed t h at t h e slaves sh ou ld be fr eed, an d h is ser m on s so an ger ed t h e plan t er s, t h at t h ey r efer r ed t o h is ch u r ch as ‘Kn ibb’s pest ilen t ial pr ayin g h ole’. In 1834, h owever, wh en Em an cipat ion fin ally ar r ived, h u n dr eds of slaves flocked t o t h e ch u r ch t o offer t h eir t h an ks. It is said t h at du r in g t h e cer em on y, ch ain s an d sh ackles wer e bu r ied in a coffin , in scr ibed wit h t h e wor ds: ‘Colon ial Slaver y – died Ju ly 31, 1834 aged 276 year s’.

T

Barrett House was built by sugar millionaire Edward Barrett. It was one of the many homes owned on the island by the Barrett family, whose most famous member was writer Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Things to do in the area include a visit to the nearby Jamaica Safari 91

West of Kingston

Village, a crocodile exhibition and farm with Leah the lioness, snakes, mongoose, petting zoo and bird sanctuary.

Film Set ans of Jam es Bond film s will recognize this as the location of the fam ous scene from Live and Let Die, where the super spy escapes from an island by using the crocodiles in the water as steppingstones! The safari village was also used to film som e of the scenes in Papillon . There are guided natural history tours 9am to 5pm , daily ☎: 954-3065.

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Martha Brae used to be a Spanish settlement called Melilla, and was the largest town in the area before Falmouth was established. Its main claim to fame is the massive wooden waterwheel, the oldest in the Western Hemisphere. The wheel was used to pump fresh water to

Falmouth, long before New York was receiving piped drinking water. Martha Braed, according to legend, was the daughter of an Arawak Chief. She was forced by the Spanish to lead them to a cave where they believed they would find gold. Having led them into the cave, she is said to have used her magical powers to divert the river into the cavern so that all the Spanish drowned. More likely, the town was named after the wife of a local estate owner, but even she was reputed to have been a witch. Martha Brae Rafting ☎: 9520889, offers a 75-minute river trip aboard 30-foot (9m) bamboo rafts that begins at Rafter’s Village, 4 miles from Falmouth. The river trip passes the Good Hope Estate, which can be visited from Falmouth by taking the Good Hope Road. The elegant Great House on the Good Hope Estate was built in 1755 and has been carefully restored and refurbished, and has ten guest rooms, all with four-poster beds. Facilities include swimming pool,

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O U T

• IN AND AROUND FALMOUTH• The following symbols are used: $ inexpensive, $$ moderate, $$$ expensive.

Jam aic a Ro o m $ $

Ch a Ch a Ch a Re s tau ran t $ - $ $

Palm Te rrac e $ - $ $

Seafood-Jam aican , open all day, Rose’s By Th e Sea ☎: 954-4078.

Glis te n in g Wate rs $ $ Glist en in g Wat er s an d Mar in a, ☎: 954-3427

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Jam aican , Tr elawn y Beach Hot el, ☎: 954-2450 Jam aican -Con t in en t al, Tr elawn y Beach Hot el, ☎: 954-2450

West of Kingston

tennis courts, riding stables and trails, and bird sanctuary. The 2,000-acre (800 hectare) grounds have a number of historic buildings and contain a water wheel and plantation equipment. Formerly a sugar plantation, the main crops are now papaya, ackee, citrus and anthuriums. Visit Luminous Lagoon at Oyster Bay, just east of Falmouth, which gets its name because of the high concentration of bio-luminous micro-organisms in the water which glow at night when disturbed by a swimmer or a boat. There are nightly guided tours with Glistening Waters, ☎: 954-3229. From Falmouth you can also take either the Good Hope or Perth Town roads inland to visit the Windsor Caves, which are easily accessible and huge. The coast road runs past Trelawny Beach, White Bay, Coral Spring and Silver Sand to Duncans, where you can take inland road B10 to Clark’s Town on the eastern edge of Cockpit Country. This section of coastal road is known as the Queen’s Highway and as you drive along you will notice tall metal posts driven into the verges on either side of the road. These were erected to deter light aircraft from landing on the road to pick up drugs. The planes could land on the road, pick up their illegal cargo and take off in a few minutes. Approaching traffic would be held up by men pretending there had been an accident ahead. If any plane attempted to land, the metal posts would rip off its wings.

COCKP IT COUNTRY This is a fascinating area not just because of its strange geological formations but also because of

its rich and proud history. The landscape was carved by water erosion eating into the soft limestone, a process known as karstification. Over a million years or so, water carved out this weird landscape. Harder areas of rock stand out as pinnacles, and the whole region is a mass of caves, natural tunnels, gullies, crags, hillocks and pits covering the southern half of Trelawny parish, an area of more than 500 sq miles (806 sq km). It is the pitted nature of the area that gives it its name and the dense forest cover made it the ideal refuge for the Maroons, the runaway slaves who defied all attempts by the British to capture them, and eventually achieved a sort of self-rule status. The Maroons were the former slaves of Spanish estate owners who fled when Britain invaded in 1655. The Spanish fled to Cuba and their slaves took to the densely forested mountains to avoid being enslaved by the British. It is not known where the name Maroon came from, but the most likely explanation is that it was either from the French word ‘marron’ for a runaway slave, or from the Spanish ‘cimarran’, which meant ‘wild’. There were two major Maroon communities, one based in the Blue Mountains, the Windward Maroons led by Quao and national heroine Nanny, and the other in the nearimpenetrable Cockpit Country, the Leeward Maroons led by Kudjoe. The Maroons proved amazingly versatile at surviving in this harsh environment. They tilled gardens in the soils in the base of the pits, some of which were vast. Their numbers grew as other runaway slaves joined them, and all the time they fought a running guerilla war against the 93

Above and Inset: Columbus Park, Jamaica’s only open-air museum Right: Dunn’s Falls Opposte page above and below: Discovery Bay Opposte page background: Discovery Bay

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British and the plantation owners. Repeated attempts to capture them failed, and in 1738 the British sued for peace. Under the terms of the peace agreement signed on 1 March 1739, they were granted 2,500 acres (1000 hectares) of land and given self-rule of their territories. In a classic case of poacher turned gamekeeper, the Maroons were then employed by the authorities to track down escaped slaves, and they helped put down the uprising led by Tacky in 1760. The peace was relatively short lived, however, and fighting broke out between the Maroons and the British after the authorities breached the treaty agreement. Vastly outnumbered by a huge and heavily-armed British force, the Maroons agreed to surrender on condition they would not be killed or transported. Even then, the British broke their word, and as the Maroons gave themselves up they were herded aboard ships and sent to Halifax in Nova Scotia, and after four years of deprivation in Canada, they were then transported to Sierra Leone in West Africa. Little remains of the Maroon presence but the Maroon Town Barracks survives at Flagstaff just to the east of Maroon Town in the heart of Cockpit Country, and you can visit their main settlement at Accompong, named after Kudjoe’s brother. The Maroons still have their own council and elect their own ‘Colonel’ as leader. The Accompong Maroon Festival is held every January. Our tour continues by taking the coastal road to the small historic port and fishing town of Rio Bueno that is worth exploring. It has a number of old buildings and warehouses, fine old churches and Fort 96

Dundas, built in 1778, to protect the once thriving port. Scenes from the film ‘A High Wind in Jamaica’ were filmed here. The picturesque Anglican Church was built in 1883 and the Baptist Church in 1901. You can visit the Arawak Caves with their rock carvings and artifacts, and the gallery and workshop of Joe James, an internationally acclaimed artist and woodcarver. His extensive studios and gallery are part of the Hotel Rio Bueno, next to the Anglican church. Continue past the Rio Bueno Travel Halt, a rest stop, to Bengal Bridge, first built in 1798, over the Rio Bueno, which is the boundary between Trelawny parish in Cornwall, and St Ann’s in Middlesex. The road then runs to Columbus Park and Discovery Bay.

Mystery h e ar ea was or igin ally n am ed Pu er t o Seco (dr y h ar bor ), bu t was ch an ged t o com m em or at e t h e lan din g of Colu m bu s. Act u ally wh er e h e lan ded is st ill h ot ly dispu t ed by h ist or ian s, an d som e in sist h e fir st cam e ash or e at Rio Bu en o, t h e n ext r iver in let t o t h e west .

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The area has prospered because of the bauxite quarry inland run by Kaiser Jamaica, although Discovery Bay is still a small quiet town. Just to the west of town is a marine coral research center run by the University of the West Indies. Columbus Park is Jamaica’s only open-air museum located on a bluff overlooking the Bay marking the spot where Columbus first landed. The museum displays cannon, old

West of Kingston

agricultural equipment and relics of Jamaica’s past. It is open daily. From Discovery Bay you can take the inland road to connect with the B3 that goes to Brown’s Town that is worth a short detour. At Orange Valley, you can visit the privately owned 2,300-acre (920 hectare) estate with its large and unusual ‘H’ shaped Great House. You can see the old stone slave hospital and the eighteenth-century sugar mill and equipment, which was in use until the Second World War. Tours can be arranged through the estate office. There were and still are many large estate in this area, including the Minard Estate with two great houses – New Hope and Minard. Brown’s Town became a busy market town because it developed at the intersection of several important roads. Founded by Irishman Hamilton Brown, it is now a delightful, unspoiled hill town, with a traditional market held every Saturday.

RUNAWAY BAY If you continue south on the B3 and then take the road to Nine Mile from Alexandria, you can visit the birthplace and mausoleum of Rastafarian reggae superstar Bob Marley. His tomb is in a small chapel on top of the hill, and is regarded by many as a shrine, constantly visited and covered in flowers. Every February on his birthday, allnight memorial concerts are held. Back at the coast, the road runs past the Runaway Caves to Runaway Bay. There are two theories as to how the bay got its name. One is that it was where slaves escaping from the plantations would make for and then try to flee the Island in canoes. The other explanation is that it was named by the English because it was where the Spanish Governor fled the Island for Cuba when the English invaded in 1655. Both slaves and the Governor are said to have hidden in the

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O U T

• IN AND AROUND RUNAWAY BAY• Th e followin g sym bols ar e u sed: $ in expen sive, $$ m oder at e, $$$ expen sive.

Gre at Ho u s e Din in g Ro o m $$- $$$ Jam aican , ☎: 973-2436

Re nais s anc e Re s tau ran t $ $ - $ $ $ Fr en ch , Am bian ce Jam aica Hot el ☎: 973-4705

Se a Sh an ty Re s tau ran t $ $ seafood, Por t side Villas ☎: 973-2007

Lo b s te r Bo w l $ - $ $

Se avie w Re s tau ran t $ $

Jam aican -In t er n at ion al, Hot el Rio Bu en o, ☎: 954-0046

Jam aican -Con t in en t al, Clu b Car ibbean ☎: 973-3507

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caves during the day. Today the caves offer welcome shade for the tourists who descend on to the beaches, and the cave network runs for about 10 miles (16km). The main feature of the caves, which can be visited by boat, is the Green Grotto, 150ft (46m) below ground. Nearby, you can tour the Circle B Farm that still produces fruits and has the ruins of Jamaica’s first sugar factory. Dover Raceway, south of Runaway Bay, has both car and motorcycle racing, sometimes with international drivers. Outside Runaway Bay there is the Columbus Monument and the Seville Estate, the site of Sevilla La Nueva, the first Spanish settlement on Jamaica. There is an ongoing program of archaeological excavations to unearth the island’s past. Seville Great House and Heritage Park, seven miles (11km) west of Ocho Rios, traces the inhabitants of

the island back more than 1,500 years to the Tainos, the first Arawakspeaking Amerindians, who called the area Maima. Artifacts from this earliest era are displayed at the Great House. The Park also contains the site of the Spanish Church of Peter Martyr, the ruins of a Spanish fortified castle and the base of a very early Spanish sugar mill. The English named the estate Seville. You can tour the Great House built around 1745 and explore the ruins of the aqueduct and water powered sugar mill, stone wharf, and an African slave settlement area.

S A LEM TO OCHO RIOS The road continues east through Salem, where there are eateries, to Chukka Cove where there is Chukka Cove Farm with the most complete

Carvings at the Craft Market, Ocho Rios

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Harmony Hall, Ocho Rios

National Hero ar cu s Gar vey is cr edit ed wit h m u ch of t h e ideology beh in d Rast afar ian ism , wit h h is r allyin g cr y of: ‘On e God, On e Aim , On e Dest in y’. His aim was t o lead h is people back t o t h eir bir t h r igh t in Afr ica, an d in 1914 h e fou n ded t h e Un iver sal Negr o Im pr ovem en t Associat ion (UNIA). Based in Kin gst on , it sou gh t t o cr eat e a wor ldwide coalit ion of black people wh o wou ld su st ain t h e econ om ic, cu lt u r al an d spir it u al r ebir t h of Afr ica. In or der t o gain a wider au dien ce, h e m oved t o t h e Un it ed St at es wh er e h e lau n ch ed t h e Negr o Wor ld n ewspaper. It h ad im m ediat e appeal am on g it s t ar get au dien ce an d was soon bein g sold in 40 cou n t r ies wor ldwide, alt h ou gh it s ideas m ade h im u n popu lar wit h m an y gover n m en t s an d m u lt i-n at ion al com pan ies wh o saw t h eir in t er est s t h r eat en ed. In 1922 h e was ch ar ged wit h m ail fr au d – h e was alm ost cer t ain ly fr am ed – an d was sen t t o pr ison , bu t r eleased ear ly in 1924 an d depor t ed t o Jam aica. In 1927 h e m ade a speech in Kin gst on in wh ich h e said a black kin g wou ld be elect ed in Afr ica. Th e kin g was Haile Selassie of Et h iopia, wh o becam e t h e Black Messiah of Rast afar ian s. Man y Jam aican s, sever ely h it by t h e Depr ession , qu ickly adopt ed t h e n ew r eligion . Gar vey con t in u ed t o pr om ot e t h e UNIA an d m oved it s h eadqu ar t er s t o Lon don in 1935, wh er e h e died five year s lat er. He n ever m an aged t o visit Afr ica.

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equestrian facility in the Caribbean. Continue to Priory and you can make a small detour inland to the Circle ‘B’ Plantation, where there are walking tours through this small working plantation. Lunch is available. St Anns is the main town of St Anns parish, and its main claim to fame is as the birthplace of national hero Marcus Garvey. You can also visit the courthouse built in 1860, and the 1750 stone fort, one of the many built along the north coast to protect the harbors from attacks by pirates. The fort was built from stones from the ruins of Sevilla La Nueva. A small detour from St Anns takes you south through Higgin Town and Claremont to Pedro, where you can visit the ruins of Edinburgh Castle. This small home was unusual because of its circular towers, and was the home of Lewis Hutchinson, the infamous eighteenth-century mass murderer, known as ‘the mad doctor’. He ‘befriended’ travellers by offering them accommodation, and robbed and killed at least 40 people, mostly by shooting and then beheading! He was captured while trying to flee by ship after killing a neighbor, and hanged in Spanish Town in 1773. In his will he left £100 for the construction of a memorial. The memorial was not built but it is not known what happened to the money – a sizeable sum at the time. From Pedro you can also drive eastwards to Moneague and then south a short distance to Schwallenburgh, where there is a wonderful orchid sanctuary (there is a smaller sanctuary at Martin’s Hill in Manchester). At Schwallenburgh there are about 15,000 plants representing about 60 species. 100

Dunn’s River Falls and Park, between St Anns Bay and Ocho Rios, is worth visiting for the unique chance to try your hand at waterfall climbing. The wide falls, surrounded by lush vegetation, cascade more than 600ft (183m) in gently sloping terraces that can be scaled. Guides will help you make the slippery ascent, and point out the best route, in return for a tip. There are even night tours of the falls that you climb after dinner. The waters then flow into the Caribbean, and it was in this area that the battle of Los Chorreros was fought, when a Spanish expeditionary force from Cuba was beaten by the English. You can swim in the waters and there is a snack bar and toilets. The park is open from 8am to 5pm daily ☎: 974-2857. There is a second, less visited, waterfall about one mile west on the Roaring River.

OCHO RIOS Ocho Rios is the second major tourist town on the north coast with a wide range of accommodation, excellent beaches, airstrip and modern cruise facilities. Each year it attracts more than 700,000 tourists, about 350,000 of these from cruise ships, and a major initiative is under to way to upgrade visitor facilities with information booths, toilets, more signs and guides, and a promenade from Reynolds Pier to Dunns River. There has been a crack down on hustlers and illegal vendors, and residents and businesses are being encouraged to plant flowers and trees and properly maintain properties. The town makes a great base for exploring both the coast and the lush interior with its fast flowing rivers and the many waterfalls, working plantations and beautiful

West of Kingston

tropical gardens. The combination of sunshine and rainfall are ideal for flowering plants, and the area is usually a blaze of bright hibiscus and poinsettia. If you don’t want to spend all your time on the beach or in the water, you can go Calypso rafting or hiking.

The tourist development stems from the 1960s when the harbor was dredged and the white sand beach reclaimed. The remains of the fort are just to the west of town, near the bauxite terminal, and were built in the late seventeenth-century. The town has a bustling market and a range of eating places, and the most popular attractions include the Mistaken Name Carinosa Tropical Garch o Rios is u n like m ost ot h er dens, Shaw Park Gardens n or t h coast t own s t h at u sed t o which offer stunning be bu sy lit t le por t s an d ar e n ow sm all views over the town and fish in g villages. Wh at was on ce a qu iet out to sea, and Fern Gully fish in g village is n ow a popu lar t ou r ist which runs south of town. cen t r e an d bu sy por t , wit h bau xit e sh ipA new by-pass now diverts m en t s accou n t in g for m u ch of t h e t r affic. most traffic around the Och o Rios was n am ed aft er a bat t le wh en a town making it much Span ish expedit ion ar y for ce fr om Cu ba was easier to stroll around. r epelled by t h e En glish . Th e Span ish called Carinosa is just south of t h e ar ea ‘ch or r er os’ (Span ish for wat er fall) town, set in a beautiful river becau se of t h e lar ge n u m ber of wat er falls gorge that runs through in t h e ar ea, bu t t h e En glish m isin t er pr et ed tropical rainforest. It has t h is as och o r ios, m ean in g eigh t r iver s, an d waterfalls, hanging garden, t h is is t h e n am e t h at st u ck. Man y of t h e garden walks, aquarium ar ea’s wat er falls h ave n ow been t apped t o and lakes, and is noted for su pply h ydr oelect r ic power t o t h e r esor t s. its huge collection of orchids and ferns.

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Ocho Rios Galleries Th e Art Mark

Fram e Ce n tre Galle ry

58 Ocean Village, ☎: 974-2243

9 Islan d Plaza, ☎: 914-2374

Bib i’s Co lle c tib le s

Galle ry Jo e Jam e s

Ocean Village Sh oppin g Cen t r e, ☎: 974-5155

Rio Bu en o, ☎: 954-0046

Fo u r Co rn e rs Galle ry

Taj Mah al Sh oppin g Cen t r e, ☎: 974-2769

121 Main St , ☎: 929-2846

Tre as u re Ch e s t

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• AROUND OCHO RIOS• Th e followin g sym bols ar e u sed: $ in expen sive, $$ m oder at e, $$$ expen sive.

L’Alle gro $ - $ $

Seafood, Main St r eet , ☎: 974-1461

Mallard s Co u rt $ $

Italian, Jam aica Grande, ☎: 974-2201

Nightly them e parties with entertainm ent, Jam aica Grande, ☎: 974-2201

Alm o n d Tre e $ $

Min n ie ’s $ - $ $

Jam aican -Con t in en t al, pop in t o t h e bar an d discover wh y it is always swin gin g, Hibiscu s Lodge Resor t , ☎: 974-2333

Veget ar ian an d seafood, on t h e beach at Car ib, ☎: 974-0236

Blu e Can tin a $ $ Mexican , Main St r eet , ☎: 927-1700

Bo ugainville a Te rrac e $ $ - $ $ $ Jam aican -Con t in en t al, Plan t at ion In n , ☎: 974-5601

Oc h o Rio s Je rk Ce n te r $ - $ $ Jam aican , Main St r eet , ☎ : 974-2549

Parkw ay $ $ Jam aican , Par k-Way In n , ☎: 974-2667

Pas s age to In d ia $ $

Cafe Jam aiq u e $ - $ $

In dian , Main St r eet , ☎: 795-3182

Jam aican -fast food, Jam aica Gr an de, ☎: 974-2201

Th e Re s tau ran t $ $ - $ $ $

Cu tlas s Bay Palm Te rrac e $ - $ $ Jam aican -Am er ican -Con t in en t al, Sh aw Par k Beach Hot el, ☎: 974-2552

Do u b le V $ - $ $ Best jer k in t h e ar ea, Main St r eet , ☎: 974-5998

Drago n s $ - $ $ Ch in ese Jam aica Gr an de, ☎: 974-2201

Gou r m et din in g, Har m on y Hall, ☎: 975-4478

Ru in s $ $ Ch in ese, Dacost a Dr ive, ☎: 974-2789

Sand c as tle ’s Re s taurant $ $ Jam aican -Con t in en t al, San dcast le’s, ☎: 974-2255

Se a Palm $ $ Jam aican -In t er n at ion al, Golden Seas Beach Resor t , ☎: 975-3540

Harm o n y Hall $ $ - $ $

Up to n Ho u s e o n th e Gre e n $ $ - $ $ $

Jam aican , Har m on y Hall Galler y, ☎: 975-4478

In t er n at ion al-Jam aican , San dal’s Golf an d Cou n t r y Clu b, ☎: 975-0122

Jam aic a In n $ $ - $ $ $

Ve ran d a Café $ - $ $

Gou r m et din in g, r eser vat ion s, Main St r eet , ☎: 974-2514

Con t in en t al, Com for t Su it es, ☎: 974-8050

Little Pu b $ - $ $ Jam aican -Seafood, Lit t le Bay, ☎: 974-2324

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Lo b s te r Po t $ $

Fern Gully

There is good shopping in town and at Ocean Village, and there is a Craft Park and Old Market Craft Shoppes. The post office is on Main Street, and the tourist office is in the Ocean Village Shopping Centre. From Ocho Rios continue along the coast through Frankfort to Harmony Hall. It is about 4 miles (6km) east of town and was built in the mid-nineteenth century as a Methodist manse next to a pimento estate. Today it is a showcase for many of the island’s most talented artists and craftsmen and very well presented. There is an art gallery, craft center, bookshop and boutique and restaurant. It is open from 10am

to 6pm daily. ☎: 974-4478 Continue through Caribbean Park and Jamaica Beach to Rio Nuevo, the site of a battle where the Spanish defeated the English. The battle site is open daily from 9am to 4pm. The road then goes through Salt Gut and Boscobel Beach to Oracabessa and the very popular James Bond Beach, where you can often listen to live reggae performances. See how many Bond film titles you can spot. For instance, the ticket booth is called Money penny and the Changing Rooms bear the sign ‘For Your Eyes Only’. A little further on you pass Firefly, the former home of Noel 103

West of Kingston

Coward and now preserved as he left it, thanks to a $250,000 restoration program. It was named after the luminous fireflies seen after dark. The late playwright discovered the site in 1948 while holidaying on the island and staying with Ian Fleming nearby. He bought the 5-acre (2-hectare) hilltop plateau and built the house in 1956 as a retreat. Many of the world’s greatest film stars and members of the Royal family were entertained here and he loved it so much he chose to be buried in the grounds. The spot where the property is located was originally known as Look-Out and had been used by the buccaneer Sir Henry Morgan 300 years earlier to keep watch for pirates. The studio where Noel Coward worked has magnificent views, and he called it ‘the room with a view’. Just outside is a marvelous statue of Noel Coward sitting on a bench and looking out to sea. The tour includes a 20-minute biographical video and a walk through the house and grounds. There is an admission fee. The house is preserved as he left it and is now a museum on the life and lifestyle of Noel Coward. There is a small restaurant offering light lunches and afternoon tea. The house and grounds are open from 8.30am to 5.30pm Monday to Saturday ☎: 997-7201. Further down the road is Goldeneye, the home of Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond, but it is not open to the public. Sprawling Port Maria is the capital of St Mary’s parish. There is a monument to slave leader Tacky who led an unsuccessful uprising in 1760. The revolt started on the Frontier estate that is at the eastern end of the bay. On the outskirts 104

of town are the ruins of Fort Haldane.

BA CK TO KINGS TON The road then runs inland to Whitehall. Here, you can continue on the A3 to return to Kingston on the route described as part of the eastern tour. Alternatively you can take the B2 to Richmond, Cuffy Gull and Bog Walk and then either take the A1 to Spanish Town and Kingston, or cut through the mountains on the secondary road via Jackson, Sligoville and Swain Springs for Kingston. This route passes a number of peaks, including Copper’s Hill 2419feet (739m). If you cut across to Bog Walk you can head north on the A1 for about 3 miles (5km) to Linstead, which is a busy little market town, before returning back to Kingston, via Wakefield and Hampden Great House, built in 1779 by Scotsman Archibald Stirling. The house which looks as if it should be somewhere in the Scottish Highlands, is the only Great House on Jamaica with a full two-storied gable wing. The present family, which has owned the house since 1852, escorts you on tours of their home. Of special interest are the magnificent mahogany floors and island mahogany furniture. Mahogany was used not just because it produced some wonderful results, but because it was so hard, it was one of the most resistant timbers to termite attack. The house is set in a 600-acre (240hectare) sugar estate with working sugar factory. During the harvest that runs from January to July, the factory operates around the clock six days a week. The house is open from 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday ☎: 995-9870.

of Kingston P l a cWest e s t o

V i s i t

Ocho Rios Sh aw Park

Jo lly Ro ge r Cru is e s

A tropical garden with waterfalls overlooking the town, and hundreds of species of tropical flowers and birds. It is open from 7.30am to 5.30pm daily.

Tironga run day and night cruises from Ocho Rios Harbour aboard an old wooden sailing ship ☎: 974-2323. Murphy Hill is the site of an old working farm in the hills 2000ft (610m) above Ocho Rios, and now a popular sightseeing spot because of the extensive views along the coastline.

Fe rn Gu lly A 3-m ile (5km ) road built along an old riverbed that winds through a lush valley of 30ft (9m ) high fern trees. More than 550 native varieties of plants and trees have been recorded here. Open daily

Brim m e r Hall Plan t at ion Est at e wit h it s elegan t Gr eat Hou se wit h per iod fu r n ish in gs.

Calyp s o Raftin g Offer s a 45-m in u t e bam boo r aft r ide alon g t h e Wh it e River t h r ou gh t h e t r opical for est s t o en joy t h e scen er y. Th er e is a st op for a swim in t h e cool m ou n t ain r iver. 9am t o 5pm , daily ☎: 974-2527

Cib o n e y Villa an d Sp a Re s o rt m an m ade spa, ☎: 974-1027

Co yab a Rive r Gard e n an d Mu s e u m Next to the Shaw Park Estate, and there are guided tours of the botanical gardens and m useum . It is open from 8.30am to 5pm , daily ☎: 947-6235.

Pro s p e c t Plan tatio n To u rs West of downtown. The 1,000acre (400 hectare) plantation is thought to have been settled first by the Arawaks. There are daily tours in an open jitney of the working plantation that grows bananas, sugarcane, coconuts and breadfruit. The estate was established by British Mem ber of Parliam ent Sir Harold Mitchelle. Many of his fam ous guests planted trees in the ground to com m em orate their visit, including Sir Winston Churchill, Pierre Troudeau and Prince Philip. Open: 10.30am , 2pm and 3.30pm , daily ☎: 994-1058.

Pu e rto Se c o Be ac h 8am t o 5pm , daily. San s Sou ci Lido Spa an d Resor t n at u r al spa, ☎: 974-2353

Se ville Gre at Ho u s e Gr eat Hou se an d h er it age par k Sleepy Hollow Par k Open 10am t o 6pm , daily.

Cran b ro o k Flo w e r Fo re s t

Sun Valle y Plantatio n To ur

Tr opical gar den s wit h r iver walks an d n at u r e t r ails. ☎: 770-8071. Even in g on t h e Wh it e River 7pm t o 11pm , Su n day an d Tu esday.

Th e 1 1/2 h ou r t ou r of t h is wor kin g plan t at ion , t ells t h e h ist or y of t h e pr oper t y fr om t h e slave er a t o pr esen t day. Boxin g of ban an as for expor t t akes place at t h e far m . 9am , 1 pm an d 2pm , Mon day t o Fr iday.

Ho o ve s Lim ite d Hor seback r idin g. Jam aica Nigh t on Th e Wh it e River, Can oe r ide u p a t or ch lit r iver t o t h e sou n d of dr u m s. Folklor e sh ow, din n er an d open bar.

Was s i Art Po tte ry Wo rks Gr eat Pon d Village, Wilder n ess Resor t Lim it ed: Spor t fish in g, m in i pet zoo, boat r ide on pon d. 10am t o 5pm , daily ☎: 974-5044

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Accommodation and Sport

ACCOMMODATION

T

here are more than 150 hotels, inns and guest houses and well over 800 cottages, villas and apartments, which together offer the widest possible range of accommodation to suit all tastes and pockets. There are luxury, all-inclusive resorts, convention hotels and specialist resorts offering diving, golf and tennis. All-inclusive resorts offer excellent value if you want to stay put, but if you want to get out and explore a lot, look for accommodation offering room and breakfast, so that you can eat out at the many excellent island restaurants. There are many campgrounds and budget accommodation can be found in guesthouses, not all of them registered, and in private homes. Above: Enjoying a game of volley ball on the beach at Montego Bay

106

AN A - Z OF ACCOMMODAT ION • JAMAICA •

KINGS TON A ND A REA Altam o n t Co u rt Ho te l Alt am on t Ter r ace, 56 r oom s, $ r est au r an t , pool, ☎ 929-4497

Ch ris tar Villas Kin gst on 10 r oom s, $$ pool ☎ 978-3933

Co urtle igh Tr afalgar Road, 126 r oom s, $-$$ r est au r an t , bar, pu b, bu sin ess cen t er, pools, fit n ess cen t er ☎ 929-9000

Cro w n e Plaz a Kin gst on , 133 r oom s, 3 r est au r an t s, bar, fit n ess cen t er, t en n is, con feren ce facilit ies, ☎ 925-7674

Fo u r Se as o n s Ru t h ven Road, 76 r oom s, $$ r est au r an t , bar, pool ☎ 926-0682

Hilto n Kin gs to n 315 r oom s $$$ 2 r est au r an t s, 3 bar s, pool, t en n is, con fer en ce facilit ies, ☎ 926-5430

Is lan d Clu b Be ve rly Hills 22 r oom s, $$-$$$ r est au r an t s, pool ☎ 978-3914

Le Me rid ian Jam aic a Pe gas us

Straw b e rry Hill Ir ish Town in t h e Blu e Mou n t ain foot h ills, 12 villas, $$$ r est au r an t , pool villas, ☎ 944-8400

Wynd ham Kn u t sfor d Bou levar d, 300 r oom s, $$-$$$ r est au r an t , pool, t en n is, facilit ies for t h e disabled , m eet in g r oom s, ☎ 926-5430

MA ND EVILLE A REA A ND S T E LIZA BETH A REA

As h to n Gre at Ho u s e Lu an a, Black River, 18 r oom s, $$-$$$ r est au r an t , pool, beach ☎ 965-2036

As tra Co u n try In n Ward Avenue, 22 rooms, $$ restaurant, kitchenette, pool ☎ 962-3725

Go lf Vie w Ap artm e n ts 51 r oom s, r est au r an t , bar, pool, m in i spor t s cen t er, ☎ 962-4471

In ve rc au ld Gre at Ho u s e an d Ho te l Black River, 48 r oom s, $$ r est au r an t , n igh t ly en t er t ain m en t , pool, t en n is, cyclin g, wat er spor t s an d m eet in g facilit ies ☎ 965-2750

Old e Wh arf Ho te l

Knutsford Boulevard, 350 room s, $$$$$ 2 restaurants, 2 bars, pool, tennis and m eeting room s, ☎ 926-3690

Tr easu r e Beach , 45 r oom s, $$ r est au r an t , pool, t en n is ☎ 965-0003

Mayfair

So u th Se a Vie w Gue s tho us e

West Kin g’s Hou se Cir cle, 32 r oom s, $-$$ r est au r an t , bar, kit ch en et t es, pool ☎ 926-1610

Mo rgan ’s Harb o u r Por t Royal, 45 r oom s, $$-$$$ din in g, pool, beach , wat er spor t s, deep sea fish in g, ☎ 967-8030

Wh it eh ou se, 8 r oom s, $-$$ r est au r an t , pool, beach ☎ 963-5069

Tre as u re Be ac h Black River, 36 r oom s, $$ 2 r est au r an t s, bar, beach , pool an d wat er spor t s ☎ 965-0110

107

AN A - Z OF ACCOMMODAT ION

Villa Be lla Ch r ist ian a, Man ch est er, 18 r oom s, $ 2 r est au r an t s, facilit ies for t h e disabled ☎ 964-2243

MONTEGO B AY A REA Atriu m at Iro n s h o re 33 apar t m en t s, $$ r est au r an t , pool ☎ 953-2605

Be lve d e re Be ac h Glou cest er Aven u e, 27 r oom s, $ r est au r an t , kit ch en et t es, pool ☎ 952-0593

Bre e z e s Mo n te go Bay Re s o rt (Su p e rc lu b s ), 124 r oom s, $$-$$$ 2 r est au r an t s, 3 bar s, pool, beach , wat er spor t s ☎ 940-1150

Co ral Cliff Glou cest er Aven u e, 30 r oom s, $ r est au r an t , bar, gam in g r oom s, pool ☎ 952-4130

Co yab a Be ac h Re s o rt Mah oe Bay, Lit t le River, 50 r oom s, $$-$$$ 2 r est au r an t s, 3 bar s, pool, beach , wat er spor t s, t en n is, golf an d m eet in g facilit ies ☎ 953-9150

Do c to rs Cave Be ac h Glou cest er Aven u e, 90 r oom s an d apar t m en t s $$ r est au r an t s, kit ch en et t es an d pool ☎ 952-4355

Glo uc e s te rs hire

Gran d Lid o Brac o (Sup e rc lub s ) Rio Bu en o, AI, 186 r oom s an d su it es, 4 r est au r an t s, bar s, pool, t en n is, 9-h ole golf cou r se, ☎ 954-000

Half Mo o n Go lf Tennis and Beach Club, Rose Hall, 419 room s and suites (som e with butler service), $$-$$$ restaurants, kitchenettes, pool, beach, water-sports, golf, tennis, horse riding, shopping m all, theater, m edical center and m eeting facilities ☎ 953-2211

Ho lid ay In n Rose Hall, 536 r oom s, $$-$$$ 3 r est au r an t s, pool, beach , t en n is, wat er spor t s an d m eet in g facilit ies ☎ 953-2486

Ho lid ay In n Su n s p re e Re s o rt 523 r oom s, $$-$$$ r est au r an t s, 4 bar s, pool, beach , t en n is, wat er spor t s ☎ 953-2486

Ho te l Mo n te go Feder al Aven u e, 35 r oom s, $ r est au r an t , bar, kit ch en et t es an d pool ☎ 952-3287

Jac k Tar Village Glou cest er Aven u e, 131 r oom s, $$-$$$ r est au r an t s, kit ch en et t es, pool, beach an d wat er spor t s ☎ 952-4340

Jam aic a Gran d io s a Re s o rt

Glou cest er Aven u e, 88 r oom s, $-$$ r est au r an t an d pool ☎ 952-4420

Ram par t s Close, 40 r oom s, $ 2 r est au r an t s, bar an d pool ☎ 979-3205

Go o d Ho p e Gre at Ho u s e

La Mirage

10 r oom s, r est au r an t , pool, t en n is ☎ 954-3289

Qu een ’s Dr ive, 21 r oom s, $ r est au r an t an d pool ☎ 952-4637

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• JAMAICA • Life s tyle s Re s o rt

San d als Ro yal Carib b e an

Glou cest er Aven u e, 100 r oom s, $$ ☎ 952-4703

Mahoe Bay, 190 luxury room s, AllInclusive $$$ 5 restaurants, bars, disco, pool, beach, watersports, tennis, fitness center, nightly entertainm ent, private offshore island and m eeting facilities ☎ 953-2231

Man go Walk Villas Man go Walk Road, lu xu r y villas, $$ r est au r an t , pool an d beach ☎ 952-1472

Mo n te go Bay Clu b Glou cest er Aven u e, 42 r oom s, $$ r est au r an t , bar, kit ch en et t es, pool an d 7 t en n is cou r t s, ☎ 952-4310

Mo n te go Bay Rac q u e t Clu b Sewell Aven u e, 25 r oom s an d 16 villas, $ r est au r an t s, kit ch en et t es, pool an d t en n is ☎ 952-0200

Win ge d Vic to ry Qu een ’s Dr ive, 16 r oom s an d su it es, $-$$ r est au r an t , pool ☎ 952-3891

Wyn d h am Ro s e Hall Rose Hall, 315 r oom s, $$-$$$ 5 r est au r an t s an d bar s, pool, beach , wat er spor t s, golf, t en n is an d m eet in g facilit ies ☎ 953-2650

NEGRIL

A REA

Ritz Carlto n Ro s e Hall

Bar B Barn Ho te l

430 r oom s $$$, 5 r est au r an t s, bar s, pool, beach , Wh it e Wit ch golf cou r se, spa, fit n ess cen t er, ballr oom , t en n is, ☎ 953-3534

Nor m an Man ley Bou levar d, 24 r oom s, $$$ r est au r an t s beach ☎ 957-4267

Ro yal Co u rt Ho te l an d Natu ral He alth Re tre at

Nor m an Man ley Bou levar d, 46 r oom s, $$ r est au r an t , kit ch en et t es, pool an d beach ☎ 957-4171

Sewell Aven u e, 23 r oom s,$$-$$$ r est au r an t s, kit ch en et t es, pool, gym an d body sh op ☎ 952-4531

Be ac h c o m b e r Clu b

Be ac h e s In n

52 r oom s, All-In clu sive $$-$$$2 r est au r an t , 2 bar s, pool, fit n ess cen t er an d t en n is ☎ 952-4140

$$$ 130 beach side r oom s an d su it es, 3 r est au r an t s, beach gr ill, 2 pools, wat er spor t s, t en n is, m eet in g r oom s, Sega Cen t er, kids cam p, ☎ 957-5100

San d als Mo n te go Bay

Be ac h e s Ne gril

Ken t Aven u e, 244 r oom s, All-In clu sive $$$ 4 r est au r an t s, 4 bar s, fit n ess cen t er, en t er t ain m en t , car r en t al, t ou r s, depar t u r e lou n ge, pool, beach , wat er spor t s, t en n is an d m eet in g facilit ies ☎ 952-5510

All In clu sive fam ily r esor t $$$, 225 r oom s an d su it es, 4 r est au r an t s, 7 bar s, 3 pools in clu din g swim u p soda fou n t ain , fit n ess cen t er, video gam es r oom , m ovie t h eat er, ar t s an d cr aft s r oom , n u r ser y an d baby sit t in g ser vices, beau t y salon , en t er t ain m en t , t en n is, wat er spor t s, ☎ 957-9270

San d als In n , Ke n t Ave n u e

109

AN A - Z OF ACCOMMODAT ION Co u p le s Ne gril All In clu sive 234 r oom s an d su it es, $$$, 3 r est au r an t s, 5 bar s, pools, beach , wat er spor t s, spa, fit n ess cen t er, gam es r oom , ☎ 957-5960

Gran d Lid o Su p e rc lu b s Nor m an Man ley Bou levar d, 200 r oom s, Lu xu r y All-In clu sive $$$ 3 r est au r an t s, 9 bar s, pool, beach , wat er spor t s, t en n is an d m eet in g facilit ies ☎ 957-5010

He art Be at Gu e s th o u s e West En d, 6 r oom s, $ r est au r an t an d kit ch en et t es ☎ 957-4329

He d o n is m 1 1 Nor m an Man ley Bou levar d, 280 r oom s, Lu xu r y All-In clu sive adu lt s on ly $$$ 2 r est au r an t s, bar, disco, pool, beach , wat er spor t s an d t en n is ☎ 957-5200

Ho g He ave n Ho te l Ligh t h ou se Road, 13 r oom s $$, din in g r oom ☎ 957-4991

Mah o gan y In n Be ac h Nor m an Man ley Bou levar d, 16 r oom s, $$ r est au r an t , beach an d wat er spor t s ☎ 957-4401

Marin e r’s In n an d Divin g Re s o rt West En d, 52 r oom s, $$ r est au r an t , kit ch en et t es, pool, dive sh op, bou t iqu e an d t en n is, ☎ 957-0392

San d als Ne gril Norm an Manley Boulevard, 223 room s and suites, som e with butler service, luxury All-Inclusive $$$ restaurants, pool, beach, watersports, tennis, fitness center, full service spa, entertainm ent and m eeting facilities ☎ 957-5216

110

O CHO R IOS

A REA

Bo s c o b e l Be ac h (Sup e rc lub s ) 207 r oom s, All-In clu sive fam ily r esor t , 3 r est au r an t s, 5 bar s, pool, beach , wat er spor t s an d t en n is ☎ 975-7330

Bre e z e s Go lf an d Be ac h Re s o rt Casa Mar ia, Por t Mar ia, 20 r oom s, $-$$ 2 r est au r an t s, bar, kit ch en et t e, pool an d pr ivat e beach ☎ 994-2323

Cib o ne y 300 r oom s, All-In clu sive villa pr oper t y $$$ 6 r est au r an t s, 7 bar s, kit ch en et t es, pool, pr ivat e beach clu b, wat er spor t s an d t en n is ☎ 974-1027

Clu b Jam aic a 95 r oom s, $$-$$$ r est au r an t , barn igh t clu b, pool, beach an d wat er spor t s ☎ 974-6632

Co m fo rt Su ite s Cr an e Ridge, 75 r oom s $$-$$$, r est au r an t , kit ch en facilit ies, pool, t en n is ☎ 974-8050

Co up le s St An n , 175 r oom s, All-In clu sive $$$ 4 r est au r an t s an d bar s, pool, beach , wat er spor t s, t en n is ☎ 975-4271

Po rts id e Re s o rt an d Villas Discover y Bay, 35 r oom s $$, r est au r an t , bar, pool an d wat er spor t s, ☎ 973-2007

Re n ais s an c e Jamaic a Grand e St An n , 720 r oom s, $$$ 5 r est au r an t s, 8 bar s, 3 pools, disco, casin o, fit n ess cen t er, ch ildr en ’s pr ogr am s, beach , wat er spor t s, t en n is an d m eet in g facilit ies ☎ 974-2200

• JAMAICA •

Above and Right: Sandals resort, Montego Bay Below: Hedonism II, Montego Bay

111

AN A - Z OF ACCOMMODAT ION

San d al’s Du n n ’s Rive r Go lf Re s o rt an d Sp a St An n , 256 r oom s, All-In clu sive $$$ 4 r est au r an t s, 7 bar s, pools, beach , wat er spor t s, t en n is, golf, fit n ess cen t er, fu ll ser vice Eu r opean spa, car r en t al, t ou r s an d m eet in g facilit ies, ☎ 972-0563

San d al’s Oc h o Rio s Re s o rt an d Go lf Clu b 237 r oom s, All-In clu sive $$$ 4 r est au r an t s, bar s, pools, wat er spor t s, t en n is, golf, fit n ess cen t er, en t er t ain m en t an d m eet in g facilit ies ☎ 974-5691

San So u c i Lid o Oc h o Rio s (Sup e rc lub s ) All In clu sive, 146 r oom s, 3 r est au r an t s, bar s, pools, spa, ☎ 994-1206

Se a Palm s 44 r oom s $$, kit ch en et t es, pool, beach ☎ 974-4400

Village Ho te l Main St r eet , 60 r oom s, $$ r est au r an t , disco, h ealt h bar an d kit ch en et t es ☎ 974-9193

P ORT A NTONIO A REA

Bo n n ie Vie w Plan tatio n 20 r oom s, $$-$$$ r est au r an t an d pool ☎ 993-2752

Fe rn Hill Clu b San San , 31 r oom s, $-$$ r est au r an t , bar, kit ch en et t e, pool an d t en n is ☎ 993-7374

Go b lin Hill 44 r oom s, $$-$$$ r est au r an t , kit ch en et t e or per son al cook, pool an d t en n is ☎ 925-8108

Jam aic a Cre s t Villas 14 r oom s $$ r est au r an t , kit ch en facilit ies, pool ☎ 993-8400

Mo c kin g Bird Hill Eco-t ou r ism r esor t , 10 r oom s, $$ Mille Fleu r s Rest au r an t an d beach ☎ 993-7134

Navy Is lan d Marin a Re s o rts 13 r oom s, $$ r est au r an t s, pool, beach , t en n is an d wat er spor t s ☎ 993-2667

Trid e n t Villas an d Ho te l 26 r oom s, $$-$$$ r est au r an t , pool, beach , t en n is an d wat er spor t s, dive sch ool, wat er spor t s ☎ 993-2602

Triff’s In n Br idge St r eet , 15 r oom s, $$ r est au r an t ☎ 993-2162

RUNAWAY A REA

B AY

Crys tal Sp rin gs Re s o rt

Alam an d a In n

12 r oom s $$ r est au r an t an d pool, ☎ 996-1400

Ru n away Bay, 20 apar t m en t s $$ ☎ 973-4030

Drago n Bay Be ac h Re s o rt

Bre e z e s Go lf an d Be ac h Re s o rt (Su p e rc lu b s )

90 r oom s an d 30 villas, $$-$$$ r est au r an t s, beach , scu ba, t en n is an d wat er spor t s ☎ 993-8751

112

234 r oom s $$$, 2 r est au r an t s, 4 bar, n igh t clu b, pools, golf, t en n is, wat er spor t s ☎ 973-2436

• JAMAICA • Carib b e an Is le

Jam aic a Jam aic a

23 r oom s, $$-$$$ r est au r an t , pool an d beach ☎ 973-2634

238 r oom s, All-In clu sive $$$ r est au r an t s, pool, beach , wat er spor t s, t en n is, golf an d m eet in g facilit ies ☎ 973-2436

Clu b Am b ian c e 90 r oom s an d su it es, All-In clu sive $$ r est au r an t , pool, beach an d wat er spor t s ☎ 973-2066

Clu b Carib b e an 135 cot t ages an d 20 on e-r oom su it es, $$-$$$ r est au r an t , pool, t en n is an d wat er spor t s ☎ 973-4675

Carib b e an Is le 23 r oom s $$, r est au r an t , pool ☎ 973-2364

Clu b Am b ie n c e 82 r oom s $$ r est au r an t , pool, wat er spor t s ☎ 973-2066

Eato n Hall Be ac h 50 r oom s, All-In clu sive $$$ r est au r an t , pool, beach , wat er spor t s an d t en n is ☎ 973-3503

Fran klyn D. Re s o rt 67 su it es, All-In clu sive $$-$$$ 2 r est au r an t s, 4 bar s, kit ch en et t es, pool, beach , wat er spor t s an d t en n is ☎ 973-4591

Gran d Lid o Brac o 180 r oom s $$-$$$ 4 r est au r an t s, bar, pool, beach , golf, wat er spor t s ☎ 954-000

He d o n is m III 225 r oom in clu din g Jam aica’s fir st swim -u p r oom s, adu lt s on ly r esor t , 4 r est au r an t s, bar s, disco, 3 pools (on e au n at u r al), t wo beach es (on e au n at u r al), cir cu s wor ksh op, t en n is, wat er spor t s ☎ 973-5029

Ru n aw ay Bay HEART (Ho te l an d Train in g In s titu te ) Co u n try Clu b 20 r oom s, $$ r est au r an t an d pool ☎ 973-2671

Tam arin d Tre e 25 r oom s, $$ r est au r an t an d pool ☎ 973-2678

Tro p ic al In n 13 r oom s, $ ☎ 973-4681

V ILLA S A ND A PA RTMENTS Th e Jam aica Associat ion of Villas an d Apar t m en t s (JAVA) ☎ 974-2508, offer s a ch oice of m or e t h an 300 pr oper t ies, m an y wit h pool or on t h e beach , an d m ost st affed wit h a cook, gar den er an d h ou sekeeper. Negr il, Mon t ego Bay, Falm ou t h an d ar ea, Discover y an d Ru n away Bays, Mam m ee Bay, Och o Rios an d Por t An t on io ar e t h e m ain locat ion s.

A LTERNATIVE CA MPING Maya Lodge is t h e h eadqu ar t er s of t h e Jam aica Alt er n at ive Cam pin g an d Hikin g Associat ion (JATCHA) ☎ 9272097, an d t h e h om e base of Sen se Adven t u r es in t h e Blu e Mou n t ain s. Th e Lodge is set in 16 acr es (6.4 h ect ar es) of fr u it t r ees at 1750ft (534m ), su r r ou n ded by st r eam s an d t r opical flor a. It h as n in e r oom s an d r u st ic cabin s, h ost el accom m odat ion for 17 an d 15 cam pin g sit es. It m akes an excellen t base fr om wh ich t o explor e t h e Blu e Mou n t ain s.

113

S P O R T S FA C I L I T I E S

SPORTS

F

or the visitor, there is a huge range of sporting opportunities from swimming and scuba diving, to horseback riding and hiking, to golf and tennis. There is cycling, sailing, squash and, of course, fishing either from shore or boat. Most hotels offer a variJamaica offers world class diving ety of sports and water activities, and there are diving schools where you can learn what it is all about and progress to advanced level if you have the time.

CRICKET Cr icket is t h e n at ion al gam e an d played wit h su ch a fer vor t h at it is n ot su r pr isin g t h at t h e West In dies ar e wor ld ch am pion s. Th e gam e is played at ever y oppor t u n it y an d an ywh er e, an d ju st as fer ven t ly by t h e wom en as t h e m en . You can be dr ivin g in t h e cou n t r yside, t u r n a cor n er an d con fr on t player s u sin g t h e r oad as a wicket . It is played on t h e beach u sin g a st r ip of palm for a bat , an d even in t h e wat er if t h e t ide is com in g in . If t h e islan d t eam or t h e West In dies is playin g, alm ost all t h e r adios on t h e islan d ar e t u n ed in for t h e com m en t ar y, an d m at ch es at Sabin a Par k always dr aw h u ge cr owds. An d, wh en cr icket is n ot bein g played, foot ball (soccer ) is t h e t op spor t . Ju st h ow m u ch Jam aican s love all spor t s, is sh own by t h e fact t h at t h ey even en t er ed a n at ion al Bobsled t eam in t h e 1988 Win t er Olym pics! Walkin g is gr eat fu n an d t h er e ar e lot s of t r ails, especially in t h e

114

m ou n t ain s bu t h ave st ou t , n on -slip foot wear an d a wat er pr oof. Pr ot ect you r self again st in sect s, car r y adequ at e dr in kin g wat er an d keep an eye on t h e t im e, becau se n igh t falls qu ickly an d you don ’t wan t t o be cau gh t ou t on t h e t r ail aft er dar k. Gu ides can be ar r an ged t o escor t you on t h ese walks an d m ake su r e you get t h e m ost ou t of you r t r ip.

CYCLING Bikes ar e available for r en t at a n u m ber of r esor t s an d bike r en t al com pan ies. Th ese in clu de:

Mo n te go Bike Re n tals Mon t ego Bay ☎ 952-4984

Caro l’s Bike Re n tal ☎ 957-4207

Elvie ’s Bike Re n tal ☎ 957-4331

Ne gril Bike Re n tals ☎ 957-4357

• JAMAICA • Rh o d e s Hall Plan tatio n

Do lp h in Dive rs

☎ 957-4232, an d

☎ 957-4944

Tau ru s Bike Re n tal

Irie Wate rs p o rts

☎ 957-4409, all in Negr il, an d

☎ 957-4670

Mo to r Trails

Ne p tu n e an d Wild Th in g

☎ 974-5058 in Och o Rios.

☎ 957-4401/4402

Ru s ty’s X- c e lle n t Ad ve nture s

Se a Raid e r an d Ou r Pas t Tim e

Negr il ☎ 957-0155.

☎ 957-4224

D EEP S EA FIS HING Th er e is excellen t deep-sea fish in g for wor ld-r ecor d beat in g fish . Th e best fish in g is gen er ally fou n d off t h e n or t h coast wh er e cat ch es in clu de dor ado, wah oo, blu e an d wh it e m ar lin , yellowfin t u n a an d sailfish . Most Hot els an d r esor t s offer fish in g t r ips an d t h er e ar e m an y ch ar t er boat s available. A par t y of 4 sh ou ld expect t o pay abou t US$300 for a h alf-day all-in ch ar t er in clu din g boat , cr ew an d t ackle. In depen den t ch ar t er s in clu de:

O CHO R IOS Bro ad re ac h Cru is e s ☎ 973-3507

Kin g Fis h e r an d Su n Fis h e r ☎ 974-2260

Mitz y ☎ 974-2527

Sunfis he r ☎ 994-2294

Trip le ‘B’

MONTEGO B AY

☎ 975-3273

Do n On e Wate rs p o rts

P ORT A NTONIO

☎ 952-9391

Bo n ita 1 1

Mo n te go Bay Yac h t Clu b

☎ 993-3086

☎ 978-8038

Rhap s o d y

D IVING

☎ 979-0104

The waters off Jam aica offer worldclass diving. The waters are clear and warm and teem with m arine life. There are dives to suit all levels of experience, ranging from shallow reefs and caverns to trenches, deep walls and drop offs, m ostly off the north and west coasts. The furthest dive sites are only a 25-m inute ride by dive boat from shore. The waters are warm with year-round tem peratures averaging between 80 ° and 90 °F (26 ° and 32 °C), and wet suits are not needed for

Se aw o rld ☎ 953-2188

NEGRIL Be s t Bo at Re e f To u r ☎ 995-9709

Blu e Wh ale Dive rs ☎ 957-4438

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S P O R T S FA C I L I T I E S warm th. The Jam aica Association of Dive Operators (JADO) and the Negril Coral Reef Preservation Society (NCRPS) work closely to establish m arine parks. They also install m ooring buoys at the m ost popular sites so that boats can tie up to them rather than drop anchor and dam age the coral reefs. The reefs are host to large num bers of tropical fish and a wide range of m arine plants and anim als. There are filefish, squirrelfish, grunts, barracudas, stingrays, eels and turtles. Coral form ations include barrel, vase, and tube sponges, sea fans, and deep-water gorgonian and black coral. The m ain reef sites are: Negril. The reefs start at the West Coast seven-m ile (11km ) beach and run south and west out to sea. Most of the dive sites are within a ten to 20 m inute boat ride, and dive depths range from 20 to 90ft (6 to 27 m eters). Apart from the reef there are tunnels, overhangs, caves and plane wrecks, and m arine life includes kingfish, nurse sharks, m oray eels and stingrays. Southern dive sites include Whaler’s Reef, Shangri-La Drop Off, Grotto Reef, Sand’s Club Reef, Hanging Garden, Throne Room , Awee Maway, Rock Cliff Reef and Lighthouse Reef. Dive sites to the west of Negril include Coral Gardens, Shark’s Reef and Spade Fish Reef. Montego Bay. This was the site of Jam aica’s first m arine sanctuary, and m any of the dive sites are close to shore over shallow reefs, although there are som e awesom e walls. At Basket Reef there is a wall that starts at 50ft (15m ) below water and drops vertically to 150ft (45m ). It is a good site to see dolphin, black durgons and parrot fish. Dive sites include Airplane Wreck, Frenchm an’s Hole, King Fish Point, Bloody Bay Reef, Treasure Reef, Ballard’s Reef, Gallery, Lower and Upper Arch, Basket Reef, No Nam e Reef, Pillar Collar Reef, Canyon 1 and

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2, Black Coral Rock, the Window, Duppy’s Hole and the Arena. Offshore and to the east of Montego Bay are Widowm aker’s Cave, Rotal Slope, Tyre Reef, the Pit and Double Wall. Airport Reef and Wall is considered one of the island’s best dive sites, with a large num ber of coral caves, tunnels and canyons. Falmouth. The fam ous wall off Falm outh is within half a m ile (0.8km ) of the shore in about 35ft (11m ) of water. Other sites include Chub Castle with its bask sponges and wall with black coral and rope sponges, and chim ney which descends to 90ft (27m ) and further tunnels and caverns. Runaway Bay. There are good dive sites in shallow waters just off shore, and a wall that form s part of the Caym an Trench. Dive sites include the Canyon with its two parallel walls 20ft (6m ) apart in 40ft (12m ) of water, and descending to m ore than 130ft (40m ). Other sites are Ricky’s Reef, Silver Spray, High Rock, Airplane Wreck, Peartree Bottom , Shipwreck Reef and Spanish Anchor. Ocho Rios. Devil’s Reef is a pinnacle just offshore which drops from 60ft (18m ) to 200ft (61m ), with a large sand shelf at 130ft (40m ). There are a num ber of tunnels in the Caverns, a shallow quarter-m ile (0.4km ) long reef with the wreck of the 140 foot (43m ) Kathryn close-by. Other sites include Moxon’s Reef, Fantasea Flat, Chubb Reef, Rio Nievo, Canyon Reef and Key Hole. Port Antonio. Sites include Alligator Point and Head, Frenchm an’s Cove, San San Reef, Blue Lagoon Reef and High Point. Kingston. There are m any good dive sites off Port Royal near Kingston airport. The waters contain m any old wrecks and there are legends of sunken treasure. There are several licensed diving centers offering equipm ent hire and full training. These include:

• JAMAICA • Falmo u th Carib b e an Amus e me nts Falm ou t h ☎ 954-3427

Fis h e rm an ’s In n Dive Re s o rt Falm ou t h ☎ 247-0475

Tre law n y Be ac h Ho te l ☎ 954-2450.

MONTEGO B AY Jam aic a Ro s e Dive rs ☎ 953-2714

He d o n is m II ☎ 957-4200

Ne gril Sc u b a Ce n tre ☎ 957-4425/4370

Re s o rt Dive rs ☎ 957-4061/4010

Su n Dive rs Ne gril ☎ 957-4069

Village Re s o rts ☎ 957-4200

We s t Po in t Wate rs p o rts

Jamaq u a Wate rs p o rts

☎ 957-9170

☎ 956-7050

Marin e rs In n

Mo n te go Bay Fu n Dive s

☎ 957-4384

☎ 953-2650

Se a Ho rs e

No rth Co as t Marin e

☎ 957-4478

☎ 953-2211

Do lp h in Dive rs

Po s e id o n Dive rs

☎ 957-4944

☎ 952-5909

Re e f Ke e p e rs

RUNAWAY B AY/ O CHO R IOS

☎ 979-0102

Bre e z e s

Re s o rt Dive s

☎ 973-2436

☎ 973-5750

Co up le s

San d als Dive rs

☎ 975-4271

☎ 952-5510

En c h an te d Gard e n s

Se aw o rld Re s o rts

☎ 972-1937

☎ 953-2550/2486

Fan tas e a Dive rs

Sc u b a Co n n e c tio n

☎ 974-2552

☎ 952-4780

Garfie ld s Dive Statio n

Wyn d h am Ro s e Hall

☎ 974-5749

☎ 953-2650

Is lan d Dive Sh o p

NEGRIL

☎ 972-2519

Blu e Wh ale Dive rs

Jam aic a Fu n Cru is e s

☎ 957-4436

☎ 972-2117

Co up le s

Se a an d Dive Jam aic a

☎ 957-5960

☎ 974-5762

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S P O R T S FA C I L I T I E S

Two views of the coral reef with its marine life

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• JAMAICA • Su n d ive rs Ru n aw ay Bay ☎ 973-2006/2345

P ORT A NTONIO Lad y G Dive r ☎ 993-9888

KINGS TON

Half Mo o n Go lf Clu b 8 h oles par 72, is in t h e 400-acr e (160 h ect ar es) Half Moon Resor t n ear Mon t ego Bay, an d was design ed by Rober t Tr en t Jon es. Th er e is clu bh ou se, r est au r an t , bar an d pr o sh op, wit h t en n is an d squ ash ☎ 953-3105

Kin gs to n Bu c c an e e r Sc u b a Clu b

Iro n s h o re Go lf an d Co u n try Clu b

☎ 967-8061

18 h oles par 72, n ear Mon t ego Bay an d design ed by Can adian Rober t Moot e. It h as a clu bh ou se, r est au r an t , bar an d pr o sh op ☎ 953-2800.

G OLF Golf has been played on the island for alm ost 100 years and there are 12 courses (11 18-hole and one ninehole) to choose from . The Johnnie Walker World Cham pionship, which brings together 28 of the world’s top players, is hosted at Tryall’s Golf, Tennis and Beach Club each Decem ber. The courses are:

Caym an as Go lf Clu b 18 holes par 72, is six m iles from Kingston, and was the island’s first cham pionship course, built by Howard Watson in the 1950s. It has snack bar, bar and pro shop ☎ 922-3386

Co n s tan t Sp rin g 18 h oles par 70, was bu ilt in t h e 1920s by St an ley Th om pson in on e of Kin gst on ’s fin est r esiden t ial ar eas. It h as clu bh ou se, r est au r an t , bar an d pr o sh op, as well as t en n is, squ ash , badm in t on an d swim m in g ☎ 924-1610

Manc he s te r Co u n try Clu b 9 holes par 35, is in Mandeville and m ore than 2000 ft (610m ) above sea level. It was built m ore than 100 years ago and was the island’s first course. It has nine greens and 18 tee boxes that allow it to be played as an 18-hole course. There is a clubhouse, with bar, tennis and billiards ☎ 962-2403

Ne gril Hills a n ew 18 h oles par 72 cou r se fou r m iles (6.5km ) fr om Negr il, on a r esor t feat u r in g cot t age accom m odat ion an d a pr o sh op ☎ 957-4638

Ritz Carlto n Ro s e Hall 18-h ole ch am pion sh ip Wh it e Wit ch Cou r se ☎ 953-3534

San d als Go lf an d Co u n try Clu b 18 holes par 71, is 2 m iles (3km ) from Ocho Rios and 700ft (213m ) above sea level, and is one of the island’s m ost beautiful courses. It has clubhouse, bar and pro shop ☎ 975-0119

San San Go lf an d Co u n try Clu b 9 holes, has recently been refurbished and is in one of Jam aica’s m ost beautiful areas close to Port Antonio ☎ 993-9345

Bre e z e s Go lf an d Be ac h Re s o rt 18 holes par 72, at Runaway Bay, was designed by Jam es D. Harris in the late 1960s. It has a clubhouse, restaurant, pro shop and tennis ☎ 973-2561

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S P O R T S FA C I L I T I E S Tryall Go lf, Te n n is an d Be ac h Clu b 18 holes par 71, is 12 m iles from Montego Bay, and was built in 1960 by Texan architect Ralph Plum m er on the site of a nineteenth-century sugar plantation. It has clubhouse, beach bar and restaurant, pro shop and tennis ☎ 956-5681

Wyn d h am Ro s e Hall Co u n try Clu b 18 holes par 72, is east of Montego Bay, and hom e of the Jam aica Open. The course was built in the 1970s by Henry O. Sm edley and has clubhouse, restaurant, bar, pro shop and tennis ☎ 953-2650

HORS EBA CK RID ING Riding is available in all resort areas. The Chukka Cove Equestrian Centre, between Ocho Rios and Runaway Bay, is a world class polo and riding facility, with guided rides along the beach and into the m ountains ☎ 972-2506

D IS COVERY B AY Brac o Stab le s ☎ 954-000

MONTEGO B AY A REA

Barn e tt Es tate Gre at Ho u s e

J OGGING Th e r esor t ar eas h ave joggin g t r ails or t r acks. Th er e is an an n u al Ru n for Fu n m eet for am at eu r s each year in Novem ber.

S AILING

AND S URFING There is parasailing and windsurfing at Negril, and there is excellent windsurfing along the north coast. You can rent equipm ent at m ost oceanfront Hotels and on som e public beaches. At Boston Beach the waves are high enough for surfing.

S WIMMING Th er e ar e 200 m iles (322km ) of beach es, an d t h er e ar e pu blic beach es in all r esor t ar eas.

TENNIS Many of the large hotels and resorts have courts, and several offer floodlit tennis. If you are new to the island, book courts for early in the day or late in the afternoon so that you do not play when the sun is at its strongest. The Half Moon Celebrity Tennis Tournam ent is held each Decem ber at the Half Moon Resort in Montego Bay.

WATER

☎ 952-2382

Ro c ky Po in t Stab le s ☎ 953-2286.

NEGRIL

HORS E RACING AND POLO There is horse racing at the track at Caymanas Park, or enjoy a game of polo over a cup of tea at Caymanas, Chukka Cove, Drax Hall, Blue Hole, or Hanover.

A REA

S KIING The Blue Lagoon in Port Antonio and Doctor’s Cave Beach in Montego Bay are ideal locations, but so is just about everywhere else. Equipm ent rental is widely available.

Co u n try We s te rn Stab le s

WATERFALL CLIMBING

☎ 957-3250.

A rare opportunity to safely scale som e of the island’s m any beautiful falls. Clim b the gently terraced stairway at Dunn’s River Falls with 600ft (183m ) of cascades, or take a dip at Som erset Falls and Reach (Reich) Falls.

S OUTH COA S T As h to n Gre at Ho u s e ☎ 965-2036

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GETTING THERE: By air. There are two international airp orts – Norm an Manley International Airp ort in King ston Harbour, and Donald Sang ster International Airp ort at Monteg o Bay in the northwest corner of the island . From the US and Canad a: There are d irect flig hts on Air Jam aica from Toronto (4 hours), Chicag o and Newark (3 hours 45 m inutes), Newark, New York (3 hrs 20 m in), Baltim ore and Washing ton (3 hrs), Los Ang eles (5 hours 30 m inutes), Fort Laud erd ale (1 hour 35 m inutes), Orland o (1 hour 50 m inutes), Phoenix, Philad elp hia (4 hrs 30 m in), Atlanta (2 hrs 40 m in) and Miam i (1 hr 25 m in), on Am erican Airlines from New York and Miam i, on NorthWest from Minneap olis and Tam p a, on Continental from Newark, on Air Canad a from Toronto (4 hrs), Montreal, Halifax and Winnip eg , Canad ian Holid ays from Toronto, and US Air from Philad elp hia and Charlotte. Am erican Trans Air fly from Ind ianap olis, Fort Laud erd ale (winter) and Orland o (sum m er), and TWA fly from St Louis. From Europ e: There are d irect Air Jam aica flig hts from Lond on and Manchester, British Airways flig hts from Lond on Gatwick (10hrs 15m in), and Thom sons, Britannia Charter, Airtours and UniJet op erate charters from Manchester and Gatwick. Cond or flies from Frankfurt. Am erican Airlines, British Airways and Virg in fly from Lond on to Miam i with connecting flig hts on Air Jam aica. Air Jam aica Exp ress, BWIA, Caym an Airlines, Caribbean Airlines and Trans Jam aica op erate services between Jam aica and other Caribbean island s. Air Jam aica also flies between Jam aica and Grand Caym an and Nassau in the Baham as. Shortly after land ing and while you are still strap p ed in your seat, the crew m ay com e throug h the cabin sp raying insecticid e. It is harm less to hum ans but kills any stowaway bug s which m ig ht d am ag e the island ’s ag riculture. On arrival, be sure to enjoy a welcom ing g lass of rum at the courtesy stand if it is op en. By Sea: Cruise ship s reg ularly call at Monteg o Bay, Ocho Rios and Port Antonio. Cruise lines includ e Carnival Cruise, Celebrity/ Fantasy, Com m od ore, Costa, Crown (Cunard ), Dolp hin, Holland Am erica, Norweg ian, Prem ier, Princess, Reg ency, Royal Caribbean and Sun Cruises. Most op erate out of Miam i, West Palm Beach, Tam p a and Fort Laud erd ale, all in Florid a, and New Orleans. Ocho Rios, Port Antonio and Neg ril are also m ajor p orts. There are no ferry services between Jam aica and the US or other Caribbean island s.

Airports/Airways ALM Kingston

Air Canada Kingston

☎ 926-1762

☎ 924-8211 Mo nte go Bay ☎ 952-5160

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Air Jamaica Kingston ☎ 888-359-2475, 922-4661 Mo nte go Bay ☎ 952-4100 Ne gril ☎ 957-4210 Ocho Rio s ☎ 974-2566, and in the US 1-800-523-5585

Air Jamaica Express ☎ 923-8680/ 888-359-2475

American Airlines Kingston ☎ 920-8887

BWIA Kingston ☎ 888-991-2210

Caribbean Airlines Kingston ☎ 960-1990 Mo nte go Bay ☎ 952-8611

Caribic Airways ☎ 952-5013

Cayman Airways Kingston ☎ 926-1762

Continental Airlines Mo nte go Bay ☎ 952-5530

NorthWest Airlines Mo nte go Bay ☎ 800-225-2525

British Airways Kingston Timair (air taxi) ☎ 929-9020

Mo nte go Bay ☎ 952-3771

☎ 952-2516

US Air ☎ 800-622-1015

BANKS Banks are op en from 9am to 2p m Mond ay to Frid ay and 9am to 12noon and 2.30 to 5p m on Frid ay. They are not op en at weekend s and on p ubic holid ays.

BEACHES The island boasts m any sp ectacular beaches althoug h som e areas close to larg e hotels and resorts m ay be reserved for g uests. The best beaches in the north includ e: Alterry Beach, Braco, Card iff Hall, Dam ali, Puerto Secco Beach in Discovery Bay, Gold en Head , Half Moon, Mam m ee Bay, Monteg o Bay, esp ecially Doctors Cave, Walter Fletcher Beach and Cornwall Beach, Murd ocks, Orang e Bay, Rio Bueno, Rose Hall, on Peter’s Island off Port Antonio, Roxboroug h Beach and Turtle Beach. On the east coast beaches includ e: Boston, Holland Bay, Long Bay and San San. Along the south coast there are: Allig ator Pond , Bailey’s Beach, Black River, Bluefield s, Brooks Pen, Cable Hut, Flem arie, Fort Clarence, Gunboat Beach, Hellshire, Jackson Bay, Lim e Cay, Lyssons Provid ence Pen, Prosp ect, Retreat, Treasure Beach and Whitehouse. Along the west coast there are the beaches of Neg ril Bay and Watson Taylor. Note: A few resorts p erm it nud e bathing on d esig nated beaches.

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Above: Relaxing in the pool at the Beaches resort in Negril Below: Treasure Beach

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BICYCLES, MOPEDS AND SCOOTERS Bicycles are available for rent at several resorts and there are m any cycle rental shop s, esp ecially in Neg ril. Mop ed s and scooters are available but m ust be rid d en with extrem e caution in view of road cond itions and other road users. Rusty’s X-cellent Ad ventures in Neg ril offers g uid ed cycle tours of the area ☎ 957-0155.

CAR RENTAL To rent a car you m ust be at least 21 years old althoug h m any com p anies have a m inim um ag e of 25. You need a valid d river’s license and a m ajor cred it card . A refund able d ep osit is req uired on all rental cars. A North Am erican d riving license is valid for up to 90 d ays, a UK d river’s license is valid for up to 12 m onths, and a Jap anese d riving license is valid for up to 30 d ays. Car rental costs from US$65 to $120 a d ay, and US$325 a week. Rates includ e third p arty insurance, but not p ersonal accid ent insurance or d am ag e to the vehicle. There is a g overnm ent tax of 12.5% on all rentals. Always check the rental car before d riving away. Check the cond itions of the tires, m ake sure there is a g ood sp are, and that the brakes are in g ood working ord er. Pot holes can cause consid erable d am ag e to both tires and brakes. Cars d rive on the left and the sp eed lim it is 30m p h (50kp h) in towns and 50m p h (80kp h) on rural hig hways. Road d istances are now g enerally g iven in kilom etres. Service stations are op en d aily until about 7p m , but only accep t cash for g as. There are rest stop s on several of the m ain hig hways and these are usually op en d aily between 9am and 8p m . Between Falm outh and Runaway Bay there are rest stop s at Rio Bueno, Traval Halt and Rio Braco, with toilets, lig ht refreshm ents and the chance to buy local arts and crafts. There is also a rest stop in Bam boo Avenue in St Elizabeth. If you are involved in an accid ent, rep ort it to the local p olice as q uickly as p ossible, and write d own the d etails of other d rivers, how the accid ent hap p ened , who was at fault and the nam es and ad d resses of any witnesses, and if p ossible, g et the other p arties to sig n it. In the event of a breakd own, contact the car rental com p any as q uickly as p ossible for a rep lacem ent. At nig ht, contact the p olice who can usually g et in touch with the car rental com p any.

Driving Times: Kings to n to Mo nte go Bay 4 hours Mo nte go Bay to Ne gril 1.5 hours Mo nte go Bay to Ocho Rio s 1.5-2 hours

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Mo nte go Bay to Po rt Anto nio 4.5-5 hours Kings to n to Po rt Anto nio 2 hours Kings to n to Mande ville 1.5 hours

Kings to n to Ne gril 4 hours

Kings to n to Ocho Rio s 1 hour 30 m inutes

Car rental companies include: Avis Re nt- a- Car Monteg o Bay ☎ 952-5195 Budge t Re nt- a- Car Moteg o Bay ☎ 952-3838 Dis co ve ry Trans po rt Port Antonio ☎ 993-9625

Galaxy Car Re ntals King ston ☎ 925-4176 He rtz Monteg o Bay ☎ 979-0438 Villa Car Re ntals Ocho Rios ☎ 974-2975

Main road s encircle the island and there are three m ajor north south crossing s throug h the m ountains. The m ost sp ectacular route is the Old King ston Hig hway that runs from King ston to Port Antonio throug h the Blue Mountains. Road cond itions vary enorm ously, m any sid e road s are bad ly p ot holed , and m any road s are not sig np osted which ad d s to the ad venture and exp lains why a g ood road m ap is essential. Car hire is exp ensive but ad visable if you want to d o a lot of exp loring , and while m op ed s and m otor cycles can be rented , they are not ad visable for off the beaten track exp loration because of som e of the road cond itions. Drivers sound their horns a lot, esp ecially when ap p roaching blind corners, so be attentive. And , because of the wind ing and often m ountainous nature of the road s, always overestim ate how long it will take to g et one from one p lace to another. Journeys alm ost always take long er than p lanned because there are so m any p hoto op p ortunities, tem p ting beaches and Jam aican fast food road sid e stalls. Jam aican d rivers also love to stop sud d enly and chat to friend s by the road sid e, and anim als freq uently stray onto the road s.

CHURCHES All the m ain relig ious d enom inations are rep resented . In King ston there is the Bethel Bap tist Church, Bethel United Pentecostal Church, Jewish Synag og ue, King ston Ep sicop al Parish Church, St And rew’s Ep iscop al Church, the Rom an Catholic Church of Saints Peter and Paul, the Webster Mem orial Presbyterian Church and Coke Method ist Church. In Monteg o Bay there is the Blessed Sacram ent Rom an Catholic Cathed ral, Calvary Bap tist Church, Holy Trinity Ep sicop al Church, King s Chap el United Pentecostal Church and St Jam es Ep iscop al Parish Church. At Ocho Rios there is the Church of God Of Prop hecy, Method ist Church, Ocho Rios Bap tist Church, Our Lad y of Fatim a Catholic Church, and St Johns Ang lican Church. In Port Antonio there are Bap tist, Ang lican and Method ist Churches, Salvation Arm y, St Anthony’s Catholic Church and Shiloh

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Ap ostolic Evang elical Church, and in Neg ril, there is the St Mary Ang lican Church, United Church Jam aica Grand Caym an, and Rom an Catholic Church.

CLOTHING AND PACKING Lig ht, loose and inform al clothing is best. Swim wear is fine on the beach or by the p ool, but cover up a little if walking around town or g oing for a m eal. Most hotels and restaurants d o not have d ress cod es, althoug h som e p refer m en to wear jackets but not ties, for d inner. Many p eop le, however, after sp end ing a d ay on the beach like to d ress up for d inner and there are no p roblem s if you want to d o this. Evening tem p eratures can d ip just a little, and a sweater, lig ht jacket or wrap can com e in useful. Pack sand als for the beach as the sand can g et too hot to walk on, and if you p lan to g o walking in the interior, take lig htweig ht trousers and sturd y footwear. A lig htweig ht waterp roof jacket is also a g ood id ea if you p lan to g o hiking , sailing or sim ilar. A hat, sung lasses and a g ood sunscreen lotion are also essential, and if you d on’t have a sun hat, buy a straw hat as soon as you arrive on the island because they are p erfect for the job and m ake g reat souvenirs.

CURRENCY AND CREDIT CARDS The official currency is the Jam aican d ollar (JA$), althoug h US d ollars are wid ely accep ted . The JA$ com es in bills of 1,2,5,10, 20, 50 and 100 d ollars. The official exchang e rate varies and it is best to exchang e currency at banks. You will g enerally g et a less favorable exchang e rate at exchang e bureaus and hotels, and you are likely to be rip p ed off if you exchang e currency on the street. As a roug h g uid e US$1=JA$40 and UK£1= JA$ 60. All m ajor cred it card s are accep ted . Currencies officially recog nized by the Jam aican g overnm ent m ay also be used to settle hotel, restaurant or car rental bills and d uty free shop p ing . When exchang ing m oney into Jam aican d ollars, d o not g et m ore than you need as you are not allowed to take Jam aican currency out of the country. If you have to convert surp lus Jam aican d ollars back into a foreig n currency before leaving , you will have to p ay another exchang e fee, and rem em ber to keep the foreig n exchang e receip t for p ossible insp ection on d ep arture.

CUSTOMS AND IMMIGRATION For stays of less than six m onths p roof of id entification and an onward return ticket are req uired . US and Canad ian citizens need either a valid p assp ort, or one that has exp ired within the last year, or an orig inal or certified cop y of birth certificate, naturalization certificate or lam inated p icture ID, or US or Canad ian voter reg istration card tog ether with a p hoto d river’s license. For Jap anese visi126

tors a valid p assp ort is req uired and a visa if p lanning a stay of m ore than 30 d ays, and for British and Com m onwealth citizens, a valid p assp ort is need ed with at least six m onths to run after the d ate of onward return journey. Visas m ay be necessary for nationals of other countries. Visitors arriving in Jam aica are allowed to bring in 200 cig arettes, 25 cig ars, one q uart of alcohol (excep t rum ), one p ound (0.4kg ) of tobacco and one q uart of wine. The im p ort of flowers, fruit, p lants, honey, veg etables, coffee and m eat is restricted . Dep arting US visitors are allowed to take up to US$600 of p urchases, althoug h all item s m anufactured or p rod uced in Jam aica (coffee, rum , p erfum e, arts and crafts) are d uty free. Canad ian visitors are allowed to take back C$500 worth of g ood s a year. Jap anese visitors are allowed to take hom e up to US$1700 worth of d uty free g ood s.

DEPARTURE TAX There is a d ep arture tax of JA$1,000 or eq uivalent in US d ollars.

ELECTRICITY The electrical sup p ly is g enerally 110 volts/ 50 cycles althoug h som e hotels also p rovid e 220 volts. Europ ean ap p liances will need p lug ad ap tors.

EMERGENCY NUMBERS Po lice 119

Fire / Ambulance 110

Air Se a Re s cue 119

GAMBLING There are no casinos althoug h m any resorts feature slot m achines such as the Coral Cliff Gam ing Park in Monteg o Bay. There is horse racing at the Caym ans Racetrack in King ston.

HEALTH There are no serious health p roblem s althoug h visitors should take p recautions ag ainst the sun and biting insects such as sand flies and m osq uitoes, both of which can ruin your holid ay. Biting bug s tend to com e out late in the afternoon. Other m inor p roblem areas includ e one or two nasty sp ecies of wasp s, and there are scorp ions althoug h these are very rare, and their sting is usually p ainful rather than d ang erous. Be careful around coral and be alert for jellyfish and sp iny sea urchins that are occasionally a p roblem at som e tim es of the year. Im m unization is not req uired unless traveling from an infected area, or one of the following areas within the p revious six weeks – Asia, Africa, Central and South Am erica, Dom inican Rep ublic, Haiti, 127

and Trinid ad and Tobag o. Most hotels and resorts have d octors on call around the clock, and em erg ency d ental treatm ent is also available at all tim es.

Tanning safely The sun is very strong but sea breezes often disguise just how hot it is. If you are not used to the sun, take it carefully for the first two or three days, use a good sunscreen with a factor of 15 or higher, and do not sunbathe during the hottest parts of the day. Wear sunglasses and a sun hat. Sunglasses will protect you against the glare, especially strong on the beach, and sun hats will protect your head. If you sp end a lot of tim e swim m ing or scuba d iving , take extra care, as you will burn even q uicker because of the com bination of salt water and sun. Calam ine lotion and p rep arations containing aloe are both useful in com bating sunburn.

Irritating insects Mosq uitoes can be a p roblem alm ost anywhere. In your room , burn m osq uito coils or use one of the m any electrical p lug -in d evices that burn an insect rep elling tablet. Mosq uitoes are not so m uch of a p roblem on or near the beaches because of onshore wind s, but they m ay well bite you as you enjoy an op en-air evening m eal. Use a g ood insect rep ellant, esp ecially if you are p lanning trip s inland such as walking in the rain forests. Fire ants are also found in wood ed areas, and their bites can be very irritating . Bay rum essences can be soothing . Lem on g rass can be found g rowing naturally, and a hand ful of this in your room is also a useful m osq uito d eterrent. Sand flies can be a p roblem on the beach. Desp ite their tiny size they can g ive you a nasty bite. And , ants abound , so m ake sure you check the g round carefully before sitting d own otherwise you m ig ht g et bitten, and the bites can itch for d ays. Sea urchins, jelly fish and fire coral should all be avoid ed in the water. Note: Drinking water from the tap is p erfectly safe althoug h bottled m ineral and d istilled water is wid ely available.

HOSPITALS There are 14 p ubic and p rivate hosp itals on the island .

Kingston Andre w s Me mo rial Ho s pital (private ) ☎ 926-7401 Bus tamante Ho s pital fo r Childre n ☎ 926-5721

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Kings to n Public Ho s pital ☎ 922-0210 Me dical As s o ciate s Ho s pital (private ) ☎ 926-1400

Nuttall Me mo rial Ho s pital (private ) ☎ 926-2139 St Jo s e ph’s Ho s pital (private ) ☎ 928-4955 Unive rs ity o f We s t Indie s Ho s pital ☎ 927-1620

Mandeville

Do cto r’s Ho s pital (private ) ☎ 952-1616 MoBay Hope Medical Center, Half Moon Shopping Village offers 24 hour em ergency service

Ocho Rios St Ann’s Bay Ho s pital ☎ 972-0150

Hargre ave s Me mo rial Ho s pital (private ) ☎ 962-2040 Mande ville Ho s pital ☎ 962-2067

Port Antonio

Montego Bay

Prince s s Margare t Ho s pital ☎ 982-1093/ 2304

Co rnw all Re gio nal Ho s pital ☎ 952-5100

Po rt Anto nio Ho s pital ☎ 993-2646

St Thomas

HUSTLING Hustling is alm ost a way of life on Jam aica. Many people need to hustle to m ake ends m eet, others do it for fun to see how m uch they can get. It is im possible to go to Jam aica without being hustled, especially along the north coast, but do not feel threatened by it or get angry at it as you will get teased even m ore. If asked for m oney or offered som ething you do not want, decline in a firm but friendly way. Young wom en on holiday alone will be propositioned, som etim es outrageously, by Jam aican m en. Again, if you not interested say so openly and directly, which will not cause offense.

INSURANCE Make sure you have ad eq uate insurance to cover all eventualities. Health care if req uired , is exp ensive, and if hiring a car, it is worth taking out extra insurance such as d am ag e collision waiver. If you have rented a car as p art of a p ackag e d eal, check what insurance cover this includ es, and m ake up any shortcom ing s.

LANGUAGE The official lang uag e is Eng lish but a local p atois, a com bination of several lang uag es, is wid ely sp oken. The p atois is virtually incom p rehensible to visitors, but a few word s are useful. do n man – an im p ortant p erson que e n – g irlfriend do nna – wom an

ye o w – hello dunza – m oney yo w a – com e here

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MEDIA There are three d aily newsp ap ers, two m orning – the Daily Gleaner, found ed in 1834, and The Record -and one evening tabloid , The Star, all p ublished in King ston, and five Sund ay newsp ap ers. Most m ajor US newsp ap ers and m any foreig n p ap ers and m ag azines are read ily available. The Jam aica Broad casting Corp oration p rovid es rad io and television channels, and KLAS and Rad io Jam aica also run rad io stations.

MINERAL SPRINGS There are several m ineral sp ring s of which four have bathing facilities. There are p ublic sp ring s at Bath in St Thom as, and Milk River in Clarend on. The Rockfort Mineral Baths, King ston, is run by the Cem ent Com p any.

NATIONAL SYMBOLS Natio nal Fruit: The Ackee Natio nal Bird: The Doctor Bird

Natio nal Tre e : Mahoe Natio nal Flo w e r: Lig num Vitae

Sand Castle Pub, Ocho Rios

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NIGHTLIFE It is said that King ston never closes, and there are lots of bars and nig htsp ots. You can also find p laces for late nig ht m usic and a d rink in the other larg e towns, but there is little to d o away from urban areas. Most of the resorts and larg e hotels p rovid e their own evening entertainm ent with local m usicians, d ance g roup s and cabaret acts, and late nig ht d iscos. Kings to n Asylum , 24 Karat, Atlantis, Cactus, Carlos, Chasers. Countrysid e, God father’s, Grizzly’s, Grog Shop p e, Junkanoo Loung e, Ming les, Mirag e, Pep p ers, Priscilla’s and the Turntable. Mande ville are a Planet Disco, Tracks Disco, ‘N’ Som nia and Ward 21. Mo nte go Bay are a Aq uasol, The Brewery, Cave Disco, Coconuts Club, Disco Inferno, Hurricane, Im p act Disco, Junkanoo Loung e, Marg ueritaville, The Native, Pier 1, Planet Xaym aka, Rhythm , Witches, Walter’s Bar and Zulu’s

Ne gril Are a Arthur’s Gold en Sunset, Close Encounters Disco, Com p ulsion, Hed onism 11 Disco, Kaiser’s, MX3, Rick’s Cafe and Visions Ocho Rio s are a Acrop olis, Am nesia, Bill’s Place, Evita’s, Little Pub, Jam aica Me Krazy, Reg g ae Parad ise, Roof Club, Shad es, Silks Club and Vintag e Bar Po rt Anto nio are a Roof Club and Shad ows.

PETS Pets are not allowed as the island is rabies-free and there are strict controls to enforce this.

PHOTOGRAPHS The intensity of the sun can p lay havoc with your film s, esp ecially if p hotog rap hing near water or white sand . Com p ensate for the brig htness otherwise your p hotog rap hs will com e out over exp osed and wishy washy, esp ecially if you take p ictures when the sun is at its strong est. A low sp eed film is p referable – ASA 64 for slid es, or ASA 100 for p rints and und erwater shots. If p hotog rap hing on the beach in brig ht sunlig ht set the cam era at least one stop and p erhap s two below the read ing from the built in lig ht m eter. The heat can actually d am ag e film so store reels in a box or bag in the hotel frid g e if there is one. Also rem em ber to p rotect your cam era if on the beach, as a sing le g rain of sand is all it takes to jam your cam era, and if left unp rotected , it m ig ht d isap p ear. Film is exp ensive and it is best to bring your own, but if you have to buy, m ake sure that the exp iry d ate is still a long way off. It is also a 131

g ood id ea to bring with you any rep lacem ent batteries your cam era m ig ht need . It is very easy to g et ‘click hap p y’ in the Caribbean, but be tactful when taking p hotog rap hs. Many island ers are shy or sim p ly fed up with being p hotog rap hed , and others will insist on a sm all p aym ent. You will have to d ecid e whether the p icture is worth it, but if a p erson d eclines to have their p hotog rap h taken, d on’t ig nore this. The island ers are a warm and very hosp itable p eop le, and if you stop and sp end som e tim e find ing out what they are d oing , they will usually then allow you to take a p hotog rap h. Film is q uite exp ensive and it is better to take it with you, and carry sp are batteries if your cam era req uires them , or chang e them for new ones just before d ep arture.

POST The m ain p ost office is on the corner of King Street and Barry Street, King ston ☎ 922-2120. There are p ost offices in all towns and stam p s are sold in m any stores, hotels and attractions. In Mang o Bay, there are p ost offices next to Doctor Caves Beach and 1 St Jam es Street. In Neg ril, the p ost office is on West End Road , and in Ocho Rios it is on Main Street.

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS * AND MAJOR EVENTS January

March

January 1 Ne w Ye ar’s Day * Acco mpo ng Maro o n Fe s tival St Elizabeth Air Jamaica Jazz and Blue s Fe s tival Natio nal Art Exhibitio n Panto mime Ne gril Sprint Triathlo n High Mo untain 1 0 k ro ad race , William sfield

Annual Ne gril Re ggae Fe s tival Annual Re d Stripe Inte rnatio nal Po lo Fe s tival Chukka Cove As h We dne s day * Jamaica Orchid So cie ty Annual Spring Sho w

February Bo b Marle y Birthday Bas h Nine Miles, St Ann and Bob Marley Museum , King ston Chukka Co ve Apple to n Po lo To urname nt UWI Carnival Jamaica Maratho n

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April Go o d Friday * Eas te r Mo nday * Annual Re d Stripe Ho rs e Sho w Chukka Cove Eas te r Craft Fair Ocho Rios Jamaica Carnival King ston, Ocho Rios and Monteg o Bay Mo nte go Bay Yacht Club Eas te r Re gatta

May Labo ur day * Manche s te r Ho rticultural So cie ty Sho w So uth Co as t Fis hing To urname nt Black River

June Jamaica Fe s tival Natio nal He ro e s Tribute National Heroes Park Jamaica Fe s tival Pe rfo rming Arts Final Ocho Rio s Jazz Fe s tival

July Jamaica Fe s tival Po pular So ng Co nte s t King ston Manche s te r Go lf We e k Re ggae Suns plas h King ston Ne gril Carnival Natio nal Dance The atre Co mpany’s Se as o n o f Dance King ston Jamaica Spice Fo o d Fe s tival

Be auty Page ant King ston Mo nte go Bay Inte rnatio nal Marlin To urname nt

October Natio nal He ro e s Day – 3 rd Mo nday * Fo s s il Ope n Po lo To urname nt Chukka Cove Jamaica Ope n Pe ps i Pro Am Go lf To urname nt Monteg o Bay Okto be rfe s t King ston Po rt Anto nio Inte rnatio nal Marlin To urname nt Natio nal Me nto Yard

November Jamaica Go lf We e k Inte rnatio nal Carting We e k King ston Ro yal Jamaica Yacht Club Fis hing To urname nt Thanks giving Craft Fair Ocho Rios

December

Ike bana Inte rnatio nal Sho w King ston Inde pe nde nce Day 1s t Mo nday * JAM- AM Cup Yacht Race Harmo ng Hall Craft Fair Monteg o Bay Ocho Rios Jo hnnie Walke r Wo rld ChampiHi- Pro Family Po lo To urname nt o ns hip and Inte rnatio nal Ho rs e Sho w Tryall Golf, Beach and Chukka Cove Tennis Club Po rtland Jambo re e De ce mbe r 25 – Chris tmas Day * Re ggae Sumfe s t De ce mbe r 26 – Bo xing Day * Monteg o Bay

August

September Falmo uth Blue Marlin To urname nt Mis s Jamaica Wo rld

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SECURITY Se nsible p re cautio ns sho uld be take n to avo id p e tty p ilfe ring w hich can be a p ro ble m . It m ake s se nse like anyw he re e lse , no t to w alk aro und w e aring e xp e nsive je w e lry o r flashing larg e sum s o f m o ne y. Extra care ne e d s to be take n late at nig ht, e sp e cially aw ay fro m the ce nte rs o f the larg e r to w ns, w he re stre e t crim e o ccasio nally o ccurs. If o ut late at nig ht, trave l by taxi o r w ith a cro w d , and d o n’t stray into unfam iliar, bad ly lit are as. It is a g o o d id e a to g e t a stre e t m ap and fam iliarize yo urse lf w ith it, le arning the be st w ay back to yo ur ho te l, no t ne ce ssarily the q uicke st. Do n’t le ave valuable ite m s in unatte nd e d ve hicle s, o r o n the be ach if g o ing sw im m ing . Do n’t carry aro und yo ur p assp o rt, trave le r’s che cks o r all yo ur m o ne y. Ke e p the m se cure in yo ur ro o m o r in a ho te l safe ty d e p o sit bo x. It is also a g o o d id e a to have p ho to co p ie s o f the info rm atio n p ag e o f yo ur p assp o rt, yo ur air ticke t and ho lid ay insurance p o licy. All w ill he lp g re atly if the o rig inals are lo st. Mo st ho te ls have the ir o w n se curity staff, but care sho uld also be take n w ith valuable s w he n by the p o o l and o n the be ach. As w ith m o st to urist d e stinatio ns, yo u m ig ht be p e ste re d by to uts trying to se ll to urs, so uve nirs and e ve n d rug s, o r by yo ung p e o p le be g g ing . A firm ‘no ’ o r ‘no t inte re ste d ’, is no rm ally e no ug h to p e rsuad e the m to le ave yo u alo ne .

SHOPPING Sho p s and bo utiq ue s o f all kind s can be fo und o n the island se lling a hug e rang e o f g o o d s. The re are d uty-fre e sho p s and d e sig ne r bo utiq ue s, crafts m arke ts and to p -nam e salo ns, as w e ll as stre e t ve nd o rs and ro ad sid e stand s, and re m e m be r that hag g ling o ve r the p rice is all p art o f the fun. King sto n, Mo nte g o Bay and O cho Rio s have a num be r o f sho p p ing ce nte rs and m alls. Be st buys includ e lo cal w o o d w o rk, straw w e aving , be ad s and e m bro id e ry fro m the Craft Marke t. Go ld , silve r, je w e lry, china, crystal and e le ctro nic g o o d s fro m inbo nd sto re s, clo thing , rum , Blue Mo untain co ffe e and p e rfum e s are all g o o d buys. Sho p s are o p e n fro m Mo nd ay to Saturd ay altho ug h so m e clo se o n We d ne sd ay o r Thursd ay afte rno o n. If se lf-cate ring be st buys are fre sh fruit and ve g e table s, bre ad , fre shly caug ht fish. Yo ung co co nuts p ro vid e re fre shing d rinks and sug ar cane sticks are ve ry nutritio us.

TAXES There is a 15% Governm ent tax on accom m od ation, in ad d ition to any service charg e which m ay be ad d ed .

134

Colorful Rastafarian hats

Right: Jamaica Express Airways Below: Getting around the island is cheap and easy using the regular bus service

135

TELEPHONES AND COMMUNICATIONS There are p ay p hones but they m ig ht not always be working . For local calls you need two ten cent coins which are inserted when the p erson you are calling answers, for long d istance and international calls it is better to call collect rather than jug g le with all the coins need ed . For local calls d ial the 7-d ig it num ber, for long d istance island calls, p refix the 7-d ig it num ber with a 0. For d irectory inq uiries d ial 114, for the international op erator d ial 113. In m ost hotels, calls have to be p laced throug h the op erator for which a charg e is m ad e, p lus a surcharg e for long d istance and international calls. The international d ialing cod e for Jam aica is 876, and from the US it is a long d istance call – d ial 1-876 and then the 7-d ig it num ber. From the UK d ial 001-876 and then the local num ber.

TIME Jam aica observes Eastern Stand ard Tim e, the sam e as New York, which is five hours behind GMT, so when it is noon in Lond on it is 7am in King ston. Daylig ht Saving Tim e is not observed so d uring the sum m er m onths, Jam aica is one hour behind New York and four hours ahead of Lond on.

TIPPING It is custom ary to tip about 15% in restaurants and ad d the sam e to taxi fares. Som e hotels and restaurants ad d a 15% service charg e to bills, so check to ensure you d o not p ay twice. Tip p orters about $1 for each larg e p iece of lug g ag e carried , and leave room m aid s about $1 for each nig ht’s accom m od ation.

TOURIST OFFICES There are tourist inform ation offices at: Black Rive r Hend riks Build ing , 2 Hig h Street, Black River, St Elizabeth ☎ 965-2074 Kings to n 2 St Lucia Avenue, PO Box 360, King ston 5 ☎ 929-9200 No rman Manle y Inte rnatio nal Airpo rt ☎ 924-8024 Mo nte go Bay Cornwall Beach, PO Box 67, Monteg o Bay ☎ 952-4425

136

Sangs te r Inte rnatio nal Airpo rt ☎ 952-2462 Ne gril Coral Seas Plaza ☎ 957-4243 Ocho Rio s Ocean Villag e Shop p ing Centre, PO Box 240, Ocho Rios ☎ 974-2582 Po rt Anto nio City Centre Plaza, PO Box 151, Port Antonio ☎ 993-3051

There are Jam aica Tourist Board offices abroad in:

United States 3 0 0 We s t Wie uca Ro ad NE Suite 100-A, Atlanta GA 30342 ☎ 404 250-9971 2 1 Me rchants Ro w 5th floor, Boston MA 02109 ☎ 617 248-5811 5 0 0 No rth Michigan Ave nue Suite 1030, Chicag o Il 60611 ☎ 312 527-1296 8 2 1 4 We s tche s te r Suite 500, Dallas TX 75225 ☎ 214 361-8778 2 6 4 0 0 Lahs e r Ro ad Suite 114-A, Southfield , Detroit MI 48034 ☎ 313 948-9557 3 4 4 0 Wils hire Bo ule vard Suite 805, Los Ang eles CA 90010 ☎ 213 384-1123

1 3 2 0 So uth Dixie Highw ay Suite 1101, Coral Gables, Miam i Fl 33146 ☎ 305 665-0557 8 0 1 Se co nd Ave nue 20th floor, New York NY 10017 ☎ 212 856-9727 1 3 1 5 Walnut Stre e t Suite 1505, Philad elp hia PA 19107 ☎ 215 545-1061

Canada 1 Eglinto n Ave nue Eas t Suite 616, Toronto, Ontario M4P 3A1 ☎ 416 482-7850

UK 1 - 2 Prince Co ns o rt Ro ad Lond on SW7 2BZ ☎ 0207-224-0505

TRAVEL AROUND THE ISLAND Mini-buse s and share d taxis o p e rate aro und the island and are a che ap and fun w ay to trave l. Mini buse s have the ir o w n ro ute s and o nly le ave w he n the d rive rs think the re are e no ug h p asse ng e rs. The y can g e t ve ry cro w d e d and are alw ays no isy. The jo urne y is slo w be cause o f fre q ue nt sto p s, but it is a g re at chance to g e t to m e e t the island e rs. Mini-buse s are be st use d fo r co m p arative ly sho rt jo urne ys, be cause yo u can w aste se ve ral ho urs trave ling fro m King sto n to Mo nte g o Bay. Share d taxis are q uicke r be cause the y m ake fe w e r sto p s, and are co st e ffe ctive if the re are e no ug h o f yo u. Public buse s o p e rate thro ug ho ut King sto n and the re are also p ublic p asse ng e r se rvice s aro und the island co nne cting villag e s, to w ns and citie s. The y usually have ind icato r bo ard s sho w ing w he re the y are g o ing , but it is alw ays ad visable to ask in case the d rive r has no t chang e d the sig n! The buse s are slo w and at p e ak tim e s can be cro w d e d w ith stand ing ro o m o nly. In to w ns the y o nly sto p at bus sto p s, but can be w ave d d o w n in co untry are as. Trave ling by bus fro m King sto n to Mo nte g o can take se ve ral ho urs, and trave ling to o the r d e stinatio ns m ay invo lve d e lays chang ing fro m o ne bus to ano the r. Fo r instance , if yo u are trave ling fro m Mo nte g o Bay to Po rt Anto nio , yo u have to chang e fo ur tim e s. 137

Bus Stations: Mo nte go Bay – Barne tt Stre e t Oc ho Rio s – o p p o site the Farm e rs’ Marke t Po rt Anto nio – Fo re sho re Ro ad Ne gril – ne xt to the p o lice statio n

Taxis: Taxis have the le tte rs PPV (Public Passe ng e r Ve hicle ) o n the ir re d re g istratio n p late s and sho uld be m e te re d , altho ug h m any are no t. JUTA taxis have fixe d fare s that sho uld be d isp laye d . It is alw ays ad visable , ho w e ve r, to ag re e the fare be fo re g e tting in, e sp e cially w he n first arriving and tire d afte r a lo ng flig ht. Do no t take rid e s in unlice nse d no n-PPV taxis as the se m ay no t be insure d . Yo u w ill g e t hustle d by the taxi d rive rs at the airp o rt but taxi d rive rs m ake e xce lle nt to ur g uid e s and can be hire d fo r sig htse e ing to urs but alw ays ag re e the p rice be fo re se tting o ff. Exp e ct to p ay abo ut J$ 5 0 0 -5 5 0 an ho ur fo r sig htse e ing to urs, w hich is ve ry re aso nable if be ing sp lit se ve ral w ays.

By rail: The railro ad w as intro d uce d in 1 8 4 5 and the line runs fro m King sto n no rth w e st via Sp anish To w n, William sfie ld (o utsid e Mand e ville ) and Mag g o tty to Mo nte g o Bay. The re w e re tw o trains a d ay fro m King sto n to Mo nte g o Bay and back and the jo urne y to o k alm o st six ho urs o ffe ring incre d ible sce ne ry e n ro ute . Unfo rtunate ly, the se rvice clo se d d o w n in1 9 9 5 but it is ho p e d to re -o p e n it.

By air: The re are d om e stic airp orts at Tinson Pe n, close to King ston’s wate rfront, Ne g ril, Boscobe l, Ocho Rios and Ke n Jone s airp ort at Port Antonio, and a num be r of p rivate air strip s. Dom e stic airp orts are se rve d by Air Jam aica Exp re ss, Trans Jam aica Airline s, Air Sup e rClub and Trop ical Airline s. He litours Jam aica also offe rs sp e ctacular tours of the island . Flying around the island is ve ry g ood value , and re turn ticke ts are consid e rably che ap e r than two sing le s.

WEDDINGS Many p e op le choose to m arry in Jam aica and the following re q uire m e nts have to be m e t. Coup le s have to have be e n re sid e nt for at le ast 24 hours be fore be ing m arrie d . The y can ap p ly in ad vance for a m arriag e lice nse (JA$200) and m ust p rovid e p roof of citize nship (a ce rtifie d cop y of birth ce rtificate ), p are nt’s writte n conse nt if und e r the ag e of 18, p roof of d ivorce if ap p licable , and a cop y of d e ath ce rtificate for wid ow or wid owe r. A blood te st is not re q uire d . 138

Ap p licatio ns m ust be m ad e to the Ministry o f Natio nal Se curity and Justice , 1 2 O ce an Bo ule vard , King sto n ☎ 9 2 2 -0 0 8 0 . The o ffice is o p e n be tw e e n 8 .3 0 am and 5 p m Mo nd ay to Thursd ay and 8 .3 0 am to 4 p m o n Frid ay. Many ho te ls have w e d d ing co nsultants w ho w ill m ake all the ne ce ssary arrang e m e nts. The re are also a num be r o f no n-d e no m inatio nal m arriag e re g istrars w ho w ill co nd uct the ce re m o ny fo r a fe e .

A typical wedding ceremony on the beach front

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IND EX A Accompong Accompong Maroon Village African Museum, The Alley Alligator Church, Ginger House Anancy Family Fun and Nature Park Appleton Arawak Caves Archaeological Museum

96 72 41 65 57 76 72 96 63

B BaileyÕs 48 Barnett Estate Plantation, The 81 Barrett House 91 Bath Fountain Hotel 49 Bay Gallery 81 Belvedere Estate, The 81 Blue Hole Museum 81 Blue Lagoon 50 Blue Mountain Coffee Plantations 56 Blue Mountain Peak 60 Blue Mountains 56, 58 Bluefields 73 Bob Marley Experience and Theatre 91 Bob Marley Museum, The 44 Bob Marley Performing Centre 80 Booby Cay 76 Boston Bay 49 Botanic Gardens 57 Bowden 49 Brandon Hill Cave 80 BrownÕs Town 97 BullockÕs Lodge 45 Burchell Memorial Church 81 C Cage, The Carinosa Carinosa Tropical Gardens

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78 101 101

Castleton 57 Caves of Nonsuch 50 Caymanas Park 44 Christiana 69 Cinchona Botanic Gardens 61 Circle ÔBÕ Plantation 100 City Centre Plaza 53 Coin and Notes Museum, The 36 Colbeck Castle 65 Columbus Monument 98 Columbus Park 96 Comfort Castle 57 Crystal Spring Eco-Resort 57 D Devon House 41 Discovery Bay 96 DoctorÕs Cave Beach 88 Dome, The 80 DunnÕs River Falls and Park 100 E Edinburgh Castle

100

F Fairy Hill 49 Falmouth 91 Fern Gully 101 Firefly 103 Flemarie 48 Folk Musical Instrument Exhibition, The 44 Fort Charles 40 Fort Charles Maritime Museum 40 Fort Clarence 45 Fort George 54 G Galdy Louis 41 Gallery of West Indian Art 81 Gardens of Athenry 50 Garvey, Marcus 99 Geology Museum, The 44 Glenwyn Halt 72 Goldeneye 104

Good Hope Estate Gordon Town Green Castle Great House Green Grotto Guanaboa Vale

92 60 45 98 64

H Half Moon Bay 91 Hampden Great House 104 Harmony Hall 103 Headquarters House 37 Heroes Park 45 High Mountain Coffee Factory 68 Hollywell Forest Park 61 Hope Bay 57 Hope Botanical Gardens 44 Hordley 49 Hotel Villa Bella 69 I Institute of Jamaica

36

J Jablum Coffee Processing Plant 60 Jackson Bay 65 Jamaica Conference Center 36 Jamaica Defense Force Museum 44 Jamaica Safari Village 91 Jamaican Peoples Museum of Craft and Technology 63 James Bond Beach 103 Judgement Cliff 48 Jupiter Falls 57 K Kenilworth Kings House Kingston L Liguanea Lime Cay Linstead

78 37, 63 35

44 44 104

Little Ascot Race Course Long Bay Longhouse Luminous Lagoon Lyssons

65 49 45 93 49

M Maggotty Magic Toy Factory Manchester Club Mandeville Mandeville Hotel Maroon Museum Maroon Town Barracks MarshallÕs Pen Martha Brae May Pen Mile Gully Milk River Spa Minard Estate Monkey Island Montego Bay Montego Bay Marine Park Montego Bay Yacht Club Moore Town Morant Point Lighthouse Morgan, Henry Mountain River Cave National Arena and National Stadium National Museum of Historical Archaeology, The Natural History Museum NatureÕs Habitat Navy Island Negril Negril Lighthouse NegrilÕs Reef Nelson, Horatio New Kingston Newcastle O Ocean Village

72 69 69 65 68 56 96 69 92 65 69 65 97 50 78 81 80 57 49 40 64

44

Ocho Rios 100 Orange River Lodge 88 Orange Valley 97 Ostrich Park at Lacovia 71 P Palisadoes Pedro Pioneer Chocolate Factory Port Antonio Port Henderson Port Maria Port Morant Port Royal Portland Lighthouse Porus Puerto Seco

39 100 68 52 45 104 49 39 65 65 96

R Rackham, Jack Calico 73 Rafting 56 Reach Falls 49 Recreation Centre 69 Retreat 49 Rio Bueno 96 Rio Grande 56 Rio Nuevo 103 Rockfort Mineral Baths, The 45 Rocklands Bird Sanctuary, The 88 Rodney Memorial 63 Rose Hall Great House 89 Runaway Bay 97

41 36 64 54 76 76 76 40 35 61

103

S Sabina Park 4 5 Salem 98 Salt Ponds 48 Sam Sharpe Square 78 San San Beach 50 Savanna La Mar 73 Schwallenburgh 100 Seaford Town 72 SeamanÕs Valley 57 Selassie, Haile 99 Serenity Wildlife Park and Zoo 64

Seville Great House and Heritage Park Shaw Park Gardens ShooterÕs Hill Silver Hill coffee estate Slave Ring Sligoville Somerset Falls Southfield Spanish Town St Anns St Anns Bay St James Cathedral St James Parish Church St PeterÕs Church Stokes Hall T The National Art Gallery Titchfield Peninsula Treasure Beach Trident Castle

98 101 69 61 80 64 57 72 63 100 100 64 80 91 49

36 53 72 52

U University of the West Indies, The 45 UniversityÕs Creative Arts Centre 45 V Victoria Crafts Market 39 W Ward Theatre West End Cliffs Whitehall Great House Whitehouse William Grant Park Williamsfield Wood Island

76 73 37 68 56

Y Yallahs YS Falls

48 71

37 76

141

US & British VI* ISBN: 1 901522 03 2 256pp, UK £11.95 US $15.95

Antigua & Barbuda* Bermuda* ISBN: 1 901522 02 4 ISBN: 1 901522 07 5 96pp, 160pp, UK £5.95 US $12.95 UK £7.95 US $12.95

Barbados* ISBN: 1 901522 32 6 144pp, UK £6.95 US $12.95

St Lucia* ISBN: 1 901522 82 2 144pp, UK £6.95 US $13.95

Orlando* ISBN: 1 901522 22 9 256pp, UK £9.95 US $15.95

Florida: Gulf Coast* ISBN: 1 901522 01 6 160pp UK £7.95 US $12.95

Florida: The Keys* ISBN: 1 901522 21 0 160pp, UK £7.95 US $12.95

Pack 2 months into 2 weeks with your

Landmark Visitors Guides

Cayman Islands* ISBN: 1 901522 33 4 144pp UK £6.95 US $12.95

Gran Canaria

Northern

Cyprus

Christo phe r Turne r

Dominican Republic* ISBN: 1 901522 08 3 160pp, UK £7.95 US $12.95

142

Gran Canaria* ISBN: 1 901522 19 9 160pp UK £7.95 US $12.95

Kristina Gurso y & Lavinia Ne ville Sm ith

Tenerife ISBN: 1 901522 17 2 160pp, UK £7.95

North Cyprus ISBN: 1 901522 51 2 192pp UK £8.95

Madeira ISBN: 1 901522 42 3 192pp, UK £8.95

To order send a cheque (check)/Visa/MasterCard details to: Landmark Publishing, Waterloo House, 12 Compton, Ashbourne, Derbyshire DE6 IDA England Tel: 01335 347349 Fax: 01335 347303 e-mail: [email protected] web site: www.landmarkpublishing.co.uk * In USA order from Hunter Publishing 130 Campus Drive, Edison NJ 08818, Tel (732) 225 1900 or (800) 255 0343 Fax: (732) 417 0482 www.hunterpublishing.com

Dordogne Vendée Languedoc

Ric hard Sale

Provence* ISBN: 1 901522 45 8 240pp, UK £10.95 US $17.95

Côte d’Azur* ISBN: 1 901522 29 6 144pp, UK £6.95 US $13.95

Mike Sm ith

Dordogne ISBN: 1 901522 67 9 176pp, UK £9.95

Ticino Italian Lakes Switzerland

Christo phe r Turne r

Andre w Be attie & Tim Pe ppe r

Bruges* ISBN: 1 901522 66 0 96pp, UK £5.95 US $10.95

Ticino ISBN: 1 901522 74 1 192pp UK £8.95

Iceland

Edde y Dave y

Vendée ISBN: 1 901522 76 X 160pp, UK £7.95

Ric hard Sale

Languedoc ISBN: 1 901522 79 2 144pp, UK £6.95

Riga

Ric hard Sale

Italian Lakes* ISBN: 1 901522 11 3 240pp, UK £10.95 US $15.95

Riga* ISBN: 1 901522 59 8 160pp, UK £7.95

Cracow ISBN: 1 901522 54 7 160pp, UK £7.95

India: Kerala ISBN: 1 901522 16 4 256pp, UK £10.99

India: Goa ISBN: 1 901522 23 7 160pp, UK £7.95

Sri Lanka

Rita Tre ge llas Po pe

Iceland* ISBN: 1 901522 68 7 192pp, UK £12.95 US $17.95

New Zealand* ISBN: 1 901522 36 9 320pp UK £12.95 US $18.95

Sri Lanka ISBN: 1 901522 37 7 192pp, UK £9.95

Prices subject to alteration from time to time

143

Published in the UK by

Landmark Publishing Ltd, Waterloo House, 12 Compton, Ashbourne, Derbyshire DE6 1DA England Tel: (01335) 347349 Fax: (01335) 347303 e-mail: [email protected] website: landmarkpublishing.co.uk Published in the USA by

Hunter Publishing Inc, 130 Campus Drive, Edison NJ 08818 Tel: (732) 225 1900, (800) 255 0343 Fax: (732) 417 0482 website: www.hunterpublishing.com ISBN 1 901 522 31 8

© Don Philpott The right of Don Philpott as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Design and Patents Act, 1993. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of Landmark Publishing Ltd. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data: a catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

Print: Gutenberg Press Ltd, Malta Cartography: Mark Titterton Design: Mark Titterton Front cover: Negril, parm fringed beach Back cover, top: Harmony Hall, Och Rios Back cover, bottom: Ocho Rios Picture Credits All photography supplied by the author and The Jamaican Tourist Board except the following: Photobank Front cover and page 3 Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the relevant copyright, designs and patents acts, this publication may only be reproduced, stored or transmitted, in any form or by any means, with the prior permission in writing of the publisher. eBooks Corporation

DISCLAIMER While every care has been taken to ensure that the information in this book is as accurate as possible at the time of publication, the publishers and author accept no responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by anyone using this book.