Last updated on April 6th, 2024
Beach at Dunn’s River Falls,
Visit Jamaica – Ocho Rios
The two main tourist attractions when you visit Jamaica – Ocho Rios are Dunn’s River Falls and Mystic Mountain Bobsled. You can easily combine these on a cruise ship excursion. Read our Ocho Rios Shore Excursion Blog for more details. Other sites to see in Ocho Rios are:
- Dolphin Cove – near the cruise terminal with 5 acres of rainforest. See birds, iguanas, tropical plants and flowers.
- Shaw Park Gardens
- White River Valley – rafting, 7 miles south from Ocho Rios. Try Chukka Tours.
- Cool Blue Hole – a pool on the White River
- Fern Gully – 3 miles of twisting road through the rainforest, south of town.
- Travel 1.5 hours to Nine Mile, where Bob Marley was born and laid to rest. The mausoleum is operated by his family. Some think it’s a rip off and others think it’s awesome.
Bamboo Rafting, © Can Stock Photo / Konstik
Visit Jamaica – Falmouth
- Glistening Waters Luminous Lagoon – watch the phosphorescent microbes light up the waters in the lagoon at night.
- Take a bamboo rafting ride down the Martha Brae River with River Rafting Ltd. The starting point is 3 miles inland from Falmouth.
- Outameni Experience – promoting the history of Jamaica through an interactive experience.
Savor the Tastes of Jamaica
- Ackee and saltfish – the national dish, ackee is an apple type fruit.
- Jerk chicken – marinated with spice before cooking.
- Jamaican patty – Fluffy pastry using egg yolk and filled with almost anything edible.
- Mannish water – Goat head soup.
- Lots of fish, plantain and bananas.
- Influences from the Arawak Indians, Chinese, West African, Spanish and British.
Dunn’s River Falls, Ocho Rios
Visit Jamaica – More Sights
Runaway Bay:
- Green Grotto Caves – caverns and a subterranean lake.
Montego Bay:
- Doctors Cave Beach
- Great River – jungle rafting, tubing and kayaking. Try Chukka Tours.
Negril:
- 7 Mile Beach – the nicest beach on Jamaica and, since its on the western coast, it has great sunsets.
- Watch the sunset and the cliff divers from Rick’s Cafe.
Kingston:
Ocho Rios from Mystic Mountain
Visit Jamaica – Hotels
- Villa Rialto @ The Palms – Ocho Rios
- Jewel Dunn’s River Beach Resort & Spa – Ocho Rios
- Jewel Paradise Cove Beach Resort & Spa – Runaway Bay
- Holiday Inn Resort Montego Bay All Inclusive
- The Jamaica Pegasus Hotel – Kingston
Jamaica Weather
Jamaica experiences typical Caribbean weather. The dry season extends from November to April, while the rest of the year is subject to heavier rainfall. Winter has average highs that are about85 F (30 C) and average lows at comfortable room temperates. Summers are only a couple of degrees warmer than winter. Jamaica is often directly in the path of the Caribbean hurricane season in the fall. The fabulous beaches and warm temperatures are what attract tourists.
Visit Jamaica – Transportation
Montego Bay is the common entry point by air. The cruise industry makes regular stops to Jamaica at Falmouth and Ocho Rios. Cruises to Jamaica are usually part of Western Caribbean itineraries.
Visit Jamaica – Background
The island of Jamaica is situated south of Cuba, east of the Grand Cayman and west of Haiti. Jamaica is about 230 km (140 mi) east/west and 80 km (50 mi) north/south. The country has a population of just under 3 million with one third of the people living in the capital of Kingston. The Arawak and Taino inhabited the island prior to Christopher Columbus claiming it for Spain in 1494. The British took it over in 165. Jamaica gained its independence in 1962, but remains part of the British Commonwealth. Today Jamaica is best known for reggae and Bob Marley. It also has been high profile at the Olympics with its abundance of short distance runners, such as Usain Bolt.
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