Day 1 - Montego Bay has plenty of attractions, but depending on the time of your arrival, head to Negril, where the islands loveliest, and most popular, beach awaits.
Day 2 – Relax on the beach and enjoy snorkeling or diving in the crystal-clear waters. After a sunset cruise with cocktails, take in an open-air reggae concert.
Day 3 – Take a boat trip up the Black River to spot crocodiles and tropical birds. Treasure Beach is nearby and this fishing community is a calming place to rest.
Day 4 – Cross the crisp and scenic Dry Harbour Mountains via Nine Miles where Bob Marley was born and is buried. Arrive in Ocho Rios after a full day touring, relax with a sundowner on your veranda or hotel beach.
Day 5 – Clamber up the tiered cascades of Dunn's River Falls and, later, swim with dolphins at nearby Dolphin Cove. This afternoon, drive to Firefly, former home of playwright Sir Noel Coward.
Day 6 – Head to Chukka Cove for horse riding in the hills. After exploring Cranbrook Botanical Gardens, go west to spend the night near the Georgian town of Falmouth.
Day 7 – Take a bamboo raft trip on the Martha Brae River before transferring to Montego Bay for your homebound flight
Dos and don'ts
Refrain from trying the local and ubiquitous ganja (marijuana)! Drug possession is illegal and foreigners receive no special favors in court.
Don't make the popular all-inclusive resorts the center of a holiday. You can't discover the island from inside a hotel.
Dress appropriately away from the beach. Jamaica is a conservative society and locals in rural areas are easily offended by tourists wearing skimpy clothing.
Getting there
Jamaica is an island in the western Caribbean. It has two international airports – Montego Bay and Kingston.
Getting around
Kingston has public buses. Elsewhere local minibuses connect towns but are not for the faint of heart. Charter flights serve regional airports. Rent a car or use taxis for local journeys and trips into the countryside.
Weather
Clear and balmy with average January temperature of about 77F, with the odd cloudy day and occasional cool spells.
Accomodations
Time N Place, Falmouth, with a private white sandy beach; doubles from $70
Hibisucs Lodge, Ocho Rios, is a favorite; doubles from $130; tel (876) 974 2676
The Caves, Negril, is the ultimate in relaxation; doubles from $520
Eating out
Jamaica has its own cuisine, from codfish breakfast to pepperpot stew, curried goat, and mouth searing jerk. You can fill up at streetside stalls for $5 or spend $50 for gourmet fare at a fancy hotel.
Price for two
$230-260 per day including accommodations, food and car rental.
Further information
www.visitjamaica.com
Rastafarians
Jamaica's homegrown religious adherents are recognizable by their dreadlocks. Evolving in the arly 20th-century from the "back to Africa" movement, the faith defies Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie. Appropriating biblical passages to justify the use of marijuana, smoked for enlightenment, believers adopt an Old Testament lifestyle, are vegetarians, and shun Western consumerism.
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Excerpted from Where to go When, copyright 2007 by Dorling Kindersely Limited. Used by permission of Dorling Kindersley Limited.All Rights Reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced except with permission in writing from the publisher.
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