If you dream of a Caribbean vacation which offers more than sandy beaches, blue waters, whispering palms, and rum-based drinks at poolside, then a Jamaican vacation might be perfect for you. Jamaica, the third-largest of the Caribbean islands, is a place of intense color and contrast, where jungle-covered mountains descend to unspoiled beaches, and where family-friendly resorts compete for business with adult-only hotels off-limits to the under-18 set for very good reasons.
Jamaica is a country where the all-inclusive resort began, and an all-inclusive Jamaican vacation will find you having your every whim catered to behind the guarded gates of a complex offering every conceivable vacation activity. Your meals, drinks, entertainment, transportation, and outdoor activities will be included in the cost of your accommodations, and in most instances, you will be able to fill every minute of your vacation without ever having to leave your resort. Should you venture out to shop or see the sights, you may be able to include the cost of your tour in your Jamaica vacation package.
If, for example, you arrange your Jamaica vacation package at the Beaches Negril Resort and Spa, you will spend your days on 20 glorious acres along the widest stretch of Seven Mile Beach. Just on the chance that you decide to get a taste of Jamaica beyond the gates of the resort, you can reserve a spot on the Black River Safari. Perhaps you get a glimpse of one of the rivers rare crocodiles, or take a swim in one of its safer spots.
Visit the Appleton Estatenear Negril, and sample some of their authentic Jamaican rum. Negril also has much to offer the shopper in you, with plenty of authentic Jamaican crafts and artifacts. Be prepared to bargain for your purchases, and do not be intimidated by the aggressiveness of the Jamaican merchants. Take the time to enjoy the colorful street performers and calypso bands which are a part of the Jamaican vacation shopping experience.
Perhaps you will be tempted to leave your Jamaica vacation resort for a trip to the Blue Mountains in central Jamaica, where Blue Mountain coffee is grown. The mountains offer miles and miles of hiking trails, as well as miles and miles of rivers for rafting and some of the most spectacular scenery in all the Caribbean.
While you may assume that the best sunbathing during your Jamaica vacation will be what you do at your resort, do not overlook the chance to cool off in one of the rock pools formed at the base of the waterfalls along the mountain rivers. Immerse yourself not only in the water, but in the sounds of the surrounding jungle.
Your entry point to the Blue Mountains will almost certainly be through the port city of Ocho Rios, where you should make time to visit Dunn’s River Falls. The falls descend more than 600 feet where the river empties from the mountains into the ocean.
If you find the tourist atmosphere at the falls unappealing, head 2 miles west of Ocho Rios to the Coyaba River Garden and Museum. The museum displays trace the history of the island from the days of its pre-Columbia people to the days of the African slave trade and colonial times. The gardens are a cool and quiet retreat on 4 1/2 acres of lush landscaping.
One of the things you are certain to learn during your first Jamaica vacation is that you will not want it to be your only one. There is simply no where else on Earth like Jamaica. So arrive there prepared for the vacation of a lifetime
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