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Jamaica |
Jamaica ActivitiesJamaica is so large and offers to much that visitors are seldom able to fully explore the island in one visit!Doctor's Cave Beach: Therapeutic mineral spring water and saltwater bathing. Fort Montego: Ruins of this 17th century fort overlook the harbor. Georgian Town Houses: Used to be the residences of wealthy merchants and planters, now occupied by Jamaica restaurants (Town House and Georgian House). Greenwood and Rose Hall Great Houses: These restored plantation houses are over 200 years old. Daily guided tours provide a glimpse of life on a sugar plantation. Rocklands Feeding Station: Watch the birds feed daily in the mid-afternoon. Bird enthusiasts will also want to visit the Bird Sanctuary at Anchovy. Sam Sharpe Square Named for the gentleman who led the 1831 slave rebellion. St. James Parish Church Over 200 years old, this church was completely restored after being destroyed by an earthquake. Martha Brae River Rafting: This river is one of the most popular for a gentle rafting excursion through tropical vegetation. Booby Cay: Island offshore where Disney's "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" was filmed - nude sunning and Caribbean snorkeling are enjoyed here. Long Bay: 5 miles of sand, majority of Jamaica hotels are here. Negril Point Lighthouse: There is no admission charge to visit this landmark. Drax Hall: Weekend polo matches are held here or at Chukka Cove. Harmony Hall: One of the island's finest art galleries housed in a 19th century Victorian mansion. Dunn's River Falls: These cascading 600-foot waterfalls are one of areas most popular attractions. Enjoy a guided walk up the Falls. Fern Gully: 500 species of ferns grow along this three-mile stretch of road through rain forest. Port Maria: Firefly, once home of Noel Coward, sits on a mountain top. This restored estate is open to the public. Prospect Plantation: Take a tour of this 1000 acre working plantation on horseback or by jitney. Rio Nuevo: Spanish and English fought their last battle here. Site is preserved by the Jamaica National Heritage Trust. Shaw Park Garden: Enjoy the spectacular views of the Caribbean and Ocho Rios from here. The botanical garden features tropical plants, streams, and tropical birds. St. Ann's Bay: A statue of Columbus commemorates his being marooned in Jamaica for a year. National hero Marcus Garvey was born in St. Ann's Bay. The Seville Great House: Looks over the site of the first Spanish settlement. Submarine Rides: Visitors who are not divers can still dive deep under the ocean surface on two submarines. One of these submarines recently searched for the Loch Ness monster in Scotland. Columbus Park Museum: This outdoor museum displays artifacts of old Jamaica including cannons, carved canoes and farm implements. Green Grotto Lake: Explore the caves leading to the lake 120 feet underground and take a boat ride. Llandovery: Here you can see the remains of an old sugar factory where rum was produced for about 300 years. Rio Bueno: Christopher Columbus' first landing place in Jamaica in 1494. Blue Lagoon: A popular beach and swimming area, the water here is a deep blue due to its 180-foot depth. There is an admission fee charged. The amount of the fee is deducted from your refreshment tab. Crystal Springs: This 16-acre recreational area is a popular site for concerts and other events. The gardens are filled with orchids. Folly: An American built this mansion for his wife, utilizing sea water for the cement. Because of this, the building quickly deteriorated and very little remains. Navy Island Errol Flynn once came here to hide away. It was also a naval station, but is now a resort and marina. Nonsuch Caves and Athenry Gardens See the caves and flowers. The caves have been linked with the Arawaks, Jamaica's early inhabitants. Reich Falls Spectacular water falls. Rio Grande The largest river in Jamaica. Raft excursions are very popular and can be easily arranged. Somerset Falls The Daniels River pours down a deep gorge forming Somerset Falls. The pools attract swimmers. Gordon House Jamaica's Parliament meets here - visits for tourists can be arranged. Institute of Jamaica National Library, National History Museum. Jamaica's history and island life is explored at these national museums. Kingston Parish Church Building began around 1699. National Gallery Houses the world's largest collection of Jamaican art - air conditioned. Bob Marley Museum Bob Marley's home and recording studio is now a museum. Celebrity Park Contains Bob Marley's statue by Alvin Marriott. Devon House A Jamaican millionaire built Devon House in 1881. The restoration is excellent. Here you will also find restaurants, gardens and craft shops. Hope Gardens Open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Botanical gardens also known as the Royal, these fabulous gardens were created by Sir Daniel Morris who imported over 800 species of plants from Asia and Africa. Kings House The home of the Governor General. You may visit 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. National Stadium and National Arena Major sporting events are held here as well as the Independence celebrations each August. St. Andrew Parish Church This church is said to be the oldest church in Jamaica. It has many interesting tombs. Vale Royal Official residence of the Prime Minister. A wealthy merchant resided here during the early 18th century. Blue Mountain Peak Highest mountain in Jamaica. Be sure to bring a sweater! Newcastle Army training camp, approximately 3,500 feet above sea level, affording a great view of the city. Port Royal Once the headquarters of the British navy in the Caribbean, and a pirate base prior to that, it is now a Caribbean fishing village. Attractions include military forts, armaments and artifacts. Rockfort Mineral Bath Natural mineral spa. White Marl Arawak Museum Arawak artifacts are on display on the site of a major Arawak settlement. The Old Court House Former House of Assembly, Rodney Memorial and the facade of Kings House are some of the historic sites. The Spanish Town Cathedral St. Jago de la Vega, or Cathedral of St. James, was rebuilt in 1712 after the original 16th century building was destroyed by a hurricane. Mandeville Courthouse Built by slaves 170 years ago of carved limestone. Marshall's Pen This 200-year old great house if the centerpiece of a 300-acre cattle ranch. Guided tours showcase antiques, stamp and shell collections. The wildlife sanctuary will please "birders". Of the over 250 species of birds, 23 are unique to Jamaica. Roxborough Norman Washington Manley was born here. Black River Jamaica's longest river system is home to crocodies and many species of birds and fishes. Boat trips to the Great Morass, a 7,000-acre wetland, can be arranged here. Lover's Leap The cliff face drops 1,700 feet to the sea. The view is spectacular. Milk River Bath These therapeutic mineral springs are reputed to be the world's most radioactive mineral waters. |
