Jamaica - A Tropical Paradise
by: Denny Phillips
From the brilliant white sand beaches to the diverse island culture, Jamaica is one of our favourite Caribbean tourist destinations. The crystal clear ocean waters and the year-round warm climate makes it the ideal travel vacation for sun-lovers. There are many diversions to keep visitors happy: fishing, scuba diving, wind surfing, horseback riding, swimming, snorkelling, golfing just to name a few. In the evening there is fine dining at Jamaica’s elite restaurants and resorts—combined with truly unique Jamaican cuisine, and the night life is certainly hopping!
One of the best things that I have found about Jamaica is the warm, friendly people and the rich, diverse Island culture blended from around the world. In fact, Jamaica’s motto is “Out of Many, One People.” Although African and European influences dominate the culture, the British, Spanish, Irish, Indian, Chinese and German are all represented as well. The official language of Jamaica is English, but sometimes you wouldn’t know it as you will most likely hear “Patois” which sounds like a foreign language but is actually a combination of rhythmic English and slang. “Irie mon” is a common phrase you may hear, which really just means “cool” or “everything is good.” The currency in Jamaica is the Jamaican Dollar, but US dollars are widely accepted.
Jamaica is the largest English-speaking Island in the Caribbean and it is the third largest island overall, spanning 4,400 square miles. The best tourist spots are on the north coast, with Montego Bay and Ocho Rios being the most popular, as well as Negril on the west coast. I have toured the whole Island, from Kingston (Jamaica’s capital) through the Blue Mountains to Port Antonio, around the north coast, on down through Mandeville, Alligator Pond and Treasure Beach and back around to Kingston, so I am well able to tell you a bit about each destination you may wish to travel to.
Ocho Rios is located, as I said, on Jamaica’s north coast and is known as Jamaica’s garden centre. Some of the most popular daytime activities include biking, diving, deep-sea fishing and golf. Ocho Rios also has one of the best polo facilities in the Caribbean.
Of course, the must-see attraction in Ocho Rios is the famous Dunn’s River Falls, where visitors, lead by a sure-footed Jamaican guide, are able to climb up a series of falls that cascade from the mountains to the sea. The falls themselves are a spectacular sight and climbing the falls is an adventure not to be missed. As a bit of trivia, in the film “Cocktail” with Tom Cruise, Duns River Falls is in a memorable scene. Close by, just off of Main Street in Ocho Rios are two craft parks, the Ocho Rios Craft Park and the Olde Market Craft Shoppes, and The Ocean Village Shopping Centre is also nearby. Here there are hundreds of vendors selling local crafts, and everything from gold watches to wood carvings and the famous Blue Mountain coffee. Also, you will be able to sample the traditional jerk pork prepared over an open grill – a spicy culinary experience for the adventurous. There is also duty-free shopping at the Taj Mahal Shopping Centre.
Just west of Ocho Rios in Aracobessa is another favourite tourist attraction, James Bond Beach and Ian Fleming’s former home called Goldeneye.
Montego Bay is where most travelers arrive in Jamaica, which is home to the North Shore airport and the island’s busiest cruise ship pier. Montego Bay is Jamaica’s second largest city and is Jamaica’s original tourist hotspot.
Montego Bay’s attractions include a number of plantation tours, as well as a new attraction featuring the legendary great, Bob Marley. For the adventure traveller, there are also bamboo river rafting tours. As well, there is great fishing by fishing charters for marlin, tuna and kingfish. One may also go cycling, golfing, horseback riding or scuba diving here, and there is another popular local shopping district. A popular tour from Montego Bay is to Wyndham Rose Hall Plantation which was once a legendary 18th century sugar plantation, and a popular spot for golfers would be on the Robert von Hagge Championship Golf Course.
Of course, the beaches in Montego Bay are not to be missed. But beware – a friend, while visiting Jamaica, sat under a coconut tree and got conked on the head by a falling coconut, in fact three coconuts! I asked her why she didn’t move away after the first one hit her (of course, the coconuts fell in a bunch of three – but I thought it was funny!) (P.S. – She wasn’t really hurt!)
Negril is located on Jamaica’s western coast with a seven-mile long fantastic white sand beach. It extends from the nineteenth-century Negril Lighthouse in the parish of Westmoreland in the south to Bloody Bay (so named for the days when whalers cleaned their catch there) in Hanover Parish in the north. Negril is famous for its “hippie” era where the hippies set up a colony there and enjoyed the laid-back lifestyle and “ganja”. From this hippie-era colony, Negril has been labelled the “Capital of Casual”. Although I wasn’t interested, Negril does offer some clothing optional beaches.
Laws control resort development and no building is allowed to be taller than the tallest palm tree. Negril doesn’t offer the extensive shopping of Ocho Rios, but it does have an assortment of unique shops, including the Negril craft market.
Negril is said to offer some of the best scuba diving in Jamaica. You can also enjoy deep-sea fishing excursions, a vast amount of water sports, and golf at a new golf course, Negril Hills. If you choose to go parasailing, the sight of the sparkling azure waters and the dazzling white sand beach is a truly memorable experience. Other activities can include tennis, squash, glass-bottom boat reef trips, sunset catamaran cruises and spectacular nightly entertainment.
Although I stayed at a number of different locations in Jamaica, a memorable one was at a family-oriented all-inclusive resort. They offered everything one could want, from unlimited alcoholic beverages for adults to baby-sitting services, and even a special snack bar geared to children with all-you-can-eat pizza, macaroni ‘n cheese, and hamburgers. I was very impressed with how the staff entertained and watched over our children. In one instance, our kids were kayaking around a little bay area. Being adventurous they ventured out towards open water. The staff member followed them in his kayak and gently herded them back. I was very impressed how he handled it. It was a very pleasant stay there.
On the whole, I love Jamaica, from the warm friendly people to the crystal clear waters and all-year round warm climate. There is not much that Jamaica doesn’t offer for an ideal vacation. The Island is unique in its culture and cuisine (have you tried boiled green banana, saltfish and ackee, jerk chicken or fried breadfruit?) The resorts are experts in what they offer guests – especially the all-inclusive ones. The only thing that I might caution you about is travelling alone/unaccompanied outside of the resorts. It can be dangerous, but if you stay within your resort or take guided tours, you shouldn’t have any problems. “No problem, mon!”
To view more travel articles, visit: Vacation Travel Quest.
About The Author
Denny Phillips, who majored in English at University, has combined her love of cooking, travelling and art into several articles and travel reviews. Read other articles by Denny on her websites: Good Cooking Central and Vacation Travel Quest.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Thursday, February 15, 2007
More Than Spring Break in Cancún
More Than Spring Break in Cancún
by: Jennifer Smith
For years vacationers have been drawn to the beautiful scenery that Cancún has to offer. There is, after all, a reason why the Mexican government chose this coastal city to be its tourist flagship. Blue waters, white sands, and plenty of room for development meant that Cancún was the perfect place to draw in visitors.
Image and Reality
Cancún's popularity with American travelers – meaning English is widely spoken and popular chain stores and restaurants can be found there – and relatively low costs has helped it to become a haven for spring breakers, and has become better known as a party spot than the escape it was designed to be. Still, many vacationers looking for a resort location that is perfect for honeymoons or other peaceful getaways also consider Cancún.
How can honeymooners mix with the out-all-night lifestyle Cancún is becoming so well-known for? The simple answer is that Cancún has come to be the name used for the entire Caribbean coast of Mexico's Yucatán peninsula. The Yucatán peninsula contains the state of Quintana Roo, where Cancún resides. In fact, so do fascinating Mayan ruins and wide stretches of nearly untouched beaches. Cancún isn't the only place travelers may choose to visit in the Mexican Caribbean.
Plenty of Places to Go
Cozumel is an island off the coast that is home to a small city and an airport, but there you'll find plenty of world-class snorkeling and diving on the world's second largest reef. Mayans held this island as the sacred home of the fertility goddess Ixchel, and now it houses ruins for visitors to explore. Isla Mujeres is another popular island just miles away from Cancún in the Caribbean Sea; you'll find the ruins of many Spanish galleons sunk just off its coast.
The ruins at Tulum are some of the most famous in Mexico. Here travelers can see a holy Mayan city and visit “The Castle.” This fortress is built on a bluff overlooking the ocean, offering spectacular sights for visitors willing to take the trip. Unlike the hustle and bustle of Cancún, this area is a haven for backpackers and ecologically-oriented travelers.
Those looking for something upscale and secluded, on the other hand, may want to consider the area known as the Mayan Riviera. It's called by several variations of this name, such as the Riviera Maya, and stretches along the coast from Cancún to Tulum. Areas like Playa del Carmen are a part of this beautiful coastline. Often rental villas with private slices of beach line the shores here instead of sprawling hotel and resort complexes. Some areas of the Mayan Riviera, such as Xel Ha and Akumal, are also known for their eco-tourism opportunities.
So, while it's easy to see why students may enjoy the wilder side in the city of Cancún, it's not difficult to understand how travelers can find the perfect honeymoon escape and family travel in the area as well. Mexico's Caribbean coast has much more to offer than just Cancún, though the city has become a figurehead for their tourism.
About The Author
Jennifer Smith writes for Cancun Guide, Virgin Islands Guide, and other Segisys travel Web sites.
© 2005, Interactive Internet Websites, Inc.
Article may only be reprinted if it is not modified in any way, and if all links remain live.
by: Jennifer Smith
For years vacationers have been drawn to the beautiful scenery that Cancún has to offer. There is, after all, a reason why the Mexican government chose this coastal city to be its tourist flagship. Blue waters, white sands, and plenty of room for development meant that Cancún was the perfect place to draw in visitors.
Image and Reality
Cancún's popularity with American travelers – meaning English is widely spoken and popular chain stores and restaurants can be found there – and relatively low costs has helped it to become a haven for spring breakers, and has become better known as a party spot than the escape it was designed to be. Still, many vacationers looking for a resort location that is perfect for honeymoons or other peaceful getaways also consider Cancún.
How can honeymooners mix with the out-all-night lifestyle Cancún is becoming so well-known for? The simple answer is that Cancún has come to be the name used for the entire Caribbean coast of Mexico's Yucatán peninsula. The Yucatán peninsula contains the state of Quintana Roo, where Cancún resides. In fact, so do fascinating Mayan ruins and wide stretches of nearly untouched beaches. Cancún isn't the only place travelers may choose to visit in the Mexican Caribbean.
Plenty of Places to Go
Cozumel is an island off the coast that is home to a small city and an airport, but there you'll find plenty of world-class snorkeling and diving on the world's second largest reef. Mayans held this island as the sacred home of the fertility goddess Ixchel, and now it houses ruins for visitors to explore. Isla Mujeres is another popular island just miles away from Cancún in the Caribbean Sea; you'll find the ruins of many Spanish galleons sunk just off its coast.
The ruins at Tulum are some of the most famous in Mexico. Here travelers can see a holy Mayan city and visit “The Castle.” This fortress is built on a bluff overlooking the ocean, offering spectacular sights for visitors willing to take the trip. Unlike the hustle and bustle of Cancún, this area is a haven for backpackers and ecologically-oriented travelers.
Those looking for something upscale and secluded, on the other hand, may want to consider the area known as the Mayan Riviera. It's called by several variations of this name, such as the Riviera Maya, and stretches along the coast from Cancún to Tulum. Areas like Playa del Carmen are a part of this beautiful coastline. Often rental villas with private slices of beach line the shores here instead of sprawling hotel and resort complexes. Some areas of the Mayan Riviera, such as Xel Ha and Akumal, are also known for their eco-tourism opportunities.
So, while it's easy to see why students may enjoy the wilder side in the city of Cancún, it's not difficult to understand how travelers can find the perfect honeymoon escape and family travel in the area as well. Mexico's Caribbean coast has much more to offer than just Cancún, though the city has become a figurehead for their tourism.
About The Author
Jennifer Smith writes for Cancun Guide, Virgin Islands Guide, and other Segisys travel Web sites.
© 2005, Interactive Internet Websites, Inc.
Article may only be reprinted if it is not modified in any way, and if all links remain live.
Monday, January 15, 2007
Cruise In The Caribbean With Caribbean Cruise Lines
Cruise In The Caribbean With Caribbean Cruise Lines
by: Louise Wasa
The weather is one of the most beloved features of the Caribbean Islands. You can expect to have the perfect weather here almost the year around. The best way to enjoy the Caribbean´s lovely weather is to travel with a Caribbean Cruise Line.
Yes, you can always take a plane to the Caribbean if you are in a hurry. That is the quickest and probably the cheapest way to reach your island destination. If you want to combine transportation with leisure views of the islands from the ocean a Caribbean cruise is best. There is no better way to enjoy an island paradise than from the deck of a luxury cruise line ship. It also great to unpack once and still reach many destinations.
About two million persons take a Caribbean cruise line each year to enjoy the cruising, the beautiful beaches and a warm weather. The cruises are very popular also because of the activities and amenities that are available on board. Most of these ships cruises and make stops at various islands along the way and that gives you a chance to enjoy several aspects of the islands all for the price of one.
If you decide to take a Caribbean travel cruise you should take some time and plan ahead. Not only because of the price as a Caribbean cruise are on the expensive side compared with all inclusive and other packages. If you plan well and choose the right season you can get a great deal with many of the Caribbean cruise lines. For example, cabins may get fully booked months before the Caribbean travel cruise is scheduled to depart. If you want to make it your chosen cruise, you should book early. You can also work out the details of your own Caribbean travel cruise through an online travel agent.
On the internet you can check for several great cruise lines. For example, if you are taking a Caribbean cruise line with your kids, you should stick to the Disney cruise because if anything, this is guaranteed to have activities designed specifically for children. When traveling as a couple, then look for one of those romance-themed cruises that provide you with a quiet atmosphere, like the Princess cruise for instance. On the other hand, if you want to sail on board the most luxurious ships, then look to liners known for their top notch Caribbean travel cruise services, such as Crystal, Silver Sea or the new Queen Mary II.
About The Author
Louise Wasa always writes about valuable news & reviews.
A related resource is Royal Caribbean Cruise Line Resources
Further information can be found at Home Improvement
by: Louise Wasa
The weather is one of the most beloved features of the Caribbean Islands. You can expect to have the perfect weather here almost the year around. The best way to enjoy the Caribbean´s lovely weather is to travel with a Caribbean Cruise Line.
Yes, you can always take a plane to the Caribbean if you are in a hurry. That is the quickest and probably the cheapest way to reach your island destination. If you want to combine transportation with leisure views of the islands from the ocean a Caribbean cruise is best. There is no better way to enjoy an island paradise than from the deck of a luxury cruise line ship. It also great to unpack once and still reach many destinations.
About two million persons take a Caribbean cruise line each year to enjoy the cruising, the beautiful beaches and a warm weather. The cruises are very popular also because of the activities and amenities that are available on board. Most of these ships cruises and make stops at various islands along the way and that gives you a chance to enjoy several aspects of the islands all for the price of one.
If you decide to take a Caribbean travel cruise you should take some time and plan ahead. Not only because of the price as a Caribbean cruise are on the expensive side compared with all inclusive and other packages. If you plan well and choose the right season you can get a great deal with many of the Caribbean cruise lines. For example, cabins may get fully booked months before the Caribbean travel cruise is scheduled to depart. If you want to make it your chosen cruise, you should book early. You can also work out the details of your own Caribbean travel cruise through an online travel agent.
On the internet you can check for several great cruise lines. For example, if you are taking a Caribbean cruise line with your kids, you should stick to the Disney cruise because if anything, this is guaranteed to have activities designed specifically for children. When traveling as a couple, then look for one of those romance-themed cruises that provide you with a quiet atmosphere, like the Princess cruise for instance. On the other hand, if you want to sail on board the most luxurious ships, then look to liners known for their top notch Caribbean travel cruise services, such as Crystal, Silver Sea or the new Queen Mary II.
About The Author
Louise Wasa always writes about valuable news & reviews.
A related resource is Royal Caribbean Cruise Line Resources
Further information can be found at Home Improvement
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