Laidback Luxury In The Caribbean

Experience luxury Caribbean holidays in Jamaica. Think white sandy beaches, great music, exotic food, unique history and an endless multitude of activities to keep you entertained. A visit to Jamaica is a holiday like no other.

Scuba diving and snorkeling are amongst the most popular activities on the island. Visitors are also given the opportunity to absorb in the rich history of Jamaica, dating back to the days of plantations and slavery, on various cultural tours and guides.

The main cities of interest on the island are Kingston, Ocho Rios, Negril and Montego Bay. Montego Bay was visited by Columbus in May 1494 and named Montego Bay "El Golfo de Buen Tiempo," or Bay of Good Weather. Home to wealthy planters and still visited by the rich and famous today, it has remained one of the most famous destinations in the world. The Bay has some fantastic beaches with superb sea views from the hills. The main tourist areas of the town are east of Sam Sharpe Square whilst the main resorts and hotels are to the north conveniently located between the town and the Sir Donald Sangster International Airport. Montego Bay has the best collection of golf courses in Jamaica. Tyrall an 18 hole Golf Course being one of the best in the Caribbean. Many tournaments are held here, the course originally built on a 19th Century sugar plantation. Reggae worshipers will want to visit the Bob Marley experience, a 68 seater theatre celebrating the life and works of the great artist.

Ocho Rios is also located on the northern side of the island and is the second major tourist town. Attracting more than 700,000 tourists each year Ocho Rios offers excellent accommodation, beaches and lush vegetation. Described as the garden center of Jamaica, in particular the area of the Dunn’s River Falls is a sight to behold. A series of waterfalls cascade from the mountains towards the sea and can be experienced first hand as Jamaican guides navigate groups to climb their way up the falls. 007 fans can delight in visiting the James Bond Beach in town of Oracabessa, just West of Ocho Rios and take a helicopter tour or go horseback riding along the beach.

Kingston is the capital of the island, lying on a wide plain, the sea to the South and the St. Andrew Mountain at its backdrop in the north. The town was built on the waterfront and has the seventh largest natural harbour in the world, here you will find people enjoying the sunshine, conversing and buying the local produce. A modern and bustling city Kingston never sleeps and there is a wealth of facilities from restaurants to gift shops for tourists.

Lose yourself in the rhythm and experience of Jamaica…it’s what sets it apart from other luxury Caribbean holidays.

Kingston, Jamaica – An Overview

Kingston, the capital of Jamaica is well-known for its rum, not to mention their hot Jamaican sun and music.  Every night party night but don’t stray too far from the well-known tourist areas because there are two very different sides to Kingston, the tourist side of it all known as New Kingston and old, downtown which can be dangerous if you run into the wrong people.

Out of all the islands Columbus found, Jamaica was by far the most exotic with its Blue Mountains, rivers, waterfalls, luscious greenery and sandy white beaches. Kingston has lived through a terrible earthquake that tore it apart, and still they’ve managed to have their island be rated one of the best to look at.

Most of the locals do speak a mixture English and Jamaican although there are a few other languages that may be overheard.  As Kingston is home to many artists, music lovers and producers, this accounts for why there are so many different types of sounds going on throughout the island.  If you love music one of your first stops in Kingston should be the Bob Marley Museum, but call first to make sure it isn’t booked.  Other must sees in Kingston are the National Gallery for its collection of Jamaican artwork, and the vibrant Emancipation Park complete with such diverse things as a mini-golf course, and stately fountains!

Kingston has thrived as a tourist city with many things to explore from partying, great food and lots of entertainment.  If walking from your beachfront hotel isn’t quite what you had in mind after a tough day on the water, then check out any local shuttle buses.  When you’re done partying, go back to the hotel and think about what part of Kingston you’re going to explore tomorrow.

Jamaica: The Perfect Honeymoon Destination

Are you in the process of planning a wedding? If you are, congratulations! This is a special time in your life; a time that you will likely remember forever. When planning a wedding, many brides and grooms place a large amount of their focus on the wedding ceremony and the wedding reception. Of course, you want these two special events to be absolutely beautiful and picture perfect, but it is important that you do not forget about your honeymoon. Your honeymoon is not only a trip, but it is the celebration of your union and an amazing opportunity to get that union started off on the right, romantic foot.

Since your honeymoon is just as important as your wedding ceremony and your wedding reception, it is important that you take the time to thoroughly plan it. It is advised that you take your time and examine as many locations as you can stand to look at. Many couples make the decision to focus on areas that are known for their romance and beauty, such as the Caribbean. In fact, the Caribbean is where you will find one of the “hottest,” honeymoon destinations in the world. That destination is that of Jamaica. After a close examination, you may very well find yourself booking your Jamaican honeymoon reservations right away.

As nice as it is to hear that Jamaica is a popular destination for romantic getaways, particularly honeymoons, you may be looking for proof. After all, your honeymoon is an important milestone in your life; therefore, it is one that should be perfect. That is why it is advised that you take the time to examine what Jamaica is all about and all that it has to offer. As previously stated, if you are like many other soon-to-be brides and grooms, there is a good chance that you will like what you see.

One of the many reasons why Jamaican honeymoons are perfect is due to the beauty of Jamaica. The Jamaican terrain is known for its beauty, as well as it vast array of landscape. Jamaica is filled with beautiful waterfalls, streams, rivers, forests, mountains, as well as beautiful plain areas. Whether you choose to visit the Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, or Negril area of Jamaica, the landscape and beauty of Jamaican is sure to, literally, take your breath away. If a picture perfect honeymoon is what you and your partner are looking for, Jamaica has it, in more ways than one.

Although the beauty of Jamaica is important to a Jamaican honeymoon, as it provides you with a romantic environment and atmosphere, beauty is not all that a Jamaican honeymoon can offer you. Another one of the many reasons why Jamaica makes the perfect honeymoon destination is because of all of the attractions you can visit, as well as all of the activities that you can participate in. Whether you are looking for romance, adventure, or both on your honeymoon, you can find it in Jamaica. Popular Jamaican honeymoon activities include that of aquatic horseback riding, scuba diving, snorkeling, flocking on the beach, hiking, and much more.

Perhaps, the largest reason as to why Jamaican vacations are in high demand and may be perfect for you and your soon-to-be spouse is because of the overnight accommodations. Jamaica is the third largest island in the Caribbean. What does this mean for you? It means that you have a number of beautiful, beachfront vacation resorts to choose from. Of course, you can decide to stay inland, but you haven’t experienced Jamaica if you haven’t experienced it from the beach. It is also important to mention that Jamaica has a number of beachfront resorts, many of which are tailored to individuals just like you, those who are on romantic getaways and honeymoons.

If you like what Jamaica has to offer, you will want to examine Superclubs.com. Superclubs.com is the only resource that you need when looking to plan a Jamaican honeymoon. With detailed information on Jamaican activities that you can participate in and detailed information on many popular beachfront Jamaican resorts, as well as all-inclusive vacation packages and super-inclusive vacation packages, you are sure to find what you need at Superclubs.com.

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Jamaica Sailing Vacation

Jamaica is one of the most famous islands of West Indies. This picturesque island is filled with palatable food, music, rum and many beautiful beaches. Thousands of tourists and vacationers come here to enjoy vacations.

If you are looking for fun and adventure on this island, then Jamaica sailing cruise vacation is a fine opportunity to enjoy all these things. Jamaica is the perfect place to enjoy several adventure and water sports. Tourist can enjoy sailing, windsurfing, parasailing, water sailing and scuba diving on Jamaica beaches.

Negril, Montego Bay and Ocho Rios are the major beaches of Jamaica. Sailing is a popular sport here for locals and tourists. The water of the sea is always lukewarm. Peak tourist season, from January to March is the best period to arrange Jamaica sailing cruise vacation.

Most of the people come here to enjoy sailing cruise during these three months. July to November is the period when no one should come here to enjoy the sailing cruise. This is the cyclone season in Jamaica and you may have to face summer rains during these months.

While organizing Jamaica sailing cruise vacation you should not forget several legal things and confirmations. After coming to Jamaica, you have to inform to customs about your arrival and stay on this island. The customs officers inspect your ships and advise you to fill up a form that includes team list and affirmation, registration of the ship, departure permission and a record of the ship’s stores.

Some of the travelers bring their own vehicles to sail Jamaica, but most of the tourists prefer to rent a ship from the Caribbean. Such ships are rented generally for the period of a week to 10 days. You can start your Jamaica sailing cruise vacation from Montego Bay if you are an international traveler.

Most of the international travelers come to Montego, as there is the airport of Jamaica. There are three picturesque beaches near Montego including Doctor’s Cave Beach, Cornwall Beach and Walter Fletcher Beach.

The Doctor’s Cave Beach is the stretch of five miles white sand. Water of the sea is plain and placid here and is suitable for going on a sailing cruise. Cornwall beach is another beautiful place to enjoy sailing cruise at Jamaica. This beach is always crowded and it is covered with white, smooth, sugary sand. The water of the sea is warm and clear and it is perfect for sailing.

Negril is one of the perfect spots to start Jamaica sailing cruise vacation. Negril is located around 50 miles west of Montego Bay. There is a dazzling beach at Negril that offers various water sports including sailing, parasailing, scuba diving and water skiing. However, this beach is the perfect place to enjoy sailing cruise vacations.

Three types of ships are available in Jamaica including skippered bareboat, crewed charter and bareboat. If you have to rent a ship, you will have to choose one of the three ships for sailing cruise.

Thus, tourists can explore several unknown regions of Jamaica by arranging a Jamaica sailing cruise vacation.

Jamaican Blue Mountain - Coffee worth every penny

The island of Jamaican is known for many things, sandy beaches, reggae music, Bob Marley and coffee. The high regard for Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee among avid coffee drinkers has driven its price up to between $26 and $40 a pound. What is it about this particular brew that warrants such a high price tag?

True to its name, Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee is grown in the Blue Mountain region of Jamaica, generally located between Kingston to the south and Port Maria to the north. Rising to 7,500 feet, the Blue Mountains are the highest point in the Caribbean. The area is characterized by cool, wet weather and dark, rich soil with good drainage, ideal conditions for cultivating coffee. Though coffee is not native to Jamaica, it is the chief export of the island.

Not just any old cup of Joe can call itself Jamaican Blue Mountain. The Coffee Industry Board of Jamaica must certify every bag of coffee to ensure only the highest quality beans bear the prestigious trademark. The Board only recognizes beans grown in specific parishes of Jamaica: St. Andrew, St. Thomas, Portland and St. Mary.

The Coffee Industry Regulation Act established a system of three grades of Jamaican Blue Mountain based on the screen or size of the bean. The term screen refers to the literal screens of various dimensions used to sort the beans according to their size. The theory behind this practice is that beans grown in higher altitudes are larger and make better-tasting coffee than those grown in lower altitudes.

The rigorous quality standard for Jamaican Blue Mountain excludes beans that would probably be considered fine for other coffees. The screening process also helps to eliminate maragogipe (elephant beans). A mutant strain believed to have originated on Brazil, elephant beans are large, green, porous beans that seem to absorb the flavor of the soil they grown in. The jury is still out on their worth, but they are considered an insufferable defect for Jamaican Blue Mountain production.

At least 96 percent of the beans used must be of the same size and bluish-green tint. No more than two percent can stray from that standard in any way. Sour or black beans, or foreign matter of any kind, are considered unforgivable defects and do not fall under the two-percent rule. The most unbending benchmark is needed to maintain the traits that coffee drinkers have come to expect.

The geographical area that grows Jamaican Blue Mountain beans is relatively small and can only produce so much coffee. The limited quantity, the matchless quality resulting from painstaking cultivation, the alluring aroma and the renowned name of Jamaican Blue Mountain have undoubtedly contributed to its reputation as one of the most sought-after coffees in the world. As long as hard-core coffee drinkers continue to demand it, it will also be one of the most expensive.

Jamaica Just For The Fun Of It

Caribbean Jamaica travel doesn’t just offer rum, sun and reggae. Few Caribbean islands can compare with Jamaica for the wide variety of activities it offers.

Jamaica’s motto is, “Out of Many, One People.” This is really what Jamaica is all about. Good beaches and great food can be the focus for the typical vacationer, but Caribbean Jamaica travel boasts sightseeing for those who want more, especially in Montego Bay (“MoBay” to the locals). Montego Bay has many homes that used to belong to wealthy plantation owners back when sugarcane was king.

Here are a few things you should know to get the most out of that Caribbean Jamaica vacation:

Banks/Currency

Money is easily handled when you travel in Caribbean Jamaica. Visit one of the many licensed cambios and bureaux de change available in resort areas. With such easy access, there’s no need to have Jamaican money with you before you get there. In the rare event that your resort doesn’t have a money exchange, banks in the area will be able to help you.

The official rate of exchange changes daily, so shop around a bit before you do your exchange. Many Jamaican ATMs also accept international bankcards with Visa, Mastercard, Cirus, and Plus logos. Banks also give credit card advances, cash traveler’s checks, and offer other financial services.

Climate

Jamaica’s climate is tropical at sea level and temperate near the interior highlands. As one Jamaican poem says: “We have neither summer nor winter/Neither autumn nor spring….”

In Caribbean Jamaica, you’ll need clothes for a tropical climate. Swimsuits are necessary for swimming or other water sports, as is a jacket or a light sweater for hiking.

Communications

When you’re in Jamaica, you have easy access to other parts of the world. So you can easily access direct international telephone service 24 hours a day. Telephone operators are also available to help with third party or credit card calls, too.

Most hotels, resorts, and parish libraries have Internet and email access. They also have fax, telegram, and cables available. Jamaica also has three daily national newspapers and five weekend newspapers. Other international editions of major newspapers and magazines are also available, such as the New York Times, TIME, The Economist, and the London Times.

Driving

If you drive while you’re on your Caribbean Jamaica travel, remember that you should drive on the LEFT side of the road. Fast reflexes are necessary unless you want to collide with pedestrians, cows, goats, chickens, and other domestic animals, but the roads themselves are pretty good, with more than 17,000 kilometers of road networks connecting all major towns and cities.

Jamaica Celebrity Combo

Just mention the word Jamaica and the mind is filled with images of beach party, reggae and rum. The most populous English speaking island simply exudes with relaxed and laidback life on the beach. It is home to a lot of celebrities while still more rich and famous flock to the party island day in and day out.

The island nation is called Xaymaca by its native inhabitants, which in Arawakan means either “Land of Springs” or “Land of Wood and Water”. A compelling tourist attraction by itself, Jamaica actually owes its enormous and vibrant tourism industry to two persons namely, Bob Marley and Errol Flynn.

Bob Marley

Internationally revered as the King of Reggae music, Bob Marley is a homegrown talent that brought Jamaica to the world’s center stage. His phenomenal influence in the world’s music landscape is best demonstrated by the number of countries that have their own annual  Bob Marley Day celebrations, which includes Germany, Belgium, Finland, Italy  and Denmark to name a few. But of course, every fervent fan would always argue that the commemoration of the life and achievements of the person that introduced reggae to the world would never be as meaningful and significant as the one being celebrated in Bob Marley’s own homeland Jamaica. Each year, the country honors Bob Marley through a weeklong music festival dubbed as the Reggae Sunsplash Festival held every February, his birthday month.  A music lover’s Jamaican escapade is never complete without a pilgrimage to various pit stops dedicated to the Reggae King, namely, Bob Marley Museum and Bob Marley Mausoleum to name a few.

Errol Flynn

If Bob Marley brought Jamaica to the world, Errol Flynn brought the world to Jamaica. The latter discovered and fell in love with the pristine beauty of the island when his yacht ran aground along the foreshores of San Antonio sometime in the 1940s. From yachting, he started one of the island’s greatest attractions today which is river rafting. The Hollywood superstar came to Jamaica and never left. He bought a hotel and later a vast estate in Navy Island where he kept himself busy in his 3,000 acres of ranch and coconut plantation, one of the biggest in the island. Ever since he settled in his Caribbean hideaway, Errol Flynn was never out of guests to entertain, most of whom were Hollywood celebrities that marked the start of tourist exodus to the islands.

Jamaica: A Piece of Paradise

If you want to travel to the Caribbean, you certainly have no shortage of wonderful destinations from which to choose. One of the most popular places for tourists in the Caribbean, however, is Jamaica. The country of Jamaica is about 150 miles long and 50 miles wide, so it isn't huge, but it is mighty in the world of tourism, and is actually the third largest island in the Caribbean. It is found less than 100 miles south of Cuba and a little over 100 miles from Hispaniola, the island on which Haiti and the Dominican Republic as found. It was formally a possession of Spain, and late of the United Kingdom, but is now its own nation.

Although Jamaica is small, it has had a large cultural influence on the world. Reggae, ska, dancehall, and ragga are just a few of the many musical genres that originated in Jamaica. Jungle music in the United Kingdom and hip-hop in the United States are also largely accredited to the Jamaican immigrant population. The Rastafari movement also began in Jamaica.

When you are visiting Jamaica, there are a number of fun activities for you to do. Of course, like most other Caribbean islands, Jamaica is home to a number of beautiful beaches, so it is a real island paradise. While there, you can try diving, parasailing, boating, swimming, snorkeling, jet and water skiing, and surfing. Fishing is also very popular in the Jamaica, and you can see a variety of great planets and animals when you are visiting this island.

For those who are not interested in fun in the sun, the nightlife in Jamaica is also great. You can dance the night away in a number of clubs and visit bars to try some of the local drinks. The restaurants here serve both foreign and cultural cuisine, and shopping is great for tourists who want to pick up lots of gifts to take home.

If you plan to go to Jamaica on your next vacation, you can fly directly there or you can take a cruise through Caribbean islands. Make sure that you check with your airport to see what kinds of travel paperwork are required to visit Jamaica from your country and be prepared to experience this fun island culture by reading up on the many things you can see and do while there. Jamaica can be your own island paradise when you visit, so the vacation is definitely worth making the travel plans.

Is A Jamaican Vacation Right For You?

Jamaica is the third largest islet in the Caribbean, positioned just south of Cuba.  Jamaican kindness is well renowned all over the world. As well, the isle is well known for music, coffee, rum and many picturesque beaches. Negril, Ocho Rios and Montego Bay are the major beaches of Jamaica. All of them are eye-catching and famous for plain turquoise Caribbean waters. Tourists can explore all these beaches during their Jamaica Vacations.

There are many tourist attractions near Jamaica including the Doctor’s Cave Beach, Seven Mile Beach, Boston Bay Beach, Treasure Beach, Cornwall Beach, The Black River, Somerset Falls and Green Grotto Caves. Do not miss a visit to some of these picturesque places during Jamaica vacations. Many hotels and beachfront resorts are waiting for you in Jamaica. All the hotels and resorts offer various modern amenities and facilities to the guests during their stay in the resort.

Negril is one of the main tourist attractions of Jamaica. The beach is world famous for its seven-mile extend of pasty sand. Negril is an ideal place to enjoy the Caribbean surroundings. Negril is also famous for the Black River Safari. Here you can go for a dip in quiet waters of Black river or can trial Jamaican rum at the Appleton Estate.

The Black River is a dwelling for crocodiles, so in the river you can find various rare species of crocodiles. Tourists can spend some of the time in shopping in the street shops of Negril. Shops of Negril are full with a wide range of craft goods and artifact items.

Ocho Rios is another most gorgeous tourist attraction of Jamaica. The place is renowned for Blue Mountains. A visit to Ocho Rios takes you in the territory of flora and fauna of the Blue Mountains. Besides, the world famous coffee is cultivated in this region of Jamaica. There are many coffee plantations in this area. Tourists can taste the world famous coffee during their Jamaica vacations.

Montego Bay is another busy tourist destination of Jamaica, where you can take pleasure in Bamboo River rafting and swimming in the waterfalls of Dunn’s River. Cornwall beach is also sited near Montego Bay. The beach is always crowded and is surrounded by smooth, pasty, sugary sand.

The water of the beach is clear and humid and it is the perfect place to take the whole family. There are another three beaches near Montego including Walter Fletcher Beach, Doctor’s Cave Beach and Cornwall Beach. All the three beaches are famous for water sports and sightseeing.

Treasure Beach is one of the scenic beaches of Jamaica, which is located on the south coast of the island. The beach is crowd free; therefore, one should not miss a visit to the place during Jamaica vacations. Swimming is risky here because of the roaring waves.

Tourists can also visit the Green Grotto Caves during Jamaica tours. The sandstone caves are beautiful and worth visiting. Thus, Jamaica vacations offer a fine opportunity of exploring the natural beauty and various beaches of Jamaica.

Horse Riding on your Vacation to Jamaica

When you think about taking a vacation in Jamaica, images of golden or white sand and clichéd crystal blue-green oceans and lagoons come to mind.  You imagine yourself sun-bathing, meeting Bob Marley’s relatives on the 9-Mile excursion, dancing the night away with other tourists at some kind of Americanized reggae club – but have you considered that you could just as easily be spending some of your time really immersing yourself in the Jamaican landscape, really getting back to nature?  You could do this by reserving yourself a place on one of the island’s horse riding tours.

Of course you could simply take a horse riding lesson, and perhaps a slow canter down to the beach – but wouldn’t you rather experience something a little deeper than that?  There are specialized horse tour companies on Jamaica that offer a variety of different packages (including the simple riding lesson option!) to suit all kinds of abilities, skills and interests.  You can join a group tour that lasts for only a few hours, or if you’re wanting something a little more private – perhaps as part of your honeymoon, you can hire a guide and have a tour that’s just for you and your partner.

If the idea appeals but you don’t think your riding skills are up to a horse trek through some rainforest terrain, don’t worry – the staff at the horse tour companies won’t let you go if they don’t think you’re up to it.  It’s not worth their credibility to allow riders who aren’t experienced enough for any particular tour take part in it.  Instead, they’ll advise you on what they think you can manage, making it a win-win situation all round!

So don’t think that Jamaica is all about water and sand, there’s a few hooves in there as well if you’re ready to get up in the saddle and find them!