Lifestyle / Travel To Jamaica, Mon!

Travel To Jamaica, Mon!

Lifestyle Mar 20, 2015

by Naemah Abid

"Don’t worry about a thing ‘cause every little thing is gonna be all right." —Bob Marley

Jamaica is the ultimate vacation destination. If you are planning on relaxing by the beach or have a thirst for adventure, if you are a history buff, a foodie, a partygoer or even a cricket enthusiast — this is the place to be.

My two girlfriends and I decided to visit Montego Bay, Jamaica, last February. We had a few places to see and things to do on our list: climb Dunn's River Falls in Ocho Rios, visit Bob Marley's birthplace at Nine Mile and witness the sunset off the cliffs in Negril — so Montego Bay was the most central location for us to get the most out of our five-day trip.

We stayed at Sunset Resort — which you can see from the plane when landing! It had all the amenities of a typical resort — restaurants, a spa, a gym, pools and kayaks — but the best part was the water park and lazy river! The resort has two yellow buildings. You can pick rooms with a sunrise view or a sunset view — completely unobstructed. I really enjoyed facing the bay and watching the sunrise from behind the mountains every morning while my tea brewed from the comfort of my room.

History, Food and Culture

Christopher Columbus first landed on the island back in 1494. It came under Spanish rule for about 146 years before becoming a British Colony* — just like South Asia. So it comes as no surprise that Jamaicans play cricket as part of the West Indies, just like other ex-colonies like Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. And in the lobby of our resort, there was always a cricket match on the flat screens.

Jamaicans are famous for their spicy and flavourful goat curry. Curries also come from South East Asia.** I tried oxtail curry at my resort — delicious! I was told to try chili mangoes as well — quite similar to South Asians' love for mangoes and heat!

The locals are very friendly and welcoming — they treat you like family. Everyone greets one another, walking by with a genuine "hello." Even on the road, drivers flash their lights or honk to acknowledge one another — like in South Asia.

Negril Day Trip

Our first off-resort trip was to Negril — approximately a two-hour ride from Montego Bay. We took a shared bus at $40 USD per person for the round trip to Seven Mile Beach — a beautiful white sand beach with crystalline waters. It's the number-one destination to visit in Negril on Trip Advisor. We grabbed lunch at the local restaurant on the beach and got some time to shop for souvenirs. Our last treat was witnessing the sunset at Rick's Cafe off the cliffs.

Private Tour

One day, we decided to make the most of Jamaica by booking a private van for a customized tour. Our first stop was Rose Hall — said to be haunted by the "White Witch." It's a mansion with a huge estate. We didn't have the guts to go inside the building, but we took some pictures on the grounds — once a plantation but now a gorgeous golf course.

Next, we saw Usain Bolt's school — William Knibb Memorial High School. Bolt is a Jamaican gold medalist and the fastest man on Earth. Then, on our way to Columbus Point, we stopped for fresh coconuts. It was great to have visited this 500-plus-year-old landmark and see history preserved.

After that, we were finally on our way to Nine Mile — the birthplace and burial site of legendary musician Bob Marley. When we entered Nine Mile, we first saw Marley's school, which his mother built for the village. Then we got a tour of his grandparents' place — which is where Marley grew up as well. We got to see some of his instruments, records, posters and other memorabilia. We were also treated to some reggae music. At the end of the tour, you get to visit Marley's mausoleum, where people have left prayers, pictures and dreadlocks for the legend.

Now on our way to Ocho Rios, we drove through Fern Gully — a beautiful road covered in over 300 species of ferns. Then, we stopped at Ocho Rios Village Jerk Center — which comes recommended by Food Network star Guy Fieri.

Our last destination was Dunn's River, where we climbed waterfalls! The falls end at Dunn's Beach — but this is the climbing start point. It takes about 20 to 30 minutes to climb the falls. You need to bring a bathing suit, water shoes and a waterproof camera to capture your moments — and some money for tipping. There's plenty of help along the way. The guides in blue assist you along your trek, and you can give your cameras to them to take amazing pictures.

I hope you'll visit Jamaica and fall in love with this beautiful island like I did.

^{_{Feature and Water Park images courtesy of Sunset Resorts Jamaica

All other images courtesy of Naemah Abid

*Jamaican history courtesy of Discover Jamaica

**Curry history courtesy of JCS Kitchen}}

Naemah Abid

Author

Born in Saudi Arabia and originally from Pakistan, this Canadian immigrant is all too familiar with airport life. After taking her first pleasure trip abroad post-graduation, Naemah was hit with the travel bug. Find this frequent traveller sharing pictures and experiences, offering up advice and tra...

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