THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 14, 1995 TAG: 9505150194
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBERT BLACK, TRAVEL CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Long : 218 lines
AFFORDABLE, CLOSE and, oh, so Caribbean - that's Jamaica.
Jamaica is interesting people, too. The motto of island nation is ``out of many, one people.'' The reference is to the people from Spain, Africa, India, Portugal, China, Scotland, France and Nepal whose 2.4 million descendants inhabit the island.
Jamaica is also eco-touring, backpacking in the Blue Mountains, river rafting on some of the 160 gentle rivers or relaxing on 150 miles of sun-kissed beaches. Jamaica is the sport of your choice and Jamaica is delicious Caribbean food such as jerk (barbecue), a role called bammy, Escovitch fish and pumpkin soup.
Jamaica is drinking Red Stripe beer, coffee or rum and listening to reggae and soca.
Long a leader in Caribbean tourism, Jamaica offers a wide range of accommodations from a bare-bones single room to a one-price, all-inclusive stay at great resorts.
Packages are tailored to the desires of the visitor from beach or garden locations to food provided or not. There are drinks, sports and entertainment options. Prices and amenities vary greatly. If planning to visit Jamaica, shop around.
Though tourism is island-wide, most visitors can be found at one or more of the following three communities.
OCHO RIOS (eight rivers, population 5,851): There are not eight rivers here, but Ocho Rios has some of the best natural scenery on the island. As the major port of Jamaica, Ocho Rios is a popular destination of cruise ships with over 600 ship visits per year.
A shopping center beside the pier offers a wide range of duty-free goods from T-shirts to Movado watches.
Begin touring with the historically informative Seville Great House and Heritage Park, located seven miles west of Ocho Rios.
The best botanical viewing is at Shaw Park Gardens, located high on a hill above the city. Nature reigns at Fern Gully, located several miles south of Ocho Rios. This is a narrow, mountain road that follows the course of an old river bed. Ferns planted here in the 1800s are now a natural work of art.
A must see is Dunn's River Falls. Wide and gently sloping, this 600-foot-high waterfall is a combination of water and sound in motion. Lush vegetation surrounds the sparkling waters. A silver pool at the bottom serves as start point for adventuresome climbers who follow the footsteps of a guide as he leads them rock by rock in climbing to the top of the falls.
Ocho Rios has five superb beaches. Snorkeling and diving is excellent in Jamaica's clear water. Top of the Mountain and Devil's Reef are among the favorite dive sights. The famed British actor Noel Coward lived near Ocho Rios and his home, called ``Firefly,'' is worth a visit.
Excellent Ocho Rios accommodations are found at Jamaica Inn, billed as the most romantic location in Jamaica for a wedding ceremony. Info: (800) 243-9420. Delightful Sandals has two properties here and others about the island. Info: (800) SANDALS. Couples bears a descriptive name and is a popular resort. Info: (800) COUPLES.
MONTEGO BAY (pop. 43,521): This scenic bay, with its curving beach, is a popular destination by air and cruise ship.
Not to be missed is Rose Hall, the 18th century plantation great house with a see-forever-view. Rose Hall offers a resident ghost, the infamous white witch Annie Palmer, who according to the tale murdered three husbands and held 2,000 slaves in terror.
Barnett Estates Plantation offers an excellent tour of a working sugar cane plantation, its great house and gardens.
Airport Reef is a noted spot for scuba with coral caves, tunnels and canyons, and Doctor's Cave is one of the island's best natural beaches.
Center city offers St. James Parish Church, built 1775-82, and the Cage, an 18th century jail for slaves and sailors who deserted. Shop for china, glassware, perfume, liquor, crafts, cigars and English cashmere.
One of the most beautiful resorts in the Caribbean is Half Moon Golf, Tennis and Beach Club. Named after the shape of its sugar-white beach, Half Moon is a favored honeymoon destination. The palms and rolling surf, the sports, the spa and the staff make the 400-acre Half Moon a very special place. Info: (800) 953-2211.
A new kid on the block is Coyoba Beach Resort and Club, a gleaming white 50-room pleasure palace with lots of amenities. Info: (800) 223-9815.
Round Hill hotel and villas draws celebrities; Bob Hope, Joan Crawford, Paul McCartney and Harry Connick Jr. have stayed here. Info: (800) 972-2159.
Sandals and Holiday Inn also have properties in Montego Bay.
NEGRIL (pop. 1,166): At the western tip of Jamaica some 60 miles from the international airport at Montego Bay is the quiet community of Negril. A getaway location, Negril offers a seven-mile-long sand beach and a laid-back lifestyle.
Negril is noted for offshore diving, and the Negril Scuba Center is popular with U.S. divers.
The Caribbean Candle Co. offers unusual candles that often appear like stained glass.
Some of the best resorts on the island are located here, including SuperClubs Grand Lido.
SuperClubs is an island-wide, five property, all-inclusive, no tipping resort family, and the Grand Lido is a jewel in the crown. Getting married and honeymooning here is a specialty. They can even provide the best man. Info: (800) 859-SUPER.
Another quality couples-only, all-inclusive at Negril is Swept Away Resorts, a Conde Nast Reader's Choice that devotes 10 acres to its sports complex and is 10 minutes from a par-72 golf course. Info: (800) 545-7937.
There are a number of small beachfront accommodations offering fewer amenities, but costing less than the larger properties. Examples of these are the Negril Tree House (809) 957-4287 and the Negril Gardens (809) 957-4408.
SPORTING LIFE: There are nine championship golf courses on the island. Golf fees range from approximately $10 to $70 (U.S.) a round. Carts are available, but it is more fun to walk and use a Jamaican caddy who balances the golf bag on his head. Clubs are available for rent.
At Montego Bay, the Robert Trent Jones course at Half Moon Golf, Tennis and Beach Resort offers narrow fairways and small, undulating greens; it's long, flat and close to the sea. Also at Montego Bay, the Tryall Golf and the Wyndham Rose Hall Country Club (home of the Jamaican Open) are among the best courses on the island.
An excellent tennis program is offered at Half Moon Beach Golf, Tennis and Beach Resort, Montego Bay. Former Caribbean star Richard Russell heads a top-flight staff.
At Negril, top tennis is found at Swept Away Resort, where most weeks a famous visiting professional comes to call. Imagine learning tennis from Nastase or Sabatini.
Water sports are everywhere in Jamaica. All major resorts offer snorkel trips and resort scuba courses. Resorts also offer the opportunity to become P.A.D.I. certified. Offshore fishing is easily arranged. MEMO: Robert Black is a retired U.S. Army Rangers colonel and author of books
on the Rangers in World War II and Korea. Today his writing focuses on
resorts and fine dining, which he likes better than eating field rations
in the jungle. ILLUSTRATION: ROBERT BLACK/Color Photo
Coyoba, a new resort at Montego Bay, is a gleaming white pleasure
palace.
ROBERT BLACK/Photo
Barnett Estates Plantation at Montego Bay offers an excellent tour
of a working sugar cane plantation, its great house and gardens.
Graphic
TRAVELER'S ADVISORY
JAMAICA, located south of Cuba and about 590 miles from Miami, is
the third largest of the Caribbean islands - approximating the size
of Connecticut. The island is a fringe of sandy shore and flatlands
around the coastline, with mountains heaped in the middle. The
highest of these, Blue Mountain Peak, is 7,402 feet above sea level,
and although that's not snow-on-the-summit height, it is cool up
there, less muggy and very pretty. About half of the island is more
than 1,000 feet above sea level. It is the home of reggae music, the
birthplace of all-inclusive resorts and the only place where
world-famous Blue Mountain coffee is grown. Jamaica was a British
colony from 1655 until 1962, when it became an independent nation.
Climate and costuming: Jamaica has a tropical climate all year
round with showers occurring at any time, though May and October are
the rainy months. Clothing should be in natural fabrics, such as
cotton and linen, for comfort. Light woolens are needed in the
evenings when it is cooler. Some hotels require men to wear jacket
and tie for dinner.
Getting there: USAir offers service from Norfolk to Montego Bay,
with a plane change in Charlotte. Delta, TWA and United connect with
Air Jamaica in other hubs. Service to Kingston is not very good.
Many low-cost air and hotel packages are available through travel
agents.
Getting in: Americans need no passports, but proof of U.S.
citizenship, photo identification, return ticket and sufficient
funds are required for entry. A tourist card is issued on arrival
for stays of up to six months.
Getting around: Car rental is expensive, and driving is on the
left side. It's easier to take a bus tour.
Getting along: The official language is English, although
natives, among themselves, often speak a patois. By law, all
transactions must be made in Jamaican dollars; in reality, nearly
everyone accepts U.S. dollars. Most shops post prices in U.S.
dollars.
Here's to your health: Medical care is often limited and doctors
and hospitals usually expect immediate cash payment for health
services. U.S. medical insurance is not always valid outside the
United States.
Crime: A rash of recent violent crimes against foreign visitors
has resulted in a drop in tourism.
The U.S. Embassy in Kingston warns its own employees to be very
careful in the capital, where crime is a serious problem. ``Purse
snatching and pickpocketing occur, especially on public
transportation, and other crimes can rapidly turn violent,'' the
embassy writes in a current advisory. ``Persons out walking after
dark or who take other than licensed taxicabs are at particular
risk.''
(Of course, the U.S. government doesn't warn travelers to stay
away from Miami or New Orleans or Washington, D.C., where crime
rates also are notoriously high.)
Is Jamaica out of control? Absolutely not. There is a deep
awareness of problems and a determination to solve them. For
example, harassment, or ``aggressive solicitation,'' regularly tops
the list of tourists' complaints; the commissioner of police wants
it treated as a criminal offense.
It mostly involves drugs, especially marijuana and cocaine. They
are available almost everywhere in Jamaica. Aggressive hucksters
work the streets, markets and the resorts' fringes.
Nancy Reagan's famous advice, ``Just say no,'' doesn't work well
here. In Jamaica, you may have to say ``NO!'' five times before the
would-be salesman gets the message.
And if you are thinking about buying a joint in Jamaica, think
twice. The U.S. Embassy warns that criminal penalties for
possession, use and dealing in illegal drugs are strict, and
convicted offenders can expect lengthy jail sentences and fines. And
visitors leaving Jamaica should not be surprised to be greeted at
U.S. airports by an inquisitive Labrador retriever employed by the
U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
Most of Jamaica's people are friendly, well-educated and
peace-loving. But it is a bitterly poor country, and the increasing
success of its all-inclusive resorts means that many visitors to the
island never leave the hotel grounds - shutting out economic
opportunities for the lower class.
The all-inclusive resorts represent counter-measures being
employed by the local tourism industry. Intended for rich Americans
- who tend to be very, very nervous travelers - these resorts are
elitist and expensive and absolutely secure.
Info: A local travel agency or Jamaica Tourist Board, 801 Second
Ave., 20th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10017; (800) 233-4582.
- From staff and wire reports
by CNB