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Northern Jamaica is one of the Caribbean’s largest cruise homeports.
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View of the famous Ocho Rios waterfalls.

This small point of relaxing beaches and charming nature of northern Jamaica is like a huge magnet that draws in tourists from all around the globe. It’s no doubt Jamaica’s most internationalized destination and there are reasons galore to bear that out.

The sun as a permanent ally, the crystal-clear seawater, fascinating beaches and an array of landscapes and seducing escapades are the basic ingredients of Montego Bay’s tourist success. A large cruise terminal that started operating back in the 1960s and the local airport are by far the main entry points to this place of northern Jamaica, a location where Britons founded the city that today ranks as the island nation’s second-largest burg. Some of the finest hotels of the entire Caribbean region operate in Montego Bay, a well-developed guestroom portfolio that remains pretty active and offers a variety of watersports to choose from. The white sands, the coconut groves and the turquoise sea make up an idyllic paradise where resting is a genuine pleasure. And far beyond the sea, the 85,000-inhabitant city is quite an excellent choice for leisure and relaxation. Georgian-style houses, old churches and the humongous Craft Market are just some of the must-sees. For curious people seeking to move on further, the surrounding hills provide breathtaking views. Sportspeople can sneak up to golf courses tailor-made for the most demanding players and choose from many other options, such as tennis, cricket, soccer, horseback riding, cycle-tourism… you name it! The Shaw Park Gardens and the Coyaba River Museum & Garden, as well as the Enchanted Garden Hotel, are all perched on these green hills on the way to Milford, the town’s southern exit. From there visitor can get to Fern Gully, one of the most sought-after spots on the island whose fern-woven tunnel cover the road and let no sunlight leak in. Ocho Rios is for many the island’s top allure, thanks to the spectacular waterfall of Dunn’s River Falls. Its waters slope down tall staircase-shaped rocks from the top of the mountains all the way to the sea. This is no doubt one of those tours any hotel in Montego Bay suggests to its guests. Jamaica is a small island equipped with good roads that run the nation through from north to south and from west to east. Therefore, driving around is indeed the best way to scour this lovely territory and plan customized sightseeing. The entire north side of the country boasts traditional beach ambiences, with Negril and Port Antonio topping the list. The mountainous central area offers quite a different vision to what many people might think of when it comes to a Caribbean island, while the south side harbors Kingston, the nation’s capital and a destination teeming with cultural values, like the Bob Marley Museum and Port Royal’s old zone which are home to Fort Charles and the Maritime Museum. Even though traffic in Jamaica is like in the UK, the opportunity of moving around freely is one no one should pass up. The entire territory of barely 4,200 square miles, running almost 150 miles from west to east and nearly 50 miles from north to south, lets travelers get to any nook and cranny that might have caught their eyes. Its exquisite coffee, rum and its colorful, well-seasoned cuisine that takes in the Jamaican jerk –an exclusive ingredient from the island that is locally used in cooking all meals, either pork and chicken to beef and vegetable salads– are also some of the things any visitor must give a big crack at. Either way, Montego Bay is blessed with all this much and many other things that can be reached from there. You may alternate days of waterskiing, surfing, windsurfing or sailing with others packed with trekking, birdwatching, horseback riding, golf and selective escapades to very special spots, either on your own or in a group. It’s all about the tourist capital of Jamaica and nobody should really expect any less.

The white sand, the palm trees and the turquoise sea combine into a perfect paradise where relaxation is a pleasure. And beyond the sea, the city of Montego Bay, with its Georgian-style and colorful houses, is an excellent leisure option you can’t pass up