 |
  One love, one heart
Since it is a big country - the island is the third largest in the Caribbean after Cuba and Hispaniola - there are many different destinations for the traveler: Montego Bay, the North Coast, Ocho Rios, Negril, Port Antonio, the South Coast, and Kingston. Your Jamaican experience will vary dramatically with each destination. You will be subjected to tourist hordes in Ocho Rios, be sequestered away in a large resort on the North Coast, and experience more tourist swarms in Montego Bay. We strongly recommend avoiding Ocho Rios and the North Coast, with their tyranny of all-inclusive resorts (such as the Sandals, Couples, and Superclub empires). We would also avoid Montego Bay (a.k.a. Mo Bay), except for Round Hill and Tryall - two luxury resorts just south of Mo Bay - and the Reggae SumFest, held in Mo Bay every August. You should definitely go to Negril, which is fun, mellow, and what you think the Jamaican experience should be. You might also try Port Antonio, which is quiet (somewhat) and incredibly verdant. Kingston is worth a trip for various cultural institutions, including the Bob Marley Museum (yeah, mon). All kinds of people go to Jamaica, reflecting its size and diverse appeal. Package-tour groups go to the all-inclusive resorts, which we loathe (can you tell?) and which are plentiful in Jamaica. These are resorts where everything - room, meals, drinks, tips, and all kinds of activities - is included in one price. All-inclusives are, with a few exceptions, just a muddle of mediocrity, down to the last buffet dinner. The clientele here is generally not terribly sophisticated, easily satisfied, and very budget-conscious. Their attitude is, "Why should I go out for a lunch, dinner, or drinks when it's free here?" (it really isn't - they've already paid for it). But this thinking locks them in, and all-inclusive tourists rarely leave the front gates unless it's on a tour bus - isn't that sad? This also creates bad vibes with the locals, especially the merchants. The "let 'em out for two hours to shop" bus trip leaves local vendors and merchants little time to market their wares and increases the pressure on them to sell, as this is the way they make a living. The result is that they tend to aggressively hawk their goods, much to the terror of fear-fed tourists, who have heard all the negative stories about Jamaica. Thus a cycle of fear, resentment, and misunderstanding is perpetuated and exacerbated by these walled prisons called all-inclusives. Even worse than the all-inclusive resorts are the couples-only all-inclusive resorts, like Couples (which, until recently, used two fornicating lions as their logo - subtle, huh?). The very thought of staying at one of these places gives us hives! Can you imagine being stuck with hundreds of other couples gathered around the buffet table? We'd rather die. And then there is Hedonism II, which is a trip in itself. In sum, the all-inclusives are really just adult summer camps with double rooms instead of bunkhouses, and aerobics and crab races replacing arts and crafts. They are great for people for whom luxury is a fiberglass hot tub, an open bar with house brands, or "ethnic night" in the dining room. If you are traveling alone to an all-inclusive, there's a good chance you will have to share a room with someone of the same sex - this could be disastrous if you do not hit it off. A word to the wise: Make sure you can get your own room, or look elsewhere. The younger, more with-it crowd heads for Negril. This is where Jamaicans go to unwind, and unwound it is. Situated on the west coast of the island with a seven-mile-long golden beach, Negril is a beehive of laid-back activity. A very good mood prevails here, probably because everyone is so high. The very relaxed atmosphere is reflected by the fairly laissez-faire attitude of the government toward ganja (marijuana) and "magic" mushrooms (the ones that make you laugh hysterically and sometimes give you mild hallucinations), which, while still illegal and technically punishable with stiff fines and prison sentences, are both easily available in Negril. At many local (i.e., Jamaican) restaurants, you can order a spliff for dessert (it's not on the menu, however) or a steaming cup of mushroom tea. Those seeking a quiet and wonderfully lush setting can explore Port Antonio. This was Jamaica's first resort area, made famous by Noël Coward and Errol Flynn - both of whom had residences here - and their well-known and fabulous guests. There are some magnificent cove beaches here, hidden by really tropical vegetation. Many films requiring an idyllic tropical location were shot here, including The Blue Lagoon, Cocktail, Club Paradise, Lord of the Flies, Return to Treasure Island, Clara's Heart, and The Mighty Quinn. Ironically, Port Antonio is now one of the least-touristy Jamaica destinations, which is why we like it. However, this area has rested too long on its glamorous-past laurels. Most of the lodgings here are in need of a face-lift or a shot of dollars, and their relatively high rates don't equate with the product delivered. Finally, for reggae and art lovers, there is Kingston. Here you'll find the Bob Marley Museum - a must stop - and numerous art galleries where you can buy Jamaican art. There is also the Institute of Jamaica and the National Gallery, the latter the best showcase for a lesson in Jamaican art, past and present. As the largest English-speaking city south of Miami, Kingston is big (pop. 700,000), so a couple of days is all you'll need here, unless you like big cities. |
 |
hus exults a recent television commercial for Jamaica, based on the historic Bob Marley song "One Love/People Get Ready." And if there is one place in the Caribbean to feel all right, it's Jamaica. The incredible beauty of this island, the dynamism of the Jamaican people, and the power of Jamaica's world export, reggae music, will blow you away. You'll return home from Jamaica with the feeling that you have been to another world and another culture. And you will be relaxed.