A Jamaica Honeymoon

A Jamaica honeymoon can be relaxing, active, formal, or casual… but it’s always enjoyable. Jamaica, the third largest of the Caribbean islands, is a beautiful, wild, and diverse place. It’s the home of reggae and ska music, the Rastafarian movement, miles of uncrowded white sandy beaches, luxury and laid-back resorts, and spicy Creole cuisine. Whatever your interests, there’s sure to be a Jamaica honeymoon destination for you. Consider the following:

Montego Bay

Located on the northwest coast of Jamaica, Montego Bay is home to the country’s largest airport as well as a handful of luxury, beachfront resorts, historic sugar plantations, rum distilleries, and a vibrant nightlife. “MoBay,” as residents call the town, started as a Spanish outpost in 1511. After the British took over in the 18th century, the city became a major Caribbean sugar port. More recently, it’s been home to cliffside celebrity villas, scenic golf courses, and glamorous beachfront resorts converted from gracious sugar plantations, such as Tryall and the Ritz Carlton. Montego Bay’s Doctor’s Cove Beach is a sparkling five-mile stretch of beach, and site of MoBay’s first tourist resort. The smaller Walter Fletcher Beach is popular with families, and Cornwall Beach boasts an underwater marine park, a big draw to snorkelers and scuba divers.

Negril

Negril is famous for its spectacular seven-mile beach, one of the Caribbean’s finest, as well as its careless, laid-back lifestyle. Located on the far west coast of Jamaica, life is easy at Negril. This is not formal, British Colonial Jamaica. Dressing up here is wearing shoes and a shirt. Activity in Negril centers around the beach and the many small inns, watering holes, and island restaurants that sit just back from the shore. This area is a favorite of divers and snorkelers, and features a large coral reef just off shore. Watching the sunset at Rick’s café here is a sort of local tradition and one that rarely disappoints.

Ocho Rios

Ocho Rios] is a lush and beautiful spot for a Jamaica vacation. Located on the north shore of Jamaica, Ocho Rios is home to some of the most exclusive resorts on the island, including the all-inclusive Sans Souci and the gracious Jamaica Inn. A favorite of tourists here is Dunn’s River Falls, a 600- foot natural rock stairway with cascading water and spectacular sea views. The area is also home to Dolphin Cove, an interactive marine exhibit, where visitors can actually swim with the dolphins. History buffs will enjoy visiting "Firefly," the former home of 20th century, British playwright, Noel Coward, or James Bond creator, Ian Fleming’s former home, "Goldeneye". The beaches are lovely here also. Try Mallard’s Bay Beach, a favorite swimming beach, or San San Beach, voted by the U.S. Navy as one of the best beaches in the world.

Kingston

Any true Jamaica honeymoon should start in Kingston. The city is the seat of Jamaica’s government and its cultural and historical capital. The British founded Kingston in 1693 after the port city of Port Royal, infamous as a pirate hangout, was completely destroyed by an earthquake. Today, visitors can take a 20-minute ferry to see the ruins of that city, home to swashbuckling pirates like Henry Morgan. Kingston is also the former home of musician Bob Marley and the world headquarters of reggae music. Marley’s residence, painted in Rastafarian red, green, and yellow, is now a museum and offers visitors a glimpse at the singer’s recording studio. Also worth seeing is Devon House, a gracious mansion and the former home of one of the Caribbean's first black millionaires, George Stiebel.

The Blue Mountains

No Jamaica honeymoon would be complete without a trip to the Blue Mountains, the towering ridge of peaks that dominate the inland area of eastern Jamaica. The lower elevations are home to dozens of small coffee farms, which produce the coveted Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee, the most expensive, and arguably the best, coffee in the world. The higher elevations are a part of the Blue Mountain – John Crow Mountain National Park, an idyllic spot for hiking, bird watching, and climbing.

Wherever you choose to spend your Jamaica vacation, you’re sure to enjoy the friendly people, tropical climate, lush inland rain forests, and long expanses of white sand beach. Consider Jamaica for your next island getaway.

Share This