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Come Back to Jamaica... used to be the popular theme song of Air Jamaica. With its mouthwatering views of the island, the happy singing and dancing islanders, and the perfect weather to lure you, of course you're going back!
Jamaica is a splendid island, with lots to see and do, and breathtaking vistas everywhere you look.
There are several cities with points of major travel interests, and 3 airports to conveniently take you to any point around the island. The most famous beach area in Jamaica is Montego Bay, or Mo Bay as it is affectionately called. Glorious white sands stretching for miles, an ocean of blue warm water, gentle breezes and fun and fabulous beach food. It is divine and worth a visit every day of your stay. One thing though, it's also on the flight path to the local airport, so at certain times of the day it can get noisy. Be warned.
One of the world's most renowned resorts is located in the hills above Mo Bay - Round Hill. It is home to the world's super rich and super famous, a gated community of multimillion dollar homes of varying sizes for large and small families. If you can snag a visit or rental in this unique compound, DO! It will take your breath away. It is a veritable hideaway, a retreat, a place where the International Jet Set made famous decades ago. Everything you could want in luxury, elegance, privacy, sporting lifestyle, community, friends from around the world - it's all here. Most of the time the landowners don't even leave the resorts perimeter, but every now and then you could be shocked to bump into a world famous face shopping in downtown Ocho Rios, or Montego Bay, even over in Kingston.
The other most famous area to visit is the Goldeneye estate which Ian Fleming built for himself and later his family after he left England's very Secret Service after WWII. He'd visited the island during a U-boat convention and fell in love with it. Inspiration served him well as ALL his James Bond books were written at his island retreat in Oracebessa. To honor one of the island's most famous inhabitants, local fathers named their third airport after Fleming, and it is the major domestic airport for the northern end of the island. All the airports have helicopter service, and it is a marvelous way to see this beautiful island. By the way - do you know WHY he was called James Bond? Or, more famously, Bond, James Bond! Casting around for a name for his main character, Fleming who loved all this in nature, loved a local bird book, written by ornithologist James Bond. And the legend begins........
Some people go and stay in just one resort town; others do a few days here, a few days there, both good choices. As capital City, Kingston is in many ways just like any other larger city. The noise, the haste, the hustle, and an amazing mixture of housing and buildings, multicolored, vibrant, and many world class stores/brands are for sale there. But Kingston is also a tricky city, with outbreaks of violence and tourists need to beware of such times. As glorious as Jamaica is, and a beautiful tourist island with breathtaking sights, because it has a flourishing drug trade there is quite a bit of crime. If you're in the market for drugs, you will find them. Otherwise steer clear of certain areas, clubs and bars, its symptomatic of the 21st Century and can't be eradicated, so just be careful for yourself.
The Falls at Ocho Rios is one of the local wonders of this island. Take a day, explore this lush area, luxuriate in the beauty of the falls, swim, raft, dive... whatever your pleasure, this area has it all. And visit the local witch of legend at Rose Hall. Take a peek at Noel Coward's house if you wish, elegant scene of some of the most vivid dining table conversations in history. One famous one was when Noel visited the set of the first James Bond movie - Dr. No.
Spotting its soon to be global superstar, then an unknown male model, Sean Connery, the author/playwright/song writer and all around bon vivant Noel, invited the young man to his house for dinner. Expecting an elegant crowd, Sean was miffed to find the table set for just two. Making his intentions quickly known, the gay Coward asked Connery about his sexual proclivities? When told Sean was a womanizing very straight man, Coward protested, "but you were in the Navy," in WWII. Ah yes, but even in those days the Senior Service had both straight and gay sailors. They became good friends once that issue was cleared.
There are so many luxury hotels and properties on the island and we'll deal with those later. I just wanted to whet your appetite for a short trip to Paradise filled with delicious tales of fame, fortune and celebrity.
Come Back to Jamaica, you're guaranteed a good time!
July 4, 2023
