Hummingbirds
by toonsarah
I've enthused elsewhere about the lovely B&B we stayed in, the Blue House. One reason I loved it was for the early mornings I spent on the terrace, with a mug of Darryl's strong coffee to wake me up and the hummingbirds flitting among the blossoms :) I tried almost every morning to photograph them, with only limited success, but I enjoyed trying! Between these fits of enthusiasm with the camera I was content to sit and watch, sipping my coffee and chatting with Michael, another early rising guest.
The birds I saw most often were the doctor birds, Jamaica's national bird - I've written more about these beautiful creatures on my Jamaica page. There were others too - mango hummingbirds and some I never identified nor captured on camera. And the hummingbirds were by no means the only pretty species, as I saw several brightly coloured finches and what I later learned were banana quits.
"Everything Irie"
by neurochic
Ok we have heard this saying many times, even here in the States. But what my husband and I came to find that what this saying really means is "Oh crap". We found that the only time this saying was used by the Jamaican people is when we were in some bad situations on our trip. Like when our excursion bus got a flat tire and the driver didn't know how to change it "Everything was irie", my husband twisted his ankle at Dunn's River Falls "Everything was irie", I bruised my whole backside cliff diving "Everything was irie". If you hear this saying expect that something isn't quite good.
Packing for a beach vacation
by Dabs
Bring a day pack to take with you on boat trips, preferably something you don't care if it gets wet Shorts, short sleeved tops, bathing suit, sandals, tshirts, sunglasses. I usually pick a couple of shirts per day in case of sweat or them getting wet. Tshirts take a long time to dry in the tropical climate.
If you are staying at an all inclusive resort, ladies should pack a dress/sundress, men should pack long pants, collared shirt and closed toe shoes and for the really nice places some require a jacket as well (although they usually have loaners) Bring lots of sunscreen, the sun in Jamaica is intense If you use a digital camera, you may also want to bring a disposable waterproof camera for snorkeling and Dunn's River Falls or a disposable camera to take along on boat trips. I'm always uncomfortable taking my digital along on water related activities. Although the resort and boat operators usually have snorkeling equipment, if you have your own mask and snorkel, you might bring them along in case you find a nice spot from the shore Bring a good book, I always bring a fun novel on vacation (Harry Potter on this one) and all the magazines I haven't gotten to
Great Side Trip from Ocho Rios
by scotchbonnet
This is a good side trip away from Ocho Rios that can be done as a day trip Hire a car and have him/her take you to the town of Oracabessa, west of Ocho rios in St Mary. The drive over will give you a chance to see some of the less touristy areas of Jamaica.
Your first stop should be Sun Valley Plantation where you will experience a walking plantation tour given by owner Lorna Binns. She is very informative as she points out various plants, trees and fruits. While on tour your thirst will be quenched by various fruit juices as well as the freshly opened coconut for you to enjoy the juice and jelly. At the conclusion of the tour you are given a snack of Ackee and Saltfish (Jamaica's national dish). Having been on one of the larger plantation tours in Jamaica, I found this one to be more personal, informative and enjoyable. Call Lorna at (876) 995-3075 to set up a tour.
The next stop is Firefly, the home of the late playwright Noel Coward. Here you will be able to tour the grounds and home of Coward; there are many pictures showing the various movie stars and royalty that visited him here. The view is one of the best in Jamaica and the grounds contain a statue of Coward as well as his simple marble grave. You are able to get a tour from one of the guides without an appointment.
James Bond Beach is about 10 minutes from Firefly and is less crowded than most beaches in Ocho Rios. There are less facilities than in most Ocho rios beaches so you will have to decide if an off the beaten track beach appeals to you.
A visit to Sun Valley and Firefly will give you a chance to see the real Jamaica that is often missed by most visitors.
Boats on the beach
by tpangelinan
This is so cool to see, the colorful boats lined up along the beach. That's the real Jamaica, small shack made of plywood painted many diferent colors, right on the water, grill going, ahh you can smell the jerk cookin'. That seems like heaven, doesn't it
Zip line
Eating area
big tree
Going up the Falls
