It was in
Ocho Rios where mass tourism first took off
in Jamaica during the advent of the jet age.
The region has built up over the years a
wealth of cultural activities, outdoor
excursions and interesting shopping that set
Ocho Rios apart as a resort area offering
much more than sun, sea and sand.
Dunn’s River Falls
is easily Jamaica’s most well known
attraction and for good reason. Visitors
come from all over the island to traverse
the boulders and falling water as they make
their way up into the jungle. Other
spectacular natural settings include a
variety of gardens where visitors can wander
through acres of bougainvillea, ginger
lilies, heliconias, anthuriums, orchids and
massive banyan trees. Spots to visit are
Shaw Park Botanical Gardens; Coyaba River
Garden & Museum; Cranbrook Flower Forest;
and Fern Gully with over 500 varieties of
ferns planted since the 1880s.
For art lovers, Wassi Art is a little known
commune high up in the mountains where
resident artists create exquisite clay
pottery and sculpture. This is a must for
shoppers also, because it has the best
variety and pricing compared to the cruise
ship docks. It’s fun to buy the local wares
from where they were designed, and tourists
have the benefit of seeing the clay-making
process firsthand while the artisans work
their magic on the pottery wheel.
A must-see diversion for all stripes of
visitors, Island Village is an expansive
shopping, dining and entertainment complex
owned by Chris Blackwell, the legendary
producer of Bob Marley.
The open-air and
lushly landscaped attraction is home to
various restaurants including Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville, plus colorful
shops selling both designer labels and local
Jamaican wares. A highlight is the ReggaeXplosion museum dedicated to reggae
and its many fans. Make sure to check out
the dance floor inside designed for the
hearing impaired. Below the floor are high
powered speakers that make the floor
reverberate so people can feel the reggae
beat as it emanates up through their bodies,
while they watch classic reggae concerts on
the large video screen.
