Montego Bay Marine Park Credit : Christine Wolf Gagne
Paradise Park Credit : Visit Jamaica
international airport . Walter Fletcher and Doctor ’ s Cave Beaches have been attracting visitors since the 1940s when the affluent came here to bathe in the warm water fed by mineral springs . Today , these beaches border Gloucester Avenue , the main tourist strip in MoBay .
DINING ON JERK AT SCOTCHIE ’ S
One step inside Scotchie ’ s to see the chef charring chicken on the large open grill and you know this is the real thing . Order your quarter chicken plate with a side of rice and peas at the walk-up counter . When they call your number , grab your barbecued chicken with the requisite jerk sauce , a spicy concoction of scotch bonnet peppers , pimento , garlic , nutmeg , and brown sugar . You ’ ll need a cool Red Stripe beer to wash it down . They now have outposts in Montego Bay , Ocho Rios , and Kingston .
RICK ’ S CAFÉ , NEGRIL
Almost every day in winter , around 6 pm , folks head to Rick ’ s Cafe to watch the sun set . People often dive off the cliffs near this sprawling bar and restaurant into the ocean below , 35 feet to be exact . But instead of heart-throbbing cliff jumping , plant yourselves down in a row of chairs and get ready for the nightly light show of reds , oranges , and pinks as the sun makes its descent .
RAFTING THE RIO GRANDE RIVER , PORT ANTONIO
Tucked in the foothills of the Blue Mountains overlooking twin harbors , the tranquil town of Port Antonio has attracted such luminaries in the past as J . P . Morgan , William Randolph Hearst , and Errol Flynn , who sailed in on his yacht , fell in love with the place , and proceeded to buy 60-acre Navy Island . This is the lush windward side of the island where the mountains slope down to such enchanting beaches as Frenchman ’ s Cove . The highlight of a Port Antonio stay is a bamboo raft trip on the Rio Grande River , which rises in the mountains behind town . There ’ s no whitewater here , just a gently flowing river that snakes between hills thick with spiky stalks of sugarcane and vibrant Poinciana trees .
gettingTHERE
United Airlines offers seasonal nonstop service from Dulles International Airport to Montego Bay Airport ( MBJ ). Remember to bring your passport and if you want to expedite service through passport control and customs , sign up for the VIP Club MoBay . The resorts of Montego Bay are only a 10 to 15-minute drive from the airport . Give yourself 90 minutes to reach Ocho Rios and 100 minutes to visit Negril . Port Antonio is best reached from Kingston ’ s Norman Manley International Airport , a 2 ½-hour drive . Arrange transfers to your hotel in advance through a trusted taxi company like Island Transfer & Tours .
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