|
|
|
|
|
Montego Bay
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Coming Soon!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Coming Soon!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
On Jamaica's northwest coast, Montego Bay is the essence of the complete resort where flowering trees, velvety meadows and palm-covered hills edge a turquoise sea and bleached white beaches.
Called "el golfo de buen tiempo" (the gulf of good weather) by Christopher Columbus, it was dubbed Bahia de Manteca (Lard Bay) by the Spanish, and later became a major shipping port for sugar and bananas.
At the turn of the century, travelers came from far and wide to sample the waters of Doctor's Cave Beach, which were said to cure almost any ailment. Today, the beach is as popular as ever, while "Mobay" has grown to become the country's premier tourist destination and second-largest city.
Home to the annual Reggae Sumfest festival in August, Montego Bay is the heart of the "Jamaican Riviera", with more guest rooms than any other part of the island, from five-star hotels and sprawling all-inclusive resorts to charming inns, guesthouses and some of the most luxurious private villas in the Caribbean.
Some of the world's best golf can be enjoyed at the area's four 18-hole championship golf courses, including the renowned Tryall Golf, Tennis, and Beach Club.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Our FREE Newsletter keeps you up to date on:
- Last Minute Deals
- Limited Space Specials
- Latest Travel News
- And More!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Scuba-diving can be enjoyed in the protected waters of the Montego Bay Marine Park, with 10 square miles of spectacular coral reefs just off the coast from Sangster International Airport.
Fishing charters are popular with sporting types in search of the prized blue marlin, and yachting is equally popular, with the Montego Bay Yacht Club hosting the bi-annual Pineapple Cup Miami to Montego Bay Yacht race.
Shopping may be the most popular sport of all and can be indulged on Harbour Street, where the Crafts Market is alive with vendors selling straw, batik and woodcarving. Nearby, duty-free shops overflow with everything from Scottish cashmere, perfume and cigars to liquor, china and crystal.
History also lives in the legendary plantation Great Houses that dot the countryside. The most famous is Rose Hall, haunted by the ghost of the notorious Annie Palmer, who murdered three husbands only to be killed by her slave lover. Greenwood Great House, built by a cousin of poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning more than two centuries ago, is another beautifully restored reminder of the days when sugar was king, and features a fine collection of rare musical instruments.
Visitors can hand-feed hummingbirds, grassquits and dozens more endearing species at the Rocklands Bird Feeding Station in Anchovy. Or you can venture further afield: From Montego Bay, excursions depart for almost every place on the island--including the uncharted limestone hills of Cockpit Country, where the fabled Maroons (descendents of slaves who escaped from the Spanish) still live in the town of Accompong.
Falmouth, an 18th-century port town on the coast toward Ocho Rios, is well worth a visit. Or, take a rafting trip down the Great River or the Martha Brae and enjoy a slice of serenity. Nearby, horseback riding is offered at Good Hope Plantation, where miles of trails wind through rolling countryside.
Gloucester Avenue's "Hip Strip," is the pulse of the town and boasts restaurants, art galleries and duty free shopping.
And Montego Bay boasts some of the island's most romantic, scenic and elegant dining. You'll discover a variety of eateries, from cafes and seaside gourmet restaurants to spicy local food at roadside stands.
So, from bird watching to music festivals, a golf tournament or a river ride on a bamboo raft, you'll find it all in Montego Bay, Jamaica's complete destination.
Jamaica Tourism Board
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beaches
|
|
 At the turn of the century, travelers came from far and wide to sample the waters of Doctor's Cave Beach, which were said to cure almost any ailment. Today, the beach is as popular as ever, while "Mobay" has grown to become the country's premier tourist destination and second-largest city.
|
|
Diving
|
|
Jamaica's underwater world is filled with spectacular caves, canyons and crevices...schools of shimmering tropical fish...star, rose and giant pillar coral. All the equipment you need is available from licensed diving operators.
Jamaqua Dive Centre
Tel: 876-973-4845
E-mail: webedivin@jamaqua.com
Poseidon Divers
Tel: 876-952-3624
Sandals Inn
Tel: 876-952-4140
Sandals Montego Bay
Tel: 876-952-5510
Sandals Royal
Tel: 876-953-2231
Seaworld Resort
Tel: 876-953-2250
|
|
Exploring
|
|
History lives in the legendary plantation Great Houses that dot the countryside. The most famous is Rose Hall, haunted by the ghost of the notorious Annie Palmer, who murdered three husbands only to be killed by her slave lover. Greenwood Great House, built by a cousin of poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning more than two centuries ago, is another beautifully restored reminder of the days when sugar was king, and features a fine collection of rare musical instruments.
|
|
|
|
Visitors can hand-feed hummingbirds, grassquits and dozens more endearing species at the Rocklands Bird Feeding Station in Anchovy. Or you can venture further afield: From Montego Bay, excursions depart for almost every place on the island--including the uncharted limestone hills of Cockpit Country, where the fabled Maroons (descendents of slaves who escaped from the Spanish) still live in the town of Accompong.
|
|
|
|
Or, take a rafting trip down the Great River or the Martha Brae and enjoy a slice of serenity. Nearby, horseback riding is offered at Good Hope Plantation, where miles of trails wind through rolling countryside.
Gloucester Avenue's "Hip Strip," is the pulse of the town and boasts restaurants, art galleries and duty free shopping.
|
|
Deep Sea Fishing
|
|
Charters can be arranged for half or full days through hotels or directly through operators. Approximate cost for half a day, US$300, includes boat, captain, crew and equipment. Four to six passengers, depending on boat size. Popular game fish include marlin, tuna, barracuda, bonito, kingfish and dolphin.
Independent operators:
Rhapsody
Tel: 876-979-0104
Seaworld
Tel: 876-953-2188
|
|
Golf
|
|
Montego Bay
The Half Moon Golf Course is a Par-72 championship course designed in 1961 by renowned course architect, Robert Trent Jones. Sculpted from the foothills of the western Jamaican coastline, the course has an international reputation for being challenging and beautiful. A member of Jack Nicklaus's "Great Golf Resorts of the World," Half Moon has hosted a number of prestigious tournaments. With four tee markers on every hole, scratch golfers and beginners will find an enjoyable challenge as they tackle Robert Trent Jones's design and the ever-present trade winds. The Half Moon Club also offers a full service Golf Shop and the David Leadbetter Golf Academy.
The Ocean Course at Wyndham Rose Hall is renowned for its imaginative layout and historic site, with a bedeviling Par 4 8th hole only 322 yds from the rear tees, but ominously close to the Caribbean along its left-hand side. This challenging, recently renovated 18-hole Par 72 course stretches to 6,590 yards, with breathtaking views of Jamaica's Blue Mountains and the Caribbean Sea.
The White Witch Golf Course winds through the mountains of Jamaica's historic 4,000 acre Rose Hall Plantation, along 200 acres of lush greenery and rolling countryside, with panoramic views of the ocean, mountains and island. Located at The Ritz-Carlton Rose Hall, this 6,800-yard 18 hole Robert von Hagge design is set along 1,500 feet of beachfront, with multiple tee locations and dramatic elevation changes.
Tryall Golf Course is a 6,221-yard, Par 72 course widely considered among the finest in the Caribbean. Tryall attracts the game's leading players and prestigious international events, like the Johnnie Walker World Championships, Mazda Champions, Jamaica Classic and Shell's Wonderful World of Golf. Designed by Ralph Plummer, the course's sculpted fairways and manicured greens meander through forest-green hills, between stands of coconut palms and fruit trees, round lily-padded ponds, down to a one-and-a-half mile long shoreline.
Ironshore is an 18-hole, Par 72 course noted for a challenging layout with a number of intriguing blind holes and a total of 6,633 yards. This is a links-type course, with well-bunkered greens requiring accuracy and steely-nerved approaches.
|
|
Shopping
|
|
Shopping may be the most popular sport of all and can  be indulged on Harbour Street, where the Crafts Market is alive with vendors selling straw, batik and woodcarving. Nearby, duty-free shops overflow with everything from Scottish cashmere, perfume and cigars to liquor, china and crystal.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Coming Soon!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Coming Soon!
|
|
|
|
|
|
