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| Jamaica |
By Jesse Henson
The Jamaican town of Ocho Rios has much to offer travelers but is perhaps best known as the home base of James Bond's archenemy, Miss Taro. In fact, the town still maintains a good deal of the mystique it first cultivated as the setting for the first James Bond film from 1962, "Dr. No." James Bond Beach occupies a beautiful stretch of waterfront surrounded by breathtaking mountains.
James Bond Beach
The Bond legacy is still apparent, as travelers can visit Golden Eye Villa, the location where Bond creator Ian Fleming wrote many of the superspy's adventures. And if that's not enough, the Moonraker Bar and Grill is nearby.
But Ocho Rios is about far more than just James Bond. Ocho Rios originally subsisted on the fishing industry but in modern times, the fishing boats have been replaced by cruise ships that bring scores of tourists daily. The gorgeous town with a somewhat apocryphal name (it is not home to eight rivers, as an English translation of Ocho Rios would suggest) offers a wealth of varied attractions and relaxing getaways.
First of all, the lush tropical scenery offers tourists a new world to explore, full of scenic cliffs, striking waterfalls, and green vine-laden valleys. The three-mile, vine-covered Fern Gully is an especially popular destination for a leisurely drive through nature.
Dolphin Cove
For those with aquatic interests, Dolphin Cove in Ocho Rios is special treat. Visitors to this beautiful cove, surrounded by tropical rainforest, have the opportunity to encounter and swim with bottlenose dolphins in their natural habitat.
Bob Marley
Music fans from around the globe regularly trek to Ocho Rios in order to pay tribute to one of their favorite artists. Reggae legend Bob Marley's gravesite is located just outside the town, and visitors can also view the two-room shack that Marley called home during his childhood. Each year on February 6th, reggae concerts are held in the area in honor of Marley and his contributions music.
Firefly
Ocho Rios is also home to another famous gravesite-the burial place of British playwright and composer, Sir Noel Coward. Coward's Ocho Rios holiday retreat, a Cliffside cottage named Firefly, is preserved as a national monument. Visitors can even get a look at the two pianos where Coward composed some of his most well-known works. Sir Noel himself in buried in the cottage's garden.
Green Grotto Caves
Visitors to Ocho Rios will find themselves only a short distance from one of Jamaica's most famous natural attractions, Green Grotto Caves. This vast subterranean wonderland is home to countless stalactites, stalagmites, strange and beautiful rock formations, a labyrinth of chambers, light holes, and more. The caves' rich history includes their use as a hideout for pirates and smugglers, as well as a safe haven for runaway slaves.
Open-air Museum
Another nearby attraction is the Columbus Park Museum. This open-air museum is located in Discovery Bay and provides visitors with a unique opportunity to learn about Jamaica's history. Under a canopy of beautiful pimento trees, travelers can encounter interesting remnants and artifacts, including tools, boats, and many of the instruments used in running the region's once vast banana plantations.
Action and Adventure
If you're seeking more action-oriented pursuits, Ocho Rios still has you covered. The nearby Mystic Mountain is packed with adventure possibilities. One of the more unique opportunities at Magic Mountain is the chance to try your hand at the famed Jamaican bobsled experience. Visitors can follow in the footsteps of the Jamaican Olympic bobsled team and take a ride down a real Olympic bobsled track. It can be a wild ride, with an intense drop of over 3,000 feet. Riders are in control of their own sleds via a handbrake, meaning that even the non-adrenaline junkies in the crowd can still sample the experience at a more relaxed pace.
And while you're visiting Mystic Mountain, you'll likely want to take advantage of the amazing view with a chairlift ride through the rainforest's canopy. The 15-minute journey over the lush greenery offers a one-of-a-kind perspective of this tropical paradise. And if you're looking for something more intense than a leisurely ascent, you'll be glad to know that once you reach the top of the mountain, you can choose to blast through the rainforest on zip line adventure, rocketing back down the mountain at a rapid, almost vertical descent.
James Bond Beach
The Bond legacy is still apparent, as travelers can visit Golden Eye Villa, the location where Bond creator Ian Fleming wrote many of the superspy's adventures. And if that's not enough, the Moonraker Bar and Grill is nearby.
But Ocho Rios is about far more than just James Bond. Ocho Rios originally subsisted on the fishing industry but in modern times, the fishing boats have been replaced by cruise ships that bring scores of tourists daily. The gorgeous town with a somewhat apocryphal name (it is not home to eight rivers, as an English translation of Ocho Rios would suggest) offers a wealth of varied attractions and relaxing getaways.
First of all, the lush tropical scenery offers tourists a new world to explore, full of scenic cliffs, striking waterfalls, and green vine-laden valleys. The three-mile, vine-covered Fern Gully is an especially popular destination for a leisurely drive through nature.
Dolphin Cove
For those with aquatic interests, Dolphin Cove in Ocho Rios is special treat. Visitors to this beautiful cove, surrounded by tropical rainforest, have the opportunity to encounter and swim with bottlenose dolphins in their natural habitat.
Bob Marley
Music fans from around the globe regularly trek to Ocho Rios in order to pay tribute to one of their favorite artists. Reggae legend Bob Marley's gravesite is located just outside the town, and visitors can also view the two-room shack that Marley called home during his childhood. Each year on February 6th, reggae concerts are held in the area in honor of Marley and his contributions music.
Firefly
Ocho Rios is also home to another famous gravesite-the burial place of British playwright and composer, Sir Noel Coward. Coward's Ocho Rios holiday retreat, a Cliffside cottage named Firefly, is preserved as a national monument. Visitors can even get a look at the two pianos where Coward composed some of his most well-known works. Sir Noel himself in buried in the cottage's garden.
Green Grotto Caves
Visitors to Ocho Rios will find themselves only a short distance from one of Jamaica's most famous natural attractions, Green Grotto Caves. This vast subterranean wonderland is home to countless stalactites, stalagmites, strange and beautiful rock formations, a labyrinth of chambers, light holes, and more. The caves' rich history includes their use as a hideout for pirates and smugglers, as well as a safe haven for runaway slaves.
Open-air Museum
Another nearby attraction is the Columbus Park Museum. This open-air museum is located in Discovery Bay and provides visitors with a unique opportunity to learn about Jamaica's history. Under a canopy of beautiful pimento trees, travelers can encounter interesting remnants and artifacts, including tools, boats, and many of the instruments used in running the region's once vast banana plantations.
Action and Adventure
If you're seeking more action-oriented pursuits, Ocho Rios still has you covered. The nearby Mystic Mountain is packed with adventure possibilities. One of the more unique opportunities at Magic Mountain is the chance to try your hand at the famed Jamaican bobsled experience. Visitors can follow in the footsteps of the Jamaican Olympic bobsled team and take a ride down a real Olympic bobsled track. It can be a wild ride, with an intense drop of over 3,000 feet. Riders are in control of their own sleds via a handbrake, meaning that even the non-adrenaline junkies in the crowd can still sample the experience at a more relaxed pace.
And while you're visiting Mystic Mountain, you'll likely want to take advantage of the amazing view with a chairlift ride through the rainforest's canopy. The 15-minute journey over the lush greenery offers a one-of-a-kind perspective of this tropical paradise. And if you're looking for something more intense than a leisurely ascent, you'll be glad to know that once you reach the top of the mountain, you can choose to blast through the rainforest on zip line adventure, rocketing back down the mountain at a rapid, almost vertical descent.
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