PORT ANTONIO, JAMAICA TRAVEL GUIDE - CARIBBEAN ACCOMMODATION

CARIBBEAN TRAVEL GUIDE

Jamaica Travel Guide:

Planning a Jamaica Vacation   by Anthony Thomas

Once you decide where you want to stay, you have to decide what kind of accommodation you want. Here again, your choices are many and varied and range from cheap no-frills budget hotels to all-inclusive vacation like those offered by Superclubs, Sandals, Couples, and Riu resorts. Even within the all-inclusive resorts, you still have to decide on the type of Jamaica vacation you want. Some like Couples Resorts cater to couples only in a very intimate and romantic setting. Others like Beaches family resort were designed with family in mind and to entertain kids. There are hotels like Superclubs Breezes resorts that cater to active people who enjoy sports on their vacation. Then there are resorts like Hedonism that offers non-stop partying and caters more to the younger singles crowd.

As you can see, there are many different kinds of Jamaica vacations that you can have, and they all depend primarily on two things.

* Where in the island you stay
* Your hotel or resort accommodation

These two will determine what you get to see and do and will ultimately determine the quality of your stay and your vacation experience.

So how do you decide where in Jamaica to go? Well, if all you need is good beach and some sun, your choices are plentiful since you can find these anywhere on the island. On the other hand, if your needs are a bit more discriminating, you should choose a combination of location and accommodation that will best suit your needs. In most places in Jamaica, you will find a hotel or villa that will provide you with the right atmosphere to suit you; cozy, romantic, luxurious, active, partying, sports. However once you step outside your hotel, your experience will differ based on where you are. If you don't care to leave your hotel much, then look for one that you think will fulfill your needs. However, if you want to experience some of the flavor and culture or Jamaica, then you should look at each of the destination below and decide where would best provide the best experience for you. After that, you should find an accommodation with the right ambience and feel you desire.

Negril - quiet and laid back, but...

If you need a totally laid back vacation and don't care much for a lot of attractions and night life, Negril should be your first choice. Most of the major resorts and smaller hotels and villas are all located on the famous seven-mile stretch of Negril beach and the atmosphere here is very casual and laid back. Although there are not many high profile attractions or activities in Negril, you can still find things to do, but you shouldn't come here if you want to see and do a lot of things. If you love the water, you should pick one of the all-inclusive hotels since they offer unlimited water sports That being said, however, you can still have a blast in Negril, but it depends on which resort or hotel you stay. If you want to have a blast and the time of your life in this sleepy little town, then stay at Hedonism II. Trust me, I have spent many vacations here and it's always a non-stop party. On the other hand, just next door at Superclubs Grand Lido, I had a completely different experience - a quiet, romantic vacation. So do your home work and pick an accommodation that will provide the kind of experience you want in Negril.

Montego Bay - The right mix of everything

Montego Bay has long been the tourist's capital of Jamaica. What makes Montego Bay different is that it is both a city and a resort town so you can experience some of the island's culture and still have your dream vacation. There is so much to do and see here during the day and sunset just give you a welcome pause to get ready for the night. Montego Bay is happening when it comes to good restaurants, clubs, and night life, so you can party until the wee hours of the morning, if you so desire. Whether you love golf, water sports, sight seeing, or shopping, Mobay has a lot to offer. Of course, as a tourist town, Mobay is loaded with all types and classes of accommodation. From the five-star Ritz-Carlton and luxury condo hotels to basic accommodation for back-pack traveller. The only drawback of course, is that you and thousands on other tourists - including those from cruise ships will be bumping into each other. As long as you are cool with this, Mobay is one of the best places in the island to vacation.

Ocho Rios - in the middle of everything

They call Ocho Rios the attractions capital of Jamaica for a very good reason. It is right in the middle of some of the best attractions the island has to offer. These include the world's famous Dunn's River Falls, Dolphin Cove, Chukka Coves for horse back riding, White River rafting and tubing, and Shaw Park Garden to name just a few. When we refer to Ocho Rios we are including areas 45 minutes to the East and West of the city.

So why would you choose Ocho Rios instead of Montego Bay? Obviously, you would if you wanted to see many of the attractions located here. But Ocho Rios is really a small town, not a city, so it is a little less intimidating than Montego Bay. In fact, many of the resorts and hotels are located in the country side, not in Ocho Rios proper. Furthermore, it does not have the night life nor the variety in entertainment and eating choices as does Mobay. To be honest, with exception of a few clubs, Ocho Rios does not have much of a night life and night time entertainment, so look for a hotel or resort that provide some. Your choices of accommodation here is very large and varied and you should have no problem finding one that match your needs closely.

Bottom line, choose Ocho Rios if you want to be close to many of the attractions in the area and you really don't care much for wide choice and variety in night time entertainment. It is close to two hours drive from Montego Bay and three hours drive from Negril

Port Antonio - Step back in time and off the beaten track

Going to Port Antonio is like visiting Jamaica 50 years ago. Somehow, the rest of the island moved forward while this town was frozen in time. Port Antonio is all country and for a while only elite travelers and people in the know went there. It is one of Jamaica best kept secrets. So what kind of vacation will you get in this town? Probably one of the best - if you love nature, can appreciate real natural beauty, don't care much for night life or entertainment, and want to have a vacation outside of the routine ordinary.

Port Antonio is for nature lovers who want to be enveloped in the lush untouched tropical beauty of Jamaica. There is not much to do here - relatively speaking. Sure you can go rafting on the Rio Grande or go for a dip in the famous Blue Lagoon. But this is the place where you go to really relax and escape the maddening tourist crowd of Negril, Montego Bay, and Ocho Rios. It is where you will find some of the best boutique hotels and villas that cater to very discriminating tastes. This is where you'll find some of best accommodations to spend a cozy romantic vacation for two. Luckily for Port Antonio, the mass all-inclusive chains such as Superclubs and Sandals have not yet invaded the town.

Bottom line; go to Port Antonio for a very relaxing laid back vacation - not laid back Negril style but real country laid back. Don't expect much of any night life unless your hotel provides it. But expect to see some of most exotic tropical sceneries, some of the best and most secluded beaches, and enjoy spectacular views of the Blue Mountain.