Recreation

Besides soaking up the sun and lounging around on the beaches, there are numerous activities that visitors can undertake, when in Jamaica.

Caribbean Cruises :

It would be a pity if people were in Jamaica and missed sailing in the blue waters of the Caribbean Sea. A Caribbean cruise is a great way to explore the island's oceanic views. The cruises are generally conducted in catamarans, schooners and pirate-styles wooden ships and offer a sumptuous menu, music and space to dance as well as guides to inform you of all major features.

Diving:

Jamaica is not a very popular diving region, although there is a considerable amount of coral reef around it. There are also underwater canyons, caves and ravines to explore. The varieties of colors and shapes of the underwater flora and fauna are quite astounding. A lot of the diving sites of the shore are shallow and easily maneuvered so it is not difficult to dive there in groups. For more difficult dive sites, a certification of diving is required.

The cost of renting equipment ranges between $50 and $100 all over the island.

Some recommended dive sites are as follows:

Port Royal

Location: Near the Airport

A surprising concentration of sunken ships, a few of the Spanish galleons and many sunken pirate ships as well.

MoBay

The Airport Reef is at its southern edge and has many canyons and coral caves. This place is also great for wall diving.

Montego Bay Marine Park

A dive site with an excellent natural diversity lends an unforgettable experience.

Cayman Trench

The deepest region in the Jamaican waters provides a great thrill to the divers.

A couple of places for renting or buying equipment, maps and getting some local expertise are:

Scuba Jamaica

Location: Half Moon,

North Coast Highway,

Montego Bay,

Jamaica.

Tel: 876 973 4910

Web: www.scuba-jamaica.com

Instruction and rentals for diving, underwater photography and night diving can be obtained from here. Also provides pick up services from various dive sites.

Jamaqua Dive Centre

Location: Club Ambiance,

Runaway Bay,

Jamaica.

Tel: 876 973 4845

Web: www.jamaqua.com

The Jamaqua is one five-star PADI facility and for those who know diving this means a lot. Its specialty is diving tours for small groups. It also offers instructional courses for snorkeling and rescue diving.

Fishing:

The Caribbean has a feast for the fishing enthusiasts with large catches of yellowfin tuna, wahoo, sailfish and bonito. The best part is that license is not required for fishing in the waters and boats can be chartered right from the hotel.

Prices for boat rentals can range as follows:

Half Day Rentals: $500 to $900

Full Day Rentals: $900 to $1500

For fishing tours the prices are charged on per head basis and more the people that go along, cheaper per head cost turns out to be. Usually, the prices range from $50 and above for half-day tours and approximately $100 for full day tours.

Great places for inland fishing are the various fishing parks across Jamaica. One of the most popular one is:

Royal Palm Reserve

Location: Springfield Road,

Sheffield,

Jamaica.

Tel: 876 957 3736

Cost of Entrance: $10

Charges of Fishing: $5

The Cotton Tree Lake inside the park has a large number of African perch and tarpon. People have to, however, buy the fish they catch if they wish to take it home.

Deserted Beaches:

Jamaica has a long coastline with many secluded, uninhabited spots. There are also small islands along the coast that are deserted, and which few people bother to visit. Visitors can rent a boat and even spend a day or two on them if they carry provisions.

Horseback Riding:

Jamaica's coastal terrain is vividly suited to riding horses. People can take the horses out on their own to explore the plantations and beaches or be part of the guided tours. Amateurs and expert horse riders are both welcome.

Some places that can arrange horse riding facilities and tour for visitors are:

Chukka Cove Adventure Tours

Location: Llandovery,

St. Ann's Bay,

Jamaica.

Tel: 876 972 2506

Web: www.chukkacaribbean.com

They offer excellent three-day riding tour that explores the shores of Jamaica.

Hooves

Location: Windsor Road,

St. Ann,

Jamaica.

Tel: 876/972-0905

Web: www.hoovesjamaica.com

This one offers tours in to rural Jamaica.

Braco Stables

Location: Duncans,

Jamaica.

Tel: 876 954 0185

Web: www.bracostables.com

Prospect Plantation

Location: Ocho Rios,

Jamaica.

Tel: 876 994 1058

No guided tours just horse rides for about $48 an hour. Pre-booking is required.

Mountain Biking:

If you looked Jamaica up on the world map you would know that it has an incredibly mountainous terrain. There are a number of trails and country roads that wind through the mountains, and can be a challenge to experienced bikers. For amateurs there are various flat trails along the beaches. However, for this activity, please remember to stay off the North Coast Highway, since it has rather dangerous traffic.

The following enterprises conduct mountain biking excursions and tours:

Chukka Blue Adventure Tours

Location: Sandy Bay,

Hanover,

Jamaica.

Tel: 876 953 5619

Web: www.chukkablue.com

Besides mountain biking, Chukka also offers tours in all terrain vehicles (ATV's) stopping now and then for a dip in the ocean. Their best bike tour is a four-hour journey through the villages of St. Ann and Mt. Zion.

Blue Mountain Bicycle Tours

Location: 121 Main Street,

Ocho Rios, Jamaica.

Tel: 876 974 7075

Web: www.bmtoursja.com

They offer biking tours through the Blue Mountains, which are relatively easy since they go downhill most of the time.

Rafting and Kayaking

There are many rivers in Jamaica offering different levels of classes for rafting. Some of the streams are so slow and easy to maneuver that even people with no kayaking experience can raft through them. However, a most enjoyable experience is that of the traditional Jamaican bamboo raft that is taken out on the water by the natives. In a bamboo raft, you can feel like royalty with others around you doing all the hard work and you having fun.

Some places that can arrange kayaking tours and arrange for equipment for visitors are:

Rio Grande Tours

Location: St. Margaret's Bay,

Jamaica.

Tel: 876 993 5778

Guided raft trips on the most popular river of Jamaica

Cost: $52 per raft

Martha Brae River Rafting

Location: Claude Clarke Avenue,

Montego Bay,

Jamaica.

Tel: 876 952 0889

Web: www.jamaicarafting.com

They arrange the tours up the Martha Brae River.

Cost: $45 per person per hour and a half

Mountain Valley Rafting

Location: 31 Gloucester Avenue,

Montego Bay,

Jamaica.

Tel: 876 952 4920

This one takes people on trips of the River Lethe and through the rich, lush mountain scenery.

Cost: $40 per kayak meant for 2 people

Caliche Rainforest

Location: Montego Bay,

Tel: 876 940 1745

Jamaica.

and

Negril

Tel: 876/957-5569

Web: www.whitewaterraftingmontegobay.com

This place offers some strenuous rafting tours of rugged mountain terrain. All visitors have to be above fourteen years of age to take part.

Jamaica's clam seas are also a great place to kayak. One unique thing is the fact that at times, the water is so shallow that even children can raft through it comfortably and safely. There are many places on the beach that rent out equipment for sea-kayaking.

Dolphin Encounters

Dolphins are some of the most enchanting inhabitants of Jamaica and they are ever willing to entertain the tourists. Dolphin encounters are a great way to introduce children to marine life and teach them an important lesson in conservation with animals.

There are three types of dolphin encounters. The first just allows you to touch them, the second allows you to swim with them (if you can keep up) and the last a session where you play with the dolphins and allow it to tug you around the water. Children under eight years of age are eligible for only the first activity that too only if accompanied by an adult. For the rest of the two activities, people and children need to be able to swim well. No pregnant women are allowed and people must enter the water without make up and jewelry.

On a special note, visitors must not be too rough with the animals and report or stop anyone they see mistreating the friendly creatures.

For dolphin encounters head to:

Dolphin Cove

Location: North Coast Highway,

Adjacent to Dunn's River Falls,

Ocho Rios,

Jamaica.

Tel: 876 974 5335

Web: www.dolphincovejamaica.com

Cost: Entrance: Adults: $11, Children: $9

Encounter: $45 - $175

Half Moon

Location: North Coast Highway,

Montego Bay,

Jamaica.

Tel: 876 953 2211

Web: www.halfmoon-resort.com

This is a private resort that allows only guests to interact with the dolphins in its lagoons.