Issue link: http://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/471511
Immortalized in song, legend, and the memories of the millions of visitors that are drawn to this diverse destination every year, this island means something different for everyone. For some, it's the feeling of getting lost in hypnotizing reggae beats while barefoot in the sand. For others, it's coming alive to sensory overload with the taste of jerk seasoning on your tongue, and adrenaline in your veins as you conquer the rainforest. For the rest, it's that sensation of tangible decompression, with 12 golf courses and a long list of spectacular resorts designed to pamper. Six distinctive regions make it possible to experience every part of the vacation spectrum between Jamaica's 146-mile- long borders. In Montego Bay, the "Gulf of Good Weather"— as called by Christopher Columbus—its easy accessibility, a "hip strip" of shops and restaurants, plethora of all-inclusive resorts, five championship golf courses and medicinal springs make it a top choice for sunshine chasers. Half an hour away, Negril's Seven Mile Beach and grotto-lined cliffs call out to water lovers, where snorkeling and cliff-diving are accompanied by a live music soundtrack. To the north, Ocho Rios makes a popular stop for cruisers, who visit to gape at the 600-foot Dunn's River Falls; however, staying near Runaway Bay for a few days lets travelers explore all of the great shopping, gorgeous gardens, the birthplace of Bob Marley, or bobsled down Mystic Mountain or zip through the rainforest. Although Ocho Rios is called the centerpiece of Jamaica, the "heartbeat" is in Kingston, the vibrant capital at the foot of the Blue Mountains, and the largest English- speaking city south of Miami. Here, a more sophisticated nightlife and cosmopolitan dining await those who are looking for a more up-tempo version of island time. However, just a day-trip eastward lies a secluded and rugged foil, with waterfalls, hidden caves, natural springs and hillside small hotels. Even further off the beaten path is the South Coast, with isolated beaches, 19th century sugar plantations, Georgian architecture and jungle wetlands veined with rivers. Between them all are the experiences that make sure that "you come back, mon." JAMAICA Image courtesy of Jamaica Tourist Board 54 Jamaica