4 Best Beaches in Ocho Rios, Jamaica

Even with all of our modern technology and crazy attractions, the beach is still one of the best places to spend your free time. There’s no better combination than sea, sand, and sun for people who want to get away from city life and drift into a state of total relaxation. Beaches allow us to kick back and sink into the sand, feeling the warmth of the sun’s rays on our skin and enjoying the smell of the pure sea air. They’re also the perfect place to engage in a wide array of fun activities like surfing, swimming, scuba diving, and shelling. CDC information for travelers. Hours/availability may have changed.

4 Best Beaches in Ocho Rios, Jamaica

• Ocho Rios Bay Beach, Photo: Atomazul/stock.adobe.com
• James Bond Beach, Photo: Bruno/stock.adobe.com
• Bamboo Beach, Photo: Solarisys/stock.adobe.com
• Pleasure Cove, Photo: vrstudio/stock.adobe.com
• More Info, Photo: Ruth P. Peterkin/stock.adobe.com
• Cover Photo: Courtesy of Cisek Ciesielski - Fotolia.com

More Ideas in Jamaica: Jamaica Inn

Established in 1950, the Jamaica Inn is a picturesque Caribbean resort in Ocho Rios overlooking one of Jamaica’s most beautiful private beaches. The luxurious oceanfront resort offers deluxe accommodations in the form of stylish suites and cottages with modern amenities, private verandahs, and enchanting ocean views. The Jamaica Inn features premier facilities, award-winning cuisine, first-class service and gracious hospitality, promising an unforgettable island-style vacation.

Guest Accommodations

The Jamaica Inn offers a variety of deluxe accommodations in the form of luxury suites and seaside cottages, which are spacious, comfortable and tastefully decorated with nautical-inspired décor and furnishings. Boasting beautiful ocean views from private balconies, all accommodations feature sitting areas with plush sofas, wing back chairs, writing desks and chairs, and bedrooms with king or queen size beds and en-suite bathrooms with showers, soaking tubs, and bathrobes. Modern amenities include air-conditioning, ceiling fans, hairdryers, mini-fridges (stocked upon request), direct dial telephones, in-room safes, beach towels and complimentary wireless Internet.

Superior Balcony Suites are located on the upper floor of the resort and boast uninterrupted views of the Caribbean Sea, beach, and mountains from large furnished balconies, while the Deluxe Verandah and Premier Verandah Suites have spacious living room-style verandahs with direct access to the lawns and the beach.

Named after Lord Cowdray of Polo fame, the Cowdray Suite features a large master bedroom with a king-size bed, an en-suite bathroom, and a separate dressing room, as well as an extra-large verandah with gorgeous sunset views over the sea.

The Clearwater Villa is perched high on a bluff overlooking the ocean and offers an unrivaled Jamaican villa experience. Surrounded by beautifully manicured gardens, Clearwater Villa features three bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms in two separate cottages, a private swimming pool and easy access to the beach.

Centrally located in the heart of the resort, the Blue Cottage is a luxurious one-bedroom cottage just steps from the beach with a large open air verandah and swing shutters that open onto glorious ocean views.

Situated on a bluff with breathtaking ocean views, Jamaica Inn Cottages are available in one, two-, and three bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms with showers and soaking tubs, bathrobes, and deluxe toiletries. They also feature living rooms and bar areas, private infinity plunge pools, sun decks, and outdoor showers, and direct access to the beach.

Set on its own peninsula, the White Suite is a luxurious abode with a king bedroom and en-suite bathroom with shower and soaking tub, spacious sitting area with plush sofas, wing back chairs, writing desks and chairs, beautifully manicured gardens with an oceanfront sun deck and magnificent views of the Caribbean.

Dining

The Jamaica Inn offers a variety of unique dining experiences throughout the day from gourmet breakfasts overlooking the sea to alfresco-style dining on the open-air terrace or on the beach. Breakfast can be enjoyed at the Restaurant Terrace overlooking the bay or in the comfort of the suites or cottages. Lunch is served at the seaside restaurant, Beach Bar, on the beach or on the verandah of suites or cottages and includes light, casual cuisine, and complimentary afternoon tea features an assortment of light snacks accompanied by teas and coffee and served on the cocktail terrace. Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres are offered on the cocktail terrace every evening before dinner, which features award-winning gourmet cuisine from Chef Maurice Henry and includes a variety of international cuisine infused with local Jamaican flavors. Caribbean lobster is served every Saturday night at a special seafood extravaganza, and other special experiences include romantic dinner under the stars on the beach.

Amenities

The Jamaica Inn offers an array of first-class amenities and services to enhance every stay, including an exercise room, a full service spa, and wellness center, a fully stocked library, a meeting room for functions and events, and a restaurant, lounge and beach bar. Other amenities include complimentary airport transfers, a laundry service, garden tours, a gift shop, and complimentary wireless Internet around the property. Outdoor and recreational facilities include a croquet lawn, swimming pool, tennis courts (nearby), and a range of beach sports such as snorkeling, paddle boarding, sailing, and kayaking. There is also horseback riding, windsurfing, scuba diving and golf nearby.

Weddings & Events

The Jamaica Inn caters for weddings, receptions and vow renewals from intimate parties to large celebrations of up to 100 guests. The hotel offers a stunning seaside location with breathtaking views, a variety of sites, ranging from the beach to the swimming pool deck, and an attentive staff that take care of all the details. Exclusive wedding packages feature a marriage officer, a tropical bridal bouquet and matching tropical boutonniere, professional photography, a wedding cake for two and a bottle of Champagne.

Ocho Rios, Jamaica, Phone: 876-974-2514

More All-inclusive resorts in Jamaica

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More Ideas in Jamaica: Green Grotto Caves

A trip to explore the Green Grotto Caves in Jamaica is an adventure into the charm of a mysterious underground cavern. The green cavern of adventure and mystery is a dream of any speleologist, a part of the history of the island of Jamaica, and a unique experience for a different kind of Caribbean vacation. These are just some of the ways to describe the Green Grotto Caves, the widely unexplored maze of mysterious underground caverns.

The pristine waters of the Green Grotto Caves are supplied by the cavern’s secret depths. These underground caves are surrounded by lush vegetation as well. Such solace and privacy can be found inside the mystical underground caverns, that history is often associated with a variety of groups of inhabitants of the area. The first inhabitants of the caves, the Arawak Indians, used these caverns for a number of different purposes. Proof of these people using the Green Grotto Caves is evident through the numerous fragments of artifacts and pottery that has been uncovered in the underground caverns over the years.

In the seventeenth century, invaders from England arrived on the Caribbean isle of Jamaica. The Spaniards used the Green Grotto Caves as a place to hide from the invaders who were trying to drive them out of Jamaica. During the middle of the twentieth century, during the time between World War I and World War II, smugglers used the undergrounds caverns to run arms to the island of Cuba. During the latter years of World War II, the country of Jamaica’s government used the entrance to the caves as a storeroom for barrels of rum.

The Green Grotto Caves is one of the most prominent natural attractions in Jamaica. The mystical underground caverns have been known at different points in history as the Cave Hall Caves, Rum Caves, Runaway Bay Caves, Discovery Bay Caves, Dairy Caves, Hopewell Caves, and Dry Harbour Caves. The government of the country has recognized the caves’ unlimited potential over time, and has place the caverns into the ownerships as well as operation of the Urban Development Corporation and then the St. Ann Development Company. Since then, the mysterious caves have become a world-class attraction drawing in visitors from throughout the world.

Located on 25.9 hectares along the stunning North Coast of the island of Jamaica, the Green Grotto Caves are situated between the two resort areas of Montego Bay and Ocho Rios. The underground caverns are located to the east approximately four kilometers away from Runaway Bay, and two the west about 3.2 kilometers away from Discovery Bay. The feature at the heart of this mysterious natural attraction is its massive labyrinth-like limestone cave. This large underground cave features numerous overhead ceiling pockets, stalagmites, stalactites, bats, and unique rock formations. The Green Grotto is about twelve meters in depth and approximately 1,525 meters in total length. The cave is characterized by a multitude of light holes and chambers, as well as the Grotto Lake, a subterranean lake, that occupies the bowels of the cavern.

Runaway Bay, Jamaica, Phone: 876-973-2841

More Jamaica destinations

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Jamaican Currency

Jamaica is one of the most popular vacation destinations in the Caribbean region. Home to some unique attractions like the Bob Marley Museum, Rose Hall Great House and Dunn's River Falls, as well as a huge range of amazing white sand beaches and dolphin-filled coves, Jamaica is a wonderful place to relax. It's a tropical island paradise, a far cry from the sorts of places most people spend their daily lives, and is also well-known for its luxury beachfront resorts, spicy cuisine, and friendly natives.

When planning a trip to Jamaica, or anywhere else around the world outside of your own country, there are many different factors to consider. One of the top things to think about is what kind of money is used in your vacation destination. From there, you need to know all about the exchange rate and other important aspects like whether or not the shops, hotels, bars, and other places in the country will accept different kinds of currency and credit cards. Read on to learn all about the Jamaican official currency, as well as many more interesting facts about paying for things in Jamaica.

Official Currency in Jamaica

The official currency in the Caribbean country of Jamaica is the Jamaican dollar. The symbol for the Jamaican dollar is $, so it's exactly the same as the symbol for the US dollar, but the actual value of a Jamaican dollar is significantly lower than a dollar in the United States. The exchange rate can vary over time, but in general, you would need over 100 Jamaican dollars to have the equivalent of a single US dollar.

Coins and Notes in Jamaica

Like most currency systems around the world, the Jamaican dollar uses a system of coins and notes. You can find coins for the following denominations of currency:

-1 cent

-10 cents

-25 cents

-$1

-$5

-$10

-$20

The coins in Jamaica are all clearly marked with their monetary values and you can see different figures from Jamaican history on the reverse side of each coin, with some examples being like Norman Washington Manley on the $5 coin and Marcus Mosiah Garvey Jr. on the $20. The 1 cent coin is the only coin to not feature a prominent figure from the country's past; instead, the 1 cent coin shows the picture of an ackee, a popular fruit originally grown in Africa but also used throughout the Caribbean.

There are also several different banknotes to be found in Jamaican currency. You can find banknotes with the following denominations in Jamaica:

-$50

-$100

-$500

-$1,000

-$5,000

Again, the notes are decorated with images of various figures from Jamaica's history like Samuel Sharpe on the $50 note and Michael Norman Manley on the $1,000. On the other side, the notes feature images from various locations around Jamaica like Montego Bay on the $50 note and Dunn's River Falls on the $100 note.

Using Credit Cards in Jamaica

Credit and debit cards can be used in Jamaica, so this will make things a lot easier for people who don't want to worry about converting currency and figuring out all the right amounts for everything. You'll find credit cards to be accepted in the main hotels and restaurants, as well as around the main touristic areas.

However, if you want to head out and explore the island, purchasing food from street vendors or stopping off at smaller shops and locations, you might find that credit cards won't be accepted, in which case it makes sense to have a small amount of cash on your person. However, if you just plan on staying around the hotel area and making use of the main touristic facilities, you won't need any Jamaican currency at all.

Using US Dollars in Jamaica

Interestingly, despite the fact that the US dollar is not the official currency of Jamaica, the country has close ties with America and does therefore use the American dollar too. This means you can travel with US dollars and simply use them when making your purchases. In fact, if you spend time in the main touristic areas, most of the prices you see quoted will be given in US dollars.

The hotel and restaurant staff will also happily accept tips in this currency, and the vast majority of hotels and resorts accept US dollars too. A key note, however, is that only notes are accepted. Places won't accept US dollar coins, and if you do make purchases with US dollars, you'll usually get your change back in Jamaican dollars.

Which Currency is Best to Use in Jamaica?

The answer to this question really depends on your own personal plans for the trip. If you're going to be staying around the hotel and making use of all-inclusive facilities, you really probably don't need any Jamaican dollars at all. The hotels and on-site restaurants will all accept USD. Most of the touristic locations will accept money in this format too.

However, if you'd like to get away from the main touristic hotspots and visit a little more of Jamaica to see a more authentic side to this Caribbean country, it makes sense to consider taking some Jamaican dollars too. So the main piece of advice here is to consider where you’re going to be spending your time and what you’re going to be doing on your trip and choose your currency accordingly.

Tips for Currency in Jamaica

Follow the following tips to make sure you get the best value and don’t encounter any problems when making purchases and paying for things in Jamaica in either USD or Jamaican dollars:

-Be sure to check out the exchange rate at multiple locations before buying any Jamaican dollars to ensure you get the best deals.

-Carry some small notes of Jamaican dollars with you if you head out from the main touristic areas as you’ll usually find that places either won’t accept USD or will offer better prices if you pay in Jamaican dollars.

-If you do buy things with USD, you’ll get your change back in Jamaican dollars and each location will use their own conversion rates to figure out how much change to give you, so be careful in these locations.

-If someone is quoting you a price in ‘dollars’ and you aren’t sure whether they’re referring to USD or Jamaican dollars, simply ask and confirm the situation before handing over any cash. A single US dollar is worth a lot more than a Jamaican one, so you don’t want to get tricked into paying over the odds.

-Tipping is the norm in Jamaica, even for small services, so be sure to have some coins and small notes around.

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