Laney

Hi<BR><BR>Three of us are travelling to jamaica from the UK for our first ever long haul holiday. We're staying at Sky Castles in Ocho Rios - anybody know what it's like? Is Ocho Rios a good place to stay?<BR><BR>There seems to be a lot of mixed feeling on the message boards about jamaica - we were just told to avoid Kingston and Spanish Town and that we'd be fine...<BR><BR>Also any one know what is the best way to get around? We normally hire a car - but its seems quite expensive. How much are the Taxi's?<BR><BR>Hope you can help wiuth some advice for us first timers!!!<BR><BR>Laney

Penney

While I have not been to the hotel you are reffering to, Ocho Rios is a great area. Shopping there is wonderful! Bargin on everything! Dunn's River Falls is the largest attraction there - bring water shoes and go on a day that the cruise ships are not in port.<BR><BR>Jamaica does have its fair share of crime but best to not go off unto unspots n your own - we generally book all tours and trips through the resorts. Just use commoon street smarts. The people are very friendly and wondeful to speak with.

debbie

I do not believe i remember this resort - i think i remember seeing a sand castles. If it is not all inclusive there are not that many restaurants in Ocho Rios. For dinner though there is EVITA's which is wonderful. I would not rent a car i would hire a taxi. they are very nice and helpful and will wait for you. There is alot to do you can swim with the colphins, climb Dunn's River Falls and you can river raft on the White River hich is only a 10 minute ride. They really do not advertise it. You can also tube - we did both! We found the people to be absolutely wonderful. If you go River Rafting ask for Rambo or Dwight and tell them the people from New Hampshire say hi. They were wonderful, wonderful!

tivertonhouse

Ochie's a tourist town, with a cruise ship port, resorts behind roadgates, villas back up in the hills. Think Brighton with better beaches. Enjoy the sun and use your hotel as a base of operations from which to explore. Do some reasearch before you leave. See the old 1995 Lonely Planet video with Ian on Jamaica or pick up The Rough Guide to Jamaica, plus a good map in the UK (few good ones on island). There are some good restaurants in town (Evita's per the above poster a good one), A HURRY-HURRY craft market full of tat, a coule of good art galleries (look for Michael Toth's wonderfully satiric paintings that are send-ups of Queen Victoria and the current royals as well as old Brit/island attitudes at the Frame Gallery or at Harmony Hall just out of town towards Boscobel. Climbing Dunn's River Falls is the #1 tourist attraction. Hire a good guide<BR>tho and plan some excursions in advance to Port Antonio or the coffee bean plantations in the foothills of the Blue Mts, to Mandeville and the South Coast. See sampler coming to you under sep.cov.e-mail of the guide our guests use for island-wide adventures. Car hire independently runs about US$375/week plus gas;driving's on left your style but drivers far more aggressive and off the main,roads are rough. Taxis back and forth can run up your tab pretty fast. Most nightlife is hotel-oriented, unless you get out in the country to weekend dancehalls and such.

Laney

Thanks for the info - its really useful! <BR><BR>We aren't going all inclusive - our apartments at Sky Castles are apparently on a hill about 1km from the beach - so we will definately try Evita's!

Laney

I forgot - Debbie, did you say you can swim with dolphins in Jamaica? It's something i've always wanted to do! Whereabouts? any ideas how much?<BR><BR>Thanks again!!

concerned

Might want to read up on this type of tourism before you decide:<BR><BR>http://www.hsus.org/programs/wildlif...m_dolphin.html