The Best Sight in Jamaica

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Touring Jamaica can be both thrilling and frustrating. Rugged (albeit beautiful) terrain and winding (often potholed) roads make for slow going. Always check conditions before you set off by car, but especially in the rainy season, June through October, when roads can be washed out. Two-lane primary roads that loop around and across the island are not particularly well marked. Numbered addresses are seldom used outside major townships, locals drive aggressively, and people and animals have a knack for appearing out of nowhere. That said, Jamaica's scenery shouldn't be missed. To be safe and avoid frustration, stick to guided tours and licensed taxis.

If you're staying in Kingston or Port Antonio, set aside at least one day for the capital and another for a guided excursion to the Blue Mountains. There's at least three days of activity along Mo'Bay's boundaries, but also consider a day trip to Negril or Ocho Rios. If you're based in Ocho Rios, be sure to visit Dunn's River Falls; you may also want to stop by Bob Marley's birthplace, Nine Mile, or Firefly, the restored home of Noël Coward. If Negril is your hub, take in the South Coast, including Y.S. Falls and the Black River.

Jamaica Swamp Safari Village

With a large sign declaring that “Trespassers Will Be Eaten,” this attraction on the outskirts of Falmouth most fascinates reptile enthusiasts. The village was started as a crocodile farm in the 1970s by American Ross Kananga, who was a stuntman in the James Bond film Live and Let Die. Scenes from the film Papillon, starring Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman, were also shot here. The property is home to a number of Jamaican crocodiles as well as the Jamaican yellow boa snake. There are other exotic animals from South America and colorful tropical birds in the aviary.