VHR, WORLDWIDE

About JAMAICA                                                                

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      Think of Jamaica as the quintessential Caribbean     island.  A verdant paradise, this "land of reggae" has

a culture unlike any other destination we can name.  The island is alive with a music, cuisine, and style of its

own - often imitated but never quite duplicated.  From the moment you step from the aircraft, you know

you've arrived.

 

     The majestic, misty Blue Mountains - famed

for the coffee plantations that grow on their

slopes and, following a delicate process, give rise

to the smoky-tasting beverage that awakens us

each morning in our Jamaican 'home away from 

home' - meander down to beautiful beaches

fringing the Caribbean Sea.  Some, like Negril's

Seven Mile Beach, are among the top beaches in

the region.  Along the way waterfalls with names

like Dunns River, Reich and YS, and rivers -

Martha Brae, Rio Grande and Great River to

name a few - afloat with hand-hewn bamboo

rafts known only to Jamaica, have become

popular attractions.

 

      Jamaica's colorful history, which is depicted in its art and music, chronicles a melting pot of people from many corners of the globe, starting with the Taino Indians - Jamaica's first settlers, probably from South America.  Jamaica embraces its history, which includes the Great Houses (e.g. Rose Hall, home of the White Witch) whose owners oversaw the plantations that drove commerce to the island; the stories of piracy (Port Royal); and the melding of nationalities that make up present-day society. 

 

     The key to getting the most out of your Jamaican villa rental is to select the area of the island that matches your personality and the type of vacation or corporate atmosphere that you desire.  The island's main tourist regions include Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Port Antonio, Negril and the South Coast (Whitehouse, Treasure Beach).  We have traveled to Jamaica more than 100 times, and our Villa Specialists will guide you to the appropriate region based on your personal needs and expectations.   

Here's a quick overview:

 

Montego Bay  Chances are, this is where your airplane will land.  The area is home to many beautiful villas and resorts, none of which are more than a short drive away, and offers a wealth of gourmet dining, shopping (local crafts, liquor, china, glassware, perfumes), sightseeing, and activities (watersports, golf, etc.).  Montego Bay, on the North Coast, is the second largest city in Jamaica.

 

Discovery Bay/Runaway Bay is a little more than halfway between Montego Bay and Ocho Rios and offers easy access to both of these popular tourist spots.  This is a quieter residential area, more private residences and rambling estates than hotels.

 

Negril was once a tranquil fishing village and has evolved into a popular, hedonistic area where just about anything goes.  Seven Mile Beach is probably the most beautiful spans of shoreline on the island.  The new highway puts visitors only a half hour from the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay.  Booby  Cay, the island at the northern end of the beach, was used in filming the south sea scenes in Walt Disney's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.  Great for the singles scene!

 

Ocho Rios  Located in the middle of the famed North Coast, this city is known for its working plantation tours and tropical gardens and is the hustle and bustle of Jamaican tourism.  A two-hour drive from Montego Bay (soon to be cut in half when the new highway is completed), the area is widely populated by resorts and hotels.  Great duty-free shopping, restaurants, local handicrafts (don't miss Wassa Art).  Popular attractions include Dunns River Falls, Fern Gully, the Ruins, Calypso rafting, and Dolphin Cove.

 

Port Antonio is Jamaica's secret hideaway, a region of magnificent rainforests, waterfalls, beaches and where Errol Flynn and his wife Patrice Wymore Flynn called home.  Located on the eastern coast, the area played host to a number of popular movies, including Cocktail with Tom Cruise and Elizabeth Shue, Club Paradise starring Robin Williams.  It is said that Robin Moore wrote the French Connection under a mango tree in his yard here.  Quiet and reserved, this is the place to go for natural beauty, serenity, and the best "jerk" pork, chicken, fish or lobster is found on Boston Beach.  The Jamaican Gentry call this garden spot "nature's perfect paradise", and this scenic region is where tourism was first introduced on this island - the place that Bette Davis and Ginger Rogers also called home.  If you fly into Kingston's Manley International Airport, it's a two and a half (2-1/2) hour drive away.  You can also fly into Montego Bay's Sangster International Airport and take the island shuttle (30 minutes) to Port Antonio's Ken Jones Aerodrome - or drive five (5) hours, maybe less.  The short flight will meander up the coastline and is a beautiful way to be introduced to the island's verdant topography.  No trip is complete without a visit to Boston Beach, Reich Falls, Navy Island (once owned by the Flynns), Blue Lagoon, Nonsuch Caves and rafting on the Rio Grande river.

 

Kingston is the capital of Jamaica and the island's main center of commerce, and the closest point of entry in you are renting a villa in Port Antonio.  If you are staying in Ocho Rios or Port Antonio, we suggest a day trip to the city to visit the Bob Marley Museum and have lunch at historic Devon House.

 

 

 

  

                                                                                                                       

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     All our Jamaican villas are fully staffed with a minimum complement of maid, cook, and caretaker; larger villas and estates may add more housekeeping help, a chef, butler and/or driver.  The staff at VHR, WORLDWIDE's Jamaican villas and estates treat guests with a high level of service that makes them feel like a cross between family and royalty.  Many of these warm and friendly islanders have been working at their respective properties for decades.  Guests - especially children - look forward to seeing their             "Jamaican friends" each year when they visit the island on vacation.

 

     We are intimately familiar with the different areas of the island, accommodations, restaurants, attractions, and shopping ... making us your best resource when booking your Jamaica trip!                                                        

 

 

 

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

 

                                                                                 

 

     

 

 

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