Christopher Columbus landed in this northern part of Jamaica in 1494, at a place that is now called Discovery Bay. Centuries later novelist Ian Fleming fell in love with St. Ann’s Parish and created his martini-drinking, lady-loving British spy, the infamous 007. The beaches and waterfalls in Jamaica’s “Garden Parish” are eye-catching and accessible, and provide refreshing cooling-off spots for visitors and locals alike.
Dunn’s River Falls and Park
- Three miles west of Ocho Rios, St. Ann’s major tourist area, is a Jamaican national treasure, Dunn’s River Falls and Park. The water flows 600 feet down a stepped waterfall. The challenge is to walk up the steps while the water is trying to push you down. Find yourself holding hands with perfect strangers as you make your way from one splashy rock face to another. The photogenic falls were featured in “Dr. No,” the first James Bond film made, which came out in 1962. Ian Fleming had no trouble putting his suave detective, played by Sean Connery, in such an impressive tropical setting.
Tropical Garden Waterfalls
- Turtle River Falls and Gardens in Ocho Rios boasts 14 waterfalls on the 15-acre property, all originating on the Turtle River. Some of the waterfalls are stepped, like at Dunn’s River, while others cascade into swimmable ponds. One even splashes in front of a half-hidden grotto, big enough to hide behind and view the waterfall from the inside out. While at the park take a walk through the formal gardens, tour the rain forest and visit the walk-in aviary. You just may end up with a colorful parrot perched on your head. Shaw Park Gardens is another Ocho Rios treasure. Once a private estate, the 25-acre property is home to more than 600 varieties of ferns, shrubs and flowers. A large waterfall cascades through the center of the property, weaving itself around and through the tropical greenery.
Ocho Rios Beaches
- Turtle Beach is Ocho Rios’ largest beach. Its strip of white sand runs for more than 1,600 feet along the eastern edge of Ocho Rios Bay. A minimal fee is charged to enter the beach area but once inside you have access to changing rooms, showers, restrooms and a designated swimming area. Umbrellas and beach loungers are available for rent, as are kayaks and jet skis. Scuba diving excursions are available as well. Mahogany Beach presents a smaller but quieter alternative; it's also on the eastern end of Ocho Rios. It offers a restaurant and bar, as well as a designated swimming area. Island Village Beach is in back of the shopping center of the same name. It’s home to Margaritaville -- a bar serving exotic drinks, a volleyball court and vendors renting water sports equipment, loungers and beach umbrellas. Columbus Foot Beach is also near Island Village and is a more rustic option. This is pure Jamaica with cook shacks offering everything from fresh seafood to spicy jerk chicken. Not much room for swimming or sunbathing but you can eat yourself silly while watching the fishing boats sail by.
Oracabessa Village Beaches
- Only 12 miles east of Ocho Rios is the fishing village of Oracabessa and the legendary James Bond Beach. Visit the Moonraker open-air bar and find the names of the Bond movies immortalized on pieces of bamboo that sit over the first-floor serving bar. Relax on the large expanse of lawn in front of the white sand beach, a frequent setting for jazz and reggae music fests. Next door is the luxury resort Golden Eye, once Ian Fleming’s home and now a hideaway for the rich and famous. Golden Cloud, the former home of U.S. Ambassador Ruth Owen, also welcomes the well-to-do who seek privacy and seclusion. Other than these two properties, the coastline remains much in its natural state. The Oracabessa Bay Fish Sanctuary, created in 2010, is just offshore and is one of Jamaica’s premier diving sites. Nearby is Reggae Beach, roughly a 5-minute drive from Oracabessa. This is another favored outdoor music venue, which garnered worldwide recognition when it hosted the 2008 Caribbean Urban Music Awards.
