Romantic Escapes in Jamaica
()
About this ebook
Paris Permenter
John Bigley and Paris Permenter are a husband and wife team of travel writers. Longtime residents of Central Texas, they make their home in the Hill Country west of Austin, near Lake Travis. John and Paris have authored 32 guidebooks including Day Trips from San Antonio and Insiders’ Guide to San Antonio. Paris and John also publish www.TexasTripper?.com, which focuses on travel across the Lone Star State, PawZaar.com, featuring global style for pet lovers, and www.DogTipper?.com, filled with tips for dog lovers. Both John and Paris are members of the prestigious Society of American Travel ?Writers. For more on the couple’s writing and travels, see www?.parisandjohn?.com.
Read more from Paris Permenter
Grand Cayman Island Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Healthy Hound Cookbook: Over 125 Easy Recipes for Healthy, Homemade Dog Food--Including Grain-Free, Paleo, and Raw Recipes! Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Bahamas: A Taste of the Island Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAntigua, Barbuda, St. Kitts & Nevis Alive Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCayman Islands Adventure Guide Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRomantic Escapes in the Caribbean Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsJamaica Adventure Guide Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRomantic Escapes in the Virgin Islands Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related to Romantic Escapes in Jamaica
Caribbean & West Indies Travel For You
The Magic Island Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Insight Guides Puerto Rico (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFodor's Essential Caribbean Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Natural History of The Bahamas: A Field Guide Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFrommer's EasyGuide to Puerto Rico Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBirds of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands: Fully Revised and Updated Third Edition Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Taste of... Trinidad and Tobago: A food travel guide Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFrommer's Belize Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTrinidad & Tobago - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsNot On Any Map: One Virgin Island, Two Catastrophic Hurricanes, and the True Meaning of Paradise Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDominican Republic - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Aruba, Bonaire & Curacao Pocket Adventures Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Rough Guide to Cuba (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fodor's Puerto Rico Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Caribbean Pleasure Industry: Tourism, Sexuality, and AIDS in the Dominican Republic Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Insight Guides Pocket Jamaica (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsInsight Guides Caribbean Cruises (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHaitian Creole Phrasebook: Essential Expressions for Communicating in Haiti Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Island Hopping Digital Guide to the Northwest Caribbean - Part II - The Cayman Islands Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCaribbean Vacation Guides - ABC Islands: Travel Guide for Aruba, Bonaire & Curaçao - Dutch Caribbean ABC Islands (Lesser Antilles) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTaste of... Puerto Rico: A food travel guide Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Best Dives of the Cayman Islands Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPigs of Paradise: The Story of the World-Famous Swimming Pigs Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPuerto Rico Adventure Guide Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Havana Black: A Lieutenant Mario Conde Mystery Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mooshie: Life With an Unconventional Cat Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Puerto Rico's Vieques & Culebra Islands Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Taste of... Martinique: A food travel guide Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSweet Hands: Island Cooking from Trinidad & Tobago, 3rd edition: Island Cooking from Trinidad & Tobago Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related categories
Reviews for Romantic Escapes in Jamaica
0 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
Romantic Escapes in Jamaica - Paris Permenter
Romantic Escapes in Jamaica
Paris Permenter & John Bigley
Hunter Publishing, Inc.
Introduction
Geography
Getting Started
Vacation Options
Budget Getaways
Quick Getaways
Mega Resorts
Where to Stay
Prices
All-Inclusive Resorts
Bed & Breakfasts and Small Inns
Villas
How Long to Stay?
When to Go
Seasonal Pricing
Climate
Festivals
Caribbean Cuisine
Unique Island Dishes
Activities
Tennis
Windsurfing
Sailing
Shopping
Beaches
Adventures
Get Set to Get Wet
Sightseeing
Nightlife
Casinos
Music
Just Doing Nothing
Travel Information
What to Pack
Getting to the Islands
Caribbean Air Carriers
Air-Land Packages
Island-Hopping
Cruises
Travel Agents
Entry Requirements
Obtaining a Passport
Vacation Options
Budget Getaways
Quick Getaways
Mega Resorts
Where to Stay
Prices
All-Inclusive Resorts
Bed & Breakfasts and Small Inns
Villas
How Long to Stay?
Caribbean Embassies & Consulates
Customs
Vacation Options
Budget Getaways
Quick Getaways
Mega Resorts
Where to Stay
Prices
All-Inclusive Resorts
Bed & Breakfasts and Small Inns
Villas
How Long to Stay?
Life
Dress
Patois
Taxis
Potential Problems
Crime
Drugs
Food & Drink
Sunburn
Insects
Manchineel Trees
Marine Dangers
Heat Dangers
Time Zones
Currency
Island Romance
Weddings
Destination Weddings
Two Top Wedding Packages
Other Wedding Packages
Wedding Requirements
Romantic Sites in the Caribbean
The Islands
Jamaica
The People
Geography
Festivals
Jamaican Jargon
Sweet Dreams
Montego Bay
Negril
Swept Away, located on Negril's famous Seven Mile Beach, focuses on quiet relaxation for couples that are fitness and diet conscious. Sure, there are the requisite beach bars and buffets, but Swept Away also boasts a beachside veggie bar with pita sandwiches, grilled chicken, and pasta salads. It is known as one of the top sports destinations in the Caribbean. Courts for tennis, racquetball, squash, basketball, plus an Olympic-size pool, a fully equipped gym, and aerobics classes keep visitors busy.
Ocho Rios
Outlying Ocho Rios Areas
Port Antonio
Tables for Two
Montego Bay
Negril
Ocho Rios
Port Antonio
Romantic Activities
Golf
Underwater Delights
Ocho Rios Sights
Montego Bay Sights
Negril Sights
Port Antonio Sights
Shopping
Nightlife
Just the Facts
Appendix
Caribbean Tourist Board
US Passport Offices
Embassy & Consulate
Introduction
Before we start examining the Jamaica, let's look at the region as a whole. The Caribbean spans an area that stretches over 2,000 miles east to west and 1,000 miles north to south, starting just off the coast of Florida and reaching down to the coast of South America.
This part of the world is blessed with year-round sunshine, with water warmed by Caribbean currents and shores cooled by gentle trade winds. Winter and summer temperatures differ by only a few degrees.
Geography
The islands arch out like a cracking whip, with the largest islands to the west and the small islands to the east, curving on down to South America and ending with a snap
back to the west at the ABC islands: Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao.
The whole formation of islands is referred to as the Antilles , usually divided into the Greater Antilles and the Lesser Antilles. The Greater Antilles, as the name suggests, are the Caribbean's largest islands: Cuba, Hispaniola (an island shared by the Dominican Republic and Haiti), Jamaica, and Puerto Rico. The term Lesser Antilles encompasses the other islands.
Often, the area is just divided up into the Eastern and Western Caribbean. The Eastern islands are the same as the Lesser Antilles; the Western Caribbean is the Greater Antilles and the Cayman Islands.
The multiple names given to this region is your first hint at the diversity the Caribbean boasts. In researching and writing this book, we traveled to the Caribbean every few weeks and many friends asked us, Are you getting bored visiting the same area again and again?
Besides the fact that it would be pretty tough to tire of perfect weather, postcard-pretty scenes, and a sea as clear as glass, the Caribbean holds an endless fascination for us, and hopefully for you, because it offers so many different types of experiences.
Although every one of these countries is an island surrounded by the Caribbean Sea, they differ in many ways. The political structures range from crown colonies to independent nations. Some islands span hundreds of square miles; others can be covered by bicycle in a single afternoon. Languages vary as well; English, Spanish, French, Dutch, and even a beautiful mélange of languages called Papiamento greet visitors, though you'll find that English is spoken in just about every resort area.
Although technically not part of the Caribbean, the Bahamas share its azure waters and perpetual summer. Bermuda is also beyond the Caribbean's reaches, though it, too, offers a romantic island atmosphere.
How Do You Say....
The Caribbean contains a few tongue twisters. So you can sound like a local, here's how to say some of the toughest:
Anguillaan-GWIL-a
Antiguaan-TEE-ga
Barbudabar-BOO-da
NevisNEE-vis
SabaSAH-buh
StatiaSTAY-sha
St. BarthsSt. Barts
St. CroixSt. Kroy
St. LuciaSt. LOU-sha
Getting Started
Okay, it's time tomake some decisions. Which island will you choose? It's a question that only the two of you can answer, based on your own personal tastes. Do you want high-rise luxury or Robinson Crusoe-type seclusion? Glitzy dinner shows or evening serenades from tiny tree frogs? Days spent shopping, snorkeling, scuba diving, or just sunning on a sandy beach?
When friends ask us for help in selecting a destination, we advise them to first identify their preferences. We sometimes like the bustling atmosphere of busy islands like Jamaica, St. Thomas, or Puerto Rico; other times we long for the serenity of St. Kitts, Nevis, or Virgin Gorda.
To help you make this major decision, begin by asking yourself these questions:
Is our budget a major factor in our choice?
Will this be a quick three- or four-day getaway or a leisurely vacation of a week or more?
Do we enjoy casino gambling and shows?
Are we looking for luxurious accommodations?
Would we prefer the convenience of an all-inclusive resort?
Do we want to rent a car and explore on our own?
What activities are most important to us? Snorkeling? Scuba? Tennis? Windsurfing? Sailing? Hiking? Shopping?
Do we want a lush, tropical environment?
Do we want white sand beaches? Nude beaches?
Do we want the simplicity of remaining on US turf or would we rather experience a different culture?
Sit down together and consider your answers. Then take a look at your choices.
Vacation Options
Budget Getaways
There's no good way to put this, but you'll find out soon enough that a trip to the Caribbean isn't cheap. Even if you select a budget hotel, transportation to the islands is a big expense that you just can't avoid.
However, some islands are less expensive than others. These destinations are high volume, bringing in commercial and charter flights on a daily basis. This may mean more crowds, but your airfare will probably be cheaper than flights to more secluded islands.
Some destinations offer packages that include air, hotel, and ground transportation for one affordable price. Jamaica, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, the Bahamas, and the Dominican Republic offer these kinds of deals.
Charter airline companies serve most of these islands as well. For more information on low-cost carriers, see Travel Information .
Quick Getaways
If you're planning a three- or four-day retreat, make the most of your visit by minimizing travel time. These islands are the easiest jumps from the US: the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, Cayman Islands, Puerto Rico, and Jamaica (if you stay in the Montego Bay area; Negril and Ocho Rios are nearly two hours from the airport, Port Antonio is even farther). From the UK, you'll find the best connections to Barbados, Antigua, and Bermuda.
Mega Resorts
Twenty-four-hour room service, full-treatment spas, and satellite TV aren't commonplace throughout the Caribbean. However, the two of you can be pampered at full-service properties in Puerto Rico, Aruba, the Bahamas, Jamaica, Barbados and St. Lucia in hotels that offer more than the comforts of home.
Where to Stay
Whatever you're looking for in the way of accommodations - high-rise hotel, seaside bungalow, bed-and-breakfast inn, small traditional hotel, or private villa - you'll find it in the Caribbean.
Just as varied as the type of accommodations available is the range of prices at these properties. Everything from budget motels with spartan furnishings to private islands that attract royalty and Hollywood types is available.
This guidebook covers things in-between, places where the everyday vacationing couple can enjoy safety and comfort in surroundings where romance can flourish. The resorts, hotels, and villas featured on these pages offer all levels of activity. Some have round-the-clock fun and