Ocho Rios Jamaica

Hey, welcome back! This time I want you to imagine for a minute somewhere with miles of rolling green hills dotted with hibiscus, begonia, and yellow canna lilies. Added to that is the most striking tunnel of ferns lining the streets as the sound of gushing water beckons you to find its source. Sounds heavenly, right? Well, it’s not heaven but pretty close. Its the garden center of Jamaica, Ocho Rios aka Ochi and the perfect travel location for your next dream experience. Ochi is home to approximately 10,000 people in reality and has an atmosphere as easy going as the flow of water. As a matter of fact, Ocho Rios literally means ‘eight rivers’ and rivers and waterfalls do come from the hills above and around the town. And that’s not all! Similar to Montego Bay, Ochi has just as many attractions, experiences, and life to explore. Wanna know more? No worries, this post has all the deets and all you have to do is wake up and read on lol

The outdoors

A regular day in Ochi is a sunny adventure waiting to happen. The garden town is also a seaside town so  cruise ships filled with thrill seekers keeps the town buzzing. Luckily, everything is close by so the next adventure is a stone’s throw away. And there’s even more to explore on the outskirts of the town. But Ochi itself already has so much to do that you could be climbing a majestic waterfalls, bobsledding through the most instagrammable rainforest from 600 ft, gliding through Ochi’s stunning skies on Mystic Mountain Sky Explorer chairlift, or exploring underground mystical caverns that once hid pirate’s treasures all in a matter of hours.

You can even squeeze in a swim with dolphins before you sail on, explore the tropical landscape on horseback, or plunge right into the pristine turquoise Caribbean sea. When you’re not exploring some exotic scene or touring a museum visited by Sir Winston Churchill, the streets of Ochi is just as adventurous. You’ll stumble across different markets and shops bursting with color and offering up an authentic taste of the town’s creative expression and warm demeanor. Because in this beautiful town, the outdoors is your best friend.

Beaches

Whew! With all that you can easily forget that Ochi has some of the most beautiful shorelines too. After zipping across the rainforest, the next best thing to do is relax on a white sandy beach under a almond tree with a cold beverage. Remember when we said everything is close by? Well, so are the beaches. A chance to dip your toes in silky soft sand and take a swim in waters so clear you can see the marine life is never far away. One is literally minutes away after you dock if you’re coming by cruise ship. If you want to venture out, a 20-minute drive or less gets you to popular beaches like James Bond beach (James Bond thrillers were written there. Famous, right?!) or Pleasure Cove next to Couples San Souci.

Whichever one you choose the result is the same – pristine waters, good food, and friendly locals. Also right outside the town center are hidden, almost untouched natural springs and rivers. Fun fact: Ocho Rios doesn’t actually have eight rivers but a few are waiting for you to casually raft down and enjoy the warm waters and lush greenery or dive right into a cool natural spring. If you have a Pinterest page, thank us later.   

Dining and shopping

Between the excursions and swimming, prepare to be hungry! Luckily, in Ocho Rios it’s always time to eat. And your favourite mouthwatering, succulent jerk chicken or pork with a side of roast breadfruit, bammy, or festival is ready to be devoured. The aroma of smoking pimento tree logs will direct you there. We know you love jerk but on the occasion you feel for something different there’s always the option of an Italian, Chinese, or Indian restaurant and some even come with a spectacular view of the town and the ocean. But wait, you cannot not eat fry chicken from a local cookshop because it’s simply the best. Like the name suggest, Simply the Best restaurant serves what locals and visitors alike call the best fry chicken in town. The winning fry chicken comes with what seem like a billion fries and is reasonably priced. But if that’s not your taste, Eat Ur Veggies and Reggae Pot restaurant off Main Street is the place to eat food cooked with love and fresh healthy ingredients including okra stew and curried tofu.

Now that you’re full it’s time to get souvenir items, native wood carvings, local rum and coffee, jewelry, and books about Jamaica for family and friends. If not, they might never forgive you after posting endless photos on Instagram of you having a whale of a time lol. Shopping venues like craft shops and markets with dozens of stalls stacked with handmade, local products are great places to stop by on a beach break.

Nightlife

Ocho Rios comes alive in the night time. Okay, even more alive. The close proximity makes it perfect to bar or party hop from something laid back and jazzy to an uptempo rooftop dance floor. Gen-X Sports bar and nightclub is always a good spot to dance the night away. For a more laid back vibe, relax on the waterfront or patio and shoot a game of pool or channel your inner Celine Dion for karaoke nights. Just One More Bar right across from the Royal Decameron Club Caribbean resort is a great spot to belt out your favourite tunes or have a drink and an ATM is right across the road so you can always afford just one more.

Transportation and safety

Ocho Rios is relatively safe and friendly with a good mix of tourists and locals out and about daily. Because the town mainly caters to tourists there are plenty of ‘tourist police’ around. You can recognize them by their uniforms – black pants, white collared shirt and white hats. They can assist with questions, concerns, and directions but we recommend that you be aware of your surroundings and take advantage of a trusted associate if you can when out and about. And this is not because Ochi is unsafe but should be something you exercise anywhere you visit. Enjoy!