Five Cool Things to Do in Jamaica

Since I am missing the island, I thought I would give you a few cool things to do while in Jamaica.

1. If you like fresh fish and are staying in the Montego Bay or Falmouth area, take a visit to the "Fish Hut". You will need a local driver and an adventurous demeanor. This is fish, Jamaican-style. You won't see a nicely presented fillet, so if you are afraid of seeing a whole fish on your plate, don't go here. The term "rustic" is an understatement when you first glance at the place, but you won't be disappointed in the experience. A visit to the kitchen to pick out your fish from the cooler is a once in a lifetime memory. I prefer the whole snapper, escovitch-style but they can make it a variety of ways. Steamed with fresh okra is a specialty or you could ask for a pan-fried version. Grab a cold Red Stripe or Red Stripe Light or Heinekken and prepare for "island" dining. This is where the locals dine.

If you have a need for an experience driver, call my friend Jarrett at 876-530-0343 or 876-700-1877. He is a licensed JUTA driver and has driven actors for several locally filmed movies. You might have heard of "How Stella Got Her Groove Back". Yup, he drove the actors for that film. And yes, I have know him for quite awhile. 16 years to be exact.

2. Visit the "other Falls". Most people that go to Jamaica want to see Dunn's River Falls. Yes, it is an amazing sight. Quite touristy though. If you are staying in Negril, I recommend a visit to Mayfield Falls or YS Falls/Black River. These are less visited and offer a real chance to see Jamaica without all of the t-shirt vendors. You will need to hire a driver or schedule a tour through the resort. I prefer to hire a personal driver. This allows you to go at your own pace. Make sure the driver you hire is approved by the resort, is licensed with one of the major taxi companies and has air conditioning.

3. If you are in the Ocho Rios area, I recommend hitting one of the jerk centers on the way from Montego Bay to Ocho Rios. I am particularly fond of the Ultimate Jerk Centre. Jerk is a style of slow cooking with seasoned wood and a blend of amazing spices. Jerk chicken and pork are available. Try adding a little "festival" on the side. This is a slightly sweet, deep fried fritter. This is a must do in Jamaica. All inclusive resorts will offer a style of jerk chicken, but it really isn't the same. If you are in Port Antonio, you have to hit Boston Beach (the original birthplace of jerk).

4. Catamaran cruise to Rick's Cafe. I know that Rick's is a bit touristy, but you can't beat the Negril area for sun, sand and scenery. Take a sunset cruise down to Rick's for a little cliff diving observation or even take a plunge yourself. The cliff areas in Negril are very unique and feature some of the best turquoise waters on the island. Drink prices are high here but the views are worth the extra bucks. Plus there is live entertainment until the sun goes down.

5. Only for the very adventuresome is a once in a lifetime trip to the Blue Mountains for an overnight stay. I once saw this on a travel show and decided I had to do it. We stayed in a cabin in the coffee plantation areas above Mavis Bank. Parking our van in Mavis Bank and being transported up to the cabin by Range Rover was pretty surreal. Our goal was to hike the Blue Mountain Peak. This is the highest point in Jamaica, standing at 7402 feet. Basically, you leave the cabin at 2:00am to make the 7-mile hike up to the peak so that arrival is just before sunrise. Along the way, you will pass through coffee plantations where the world's most expensive coffee is produced. Just doing something that very few tourists have done made for a cool time in the mountains. We had arranged for a guide to meet us there and take us up the trail. Tiger, our guide, and his dog, Chip, had done this hike over 200 times. The cabin was at Whitfield Hall. I can get you the information if you want to check it out. Accommodations are a bit rustic but the surroundings make the trip worthwhile. The trip up and back was great. The hosts were some of the nicest people you will ever meet. You will need transfers to the area by a professional driver, unless you are willing to take the major risk of driving unknown areas alone. I say keep it professional and hire an expert. But this is really, really awesome.

There you have it! Five cool things to do in Jamaica. Call my buddy, Jarrett, if you need a professional driver :)