Ocho Rios, Jamaica is located on the north coast of the island. It is one of the most visited tourist sites in the country due to the deep water port that attracts cruise ships. On cruise days, throngs of tourists spend a few hours at ‘Ochi’ (as the locals call it), where they shop for souvenirs and visit the popular Dunn’s River Falls.
The biggest attraction in Ocho Rios, Jamaica is the cascading Dunn’s River Falls, which can be crowded on cruise ship days with dozens of excited American tourists attempting to scale the terraces. Laughing Waters, further west, offers a smaller, quieter but similar experience. Alternatively, you can opt for a 45-minute lazy ride down the lush White River on bamboo boats.
But there is much more to the area, including some lovely little beaches, several botanical gardens, and a couple of historic sites. As with many sites in Jamaica, it was the pirates who were the first to see the value of this beautiful site. Today, Ocho Rios, Jamaica is a growing Jamaican city with numerous resorts and villas catering to visitors on a budget as well as high-end visitors.
If you like flora, you will be impressed by the great tropical variety that is exhibited in several surrounding botanical gardens. These include the Coyaba River Garden with its museum of Arawak culture; the beautifully maintained Eco-Tours The Enchanted Gardens (formerly Carinosa Gardens) which features an extensive collection of orchids; and the Shaw Park Botanic Gardens, which have the benefit of excellent elevated views of the coastline.
Fern Gulley is a good excuse to hire scooters or a car and head inland as the road winds through lush, fern-laden hills. There are several historical sites worth visiting as well. The Ocho Ríos Fort is a modest building dating from the 17th century (restored in the 1970s) to the west of the city. To the east you can visit Harmony Hall, a century-old building that is now a center for promoting local arts. To get a glimpse of life as a sugar baron during the island’s colonial era, visit the working farm at Prospect Plantation.
Activities in Ochi include scuba diving, parasailing, sport fishing, horseback riding, and golf. Plus, you can just relax on the beach at places like Turtle Beach, Mallards Beach, or Grande Beach. These are just some of the things to do in Ocho Rios Jamaica.
There is a small airstrip nearby for connecting flights from Montego Bay or Kingston. Also, public passenger buses from these two main hubs arrive regularly and although the journey can be a bit arduous, the scenery will impress you.
If you ever get a chance to visit Ocho Rios, Jamaica, take it. This destination has so much to offer and it’s not hard to see why dozens of visitors make Ochi their destination of choice year after year.