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Bike riding tours are a wonderful way to explore Jamaica. Traveling by automobile just can’t provide the same experience. You miss so much, like the scents carried by the wind - the smell of the ocean, the tropical forests, the mountains, and the abundant flowers and other plants. The slower pace allows you to really see what you’re looking, to talk to local people, and to really savor the experience of Jamaica.

Blue Mountain Bicycle Tours, Ltd., located at 121 Main Street, in Ocho Rios, is one of the most well known providers of these sorts of adventures. Their specialty is a day long bike tour that begins 5,600 feet up in the Blue Mountains, which are the highest mountains in the Caribbean. Blue Mountain Bicycle Tours, Ltd., makes these tours available out of both Ocho Rios and Kingston, Jamaica, providing charter bus service from these points to the mountain for groups as large as 150, with the average group being made up of about 40 people. All necessary biking equipment is also provided, as are meals, and rates are reasonable — $93US for adults and $65US for children under 12 years of age.

The bicycle tour is all down hill, which makes it appropriate for almost all age groups - age 7 is the youngest recommended for participation — and means that you’ll be able to devote your most or your energy to enjoying the magnificent scenery. And, magnificent it is! Bikers pass through stunning mountain vistas that include the remarkable coffee plantations that produce the Blue Mountain coffee beans that are becoming well known to coffee connoisseurs for their superior taste and quality, and enjoy wild life sights that are found nowhere else in the world outside of Jamaica. They’ll see waterfalls and have the opportunity to enjoy a refreshing swim in the cool, clear mountain water. You’ll want to remember to bring a swimsuit, towel and camera.

Manfred’s Jamaican Mountain Bike Tours, located in Saint Elizabeth Parish, Jamaica, offers a wonderful one-week get away tour. Participants enjoy quality lodging and excellent local cuisine on a 500 acre farming estate in Apple Valley. Each day features a bicycle tour to a different part of Jamaica, revealing parts of the country far beyond the usual tourist destinations. This experience of the real Jamaica - beyond the glitter and glitz of the tourism industries - is simply unparalleled.

In Negril, Rusty’s Xcellent Adventures offers a variety guided bicycle tours at different skill levels. Biking equipment and, if necessary, biking instructors, are available. For those who prefer independent exploration, there are numerous places throughout Jamaica that offer bicycle rentals, as well as rentals of scooters and the like.

Bicycle tours are an excellent way to explore Jamaica. In addition to enjoying the natural Jamaica, its ‘real’ people and culture, you’ll be doing so in away that has less of a negative environmental impact. Bicycle tours allow you to slow down and to savor your surroundings, collecting memories - and perhaps even a newfound cultural awareness and understanding — that will last a lifetime.

Bahamas vacation destination Harbour Island offers a wide variety of cuisines and quality dining experiences. International, Bahamian, and American cuisines are readily available throughout the island.

Angela’s Starfish Restaurant offers both classic and unique native dishes, Bahamian cuisine and some American foods. The native dishes truly have that authentic quality, and many of the customers seen in eating in the restaurant are local people enjoying the classic favorites. Many of these are based on seafood of various types and cracked conch. The setting is simple, small tables on the lawn with folding chairs, and the food is delicious. Credit cards are not accepted, so you’ll need to remember to come prepared to pay cash. The restaurant is open every day, from 7:30am to 8:30pm.

The Landing is well known for its fine Australian and international cuisines, Located on Bay Street, the eatery is housed in a beautiful antique building that adds ambiance to an already excellent dining experience. Because fresh ingredients are preferred by the chef, the menu varied with what is in season. House specialties include capellini with lobster, and a very special dish that consists of lobster wrapped in banana leaves, braised romaine, chili, and lime juice. The Landing also serves an excellent pesto sauce, rich in flavor and a delight to the nose. This establishment is open on Sundays, from 8am to 2pm, and Thursday through Tuesday, from 6:30pm to 10:30pm. Reservations are strongly suggested to secure a table for dinner at this quality restaurant.

On Court Street, Bahamian and Mediterranean cuisines are presented in their finest forms at Restaurant Sip Sip. It is truly an amazing restaurant. The menu varies, according to the current interest of the proprietors Jim Black and Julie Lightbourne. The menu most often contains dishes based upon Bahamian, Italian, French, Thai, or Pacific Rim cuisines, though the degree to which the focus rests upon any one of these culinary traditions
changes periodically. Occasionally you’ll see eggplant dishes from Lebanon, Mexican inspired cuisine with tropical flavors, and a variety of other culinary inspirations and fusions. This restaurant is open for lunch Wednesdays through Mondays, from 11:30am to 4pm. This is a place that definitely should not be missed.

Avery’s Restaurant and Grill is located on Colebrook Street in a small wooden house of orange and yellow. The tiny restaurant is very clean and the food is simple and hearty Bahamian fare, a favorite among locals. It is a family own and operated establishment that does a brisk business all day long. Avery’s Restaurant and Grill is open every day between the hours of 6:30am and #pm and from 5:30 to 10pm.

There are numerous little dining spots featuring a variety of culinary experiences, from elegant fine dining to the simple charms to be found in house converted to a restaurant serving dishes made from grandmother’s oldest recipes. Harbor Island is a place to indulge the taste buds, rather than to worry about a waist line.

When it comes to opportunities to enjoy good food, Paradise Island of the Bahamas is aptly named. On this small island, the cuisines of the world are represented. There are a wide range of cuisine choices and dining settings.

Anthony’s Caribbean Grill, located at the Paradise Island Shopping Mall, serves Caribbean and American foods. While the Caribbean is - to be truthful - rather Americanized, the quality of the ingredients is high, and the food, whichever culinary genre it may properly or officially belong to, tastes good and is satisfying. Among the eatery’s offerings are pizzas with a plethora of available toppings, barbecued chicken and ribs, fried chicken, ribs with Caribbean-style barbecue sauce and a host of large sized salads that serve as meals. A broad range of mixed drinks is available. The hours are from 7:30am to 11pm, and it is open daily.

At The Water’s Edge, a nightly seafood buffet is served. The culinary influence is decidedly Mediterranean, and in addition to an abundance of seafood, there are many pasta dishes, including penne a l’arrabbiata. Pizzas of various types and styles are also a part of the buffet. The dining area itself is beautiful and works to set the tone of the meal. There are immense chandeliers and an artificially created miniature lagoon with three waterfalls adds an interesting touch. Reservations are strongly suggested for this establishment, found at the Atlantis. It is open daily, from 6pm to 10pm.

Mama Loo’s specializes in Asian cuisine, though there are a few dishes with a Caribbean touch. The d cor of the restaurant, with its ceiling fans and potted palms, does add a sort of Far East mystique that is enjoyable. Szechwan, Cantonese, and Polynesian cuisines make up most of the menu, though there are a few Caribbean dishes as well. The specialties of the house are the stir-fried lobster, beef, and broccoli with ginger, the shrimp in spicy chili sauce with a peanut sauce, and the deep-fried chicken filets with honey-flavored garlic sauce. Reservations are strongly suggested for this restaurant, located in the Coral Tower of the Atlantis. Mama Loo’s is open Tuesday through Sunday from 6pm to 10pm.

The Cave, located at the Atlantis, offers simple fare that is delicious. Burgers, sandwiches, salads and ice cream draw a casual crowd, many right off the beach which is close by, and many families with children. The prices are reasonable and the hours are from 10am to 6pm every day.

Villa D’Este serves what many consider to be the best Italian food on the Island. Located in the Coral Tower of the Atlantis, this restaurant serves a variety of traditional favorites that take their influence from the Tuscany region of Italy. Some of the more interesting dishes are whole roasted rack of lamb coated with red wine sauce and rosemary potatoes and pan-fried chicken breast with artichokes and mushrooms in a lemony white wine sauce. Reservations are essential and the hours are 6pm to 10pm, Thursday through Tuesday.

Paradise Island is indeed a heavenly experience for those with an adventurous and discerning type of culinary taste. There’s a lot to choose from, and certainly nobody will have to leave the island hungry.

Jamaica is a beautiful country, lush and green with beautiful coastal areas, rich forests that include tropical rainforests, and the highest mountain peaks in the Caribbean. There are many national parks, reserves and undeveloped country areas ripe for exploration and hiking is among the best ways to experience truly experience the abundant joys of nature to be found in the rural areas of Jamaica. The hospitable climate assures hiking comfort virtually year round and numerous the guided tours available make hiking Jamaica a vacation experience available to all hiking skill levels.

Valley Hikes, a hiking tour company operating out of Port Antonio, Jamaica, specializes in environmentally sound and culturally informative journeys into beautiful wilderness of the Rio Grande Valley, located between the Blue Mountains and the John Crow Mountains.

Because of the strong focus of Valley Hikes on mutually beneficial eco-tourism, their hikes have a local people and culture accent that many other hiking tours lack. Hikers will enjoy the amazing and varied wildlife of the tropical forest - including many attractions that don’t make the typical tour guidebooks, as they are only familiar to the people who really live there - and learn numerous fascinating fact from the tour guides, who are drawn from the local community. Hikers will learn local history and lore, the types of flora and fauna, the traditional uses and medicinal properties of various plants, and many other interesting facets of daily life and culture in Jamaica.
Naturally, with the appeal of such beautiful mountains, travelers to Jamaica will find that there are many hiking trails and opportunities in the general area of the John Crow Mountains and the Blue Mountains. Among these is the Fairy Glade Trail, which could be considered to be fairly challenging. Hikers will need to be able to climb tree roots and push through plant life, including ginger, which can sometimes seem rather dense. Another is the Gordon Town Trail, which passes by lovely gardens and bubbling waterfalls, and is well known for its numerous visual delights, including unusual plants and birds.

Cockpit Country Adventure Tours of Jamaica is widely recognized for the quality of their eco-tours. Cockpit Country is a part of Jamaica that is internationally known for its amazing biodiversity, which stems from its untamed - or as some would say, its untamable — wildness. In addition to its ecological fame and interest, it holds an important place in the social history of Jamaica as the place that served as headquarters to a group of former slaves were able to successfully battle the British, forcing them into submission, formalized by signed treaties, to their demands for self-rule.

Through Cockpit Country Adventure Tours, hikers will experience the true wilderness of Jamaica. They’ll see numerous exciting varieties of butterflies, many species of birds, reptiles and other creatures. Cockpit Country Adventure Tours offers unique hiking experiences and their hiking tours are sure to be enjoyed by even the most skilled hikers, as, in addition to being spectacularly scenic, some are quite physically challenging.

Hikers of all skill levels will find memorable places for hiking in Jamaica. There’s just no better way for exploring the beauty of this ecologically remarkable island.

Whether you are a true spelunker, a casual enthusiast, or a completely inexperienced beginner, Jamaica offers a variety of cave exploring adventures, suitable for every skill level. Marvelous geological formations are sure to inspire wonder in even the most experienced spelunker. Carefully guided tours with knowledgeable staff are available for beginners and children to explore in complete safety.

Just outside of Port Antonio, on a 180-acre coconut plantation, is a lovely example of the caves of Jamaica. This fascinating place, called the Caves of Nonesuch, is 1.5 million years old and contains many wonders. Well lit, with walkways, stairs and railings, this multi-chambered underground site is perfect for the casual cave enthusiast, though even the experienced caver - while smiling a bit at the ease of the half hour walk - will find sights of interest, as will those interested in geology and native history. Admission is $8 for those aged 12 and up, and $3 for children 11 and under. The admission price, in addition to a guided tour of the caves, also included a guided tour of the beautiful gardens found nearby.

Among the many wonders to be found inside of the Caves of Nonesuch are fossils that some say date back to the very birth of Jamaica, including fossilized marine life, leading some researchers to conclude that the land itself was formed underground and then pushed to the surface by underwater volcanic activity. There are stalagmites and stalactites, as well as numerous other geological formations. There are even traces of ancient Arawak civilization. It is truly a fascinating place.

Not all the caves in Jamaica, however, are so easy to explore. Those found in Cockpit Country are not for the inexperienced caver, and should only be explored with a guide. Among the more well known of the more than 70 caves in the wild expanse of Cockpit Country are the Windsor Caves, home to a variety of wildlife, including bats, in addition to a variety of geological formations of interest.

Cockpit Country Adventure Tours offers guided exploration of the region’s caves, with tours designed for specific skill levels. The Rock Spring Cave is for explorers of most skill levels, and goes downwards gradually for 1 1/2 miles. Some, such as the Quashie River Sink Cave, are provided only to experienced spelunkers. Cavers will lower themselves by rope, deep into the ground to explore a vast area featuring fossils from a far distant past.

Peace Cave, also found in Cockpit County, in addition to containing beautiful quartz and limestone formations, hold a very special place in the social history of Jamaica. This cave was one of many that sheltered the legendary Maroons, fierce freedom fighters who demanded and received concessions from the British, securing their right to autonomy by signed treaties. Peace Cave is the site of annual rituals to honor the achievements of these brave people.

Because Jamaica is formed primarily of limestone, there are numerous caves and underground rivers. Underneath Jamaica, deep inside of the caves, geological links to the earliest days and life forms of this island nation can be found. There are as many adventures to be found below Jamaica as there are above.

San Salvador, one of the many small islands that make up the Bahamas, is a beautiful and cultured place, with a rich history. In addition to its lovely beaches, it offers a wide variety of sights and activities.

Among the interesting cultural sites is the New World Museum. This is found on North Victoria Hill, and is open every day during daylight hours, although you may have to invest a little time in finding someone to let you in. This museum features exhibits of artifacts left behind by the original native tribes that inhabited the island before the arrival of the Europeans. Quiet and private, this is a thought provoking experience.

There are many unusual historic structures in San Salvador. Watling’s Castle, in Port Nelson, once belonged to the pirates that terrorized the towns and waters of the islands that make up the Bahamas. Also in Port Nelson is the Fortune Hill Plantation. Once a grand cotton producing plantation, it now is open to the public for tours. Farquharson’s Plantation is found west of Queens Highway, not too far from South Victoria Hill. All that remains of this ambitious plantation are ruins, but the shape and size of the great house and kitchen areas can be detected in the foundation parts that remain. The failure of this plantation was assured when Britain signed the legislation that ended slavery.

Guanahani Dive Ltd. is located in San Salvador and has three boats available for charters, which allows them to offer a variety of tour packages. These include a selection of diving opportunities, snorkeling, fishing and boating trips. They also offer a double occupancy 5 day and 4 night package, working with Riding Rock Inn, that features lodging, meals, transportation, diving and gear rental. The per diver rate is between $654 to $710.

There are remarkably secluded beaches, their natural beauty still unmarred by excessive commercial development. In the glistening blue waters that lap the edge of the 6-mile long East Beach, at Port Nelson, sharks can occasionally be seen. Bamboo point, Sandy Point, Long Bay and Fernandez Bay are other beach areas that should not be missed. These beaches usually quiet and peaceful and are excellent for swimming and snorkeling.

There are fine examples of Bahaman cuisine available for diners on San Salvador, and among the delectable offerings, of course, seafood figures prominently. At The Riding Rock Resort and Marina, they serve tuna and wahoo almost right out of the ocean. At the 80-acre compound that makes up the Club Med Resort on San Salvador, reservations by non-guests can be made to enjoy luxurious buffet style lunches and dinners.

San Salvador Island is the perfect vacation destination for people who enjoy spending time with each other. Quiet and secluded, far from the hustle and bustle of the tourist industries, this is an excellent place for families, newlyweds and second or third honeymoons. In short, if you’re looking for a beautiful place, away from the rapid pace of your daily life, where you can relax and enjoy the offerings and activities of the island without being too distracted from the most important thing of all - each other - then San Salvador Island is the perfect Bahamas travel destination for you.

The groups of islands that make up the Bahamas are home to some of the most beautiful beaches in this part of the world. Many of these retain the natural beauty that first attracted Europeans centuries ago. With the numerous small islands, each with their own little shoreline beaches, it is, despite the immense popularity of the Bahamas as a vacation destination, possible to find relatively secluded and quite places to enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of the sand and ocean.

New Providence Island has many beautiful beaches. Cabbage Beach is one of the most notable of the public beaches, attracting locals and tourists alike to its stunningly white sands. It spans a three-mile long area of the coast between Snorkeler’s Cove and the Atlantis Lagoon. Palm trees, sea grapes and casuarinas are among the vegetation to grace its borders.

The Pink Sands Beach on Harbour Island is one of the most peaceful beaches to be found in all of the Bahamas. A coral reef just beyond the three-mile long beach offers an excellent scuba diving exploration opportunity, as well as absorbs the force of the ocean waves, making the water a safe and enjoyable place to swim. Due to its position on the island, sunbathers will prefer the mornings, because the afternoon brings shadows.

The beaches on Cat Island are secluded, and glitter with fine, white sand. The graceful, curving lines of the shore meet very clear, clean ocean waters. Plant life along the beach includes coconut palms, palmettos, and casuarina trees.

Tahiti Beach is another of the beaches in the Bahamas that is known for being a quiet, peaceful place that attracts few tourists. Located in Hope Town on the Acabos, this beach is not accessible by car, but rather, must be reached by bicycle, foot or boat.

Those who enjoy more social and active beach scenes will probably feel more comfortable at Cable Beach on New Providence Island. Located near the restaurants - which feature a wide variety of foods, ranging from international cuisines to local favorites of the Bahamas — casinos, bars, and several facilities that offer a broad array of water sports equipment and tours, this beach can be crowded at times.

However, the mix of international tourists and locals is usually interesting and fun for those seeking company and conversation in the sun. There are numerous beach vendors selling a variety of products and services, ranging from hair braiding to unique jewelry. There’s more of a party atmosphere here than at other beaches, with music and dancing here and there on the beach. It is the most popular place on the island.

The beaches of the islands that make up the Bahamas are known the world over for their beauty. The fine white sand that is a common feature of these beaches sets the standard for beaches everywhere. The many little islands offer a broad range of beach experiences, with many options for those who treasure the natural sights and sounds of the non-commercialized beach and relish the opportunities to enjoy these attributes with peace, quiet and privacy. Those who enjoy the classic joys of the active beach life will not be disappointed by the options they find in the Bahamas. International crowds complemented by interesting local people make for a lively social scene, enhanced by the beauty of the ocean and sky. There’s a Bahamas beach for everyone.

One of the outer islands of the Bahamas, Cat Island is a quiet vacation destination for those who are really looking to relax. Among its varied pleasures and activities, a little exploration will turn up a historical oddity or two that add to the individual character of the place. Beautiful beaches in natural settings welcome the nature lover and peace seeker alike.

The Hermitage is a bit of an historical oddity, fascinating and strange. The hike up to see this religious site will take visitors through small villages along beautiful trails, full of island flora and fauna. It is located at the top of Mt. Alvernia, which is 206 feet above the sea and the highest point in the Bahamas. The Hermitage itself is made from the limestone of the cliffs, with each piece painstakingly extracted, shaped and set by hand by the Canadian mule-skinner turned Anglican turned Roman Catholic priest known as Father Jerome. The Father built the structure to scale, designed it to fit his rather diminutive form. Beloved by the island people, the priest passed away in 1956 after reaching the ripe age of 80.

Other historical sites include an Arawak cave, found at Columbus point, and plantation ruins, left over from the islands efforts at joining the worlds cotton growers. Deveaux mansion was once the residence of Andrew Deveaux of the US Navy, who participated in the 1873 battles to get Nassau back from Spain. Another well known ruins is the remains of the Ambrister plantation, near Port Howe.

For those interested in water sports, the Cat Island Dive Center is the place to contact. They operate out of the Greenwood Beach Resort and have a variety of diving and snorkeling packages available, and there are many fine areas to explore, offering a wealth of marine life and fascinating geological formations. They also have water sport equipment to rent.

Cat Island is the sixth largest island in the Bahamas, and boasts extraordinary beaches. There are literally miles and miles of virtually undisturbed beaches, where swimming and relaxing can be done in near complete privacy.

Fine meals can be had at several locations on Cat Island. Hawk’s Nest Resort and Marina serves a variety of dishes, but among the best are the fresh, grilled fish and the roasted rack of lamb. Fernandez Bay Village is the place to go for creative and delicious native dishes, served either in the dining room or a patio table by the beach. Greenwood Beach Resort’s Bahaman cuisine is complemented by their marvelous breads, which are baked every day.

Cat Island is an excellent choice for vacationers who are seeking a natural beach experience, and enjoy a peaceful and very laid-back atmosphere. The island can be explored at a leisurely pace, which is a much better way to enjoy the local flora and fauna, as well as to enjoy the local culture. Because it is so much smaller in population than many of the other islands, it’s easier to get a real feel for the people and their way of life. Cat Island is an interesting place that will make a lasting impression on its guests.

Jamaica has attracted the interest of those from far away places for centuries. First inhabited by native peoples, including the Arawak, Jamaica then spent time under Spanish rule before being possessed by the British. The wealthy classes of these European nations controlled vast territories in Jamaica, building large and profitable plantations, increasing their wealth with profits made on export products. They built fabulous mansions and homes, many of which still stand today, restored and open to tourists.

Certainly the most famous of these colonial era great houses is the Rose Hall Great House, located on Rose Hall Highway, which is a short drive outside of Montego Bay. The lurid rumors and supernatural tales that have been associated with this house for centuries have excited imaginations for generations, inspiring several novels and books to feature it as a backdrop. The home was built by John Palmer, originally of Britain, during the latter part of the 18th century. At one time, it was a vast plantation, where 2,000 slaves tended the sugar cane and other crops.

The wife of John Palmer’s grandnephew achieved notoriety through the rumors of numerous murders, sexual impropriety of - what was then - the highest degree, abject cruelty to the slaves of the plantation, voodoo, witchcraft, and her own violent death. Known now as the White Witch of Rose Hall, some believe her restless spirit still wanders there today. Tours are available every day between 9am and 6pm, with the final tour of the day starting at about 5:15pm. There is an admission fee of $15 for people 12 years of age and older and $10 for children 11 years and under.

Another late 18th century home of interest is the Greenwood Great House, located on Route 1A, a short drive outside of the Montego Bay area. This remarkable example of Gregorian influenced architecture was the home of Richard Barrett, who was the cousin of the famous poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning. This 14 room structure retains more of its original feel than do others of the era, as it has endure less renovation processes and still contains a great deal of the original furnishings, oil paintings and household items, including fine china. Among these is a collection of musical instruments that is simply amazing to see. Not surprisingly, the family library is a part of the tour, and has books dating back to the 1600’s. This lovely, historic home is open to the public daily, from 9am to 6pm. There is a $12 admission fee for those 12 years of age and older, and a $6 fee for children 11 and under.

There are many more of these great houses that are open to the public for tours and exploration. Among them are the Seville Great house and Heritage Park, in Saint Ann, home to numerous artifacts and relics of interest and includes views from a variety of perspectives in Jamaican history, the Brimmer Hall Estate in Ocho Rios, and the Appleton Estate.

These beautiful structures, shadowed by the oppression of the people upon which they were built, hold an important place in the history and culture of Jamaica. Any one of them is certainly worth an afternoon’s time to marvel and contemplate.