Ocho Rios

Overview

If you come to Ochos Rios hoping to find eight rivers, you're bound to be disappointed. The and rivers here and you can have a lot of fun on them. You can ride down the White River on a bamboo float - even at night. Another popular tourist attraction is Dunn's River Falls, where you can clim a terraced slippery waterfall - it's a bit of a tourist trap but fun all the same. Coyoba River Garden is a better place to see the real Jamaica. Lush gardens filled with ponds and waterfalls and a museums with artifacts form Jamaican history make this an interesting place to visit.

In the town of Ocho Rios, there is a large open-air marketplace with about 150-200 stalls where local crafts are sold. It's within very easy walking distance of the Renaissance Grande hotel and rather hard to miss. This is a great place to wander, but be prepared before you go as in any similar market: leave all of your belongings behind and take only the amount of money you intend to spend, no more. And keep half of that in your pocket. There is some absolutely gorgeous craftsmanship there, but once it becomes known that you have a significant amount of money you will find it difficult to execute a transaction effectively with your chosen vendor. Practice your haggling skills before you go!

History