Tourist afraid to explore Jamaica

Dear Dr. Royes:

I read your column on the Internet and I’d like your advice. I am not a Jamaican, although I have visited the island twice. I stayed in all-inclusive hotels in Ocho Rios both times, but I felt that I wasn’t having a real experience of the country. My girlfriend and I are quite adventurous, but our travel agent keeps warning us to stay close to the hotel. How can I get to know Jamaica – not just the waiters in the hotel – and yet feel comfortable and safe? By the way, I don’t want to drive on the left!

Dear Friends of Jamaica:

I wish more tourists were like you! Jamaica is truly a fascinating place, very beautiful and complex, and the people are warm – if you get to meet them. For this first entry into Jamaican culture, you could visit Montego Bay first, where you can safely stay at a hotel on the ‘Hip Strip’ in the town. You would also have more control over your time, and you wouldn’t have to drive.

I would suggest that you contact the Jamaica Meet the People Programme, register online, and find out how you can meet a Jamaican family while you are there. The programme will link you up with a family who will invite you into their home for a meal and get to know you while you’re in town. Let them know your interests and professional area, and they might be able to match you up with some folks with whom you will have something in common. You might consider taking small gifts for your hosts from your part of the world.

Another suggestion is that you enjoy Doctor’s Cave Beach in Montego Bay, very safe, with well-marked swimming areas, life guards, and lots of fun. When it comes to meals on the beach, you can ask for local food and drinks like coconut water. The food is quite safe, not to mention delicious.

For a visit to the countryside, you can contact the Hilton High Day Tour folks. They will come and pick you up, take you up into the mountains, and treat you to a real Jamaican experience. You’ll hear traditional Jamaican music and eat our best and healthiest food. You will also get a chance to walk around a typical Jamaican country village, all very safely.

There are many other experiences you can have in Jamaica, such as swimming with the dolphins at Dolphin Cove (Ocho Rios) or watching the sun go down from Rick’s Cafe in Negril. Port Antonio is another serene experience that awaits you. Go onto www.visitjamaica.com and you’ll get an idea of the variety of tours that are well supervised.

Have fun and, as we say here, WALK GOOD!