Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Chris Blackwell, founder of Island Records. At about the same
period, Noel Coward arrived on the island, building a home
named “Firefly” near Port Maria.
With such a group of stellar residents, it's not surprising that
the island has always been a favorite with Hollywood movie
producers. Some films produced here include
20,000 Leagues
Under the Sea, Dr. No, Live and Let Die, Cocktail,
and, of
course,
Cool Runnings,
the story of Jamaica's legendary Olym-
pic bobsled team.
Geography
Because of its size, over 4,000 square miles, Jamaica has a little
bit of everything: rivers, mountains, plains, forests, caves, and,
of course, a beautiful coastline.
The most mountainous area is the eastern end, home of the
Blue Mountains. This is the most rugged, unsettled region of
the country, where the island's famous Blue Mountain coffee as
well as the world's second-largest butterfly, the
Papilio
homerus,
can be found. With peaks that top 7,500 feet above sea
level, visitors can find themselves grabbing for a jacket.
The mountains run like a backbone down the island's center
from east to west, and along the journey they create a quiltwork
of 160 rivers and cascading waterfalls.
Jamaica is also a patchwork of communities. The capital city is
Kingston
on the south shore, a metropolitan area that's visited
primarily for business rather than pleasure. The resort commu-
nities lie on the north shore. Quiet
Port Antonio,
once a hide-
away for Hollywood stars, lies to the east. Heading west, the
garden city of
Ocho Rios
is a favorite with couples.
Montego
Bay,
or “Mo Bay,” is the first taste most visitors have of the is-
land, as it's home to the north shore airport. To the far west,
Negril,
once a hippie haven, is today the preferred vacation
spot for anyone to enjoy its laid-back atmosphere and unbeat-
able sunset views.
Perhaps more than any other Caribbean island except St. Lu-
cia, Jamaica is incredibly lush and fertile. Fruits, orchids, bro-
meliads, hardwoods, and ferns all thrive in this rich soil and
bountiful environment. Sugar remains a major product, and
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