Jamaica

Jamaica is the third largest Caribbean island and home to 2.7 million people. The island is divided into parishes originating from the former British colony; there are 14, divided between the three counties of Middlesex, Surrey and Cornwall. The parish of St Andrew & Kingston is home to the capital city of Kingston, a hub of commercial businesses, government, art and theatre. It is a sprawling capital abuzz with activity and noise.

The hilly Parish of St James, in the northwest, is where you’ll find the second largest city of Montego Bay (www.montego-bay-jamaica.com) known as the tourism capital of Jamaica with the highest concentration of hotels. ‘MoBay’, as it is often dubbed, offers a wide range of sophisticated all-inclusive hotels and villas on its elevated hilly location.

Negril (www.negril.com) in the flat, sandy western parish of Westmoreland has that certain wild edge of hedonism, nude beaches and weed smoking that beckons a younger crowd. The naughty but nice appeal is especially apparent after dark, when adult-only attractions open their doors.

Ocho Rios is the garden parish with the celebrated Dunns River Falls and for absolute peace and quiet head to picturesque Port Antonio.

The leafy, lush slopes of the Blue Mountain range that lie across the eastern part of the island are worthy of exploration and offer a chance to see a Jamaica beyond the beach. Besides the cool, mountain air and evocative views take in the life-size statue of Bob Marley. Reggae is the beat to which the whole island moves; in a totally laid-back manner, heightened with the aroma of ganja wafting in the wind.

Local history

The Arawaks lived on the island prior to it being discovered by Columbus in 1494. The Spaniards settled from 1494-1655 until the English, led by Admiral Penn, captured the island in 1655. African slaves were brought in to work on the plantations until 1838 when they were given emancipation. Major political changes occurred and in 1962 political independence was granted.

Local politics

Jamaica's first ever-female prime minister, Portia Miller Simpson, took over the reigns of the country in April 2006 having given the national security minister a run for his money in Jamaica's parliamentary democratic elections. Mrs Simpson Miller, now the leader of the governing PNP, succeeded PJ Patterson who previously held the post for the last 14 years.