Venture farther than the cruise terminals to Boscobel, a small settlement on Jamaica’s north coast, consisting of mostly luxury resorts. Enjoy the Caribbean dream: white sands, clear seas, sunny days and palm trees swaying in the breeze.
The main reason that travelers visit Boscobel is the family-friendly and enormous Beaches Ocho Rios Resort & Golf Club, which dominates the shoreline. This resort has numerous activities for guests, including a waterpark and even a children’s golf program.
Stay at the resort and you may decide not to venture outside its boundaries because all your needs will be fulfilled. However, you can also use it as a base to explore the surroundings. This coastline inspired Noël Coward and Ian Fleming. Even though James Bond Beach and its Golden Eye Villa are usually listed as attractions of Ocho Rios, they are actually closer to Boscobel. Imagine yourself as a secret agent, sent to complete a thrilling mission on these stunning shores.
Drive immediately east to Oracabessa, an old banana farming village which features classic Jamaican architecture, another beautiful beach and a busy artistic community. Immediately west, in the shade cast by the huge resort, is the tiny but lively village of Salt Gut.
Local organizations are interested in preserving the area’s unique natural beauty from further development. Look for a number of fish sanctuaries just off the coast of Boscobel. If you dive or snorkel, look for bright coral, exotic sponges, crabs, eels, sea turtles and lots of tropical fish. You’ll notice the landscape getting much sparser as you leave Ocho Rios in your tour bus or Jamaican route taxi. The hotels and bars scene changes to quiet roads through the rainforest, alongside the startling blue sea.
Boscobel is listed as the location of the Ian Fleming International Airport, which is Jamaica’s newest air transportation hub. Boscobel is a 20-minute drive from vacation hotspot Ocho Rios and the historical site of Rio Nuevo.
