Aunque el idioma oficial es el inglés, la mayoría de los habitantes habla patois (una mezcla de inglés y formas africanas con palabras de toda procedencia). De hecho, Kingston es la ciudad angloparlante más grande al sur de Miami. Llamada también la "Capital Cultural del Caribe", está situada en el séptimo puerto más grande natural a nivel mundial. Su estratégica ubicación entre Norte y Suramérica la convierte en destino de preferencia para las reuniones de negocios en su Conference Center.

En las faldas de la Cordillera Blue Mountain se vive un ambiente dinámico y cosmopolita donde conviven lo antiguo y lo avant-garde, lo amable y lo indomable, lo eterno y lo que está a la última moda. Al visitarla, uno puede unirse a la gente de moda en la representación al aire libre del Teatro Nacional de Danza, aplaudir a los famosos cantantes de folk; explorar los tesoros de la Galería de Arte Nacional, descubrir la Fortaleza del Pirata Henry Morgan; o admirar los fascinantes recuerdos en el Museo Bob Marley, el último tributo de Jamaica al fallecido gran padre del reggae.

The capital city of Kingston lies on the south shore. This metropolitan area of over 800,000 residents is visited primarily by business travelers. Within this sprawling metropolis, however, beats the true heart of Jamaica. Travelers interested in the culture and history that define this island nation should make time for a visit to Kingston, the largest English-speaking city.



Kingston is not an easy city to love. Its big, brash and boisterous. Life spills out from storefronts and homes onto the streets, filling the sidewalks and every inch of available space. Goats roam the downtown area, sidewalk vendors peddle all type of merchandise from carts and tables, pedestrians are everywhere.

Kingston dates back to 1692. The city is built along the harbor, stretching from the Blue Mountains in the east to the boundaries of Spanish Town in the west. Kingston is not for everyone. It does not offer a relaxing, fun-in-the-sun vacation. Head to the North Coast resort communities for that type of getaway. Instead, if you’ve had a few dates with Jamaica and you’re ready to visit her parents, then it’s time to head to Kingston. Things aren’t always pretty here, but its a necessary part of the experience.

The commercial center of Kingston sits along the waterfront. Here, goods come and go from around the world. Near the Jamaica Conference Centre, the waterfront takes on a pedestrian look, as people get out to enjoy the sunshine, to share conversation, and to buy local foods from vendors.

Look out across the waters and you’ll see a peninsula. This is where Norman Manley International Airport is located. Beyond the airport lies the fishing village of Port Royal, once one of the greatest cities in the Caribbean. Nicknamed “the wickedest city in Christendom,” Port Royal was a hangout for the pirates of the Caribbean. All that rollicking fun came to a screeching halt on June 7, 1692, when a violent earthquake shook the region and pummeled Port Royal into the sea. Archaeologists have recovered artifacts from the scandalous community and today shoppers can buy reproductions of Port Royal pewter plates and cups from Things Jamaican.

Port Royal is just a small fishing village. If you’re here at lunch, eat at Gloria’s fish shack, where you can sit on picnic tables under the awning and enjoy fish: escovitch, fried or steamed.

The following section below will help to define what a means to experience




Kingston: Where To Stay




PRICE CHART
Note that prices, unless otherwise noted, are in US dollars.
ACCOMMODATIONS
Prices are per room, based on double occupancy. In the case of all-inclusive properties, prices are per person.
$ = up to $50 per day
$$ = $51 to $100 per day
$$$ = $101 to $175 per day
$$$$ = over $175 per day





Hotels, Resorts & Inns

CHRISTAR VILLAS
99 Hope Road
876-978-8066, fax 876-978-8068
($$-$$$)

This 32-room villa property has air-conditioned rooms, kitchen facilities, pool and fitness center. It’s right in the heart of Kingston. The standard rooms offer a double bed, as well as a living area with TV, phone, kitchenette.



THE COURTLEIGH HOTEL AND SUITES
85 Knutsford Boulevard, New Kingston
876-929-9000, fax 876-926-7744
($$$)

This 10-story hotel is a new addition in the business district, although the Courtleigh name has been familiar to Kingston visitors for many years. It was originally located a short distance from its present site. The 118-room property is aimed at business travelers, but most people will find its rooms comfortable. The family-owned hotel includes a restaurant, nightclub and also a fitness center.

CROWNE PLAZA KINGSTON
211 Constant Spring Road, New Kingston
876-925-7676, fax 876-925-5757; reservations 800-618-6534
($$$)

This fairly new 105-room business hotel is perched in the hills just north of New Kingston in the neighborhood of Constant Spring. Many rooms have views of the city and guests have all the amenities common to Crowne Plazas, such as a fitness center, satellite TV and tennis courts. The hotel includes a business floor; these rooms offer a fax machine, modem and other amenities not found in the standard rooms. Facilities include a pool, squash, massage, sauna and concierge service. Guests can enjoy indoor or outdoor dining at Isabella’s for a great city view.

HILTON NEW KINGSTON
77 Knutsford Boulevard, New Kingston
876-926-5430, fax 876-7439; reservations 800-HILTONS
($$$)

This hotel was formerly the Wyndham New Kingston and is located in the hotel section of New Kingston near Le Meridien and The Courtleigh. The 303-room property recently underwent a $15 million renovation. It now offers guests many facilities, including a health club, sauna, Olympic-size pool, tennis courts and more. This hotel is especially convenient for travelers using American Airlines; there’s a service desk in the lobby so you can make changes, seating requests, etc

LE MERIDIEN JAMAICA PEGASUS
81 Knutsford Boulevard, New Kingston
876-926-3690, fax 876-929-5855
($$$)

The Pegasus is right in the heart of New Kingston, within walking distance of The Courtleigh and the Hilton Kingston Hotel. The 17-floor property has 350 guest rooms, each with balcony, satellite TV, hair dryer, safe, two direct dial phones and coffee maker. Upgraded rooms are found on the floors set aside for the Knutsford Club members, with separate check-in, afternoon snacks and upgraded amenities. The large, deep pool at the Pegasus lies just behind the property and offers a quiet afternoon getaway with scarcely any traffic noise. Tennis courts and jogging trails are also available.

MAYFAIR HOTEL
4 West Kings House
876-926-1610, fax 876-926-7741
($-$$)

Adjoining the Governor General’s residence, this 32-room hotel has air-conditioned rooms, restaurant and pool, and is near the business district. The hotel offers one-bedroom units as well as one- and two-bedroom suites; all suites have a TV, living room/dining room, and a kitchenette (maid service also included).



MORGAN’S HARBOUR
Port Royal
876-967-8030, fax 876-967-8073; reservations 800-528-9000
($$-$$$)

This 45-room property is home to a marina (you can boat out to Lime Cay from here), restaurant, bar and large garden. Rooms are fairly basic but many do include a mini-refrigerator. This hotel offers snorkeling, harbor cruises, fishing, a dive shop and free airport shuttle.

STRAWBERRY HILL
New Castle Road, Irishtown
876-944-8400 or 800-OUTPOST, fax 876-944-8408
www.islandoutpost.com
($$$$)

This sprawling mountainside resort is perched 3,100 feet above sea level, looking down on Kingston. The atmosphere here is pure nature. Jamaica’s doctor bird, a hummingbird with an unbelievable plume tail, flits through the trees. A morning mist hangs over the mahogany trees. The sound of life in small neighboring villages drifts up from the surrounding valleys.

The resort is one of the Island Outpost properties owned by Chris Blackwell, founder of Island Records, record label of the late Bob Marley (he recuperated at this site after he was shot in 1976), as well as Melissa Manchester and Robert Palmer. Like other Island Outposts, it is exclusive and unique. There are 12 wooden villas, each filled with antique Jamaican decor. The villas look out on the Blue Mountains from bedrooms, living rooms and expansive porches. We spent part of our time just lazing about in an oversized hammock on our porch. Every room has electric mattress pads to warm up the bed on chilly evenings, mosquito-netted, four-poster mahogany beds, stocked kitchenettes, coffee makers, televisions, VCRs and even CD players with a full array of CDs (okay, some of them are Island Record productions, but they fit the tone of the place). Videos are available for loan.

In January 1998, Strawberry Hill opened a new Aveda Spa, with massage, hydrotherapy, facials and other body treatments. We enjoyed pedicures, manicures and a splendid facial. And, at the end of the day, guests can order spa cuisine or Jamaican dishes with a light touch in the resort restaurant.

The property has 40 acres of lawns and forests. The grounds were once part of one of the first coffee plantations in the Blue Mountains. Today over 350 species still grace these grounds, including some species first planted centuries ago such as Juniperus, Virginiana, Eucalyptus Nicolae, Cedrela Odoratissimia and Mangifera Indica (blackie mangoe).



TERRA NOVA
17 Waterloo Road, New Kingston
876-926-9334, fax 876-929-4933
www.cariboutpost.com/terra_nova
($$$)

Terra Nova is New Kingston at its very best: formal, traditional and oh-so Jamaican. Unlike the modern highrises also found in this business district, Terra Nova carries on the legacy of Old Jamaica with classic mahogany furniture, fine art and a wonderful atmosphere that tells you you’re not staying in another chain hotel.

There are 35 guest rooms at this intimate property, which is a favorite with those who have been coming to Kingston for many years.





Kingston: Where To Eat



PRICE CHART
Note that prices, unless otherwise noted, are in US dollars.
RESTAURANT
Restaurant prices indicate the price of a meal,
drink and gratuity for one person.
$ = up to $15 per person
$$ = $15 to $30 per person
$$$ = $30 to $45 per person
$$$$ = over $45 per person

Asian Restaurants

ORCHID ROOM
Devon House, 26 Hope Road, New Kingston
876-968-2098
($$$)

This dinner-only restaurant serves authentic Thai cuisine. Pad Thai, pepper steak, curried dishes, stir-fried chicken and satay fill the menu.

Continental Cuisine

BLUE MOUNTAIN INN
Gordon Town Road
876-927-1700 or 876-927-2606
($$$$)

Reservations are required for this beautiful eatery half an hour out of Kingston in the misty Blue Mountains, tucked behind a bougainvillea-draped entrance. The menu features beef and seafood, all served in a classic English-inn atmosphere. White-glove service makes this a truly elegant evening. The restaurant is open for dinner only.

Ice Cream

I SCREAM
Devon House, 26 Hope Road, New Kingston
($)

We normally wouldn’t put an ice cream parlor in a restaurant section, but I Scream doesn’t serve up your typical dairy dessert. You can find grapenut, guava, mango, soursop and even Devon stout ice creams. Need we say more?

Jamaican Restaurants

GROG SHOPPE
Devon House, 26 Hope Road, New Kingston
876-929-7027
($-$$)

This excellent restaurant offers both indoor and open-air seating in a pub-like setting. Just steps from Devon House itself, the restaurant menu includes pub lunches such as roast beef or corned tongue as well as escovitch fish or steamed fish in white wine, onions, tomatoes and herbs. Many Jamaican specialties are offered, including curried goat, ackee and saltfish, roast suckling pig, baked crab backs, curried chicken, jerked chicken and stuffed cho-cho.



HOT POT
2 Alamont Terrace, Kingston
876-929-3906
($-$$)

This favorite local hangout serves three meals a day: Jamaican favorites such as ackee and codfish, rundown and escovitch fish. Wash it all down with fresh juices – tamarind, coconut water and, if you visit during the holiday season, sorrel. This popular place offers a real taste of Jamaican food and a genuine Jamaican atmosphere to match. Very casual.

IVOR GUEST HOUSE
Jacks Hill
876-978-3476 or 876-978-3479
($$-$$$)

When you’re ready for a break from continental or Jamaican food, this elegant restaurant serves Cantonese and Thai delights. Don’t miss the dim sum on Sunday afternoons.

LA FRESCA BAR AND GRILL
Terra Nova Hotel, 17 Waterloo Road, New Kingston
876-926-9334 or 876-926-2211
($$$$ )

We enjoyed an elegant dinner at La Fresca just days before Christmas one year. It was our last night in Jamaica, and we dined outside on the great house verandah. Local residents, decked in their holiday splendor, filled most tables. The restaurant and the hotel were lit by tiny white lights and the dinner was one we’ll never forget.

Menu selections include peppered shrimp, grilled lobster tail, fish escovitch, fish soup, conch fritters and fried fish.

PEPPERS
31 Upper Waterloo Road, Kingston
876-969-2421
($-$$ )

Want to feel like a Kingstonian? Then do as the locals do and head to this casual restaurant, grab a picnic table, and order up some jerk and a Red Stripe. This is an open-air affair, completely casual. Specialties of the house include jerk chicken, jerk pork and jerk fish. Garlic crab and grilled lobster are other favorites. There are two bars here, as well as a dance floor. The site is a popular after-work place for Kingstonians, who come on Wednesday and Friday nights for seafood, Tuesday for wine and cheese accompanied by live country music, karaoke on Thursdays, and oldies tunes on Sunday evenings. Like the Hot Pot, we recommend this casual eatery for a real taste of Jamaican food and a real Jamaican atmosphere.

STRAWBERRY HILL
New Castle Road, Irishtown
876-944-8400
($$$)

The open-air restaurant at Strawberry Hill serves a continental breakfast daily followed by lunch and dinner featuring new Jamaican cuisine. These innovative dishes are the creation of Jamaican-born Chef James Palmer. The Sunday brunch is a Kingston event; look for diners in their Sunday best. Dinner dishes include blackened sirloin steak with red onion marmalade; grilled jumbo shrimp brushed with rum molasses; and grilled chicken breast with roasted corn.

Strawberry Hill also offers a spa menu. Items such as grilled yellowtail snapper with mushroom-tomato broth and free-range grilled chicken breast on a bed of steamed callaloo with peanut wine sauce liven the palate without adding unnecessary calories or fat. We recommend this restaurant both for its spectacular view and for its innovative cuisine featuring Jamaican dishes with a culinary twist.



Seafood Restaurants

EL DORADO RESTAURANT
Terra Nova Hotel, 17 Waterloo Road, New Kingston
876-926-9334 or 876-926-2211
($$$)

El Dorado is the fine dining option at Terra Nova, known for its seafood dishes as well as steaks. The air-conditioned restaurant is a favorite meeting place for the power lunch crowd and is open noon to 2:30 for lunch and 7 to 11 pm for dinner.

Steak House

BLUE MOUNTAIN INN
Gordon Town Road
876-927-1700 or 876-927-2606
($$$$)
See listing under Continental Cuisine, above

Transportation

Farther east, the business section of downtown is home to many international corporations, consulate offices, banks, insurance companies, and the world-class Jamaica Convention Centre. This is the home of the International Seabed Authority, the UN body that creates all laws for the world’s seas. The complete story



This modern center lies along the lovely waterfront on Ocean Boulevard, where parks overlook the harbor and you can enjoy an afternoon with the locals, dining on street food and absorbing the atmosphere. This area is generally safe during weekday business hours, but when 5 o’clock rolls around it takes on the feeling of a ghost town as business people head back up into the safety of the hills.


Most Kingston travelers spend their time in New Kingston, north of the downtown area. Bounded by Old Hope Road on the east side and Half Way Tree Road (which changes to Constant Spring Road) on the west, the main thoroughfare through New Kingston is Hope Road. Here you’ll find the modern convention hotels, restaurants and nightclubs preferred by most of the city’s visitors.

North of New Kingston lies the city’s most beautiful area. Magnificent homes grace the Constant Springs neighborhood, which offers stunning vistas, especially in the early evening when you can watch the city lights come out. East of Kingston, the views are even more spectacular, both day and night. Follow Hope Road past the University of the West Indies as it becomes Gordon Town Road and curls its way up into the Blue Mountains.

AUTHORS’ TIP : Hire a good driver for this stretch of Colorado Rockies-type road. Drop-offs are sheer and there are no guardrails!

Wherever you travel in Kingston you’ll find cuisine from around the globe. This wealth of dining options is partly due to the 35 international embassies and consulates based right in this city, the largest number found in the Caribbean.

Car Rentals

Think twice about renting a car here. Along with the usual Jamaica traffic problems (which range from goats in the road to king-size potholes), you’ll be faced with a potential crime problem. With all that said, there are several car rental agencies in town.

CAR RENTAL AGENCIES
Budget Car Rental 876-924-8762 or 924-8626
Econocar Rentals 876-927-676111
Fiesta Car Rentals 876-926-013314
Island Car Rentals 876-926-5991


Taxis

The best transportation option within Kingston is a taxi. You can catch one at any hotel, the airports and in most shopping areas. Travelers should be careful to only use licensed taxis; these have a red license plate that indicates the taxi is a Public Passenger Vehicle (PPV). Taxi rates vary but are figured by car, not by passenger. Fares average about US $5-7 for 10 miles.

Few of Jamaica’s taxis are metered. If you accept a driver’s offer of his services as a tour guide, be sure to agree on a price before the vehicle is put into gear.

Guided Tours

Taxi tours are an excellent way to see the city. You can set your own itinerary and travel at your own pace. Sun Island Tours and Limousine Service ( 876-901-8826) offers guided tours.

Another option is a guided group tour. You’ll find several tours for different interests.

GALAXY LEISURE AND TOURS LTD
75 Red Hills Road, Kingston 20
876-925-4176 or 931-0428, fax 876-931-8792
E-mail galax2@cwjamaica.com
www.galaxtours.com

This company offers a large number of both individual and group tours. Options include a Kingston Historic Tour (Devon House, National Heroes Park, Craft Market and more), a Kingston Cultural Tour (Terra Nova, Devon House, Bob Marley Museum, National Art Gallery), Blue Mountain Eco Tour (with a stop at Sangster’s Liquor Factory), Blue Mountain Highlight Tour, Kingston by Night, Ocho Rios Highlight Tour (Shaw Park Gardens and Dunn’s River Falls), a Black River Safari Tour (including YS Falls), Lime Cay Picnic on Sundays (with transfer from Morgan’s Harbour in Kingston), Rafting on the Rio Grande with departure from Kingston, Port Antonio Highlights, and a Kingston Shopping Tour.

TOURING SOCIETY OF JAMAICA
Strawberry Hill
876-975-7158 or 876-944-8400
E-mail lyndaleeburks@yahoo.com or lyndalee@islandoutpost.com

The Touring Society of Jamaica is a unique operator. Since 1991 it has offered unusual tours that give an insider’s view of the island. Itineraries include arts, architecture, music, gardens, natural history and epicurean delights. They are designed for individual interests and might include such activities as an overnight trip to the Blue Mountains to sample Jamaica’s best coffee, an afternoon trip to Spanish Bridge in the Ocho Rios countryside, or a week-long quest for Jamaica’s arts and crafts.

The society is especially known for its mountain hikes into the surrounding Blue Mountains. Tours include:

n Old Tavern Blue Mountain Coffee Estate. This excursion to one of the top coffee plantations on the island includes a picnic lunch.

n The Fairy Glade Trail and Newcastle. This hike takes travelers through several ecosystems, ending the day with sunset at the Gap Café.

n National Gallery and Spanish Town. History and art buffs enjoy this tour into the city and the nearby historic community of Spanish Town.

n Kingston Nightlife. This is a personalized tour of the nightlife for which Kingston is known.

The Touring Society plans custom holidays and events in Jamaica and can best be contacted via e-mail at the above address.

SUN VENTURE
30 Balmoral Avenue, Kingston 10
876-960-6685, fax 876-929-7512

This tour company offers hikes in the Blue Mountains, including camping, as well as bird watching and caving in the Cockpit Country.





Parks & Sanctuaries

BOON HALL OASIS
4 River Road
876-942-3064
Hours: daily 7-5; Free

This four-acre park offers picnicking, a plant nursery, waterfall and views of the hills of St. Andrews. There’s a brunch offered here for JA $760.





GUARDSMAN’S SERENITY FISHING & WILDLIFE SANCTUARY
40 minutes east of Kingston via A1/A2 west
Open daily
Admission charged

A popular new stop with Kingston school groups, this sanctuary was established by the executive chairman of the Guardsman Group, a security company in Kingston. A visit to the site starts with a tractor ride through mango orchards and vegetable plots, then a visit to the animal collection, with exotic birds and a petting zoo. Food lovers will be interested in the sanctuary for another reason: local dishes are served for lunch and dinner in the restaurant. Curried goat, barbecue or jerked chicken, oxtail and other local dishes are available for US $8-10. You can even fish for red tilapia and have the restaurant clean and bag your catch for $4 per pound.

Museums

BOB MARLEY MUSEUM
56 Hope Road, Kingston
876-927-9152
Hours: 9 am-5 pm, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday;
12:30-5 pm, Wednesday and Saturday
Admission charged

Marley fans shouldn’t miss this shrine to the legendary reggae superstar, housed in what was his home. A visit here includes a tour and a movie about Marley’s life. The museum is a must for Marley fans, although others may want to skip it.

INSTITUTE OF JAMAICA
12 East Street
876-922-0620
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 9-4:30
Free

This natural history museum and library covers the island’s rich history from its days as a home for the Arawak Indians to modern times.

Great House

DEVON HOUSE
26 Hope Road, New Kingston
876-929-6602
Hours: 9 am-5 pm, Tuesday through Saturday
Admission charged

This restored great house is in the heart of New Kingston, near the Terra Nova Hotel. The home was built in 1889 for £10,000 by a Venezuelan gold millionaire, whose family lived here until the 1920s.

Today, the historic structure is filled with antiques and antique reproductions from the 1880s (done by Things Jamaican). Tours, given every 15 minutes, include a look at the master bedroom, the sewing room, with an illegal gambling room upstairs (the stairs are hidden in the ceiling), a sunny ballroom with relief ceiling, original chandelier and an English piano.



Art Gallery

NATIONAL ART GALLERY
Roy West Building, Kingston Mall
876-922-8540
Hours: 11-4:30 weekdays only
Admission charged

This downtown art gallery contains some real treasures. The best-known artists represented here are Edna Manley (an accomplished artist and wife of the former prime minister, Norman Manley) and Kapo, whose religious images have received a lot of attention.

Spa

ROCKFORD MINERAL BATHS
A-1 east of Kingston
876-938-5055
Hours: daily, 6:30 am-6 pm
Admission charged

These natural springs emerged after the earthquake of 1907. Today you can soak in a whirlpool tub fed by the mineral waters; call ahead to book the baths.

Other Sites

JAMAICA CONVENTION CENTRE
Duke Street
876-922-9160
Admission for tours

This is well worth a peek, even if you just drive by. The center is one of the Caribbean’s leading facilities for meetings that require simultaneous translation services due to its role as headquarters for the International Seabed Authority, an arm of the United Nations. It is capable of working with six languages: English, Spanish, French, Chinese, Russian and Arabic. Built to UN specifications, the building is located on the waterfront in downtown Kingston. Around-the-clock security protects the center, which includes a print shop, press area to accommodate up to 40 journalists, clinic, business services office, delegate lounges and a cafeteria with seating for up to 250 attendees.

WORLD’S END LTD
Gordon Town
Hours: 10 am-4 pm, Monday-Friday; 12-4 pm, Saturday and Saturday
876-977-5941 or 929-3564

Even non rum-drinkers will find this tour worthwhile, thanks to the beautiful location. World’s End produces Sangster’s Old Jamaican Liqueurs high in the Blue Mountains. Factory tours are followed by a taste of the potent and well-respected rum. World’s End is also recommended for birders, who may spot Jamaica’s national bird, the doctor bird.



Hiking

BLUE MOUNTAINS-JOHN CROW NATIONAL PARK
B1 to Newcastle is the main route.
No telephone, free
Hours: daily

At 300 square miles (193,260 acres), the park is filled with sites to challenge adventure travelers of all types – hikers, birders, mountain bikers. The country’s second largest national park has three distinct areas: the Blue Mountains Peak (the highest mountain in Jamaica); the Clydesdale Forest Reserve (a wilderness filled with mahogany, eucalyptus, and blue mahoe); and the easily accessible Hollywell Recreational Park (see below).

One of the best ways to experience the park (which in many areas is so heavily forested you need a machete to hack your way through) is with a guide. We’ve listed several qualified guides in the Guided Tours section above.

HOLLYWELL RECREATIONAL PARK
Two miles from Newcastle
Hours: 9:30-6:30 daily
Free

Tucked high in the mountains, this park is a great place to escape from the heat. With great views, Hollywell offers picnicking and hiking.

Golf

CAYMANAS GOLF CLUB
876-922-3386

Caymanas was Jamaica’s first major championship 18-hole course, dating from the 1950s. It was designed by Howard Watson and is six miles west of Kingston. A round of golf costs US $53; rentals are available. Facilities include a snack bar, carts and a pro shop.

CONSTANT SPRING
876-924-1610

This downtown course dates back to 1920, when it was designed by Scotsman Stanley Thompson, mentor of Robert Trent Jones. The short course is a par 70, and a round costs US $35; rentals are available. There’s a clubhouse, restaurant, bar and pro shop.

Tennis

Tennis players can hone their skills at several courts, including:

Crowne Plaza (876-925-7676)

Le Meridien Pegasus (876-926-3690)

Hilton New Kingston (876-926-5430).

Beaches

Kingston’s beaches are busy. There have been some crime problems on them in recent years, so we recommend caution. The Hellshire area, southwest of the city, has some of the best-known area beaches, including Gunboat Beach and Fort Clarence.

Lime Cay, south of the peninsula where Port Royal and the airport are located, can be reached by a boat from Morgan’s Harbor and is very popular with picnickers. This small island is a favorite weekend getaway with Kingstonians. The cay has a nice beach and a fun atmosphere, with weekend cookouts and lots of local fun. Swimming is good. Boat rides out here can be arranged through Morgan’s Harbour Hotel (876-967-8075).

Scuba Diving

With Kingston’s many cultural offerings, its dive opportunities are sometimes overlooked. The area has a good variety of sites, though, ranging from wreck dives to reefs. The Buccaneer Scuba Club, 876- 967-8061, is the local operator. Sites include:

n Cayman Trader. This wreck is good for all levels of divers. At 33-55 feet, the merchant trade vessel is covered in sea life and nurse sharks are often seen.

n The Edge. At over 100 feet, this is an advanced dive. It offers excellent visibility and great photo opportunities.



n Texas Wreck. This US naval ship was sunk here in 1944. Today it’s an advanced dive (over 100 feet), with lots of black coral.

n Wreck Reef. At 50-80 feet, this site has both natural and man-made attractions. Look for old cannons near the site.

Eco-Travel

CASTLETON BOTANICAL GARDENS
A3 north of Kingston
Hours: 9-5 daily
Free

These longtime gardens feature many native species, as well as some that have been introduced. For the price of a tip, you can enjoy a guided tour of the extensive collection; you’ll also see plenty of birdlife here.

HOPE BOTANICAL GARDENS AND ZOO
Hope Road, next to the University of the West Indies Mona campus
876-927-1257
Open daily
Admission charged

This 50-acre getaway is the largest botanical garden in the West Indies. The small zoo features Caribbean wildlife. The site was originally the Hope Estate, founded by Richard Hope, an English army officer, in the mid-1600s. Featured exhibits include orchid gardens, cacti gardens and Palm Avenue, which displays sago palms. It’s a pleasant spot to spend an hour or so.

ROYAL BOTANICAL GARDENS AT HOPE
Hope Road
876-927-1085
Hours: weekdays 10-5, weekends 10-5:30
Admission charged

These gardens were donated by the Hope family. Spanning 50 acres, the gardens are filled with tropical plants and trees, most labeled.

Cultural Excursions

Kingston is a good home base from which to enjoy day trips, short drives out of the city that can give you a peek at the rich history of this island.

Interesting Communities

PORT ROYAL
Follow Norman Manley Highway to the airport and continue as the road becomes Main Road, or take a ferry from downtown Kingston at Princess Street (call the Kingston JTB office for times).

Once a wild hedonistic pirates’ den (Hedonism II and III weren’t the first to fill those shoes on this island!), Port Antonio’s rollicking fun came to a halt on June 7, 1692, when a violent earthquake shook the region and pushed Port Royal into the sea. The city became the only sunken city in the Western hemisphere and has been nicknamed the “Pompeii of the Caribbean.”

The top attraction is Fort Charles (876-967-8059, open daily 9-5, admission charged). Built in 1662, this is the oldest building in Port Royal and is from the days of British occupation. The remaining portion of the fort includes a maritime museum and Giddy House, tilted by an earthquake in 1907.

SPANISH TOWN
14 miles west of Kingston on A1

This was once Santiago de la Vega, the island’s capital city under Spanish rule. Those early explorers came to Jamaica in search of precious metals and finally gave up the island to the English in 1655. Spanish Town is an excellent day trip for history buffs. Attractions include Jamaican People’s Museum of Crafts and Technology (home of many vintage farm implements, musical instruments and pottery) and St. James Cathedral (St. Jago de la Vega), the oldest Anglican cathedral beyond England’s borders. Built in 1523, the historic church is worth a peek and is open daily; admission is free. The cathedral is filled with memorials to former Jamaican governors; outside the chapel lie many historic graves dating back to Jamaica’s earliest days.



FLAT BRIDGE
Located outside Kingston on the Rio Cobre

This bridge was built in the late 1700s by slaves. You’ll see that there’s no rail on the bridge – every time a rail has been added, the river rises and washes it out. Legend has it that two slaves were killed and their bodies added to the mortar; their ghosts are said to haunt the site.

Spectator Sports

Cricket

SABINA PARK
South Camp Road

This park is the island’s test cricket center. For game times, call the Jamaica Cricket Association, 876-967-0322, or the Kingston Jamaica Tourist Board office, 876-929-9200.

Horseracing

CAYMANAS PARK RACE TRACK
Gregory Park
876-988-2523

The track is a favorite with locals and visitors who get their kicks from exciting horse races. Races are held on Wednesdays, Saturdays and on public holidays, 12:30 to 6 pm.

Shopping

Because it sees fewer tourists than the resort areas, Kingston shopping is primarily aimed at residents. One area that tourists will find of interest, however, is Devon House. Surrounding the great house are numerous boutiques offering everything from Jamaican artwork to jerk sauces. Things Jamaican is one of the best stores if you’re looking to take back a taste of Jamaica. This shop sells sauces, cookbooks and even pewterware that reproduces patterns recovered by archaeologists at Port Royal. A second Things Jamaican shop is at Norman Manley International Airport.

Pick up some last-minute coffee supplies at The Coffee Mill, which also sells teas and sauces. Two Hampers and a Mule is another excellent stop and offers local artwork, cookbooks and more.

Nightlife

Kingston nightlife is legendary, starting with Friday Night Jam. This open-air street party begins when folks leave work on Friday night and go out into the street to buy the evening meal, to sit with friends and to take it easy. Ask for suggestions from your hotel staff before you head out on the town for the evening.

Discos

There are several well-known discos in Kingston. Top choices include The Mirage (106 Hope Road, Sovereign Centre, 876-978-8557) and Peppers (31 Upper Waterloo Road, 876-925-2219).