Ocho Rios is a town in the north coast of Jamaica in the parish of St. Ann. The literal translation of the name Ocho Rios is ‘eight rivers’, but this does not really describe this region of Jamaica. Ocho Rios is believed to be an adulteration of the name “Las Chorreras” which means ‘the spouts’ or simply, the waterfalls. It is claimed that the British are the ones responsible for this misnomer because of the Dunn’s River Falls nearby the village.Before, Ocho Rios is just a fishing village, but now this place is known to tourists. This place also became notable for its exposure in the first James Bond film, Dr. No as the home of Miss Taro and also featured as a primary location for “Piranha II: The Spawning’ movie. Furthermore, after several developments, Ocho Rios is now known to be a very beautiful resort stunned with amazing beaches and waterfalls. Also, there are interesting colonial-period buildings like the Geddes Memorial Church famous as an attraction to tourists.

Aside from the aforementioned spots in Ocho Rios, there are still lots of places to visit and activities to offer:

Have a step on the Dunn’s River Falls. The Dunn’s is probably the most famous site in Ocho Rios. Here everyone is able to climb up and down the falls along with the rushing waters because of its stepping stones along the middle of the falls. Also, there is a Dunn’s River Feast in each week suited for party people, where you can dance, sing and swim at the same time.

Have a trip on the Mystic Mountain. The eco-friendly Mystic Mountain is a winner for Ocho Rios attractions and your adventure here will be definitely worth remembering. One trip can take you 700 feet high up above the rainforest and blue waters. You can choose among the four adventure trips, or probably try them all: Sky Explorer, Mystic Waterslide, Bobsled Ride or the Canopy Zip line.

Take a dive on the Dolphin Cove. Three minutes from the famous Dunn’s River Falls is a marine attraction called the Dolphin Cove. In here you can experience an up-close and personal encounter with bottlenose dolphins in the Caribbean Sea. Your day will not be wasted as you try to have a nature trail or maybe kayaking.

See how wonderful life is in the Reggae Beach. Wonder why this beach is named like this? Well, you’ll get to enjoy soft reggae music here as you lie on the coast and taste the calmness and beauty of the beach. Witness a white-sand beach at its best and delight yourself in tasty local cuisines offered by seaside restaurants.

Image credit: http://www.bahighlife.com/

Why you must try Zipline in Jamaica’s Rainforest

A rainforest trip or a nature trip to the country of Jamaica will never be complete without a zip line canopy adventure. A place of refuge filled with beautiful rainforests and vast tree canopies are just perfect to experience the thrill and excitement of riding a zip line.

Just like any other rainforests in the world, Jamaica’s rainforest have a lot of zip line and canopy tours to offer for first time or even common visitors. These tours assure everyone trying it that their adventure in Jamaica will be treasured as an experience of a lifetime. Zip line tours are top-on-the-list in Jamaica when you’re looking for amazing nature trip experiences.

Here we’ve listed reasons why you should try a zip line adventure in Jamaica:

Zip lining takes your rainforest adventure to the next level. You might think that riding a zip line serves only one reason: to provide a thrilling adventure for those who want it. But that’s not the case; indeed, zip lines are invented to travel goods and now persons, to one end of the canopy or a hill to another. Just like riding an elevator compared to taking the stairs, definitely you’ll find more enjoyment and accessibility with zip lining rather than just walking on a rainforest floor. 

Zip lining provides you with a bird’s eye view of wildlife in Jamaica. Soaring above tree tops is a great way to explore the canopy of trees providing you with a good look of trees, plants and animals above. Although you might not see the plants and animals on the ground, travelling above the trees near the sky is definitely a new experience and a new opportunity to learn about wildlife.

Montego Bay Region and Ocho Rios Region offer great zip line adventures. There are perfect places in Jamaica that will provide you zip lines of a lifetime. At Montego Bay found on the northwestern side of Jamaica, you will find the longest zip line in the Caribbean. The 1600 feet line named Big Timba, is just one of the five lines. After soaring above the forest canopy, the guides will take you to an off-road ride through Pinzgauers. On the other hand, Ocho Rios Region found on the north central edge of Jamaica will not just take you above trees, but also above a river on the Cranbook Flowering Tree Sanctuary.

A zip line trip from a mountain top to a forest floor is offered. If you’re tired of the usual zip lines transporting you from one end of the forest to its another end, or one mountain top to a lower mountain top, there’s a new experience made for you. At the Mystic Mountain Adventure Park you can experience six lines, a vertical rappel then a suspension bridge. The end of the zip line tour will definitely give you nerve tickles. You’ll get to ride on their Rainforest Sky Explorer which is a chairlift that will take from the canopy to the rainforest ground.

Image credits: http://www.tripadvisor.com/