Attractions

If you can tear yourself away from the beach to take some excursions, here's the pick of the litter.

Tours & Cruises

Croydon Plantation, P.O. Box 1348, Catadupa, St. James (tel. 876/979-8267), is a 38km (24-mile) ride from Montego Bay. It can be visited on a half-day tour from Montego Bay (or Negril) on Tuesday and Friday. Cruise-ship passengers can visit on Wednesday. Included in the $55 price are round-trip transportation from your hotel, a tour of the plantation, a taste of tropical fruits in season, and a barbecued-chicken lunch. Most hotel desks can arrange this tour, which is rather touristy and not worth a half-day for most visitors.

A Hilton High Day Tour, booked through Beach View Plaza (tel. 876/952-3343; www.jamaicahiltontour.com), includes round-trip transportation on a scenic drive through historic plantation areas. Your day starts with continental breakfast at an old plantation house. You can roam the 40 hectares (100 acres) of the plantation and visit the German village of Seaford Town or St. Leonards village nearby. Calypso music is played throughout the day, and a Jamaican lunch is served at 1pm. The cost is $64 to $75 per person for the plantation tour, breakfast, lunch, and transportation. Tour days are Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.

Day and evening cruises are offered aboard the Calico, a 17m (55-ft.) gaff-rigged wooden ketch that sails from Margaritaville on the Montego Bay waterfront. An additional vessel, Calico B, also carries another 40 passengers. You can be transported to and from your hotel for either cruise. The daily voyage departs at 10am and returns at 1pm offering sailing, sunning, and snorkeling (with equipment). The cruise costs $40. On the Calico's evening voyage, which goes for $25 and is offered daily from 5 to 7pm, cocktails and wine are served as you sail through the sunset. For information and reservations, call Calico Pirate Cruises (tel. 876/940-4465) a few days in advance.

The Great Houses

Occupied by plantation owners, each great house of Jamaica was built on high ground so that it overlooked the plantation itself and was in sight of the next house in the distance. It was the custom for the owners to offer hospitality to travelers crossing the island by road. While these homes are intriguing and beautiful, it's important to remember that they represent the sad legacy of slavery -- they were built by slaves, and the lavish lifestyle of the original owners was supported by the profits of slave labor. The two great houses below can be toured in the same day.

Getting Past the Security Guard -- Jamaica, especially the area about Montego Bay, is filled with great houses left over from the plantation era fueled by a slave economy. With few exceptions, these great houses -- often decaying -- are closed to the public. Over the years, we've found that exchanging some money with the local groundskeeper or security guard will gain us entry into the private grounds and gardens. Of course, you shouldn't actually go inside a great house and invade people's living quarters, but it's a great way to see a Gone with the Wind side of Jamaica rarely viewed by the casual visitor.