Active Pursuits

Hitting the Beach

The most idyllic sands are at the often-overcrowded Mallards Beach, in the center of Ocho Rios and shared by hotel guests and cruise ship passengers. Locals may steer you to the white sands of Turtle Beach, which is smaller, more desirable, and not as overcrowded as Mallards.

The most popular spot (stay away when cruise ships are in port!) is Dunn's River Beach, located below the famous falls. Another great spot is Jamaica Grande's Beach, which is open to the public. Parasailing is a favorite sport here.

Our favorite beach is at Goldeneye, writer Ian Fleming's former home, now a hotel. Follow the trail of 007 and head for James Bond Beach (tel. 876/726-1630), east of Ocho Rios at Oracabessa Beach. For US$5 (£2.50) adults, US$3 (£1.50) children, nonguests can enjoy its sand strip any day except Monday. There's a watersports rental center here as well.

Puerto Seco Beach lies on the eastern side of Discovery Bay, just an 8km (5-mile) drive west of Runaway Bay. On the far western side of the bay is its major attraction, Columbus Park Museum. Jamaicans who live in the hills nearby flock here on Sundays for a jivin' good time. The smoke from jerk chicken and a few ganja smokers fills the air, as do the sounds of Bob Marley and all his dozens of reggae imitators.

You might also escape the crowds at Ocho Rios and head to the lovely beach at nearby Runaway Bay.

Golf

SuperClub's Runaway Golf Club, at Runaway Bay near Ocho Rios on the north coast (tel. 876/973-7319), charges no fee to guests who stay at any of Jamaica's affiliated SuperClubs. For nonguests, the price is US$80 (£40) year-round. Any player can rent carts for US$35 (£18) for 18 holes; clubs are US$14 (£7) for 18 holes.

Sandals Golf & Country Club (tel. 876/975-0119) is a 6,500-yard course, known for its panoramic scenery some 210m (689 ft.) above sea level. (From the center of Ocho Rios, travel along the main bypass for 3km/2 miles until you reach Mile End Rd. A Texaco station is located at the corner of Mile End Rd. Turn right and drive for another 8km/5 miles until you come to the Sandals course on your right.) The 18-hole, par-71 course was designed by P. K. Saunders and opened in 1951 as the Upton Golf Club. Rolling terrain, lush vegetation, and flowers and fruit trees dominate the course. A putting green and driving range are available for those who wish to hone their skills first. Sandals guests play free; nonguests pay US$25 (£13) for 9 holes or US$45 (£23) for 18 holes.

Rafting on the White River

You can arrange to go river rafting down the White River to the east of Ocho Rios, a 45-minute drift that takes you down the largest river in the area. The trip is one of the finer ways to spend a day in Ocho Rios when you tire of the beach. You glide along the banks of the river on a 9m (30-ft.) bamboo raft built for two, experiencing the rapids and looking at the lush growth. Halfway down the river you stop at the Jungle Bar for lunch and reggae music. The cost is US$50 (£25) per person, including the services of a guide. To reach the site, head east from Ocho Rios to the White River Bridge, a distance of 5km (3 miles). Rafting is possible daily from 8:30am to 4:30pm. Call tel. 876/974-2527 for more information.

Swimming with Dolphins

One of the most-visited attractions in Ocho Rios, Dolphin Cove, North Coast Highway (tel. 876/974-5335; www.dolphincovejamaica.com), attracts thousands of participants from cruise ships every month. Nestled among the seafronting rocks and low cliffs of a location 1.6km (1 mile) west of the center of Ocho Rios is an eco-sensitive series of stone and wire marine pens that are the home to about 16 dolphins. Each of them was caught, usually in fishing nets, off the coast of Mexico, and brought here after months of testing and training at enormous expense, for the amusement of their human counterparts. The headquarters of the venue is a 1950s, lemon-colored villa that functioned for years as the private home of the attraction's Jamaica-born owners, the Burrowes family. Check the photos in the building's entrance. At press time, two pens (soon to be expanded to incorporate several more) contain colonies of apparently happy and healthy dolphins that cavort, jump in the air, and swallow fish (mostly mackerel and herring imported from the cold waters of Canada) on a schedule that's noted below. Know in advance, however, that there's a lot more on-site than just a view of some sea mammals. The entire 2.8-hectare (7-acre) site has been configured as a self-contained beach and entertainment center that can and often does shelter and amuse cruise ship passengers throughout their ship's stopover in Ocho Rios. Snorkeling and swimming are available from a narrow beachfront. Immediately adjacent is a waterfall cascading directly into the sea from the Chico River. A restaurant features a lunchtime buffet, served daily from noon to 3pm, costing US$12 (£6) per person. There is also transport in a glass-bottomed boat for a 30-minute float over the reefs. You have unlimited access to nature trails that meander through a jungle landscape that has been enhanced with the presence of caged birds, caged iguanas, and large yellow boa constrictors held in check by their handlers.

If the idea of swimming with the dolphins appeals to you, you should reserve a place in advance, participate in a 30-minute orientation lecture, put on a life preserver, and then get ready to pet, play with, and in some cases, get pushed or pulled around the watery pen by a well-trained marine mammal.

Dolphin shows are presented daily at 9:30am, 11:30am, 1:30pm, and 3:30pm. General admission to the compound costs US$45 (£23) per person. Enhancements to the general admission cost are noted as follows, and in every case, includes general admission to the compound: "Touch the Dolphins" from a seat on the pier costs US$67 (£34) per person; a one-on-one encounter in the water with a dolphin goes for US$129 (£65) per person; and a two-on-one encounter whereby one swimmer will be pulled along the surface of the water while he/she holds their dorsal fins costs US$195 (£98) per person. No children under 8 are allowed in the water with the dolphins.

Tennis

Sandals Grande Ocho Rios Beach & Villa Resort, Main Street, Ocho Rios (tel. 876/974-1027), focuses more on tennis than any other resort in the area. It offers three clay-surface and three hard-surface courts, all lit for night play. Guests play free, day or night, but nonguests must call and make arrangements with the manager. Nonguests can purchase a day pass for US$80 (£40) per person. The resort also sponsors twice-a-day clinics for both beginners and advanced players. Frequent guest tournaments are also staged, including handicapped doubles and mixed doubles.