by Jennifer Defrates

Created on: January 24, 2007   Last Updated: March 24, 2007

Jamaica, Mon! After years of watching the commercials touting this island paradise, nothing could have prepared me for how truly amazing it really is. If the garden of Eden really existed, it had to have been like the beaches of Jamaica.

Our first evening at the Couples Resort in Ocho Rios, we were greeted by friendly staff offering rum punch in front of a dramatic ocean view. Our room was very nice and had a view that was so perfect, it defied reality. We were starved after a long day of traveling so we headed to the beach side grill and drank margaritas eating delicious cheeseburgers while overlooking the water lapping at the shore. I understand now what Jimmy Buffet meant about cheeseburgers in paradise.

The weather (we traveled in Nov. 2006) was perfect. It was warm during the day, but not uncomfortably hot. The breeze coming into shore made it comfortable for sunbathing, but deceptive. Even with sunscreen fair skinned people will burn and not realize it if they stay in the sun too long. The weather was cool enough in the evening to dress up and enjoy outside activities without being uncomfortable. The ocean breeze is fresh and clean, not fishy like many of the coasts in the U.S.

We spent most of our time on the beach. The sand was beautiful and did not get too hot to walk on. The water was so clear that it was comparable to the swimming pool. We fell in love with snorkeling on our trip. The fish we could see while just standing in the swimming area were amazing. It was hard to tear ourselves away, but the pina coladas were waiting. Our resort was all inclusive, so all our drinks and meals were taken care of. It was certainly a stress free way to vacation. We enjoyed trying the local rums (although I would recommend restraint when it comes to the over-proof - whoa) and various types of cuisine.

What really made this vacation amazing were the people of Jamaica. Every single person, from the hotel staff to taxi drivers, from local guides to the airport shopkeepers, everyone was friendly, kind, helpful. Jamaica's primary income comes from tourism, so they really go above and beyond to make your stay special. There are probably a million different experiences to be had depending on where you stay and what type of hotel, but the island and the people are constants. The island is as close to true paradise as I can imagine it on this side of heaven and the people are great.

I personally enjoyed the all inclusive resort route. It took guesswork out of how much money to bring for meals, drinks, etc. We were able to eat and drink whenever we wanted to and eat as little or as much as we wanted. It was a relaxing way to vacation and wasn't terribly expensive. We spent just over $2000 for round trip air tickets for two and four night/five day stay at the resort. Also, the resort had access to other trips and experiences so we weren't tied to the resort either. We went off the resort for a honeymoon horseback ride and jet ski rentals. We loved the horseback ride from Hooves, which is a Christian ministry that rescues race horses and works with at risk youth. They gave us a private tour of a Spanish settlement and the mountain, a snack of local cuisine, a Jamaican style Italian lunch with chilled wine, and a ride through the ocean on our horses. It was romantic and special. Plus we had a private car to and from the ride, which made the traveling much nicer.

There is so much to do and so much to see that we are hoping to head back in the near future. We weren't even home before we started talking about how much we wanted to come back. Just remember that if you're feeling all right, say "Irie, Mon" and plan to say that a lot.

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