Ocho Rios

A holiday to Ocho Rios makes for a classic Caribbean break. It's where white sandy beaches, jerk chicken and famous Jamaican sights are all part of the mix.

A beautiful setting

Ocho Rios – or Ochi to the locals – is a laid-back town on Jamaica's northern coast. It's a pretty place, with thick forests as a backdrop, a few cute curves of sand out front, and national parks and a 17th-century fort just out of town.

Beach life

Jamaica specialises in white-sand beaches and Ocho Rios is no exception, notching up 3. The top dog has to be Turtle Beach – a popular stretch by the big harbour where it's watersports aplenty. On the flip side, there's Fisherman's Beach out on the west side of town. It's a quiet fishing beach where the pace is definitely set to slow – think colourful boats and family-run seafood restaurants.

Town

Head into town and you'll hit Main Street, an area that racks up places to eat and drink. You'll find every kind of food, like French, Mexican and – of course – Jamaican. Main Street is also the place to party, as most of the clubs are lined up along here.

Sights within striking distance

Ocho Rios also makes a great base for exploring the area. Within a 10-minute drive you've got places like Dunn's River Falls, Dolphin Cove, Fern Gully, and the Shaw Botanical Gardens.