Cruise Diaries – Falmouth and Ocho Rios, Jamaica

10 June 2015

Jamaica!!!!!!! I have wanted to go to Jamaica for so long and finally, here was my opportunity. I could not have asked for a better introduction to Jamaica! For this stop, we had organized a tour of Falmouth and Ocho Rios, with a stop at a private beach included for some sun, sand and sea.

Falmouth is a historic town which was founded in 1769 and flourished as a market centre and port during a time when Jamaica was the world’s leading sugar producer. We visited St Peter’s Anglican Church which is the oldest monumental building in Falmouth, before heading to Columbus Park where Christopher Columbus landed in 1494. Looking out onto the beautiful blue water, I could not wait for beach time to come along. Next stop was Ocho Rios, where we visited a crafts markets and I got to get my haggle on and secured the cutest coconut crossbody bag – look out for it in upcoming Sunday best posts! Finally, we were headed to a private beach where we could sample some local food fare and relax beachside. I even got to have a Baywatch babe moment as a lifeguard.

As an introduction to Jamaica, this was an awesome day, a particular highlight for me being Columbus Park. Be warned though, it’s worth scheduling a tour for this stop on the cruise as it may be a bit of a hassle trying to get around on your own. For example, the beach and town did not seem to be anywhere near (at least on foot) the port, so if you are not planning to schedule any tours in Falmouth, the nearest beach will be at least a taxi ride away, same as going into town or to any of the historic buildings. Time at the private beach is also limited to an hour so if you really want some beach time here, it’s worth looking into a tour or making arrangements which allows for as much time as you want.

Oh Jamaica, I can’t wait to see you again…and I hope it will be soon!