Ocho Rios, Jamaica is located on the north coast of the island. It is one of the most visited tourist sites in the country due to the deep water port that attracts cruise ships. On cruise days, crowds of tourists spend a few hours at ‘Ochi’ (as the locals popularly call it), where they collect souvenirs and visit the popular Dunn’s River Falls.

The biggest attraction in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, is the Dunn’s River Falls, which can be crowded on cruise days with dozens of excited American tourists trying to climb the terraces. Laughing Waters, further west, offers a smaller, quieter, but similar experience. Alternatively, you can opt for a 45-minute lazy meander down the lush Blanco River on bamboo skiffs.

But there is so much more to the area, including some lovely little beaches, several botanical gardens, and a couple of historic sites. As with many sites in Jamaica, it was the pirates who first saw the value of this beautiful site. Today, Ocho Rios, Jamaica is a growing Jamaican city with numerous resorts and villas catering to visitors on a budget as well as high-end visitors.

If you like flora, you will be impressed by the great tropical variety on display in several nearby botanical gardens. These include the Coyaba River Garden with its museum of Arawak culture; the superbly maintained Eco-Tours The Enchanted Gardens (formerly Carinosa Gardens) featuring an extensive orchid collection; and the Shaw Park Botanical Gardens, which have the advantage of excellent elevated views over the coastline.

Fern Gulley is a good excuse to rent scooters or a car and head inland as the road winds through lush, fern-laden hills. There are several historical sites that are also worth visiting. The Fort of Ocho Ríos is a modest building dating from the 17th century (restored in the 1970s) to the west of the city. To the east you can visit Harmony Hall, a century-old building that is now a center for the promotion of local arts. For a taste of life as a sugar magnate during the island’s colonial era, visit the working farm at Prospect Plantation.

Activities at Ochi include scuba diving, parasailing, deep-sea fishing, horseback riding, and golf. Plus, you can just relax on the beach at places like Turtle Beach, Mallards Beach, or Grande Beach. These are just a few of the things you can do in Ocho Rios, Jamaica.

There is a small airstrip nearby for connecting flights from Montego Bay or Kingston. Additionally, public passenger buses from these two main hubs arrive regularly, and while the journey can be a bit arduous, the scenery will impress.

If you ever have the opportunity to visit Ocho Rios, Jamaica, take advantage. This destination has a lot to offer and it is not difficult to understand why dozens of visitors make Ochi their destination of choice year after year.