Dreamer Catamaran Cruises

As the sportsfishing capital of Jamaica, MoBay has plenty of fishing boats. The tours operating fishing trips are required to have licenses. For a list of boats currently operating trips, contact the Jamaica Tourist Board office. Phone 876-952-4425.

Several championship courses lure dedicated golfers to Montego Bay. Half Moon Golf Club

You can snorkel from the beaches along Gloucester and Kent avenues or in the Montego Bay Marine Park, a protected area off the eastern shore containing mangroves and seagrass beds, as well as coral reefs. Equipment is available for rent in area dive shops. Boats also take snorkelers to nearby reefs. Expect to pay about US$30-$60 for a boat excursion, including equipment. Prices vary greatly between high season (December-April) and low season (May-November).

Scuba diving outlets can be found on each of the three major beaches. Two local dive resorts are the Cariblue Hotel & Seaworld Dive Centre (phone 876-953-2022) at Ironshore and the Reading Reef Club (phone 876-952-7217) at Reading, about 4 mi/7 km west of Montego Bay. Most all-inclusive resorts have their own facilities. The Jamaica Tourist Board or any of its information booths can advise you of choices for snorkeling or scuba diving (phone 876-952-4425). Deal only with established operators.

For advanced divers, The Point, north of the airport, is the ultimate wall dive because of the dense corals and fish, sharks and rays that are fed by the clear waters. Airport Reef, on the southwest edge of the airport, is considered the best site on the island with masses of coral canyons, caves, tunnels and the wreck of a DC-3 aircraft.

You must be a certified diver and present your certification to rent equipment and go on a standard scuba outing. Introductory "resort course" scuba lessons are available to those with no experience and cost around US$80. They include limited instruction and a supervised dive. Some cruise ships also arrange classes for beginners—check with your shore-excursion staff if you're arriving by ship. Rhapsody Cruises
This company offers two three-hour sailing and snorkeling cruises daily aboard the Tropical Dreamer (53 ft/16 m) and Island Dreamer (65 ft/20 m) catamarans. Open Monday-Saturday. Sailing times are usually 10 am-1 pm and 3-6 pm. US$65 per person, including equipment rental. Phone 876-979-0102. http://www.dreamercatamarans.com.

Spas and Health Clubs

Harmony Gardens
On the second floor of the Montego Bay Club Hotel and directly across the street from Doctors Cave Beach, this wellness spa offers a range of treatments from acupuncture and reflexology to Swedish and Thai massage. Gloucester Avenue, Montego Bay. Phone 876-940-6641.

Surfing

Although the bay is fairly sheltered from winds, MoBay has some great sailboard activity, especially along the north shore. Doctor's Cave, Cornwall and Walter Fletcher beaches have watersports shops. The beach hotels in the area also rent equipment. A deposit may be required. Tropical Beach Water Sports

You can play tennis at most major hotels for a small fee. Call ahead to reserve a court. Day passes are available from Sandals Montego Bay for US$85, good 10 am-6 pm (phone 876-952-5510). Half Moon offers a day pass for US$45, depending on occupancy level. The day pass does not include meals and ends at 5 pm (phone 876-953-2211).

Most nocturnal activity centers around Gloucester Avenue—the Hip Strip—where music, dancing, satellite TV, live entertainment, food and drink mingle in a lively, street-festival setting. There are street parties on most Monday nights.

The performing arts are vital to Jamaican culture, with concerts, dance, theater and poetry readings staged at churches, community centers and resorts. Check the local newspapers for listings and schedules. Many performances coincide with the festivals, including the Air Jamaica Blues and Jazz Festival held in January and the Reggae Sumfest in July.

There is football off the highway at the UDC playfield, as well as league basketball at Jarrett Park on Humber Avenue. There are also games of cricket, football and baseball played in parking lots and schoolyards. Players are often happy to have spectators on hand, but ask before snapping any photographs.

Although you can buy anything from electronics to spices in the duty-free stores, better bargains are found in Montego Bay's craft markets. Look for stores selling Jamaican items such as sauces, spices, jams, jellies, rum, Blue Mountain Coffee, cigars and herb teas. Works by Jamaican artists and craftspeople are delightful. Look for paintings, sculpture, relief carvings, pottery, carved furniture, hand-turned wooden bowls, jewelry crafted from coconut shells, woven straw and banana-leaf items, cutwork embroidery, brilliant fabrics and clothing.

There's a range of stores in the cruise-ship terminal and the adjoining Montego Freeport Shopping Centre. Most of the shops there are branches of downtown stores, such as Cardow's (a duty-free shop), Ruth Clarage (original clothing and ceramic jewelry), Gemini and Casa de Oro. Lady Bird Souvenir Shoppe and Harry's Art and Craft Gallery are independents. We found port prices to be about the same as those in town. Other options include Gloucester Avenue, which is lined with small strip malls. Several of the hotels on the beach have duty-free shops, but better prices are found in the malls and in the stores on the Hip Strip.

You'll encounter many enthusiastic vendors no matter where you go, whether you're actively shopping or not. If you aren't interested, a firm "No, thank you" should suffice. If you do see something you like, expect to bargain: It is a time-honored tradition, always conducted with humor and mutual respect. Never pay the first asking price for anything. Prices are marked in either Jamaican or U.S. dollars, although U.S. currency usually will secure a better price as vendors covet American money. Always establish the currency up front.

To Appleton. This inland town is the home of Appleton Estate (phone 876-963-9215), where one of Jamaica's leading rums is made. You can tour the distillery, watch a video showing how sugarcane is transformed into rum and sample the goods. Several tour companies offer excursions that include the Appleton Estate. Tours cost US$25. Lunch is a separate charge. It is recommended that you call at least 24 hours before your tour to make lunch arrangements. The adjacent gift shop is worth a look with its large variety of rum-themed souvenirs. Tours are offered Monday-Saturday 9 am-3:30 pm (closed public holidays).

To Falmouth. This former sugar port is past its prime but remains a charming, unspoiled example of a Jamaican fishing village. It is busiest during the market on Wednesday. Attractions include the Victorian market and the parish church, which was built in 1796. You'll see several examples of Georgian architecture along Market Street west of the town center (near Water Square), including the mansion built by the family of Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Attractions in the surrounding area include raft trips on the Martha Brae River and tours of Cockpit Country, a spectacularly scenic region of dramatic limestone hummocks and deep ravines. The unique landscape is best explored from Good Hope Country House, an 18th-century great house set atop a hillock overlooking a plantation of sugarcane and tropical fruits.

A mile/kilometer east of Falmouth, Luminous Lagoon is a bioluminescent bay that appears to glow in the dark thanks to small phosphorescent animals that live in the lagoon. Evening cruises depart at 7 pm from the Glistening Waters Marina. US$20 per person, which includes one drink. To book a tour contact Jamaica Tours at 876-953-3700.

If the ship-sponsored excursions are full or if you prefer to arrange your own guided tour, there are several reputable tour operators in Montego Bay. If you book your own tour, you might save a few dollars—but keep in mind that it will take some time to contact the operators, comparison shop and make a booking. Most of the island tours offered are similar to those arranged by cruise ships. Prices may vary. Caribic Vacations