Ocho Rios or "eight rivers" is the second major tourist town on the north coast with a wide range of accommodation, excellent beaches, airstrip and modern crusie facilities. Each year it attracts more than 700,000 tourist, about 350,000 of these from cruise ships.

Though Ocho Rios is surrounded by natural beauty-waterfalls, tropical gardens and jungled mountains-the town itself, with all of 5,800 residents, is little more than a hodgepodge of modern strip malls and shopping centers catering to tourists. If shopping is what you're after, everything is conveniently side by side on Main Street, which lies just east of the terminal.

On Main Street (upstairs in the Ocean Village Shopping Centre), along with banks, restaurants, the post office, the Ocho Rios Craft Market and the Vegetable Market. The markets are lively fun, but be prepared to deal with aggressive vendors and lots of noise. Along the waterfront and within walking distance are high-rise resorts where you can swim, catch some rays and partake in your favorite water sport. The only historic site of interest is Ocho Rios Fort (near Reynolds Pier). The 17th-century structure has recently been renovated and contains two original cannons.