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Montego Bay, Jamaica
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Montego Bay is a city in Jamaica that contains Jamaica's largest airport, the Sir Donald Sangster International Airport.
Montego Bay is known for its duty free shopping and cruise line terminal at its Free Port on a beautiful, man-made peninsula jutting into the bay. Its sheltered Doctor's Cave Beach with clear turquoise waters is one of the most famous beaches on the island. The bay is surrounded by picturesque low mountains.
Montego Bay is fourth in population to Kingston, Portmore and Spanish Town with about 120,000 people and lies in St. James Parish on the northwest coast of the island. Air Jamaica and several American and British airlines run their Caribbean hub in "MoBay" (Sangster International Airport) connecting the island with the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and recently Canada with flights to Toronto and Montreal. The southern U.S. city of Miami can be reached within 90 minutes. The southern U.S. cities of Houston, Atlanta, and Tampa are reached by nonstop flights in less than three hours. Other locations like New York City, Boston, Washington D.C., and Chicago are reached in under four hours.
Montego Bay is known for its duty free shopping and cruise line terminal at its Free Port on a beautiful, man-made peninsula jutting into the bay. Its sheltered Doctor's Cave Beach with clear turquoise waters is one of the most famous beaches on the island. The bay is surrounded by picturesque low mountains.
Montego Bay is fourth in population to Kingston, Portmore and Spanish Town with about 120,000 people and lies in St. James Parish on the northwest coast of the island. Air Jamaica and several American and British airlines run their Caribbean hub in "MoBay" (Sangster International Airport) connecting the island with the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and recently Canada with flights to Toronto and Montreal. The southern U.S. city of Miami can be reached within 90 minutes. The southern U.S. cities of Houston, Atlanta, and Tampa are reached by nonstop flights in less than three hours. Other locations like New York City, Boston, Washington D.C., and Chicago are reached in under four hours.
Montego Bay has recently suffered negative publicity due to the extremely high crime rate, with more than 176 murders in 2006 (up from 144 in 2005) and a murder rate approximately 28 times higher than that of New York City.
The name "Montego Bay" is believed to have originated as a corruption of the Spanish word manteca ("lard"), allegedly because during the Spanish period it was the port where lard, leather, and beef were exported. Jamaica was a colony of Spain from 1511 until 1655 when Oliver Cromwell's Caribbean expedition, the Western Design, drove the Spanish from the island. Christopher Columbus, when he first visited the island in 1494, named the bay Golfo de Buen Tiempo ('Fair Weather Gulf')
During the epoch of slavery, from the mid-17th century until 1834, and well into the 20th century, the town functioned primarily as a sugar port. The island's last major slave revolt, the Christmas Rebellion or Baptist War (1831–1832) took place in the area around Montego Bay; the leader of the revolt, Samuel Sharpe, was hanged there in 1832. In 1975, Sharpe was proclaimed a national hero of Jamaica, and the main square of the town was renamed in his honour.
In 1980, Montego Bay was proclaimed a city by act of parliament, but this has not meant that it has acquired any form of autonomy as it continues to be an integral part of St. James parish.
Today, the city is known for its large regional hospital (Cornwall Regional Hospital), port facilities, second homes for numerous upper class Jamaicans from Kingston as well as Americans and Europeans, fine restaurants, and shopping opportunities. The coastland near Montego Bay is occupied by numerous tourist resorts, some newly built, some occupying the grounds of old sugar cane plantations with some of the original buildings and mill-works still standing. The most famous of these are the White Witch's Rose Hall and Tryall, both of which now feature world-class golf courses.
In Popular CultureThe city was the subject of the namesake song by Bobby Bloom in 1970, later covered by Jon Stevens ten years later, and was revived by Amazulu to became a minor hit in the U.S. in September 1986.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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By Editor's Choice
7 days
This is a serious contender for our 30th anniversary getaway, specifically because of the Great Huts, situated in a village & overlooking the ocean. A hut experience with amenities...sounds like a great mix of a cultural experience
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15 people reviewed Montego Bay
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Top
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at 2:10PM June 6, 2008
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at 10:10PM November 21, 2008
Visited twice, and will come back again.
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at 12:30PM September 28, 2008
Definitely a hot spot ...great clubs and bars. Crazy during spring break!
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at 5:10PM September 5, 2008
Awesome place, gorgeous, tons of shopping, but stick to the populated areas!!!
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at 1:34PM May 29, 2008
Jamaica is a beautiful lush island,The scenery with lush flora is breathtaking! I got married there and of my husband is from there too
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at 10:55AM May 29, 2008
As one of my port-of-calls during my 25th wedding anniversary Carribean Cruise.
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at 5:36AM May 29, 2008
so tropical and luscious!
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at 2:19AM May 29, 2008
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at 8:05PM May 28, 2008
jamaica is a beautiful but poor country abound with fruit trees. the group went on the ys canopy falls tour for a short day of zip lining and river tubing. zip lining was very fun and not at all scary even though we were suspended mid air and whizzing through the river and trees. river tubing was ok but don't expect crystal clear blue water here. life jackets were provided for the non-swimmer (moi). the only bad thing about the trip was the hazardous drive on the tortuous road to get to the destination in the 1st place. on the way back, the group had a memorable jerk chicken lunch on the run so that we could make it back to the boat on time before it leaves port.
having a longer day on the island would've made it a more enjoyable event rather than rushing from one site to the next.
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at 4:26PM May 28, 2008
Group of Journalists
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at 2:11AM May 28, 2008
A very hot place,not as friendly as other places in the caribbean.Quite unsafe if u r on your own!! Stayed in a lush hotel though,well luxurious
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at 1:28AM May 28, 2008
It's awesome to think that I was born here!
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at 9:11PM May 27, 2008
Michelle and I went to read Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix -- we had so much fun I went back with my husband and son
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at 8:56PM May 27, 2008
Great place to go, loved it either thou got severe sunburn and was bit by a sandfly...
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at 7:24PM May 27, 2008
A little dirty but stillfun to see, don't know if i'd go back.
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