Villa L'Horizon is located approximately 10 minutes drive form
the town of Ocho Rios a major tourist town on the north coast with
a wide range of attractions and excellent beaches. It also has an
airstrip and modern cruise facilities. Each year Ocho Rios attracts
more than 700,000 tourists, about 350,000 of these from cruise
ships, Ocho Rios is a must for all visitors to Jamaica, there are
also facilities such as tourist information booths, public toilets,
signs and guides to Dunns River Falls within walking distance.
There has been a crack down on hustlers and illegal vendors, and
residents along with businesses are being encouraged to plant
flowers and trees and properly maintain properties. There is so
much to see and do in Ocho Rios this town has it all.
Kingston
Kingston is the capital and the commercial, administrative and
cultural heart of the island. It is the largest English-speaking
city in the Caribbean, has the seventh largest natural harbor in
the world, and lies on a wide plain with the sea to the south and
the St. Andrew Mountain as its backdrop to the north.
It was founded in 1692 after an earthquake devastated the capital
Port Royal.
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Montego Bay
Montego Bay, or Mo Bay as it is popularly known and is
deservedly one of the most famous tourist destinations in the
world. Over the years it has attracted the rich and famous, and has
been the haunt of royalty. Many of their luxury villas still grace
the hills with fabulous sea views. The bay offers wonderful beaches
and the town has lots to offer. Divided into two distinct areas,
the residential and the tourist, the former is largely to the south
of Sam Sharpe Square and west of St. James Street until its
junction with Barnett Street. The main tourist part of town, paced
with vendors, stall, and higglers, is east of Sam Sharpe Square
nearer the waterfront, and most of the main resorts and hotels are
to the north, between the town and the Sir Donald Sangster
International Airport, or east of it. oyal.s n
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Spanish Town
Spanish Town is the oldest continuously occupied city in the
Western Hemisphere. Its history is largely the history of early
Jamaica. Architecturally, Spanish Town remains a national treasure.
Near the town`s entrance stands the oldest iron bridge of its kind
in Western Hemisphere. Cast in England it was erected in 1801 at a
cost of È4,000. On the eastern side of the Square, where the
Assembly used to be, is now housed the offices of the St Catherine
parish council. The original House of Assembly was built in 1762.
On the south side of the square stand the burned remains of the
former Courthouse, built in 1819, the victim of a 1986 fire. It is
believed that on this site once stood the Spanish Church of the
White Cross, said to have been connected by an underground passage
to a monastery on nearby Monk Str
...
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Mandeville
Mandeville is the chief town of Manchester Parish, Jamaicas
mountain resort, the islands largest urban center. The town was
laid out in 1816 and many of the original buildings can still be
seen. Although only 64 miles (103km) from Kingston, Mandeville has
a charm - and a climate - all of its own, as if it has been
sheltered against all the developments in the capital and around
the coast. It has a town square, parish church and clock tower, and
many large, elegant early nineteenth-century houses to see along
the winding streets. The square is more like a village green and
Mandeville has been described as the most English town in
Jamaica.
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Negril
Negril is the main resort area on the islands west coast, and
extends from the nineteenth-century Negril Lighthouse in the parish
of Westmoreland in the south, to Bloody Bay in Hanover Parish in
the north.
Negril is very popular and has grown rapidly in recent years. Most
of this stems from the early 1960s when new roads and drainage
canals were built, and it was then discovered by the hippies who
set up a colony. Their easy-going attitude remains today throughout
the town which stretches for miles along the bay. Resort
development is carefully controlled, and no building by law is
allowed to be taller than the tallest palm. Apart from the
beautiful beaches, the waters offer world-class diving and a wealth
of watersports
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Port Antonio
Port Antonio. The towns twin harbours, jewel blue sea and
verdant hillsides still ensnare the visitor. The story of this old
port is the story of men who came, saw, and were conquered by its
beauty. All of them, from Captain Lorenzo Dow Baker to movie star
Errol Flynn and billionaire Garfield Weston sought to develop the
town. All of them failed. Port Antonio, like Montego Bay, claims to
be the cradle of the tourist trade, but unlike other resorts in the
island, its tourism potential remains undeveloped and undamaged.
And therein lies Port Antonios charm, and the lure of the parish of
Portland.
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National Heroes Day
National Heroes Day is marked on October 20th. On this
special day, celebrate with all Jamaicans in recognizing the people
who have made an impact on the society within which they
live.
It is through the efforts of many of our forefathers that Jamaica
is able to present the medals to the heroes of today. We have to
continually remember and acknowledge their contribution to our
independence.
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Reggae Sunsplash
Reggae Sunsplash is held in mid-July to August attracts
internationally recognized performers to various venues throughout
Jamaica. If you are planning to visit Jamaica and want to attend
this event, be sure to make arrangements for accommodations well in
advance with villa LHorizon.
This is a major calendar event in Jamaica. It celebrates the
cultural heritage of Jamaica embodied in its deep musical and
artistic roots. The music of the People "Reggae" is on show for the
world to see, and some of our finest talent performers hold
center-stage with other well known international singer &
celebrities.
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Reggae Sumfest
Reggae Sumfest is another popular event that celebrates the
diversity and originality or reggae music. This four day reggae
event is held exclusively in Montego Bay in July.
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Jazz Festival
The Jamaica Ocho Rios Jazz Festival started in 1991 as an
experimental one-day event called at the time The Ocho Rios "Mini"
Jazz Festival. It was produced and directed by Musician/Journalist
Sonny Bradshaw in an effort to redefine the Jamaican musical
landscape and enhance the tourism product by providing an
entertainment atmosphere that the whole family could share and
enjoy. With that in mind, "Fathers Day" was chosen for the event,
Carib Inn Beach (Ocho Rios) the venue and the "Greatest Names in
Jamaican Jazz" the byline.
In three years the festival grew from one to eight days and became
the Caribbeans complete jazz vacation, featuring the greatest names
in Jamaican Jazz as well as the very best of international fare. It
boasts a youth Programme, daily free concerts, a large-scale Photo
e
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Carnival
Jamaica Carnival: In 1989 Byron Lee along with a small band of
believers came together to plan what has since grown to become the
biggest event in Jamaica. He defied the odds, cast-off doomsday
predictions of failure by "established" critics, and embarked upon
his most ambitious project ever in his 30 odd years in the music
business.
Jamaica Carnival - pageantry, spectacle, revelry, greeted the
masses on the afternoon of Sunday, April 22, 1990, and achieved
what many had unsuccessfully tried before. This stellar event was
the first mas festival which united the people, musically,
culturally and socially - in a land where class is a strong,
silent, social divider. Even more phenomenal is that with tens of
thousands of Jamaicans coming together to enjoy themselves, to
celebrate their lives and
...
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Independence Day
Independence Day: Heralded by songs and dances and shouts of
jubilation through the streets of Kingston and all Jamaica, the
independence sun dawned bright and clear on August 6, 1962. Bells
swelled whilst, children, adults and the aged gathered at schools,
churches, homes, parks, community centres. There were marches,
dances, concerts, bonfires, fireworks and races, parties and treats
of all kinds. The younger children were given sweets and balloons.
Every one received tokens and mementos of various kinds.
Eleven oclock on this night marked the beginning of the most
historic moment of Jamaicas independence celebrations. On this
occasion her Royal Highness Princess Margaret, the Earl of Snowdon,
the leaders of government and all the officials along with 20,000
Jamaicans came together at the N
...
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Ocho Rios
Villa L'Horizon is located approximately 10 minutes drive form
the town of Ocho Rios a major tourist town on the north coast with
a wide range of attractions and excellent beaches. It also has an
airstrip and modern cruise facilities. Each year Ocho Rios attracts
more than 700,000 tourists, about 350,000 of these from cruise
ships, Ocho Rios is a must for all visitors to Jamaica, there are
also facilities such as tourist information booths, public toilets,
signs and guides to Dunns River Falls within walking distance.
There has been a crack down on hustlers and illegal vendors, and
residents along with businesses are being encouraged to plant
flowers and trees and properly maintain properties. There is so
much to see and do in Ocho Rios this town has it all.
» view article
Local Events
National Holidays:
· New Years Day January 1
· Ash Wednesday early March
· Good Friday early April
· Easter Monday early April
· Labour Day May 22
· Independence Day first Monday in August
· National Heroes Day third Monday in October
· Christmas Day December 25
· Boxing Day December 26 When a public holiday falls on a Sunday
the following day is also a holiday.
Early April is time for the Montego Bay Yacht Clubs Easter Regatta
featuring sailboat races around Montego Bay.
Jamaicas prestigious International Marlin Tournament is held over 5
days each October out of Port Antonio Marina.
Spring Break - From mid-March to mid-April, Jamaica attracts
students from campuses throughout North America. Special events a
...
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