Getting Active on Your Jamaican Holiday

When you're looking for the perfect place to go for a warm, sunny holiday where you can combine physical activity with some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, look to Jamaica! Luxury hotels on the island will allow you to bed down in sumptuous surroundings while exploring the active side of an island with its own unique flair.

In Jamaica, luxury hotels abound and you can choose the one that best suits your interests for your holiday. The island itself has a history that is rich and varied. It has been inhabited since 4000 BC and was claimed for Spain by Christopher Columbus in 1494. Over the years it has been ruled by the English, but gained full independence in 1962. Today when you visit, you can laze by the beaches, enjoy the music or get active on the water or inland.

Water sports

Although the island isn’t particularly known for its surfing, there are a whole lot of other water activities available in Jamaica. Luxury hotels can point you to the best locations to give them a go, but the most popular activities are snorkelling or diving in the crystal waters, right offshore.

If you want something a bit more adventurous, head inland. With one hundred and twenty rivers and six mountain ranges, you may not be shocked to discover the island is a great place for white water rafting too! You can go river tubing in the morning on the Black River, then white water rafting on the Rio Bueno later in the day. You may want to strap on some protective gear and go river boarding or kayaking through the rapids that swirl down from the mountains. But if you want to stay dry, try a biking trek.

Biking

When you think of your holiday in Jamaica, luxury hotels, crystal clear waters and white beaches come to mind – perhaps mountain biking does not. However, with the six mountain ranges, lush interior and great weather, it is the ideal place to get out on a trail. In the north part of the island, the St. Mary Off-Road Bicycling Association is working hard to build trails and create programmes and opportunities for festivals, gatherings and races. If you are nervous to go it alone, book a tour through the Blue Mountains with a knowledgeable local guide. You can head to the Negril mountain range and start your ascent, but don’t forget to stop to enjoy the expansive views over the Caribbean Sea. There is a variety of trails for all experience levels. You can try the Dark Side Trail near Mount Moses, or the Cascade Trail if you are quite experienced. Or, if you just want a bit of a taste of what's on offer, ride the easy trail at Dustry Road. Finally, for experts only, the twenty-nine mile trail that runs from lMCC Newcastle, Greenwich Peters Vale to Maryland Sovereign is superb.

Helen C. Edwards works for the Essential Hotel Collection. For a stay in romantic Jamaica luxury hotels, we have a handpicked portfolio of privately owned hotels offering superb accommodation. We have an intimate knowledge of every property and can provide the perfect accommodation to make your island dreams a reality.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.