If you have come to Jamaica to relax a bit, Montego Bay is the place to head for first. Montego Bay is the second largest city in Jamaica. It is the gateway to tourist activity on the north coast. MoBay has a small international airport served by many US and Canadian carriers. Local Jamaican commuter airlines connect MoBay with Kingston, Negril, Ocho Rios and other regionsl airports

The city sits in a bay with mountains rising in the background. It is a hub of shopping and dining and the beaches are lined with all-inclusive resorts. There is an old-town, with restored 18th century remnants. There is also an odorific public market (wear washable footwear). The beach-front is just on the north edge of town; Doctor's Cave Beach is a clean, private beach (open to the public for a small fee). It's relatively peaceful and clean - worth the modest price of admission.

There's a lot of history around Montego Bay. Many old estates have ties to the distant past. Usually the great houses of the estates will have names ending in "Hall". Rose Hall, for example, is an outstanding relic of colonial times with a fascinating and detailed history of dark rumour and intrigue. Regular tours during the week provide lots of opportunity to immerse one's self in 18th century history. The history of Jamaica is a lot more than "a bunch of Englishmen captured some Africans and kidnapped them to Jamaica for brutal living". The story of Annie Palmer, the mistress of Rose Hall, is not easily forgotten!