Ocho Rios

Nightlife & Entertainment

Make no mistake. Jamaicans know how to party. And some. Don't even think of heading into downtown Kingston for a night of authentic reggae and reefer madness, though, stick to the main resorts, your hotel, and themed-night excursions and you'll have all of the fun in a safe, lively atmosphere.

If uninhibited dancing under the stars is your thing, in Ocho Rios has lots to tempt you. Acropolis is regarded as one of the premier hot spots on the island. Its mix of live music, pumping PA systems and up-for-it travellers is an incendiary mix. The resorts' mix of intimate venues (try The Little Pub) and large, glitzy clubs ticks just about every box you care to mention. The appallingly named Jamaic'N Me Crazy (see what they did there?) at the Renaissance Jamaica Grande has wonderful lights and a great music policy, if a little too many over-lubricated American gap-year students for our tastes.

Falmouth's famous Time'n'Place bar is on a blissful beach - built of driftwood, the bar's just about the most romantic destination to enjoy a local band, a blood-red sunset and a relaxing meal a deux.

Runaway Bay and Braco are a little quieter than the big resorts yet, along their short stretch of coast there are bars, restaurants, sports bars and the occasional nightclub. Tek it Easy, Savoy, and Roof are popular Runaway spots while Braco's nightlife is chiefly centred on its hotels.

In Negril, some of the best reggae bands in Jamaica make the trip across country from Kingston, offering colourful, infectious concerts of Bob Marley tunes and old Jamaican favourites. Alfred's and Risky Business are both major venues but any of the bars along Norman Manley Boulevard offer good quality entertainment. Follow your ears, events tend to be spontaneous - nowhere more so than at open air MXIII, on West End Road. This bandstand regularly holds high energy disco and reggae sundowners evenings, where the atmosphere is as friendly as the crowd is diverse. The casino at the legendary Mariner's, in Negril Beach Club, is the place to head for those seeking lady luck amid the slot machines.

Montego Bay (or Mo'Bay) boasts similarly diverse and hedonistic evening excursions. For some time, the best spot is the restaurant and bar complex, Marguerite's Seafood by the Sea and Margueritaville Sports Bar & Grill, Gloucester Avenue (tel. 876/952-4777). Chief draws? Margaritas on the terrace, a 100 foot waterslide, and lively music. Sun Daze, further up Gloucester Avenue, has a more chilled-out, cosmopolitan atmosphere, with calypso bands and cocktails. Richmond Hill Inn's plantation-house fruit punches amid period antiques strikes the right chord for those seeking a stylish sundowner.