If you want to stay in the middle of all the action on the north coast of Jamaica, the former fishing village of Ocho Rios is an attractive option. Home to famous Dunn’s River Falls, the Mystic Mountain adventure park with its Jamaican bobsled ride, Dolphin Cove, and Green Grotto caves — plus a lively downtown with a Margaritaville restaurant and a Scotchie’s jerk shack nearby — Ocho Rios has resorts that are short drive from attractions and dining while offering plenty of on-site fun, as well.

Here are our favorite places to stay in Ocho Rios.

Jamaica Inn Low-rise and low key, the Jamaica Inn is an elegant alternative to Ocho Rios’ all-inclusive resorts. There was a time where you might have found Ian Fleming or Katherine Hepburn at the bar, and guests still while away the hours with classic diversions like croquet as well as indulging in al fresco spa treatments, sipping afternoon tea, and getting dressy for dinner. Accommodations are a mix of suites and cottages, each individually decorated.

The post The Best Hotels in Ocho Rios, Jamaica appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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The tiny Dutch Caribbean island of Saba has removed all of its testing rules for travelers, Caribbean Journal has learned. 

Effective May 1, the island will no longer require travelers to have a pre-travel test or complete an online health registration form. 

Post-arrival testing for incoming travelers has also been removed, while masks will no longer be mandatory for day trippers. 

“The Saba Tourist Bureau looks forward to welcoming visitors to explore its stunning natural beauty,” the island’s tourism board said in a statement. “The entire island is exceptionally unspoiled and beautifully maintained, reflective of the locals’ deep sense of pride in their home, villages, and history. Its relative remoteness in the open sea also creates a unique ecosystem and a monument to nature’s best.

Often dubbed the Caribbean’s “Unspoiled Queen,” the island is a short flight and ferry ride from nearby St Maarten. 

Saba, with a population of just over 1,800, rises 5,000 feet from the sea floor, from which 3,000 feet are visible. 

It’s long been a haven for adventurers, with a focus on diving and hiking, in an idyllic, charming setting across four distinct villages. 

It should be noted that if you’re flying through St Maarten, you still have to follow all of St Maarten’s travel health protocols. (You can find more here).

For more, visit Saba Tourism. 

The post The Caribbean Island of Saba Just Removed Testing Rules for Travelers  appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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A new Dreams resort is coming to Cozumel this summer, Caribbean Journal has learned. 

It’s called the Dreams Cozumel Cape Resort and Spa, and it’s part of the Apple Leisure Group portfolio, which was acquired last year by Hyatt. 

The 154-suite hotel is slated to make its debut in July 2022, according to Apple Leisure Group’s AMR Collection. 

That will be preceded by a “sneak peek” of the property from June 20-30 during a soft opening phase. 

All guests at the resort will have access to the nearby Sunscape Sabor Cozumel resort; adults guests at the Dreams will have access to to the Secrets Aura Cozumel resort. 

The property will be home to nine dining concepts, including five eateries and four bars and lounges. 

Hyatt has been steadily growing its all-inclusive portfolio in the Caribbean; another AMR Collection brand, Secrets, just opened another Mexican Caribbean resort this month, the Secrets Moxche Playa del Carmen.

News of the Dreams launch comes after Hyatt also announced it would begin adding its all-inclusive properties in the region to its World of Hyatt loyalty program. 

More and more traditional hotel brands are entering the all-inclusive space; most notably, Marriott, which now has its All-Inclusive by Marriott portfolio.

For more, visit Dreams Cozumel Cape. 

The post Hyatt’s Dreams Brand Is Opening a New All-Inclusive in Cozumel appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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The Dutch Caribbean island of St Eustatius, better known as Statia, has updated its entry rules for travelers. 

The biggest change is that the island no longer requires tests for travelers who are fully vaccinated with boosters.

For most other vaccinated travelers, a PCR test within 48 hours or an antigen test within 24 hours is required. 

Notably, the island is also now open to unvaccinated travelers, who similarly have to show a negative PCR within 48 hours or a negative antigen within 24 hours. 

Children under 10 years old do not have to test to travel to Statia. 

Statia still requires an antigen test for all travelers on the fifth day of their trip. 

The island has been seeing strong tourism growth in 2022, driven by the arrival of its first-ever luxury hotel, the Golden Rock Resort. 

More and more travelers have also been drawn to the island since the discovery that American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton actually spent quite a bit of his childhood in Statia — leading some to dub it “Hamilton’s Forgotten Caribbean Island.” 

You can find the full listing of Statia’s rules below.

For more, visit Statia. 

The post Visiting the Dutch Caribbean Island of Statia Just Got Easier appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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Turks and Caicos is updating its entry protocols in May, Caribbean Journal has learned. 

Effective May 1, the destination will require all visitors 18 and over to show proof of full vaccination. 

On the same date, the destination is removing all testing requirements and removing its requirement for visitors to purchase insurance. 

It’s also removing the destination’s TCI Assured Portal, which had required travelers to fill out a series of online registration forms before arriving in the territory. 

The vaccination requirement is a slight change from a rule first implemented in September of last year; that provision had applied to all travelers 16 and up — the new rule has been loosened to those 18 and up.

Turks and Caicos is the newest destination to waive testing for vaccinated travelers, including destinations like St Maarten and Saint Lucia. 

A number of other destinations have discarded their testing rules completely, regardless of vaccination status — islands like Bonaire, Curacao, Jamaica and Grenada, among others. 

For more, visit Turks and Caicos. 

The post Turks and Caicos Is Waiving Testing for Vaccinated Visitors  appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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