RUNAWAY BAY
Area: Jamaica
Country: Jamaica


Location:
On the N coast, 27 miles W of Ocho Rios. 40 miles E of Montego Bay and Sir Donald Sangster International airport.

Telephone code from UK:
1 876

Position:
On the coastal highway between Montego Bay and Ocho Rios. Forested, gently sloping hills form a backdrop to the area.

Description:
Hardly a resort at all, Runaway Bay has just a few shops, restaurants, bars and hotels (most of them an easy walk from each other) along the coast road which has good sandy beaches on one side and hills on the other.

Suitability:
Good for families or groups of friends. Older singles and couples will get the most from the hotels. Family resorts cater for children, while younger singles may find apartments or cottages suit them best.

Accommodation:
A choice of hotels, guest houses and apartments. Winter (December_April) is high season and hotel rates then are 30_50% higher than during the rest of the year. 10% service charge is usually added to bills plus a nightly tax (General Consumption Tax), the rate of which is variable.

Shopping:
The larger hotels have boutiques and duty-free shopping. Local markets are good for crafts and souvenirs, as are small shops and complexes in the area. Ocho Rios and Montego Bay offer far more for the serious shopper.

Beach:
Good along this stretch of coast, although not as fine as those further E and W. Some have dark sand, some rocky outcrops. Beware: unsavoury local characters sometimes haunt the less populated public beach areas.

Entertainments:
Daytime: 18-hole golf course. Tennis is available at some of the hotels. Water sports: windsurfing is good around here but you will not find many motorised water sports. Snorkelling and scuba diving are good, too, and there is an offshore wreck.

Eating:
Local restaurants serve spicy Jamaican dishes. Seafood is a local favourite. Most hotels will accommodate nonresidents for dinner _ again, seafood and Jamaican dishes predominate; Italian and Continental cuisine is also on offer.

Public-transport:
Local buses ply the coast road (from Kingston to Negril), but run to no particular schedule; they are usually overcrowded. Most hotels will provide transfers for guests. Car hire and bike rentals are recommended.

Local-excursions:
Hotels usually provide transportation for guests to visit Montego Bay or Ocho Rios to pick up tours and excursions. Nearby are the Green Grotto Caves; a visit includes a boat ride on a lake 100 ft underground. Seville Nueva is an interesting archaeological site, with a Great House (former plantation house). For riding enthusiasts there is Chukka Cove, an equestrian facility offering riding lessons, trail rides, polo matches. Occasional car and motorcycle races at Dover Raceway. Farm and plantation tours.