As the fall semester of my senior year of college started drawing to a close, my friends and I all had one thing on our mind: spring break. We were headed to Jamaica for the week and would be staying in an all-inclusive resort in Montego Bay. My roommate had the connections to make the trip possible and thus little planning had to be done on our part.
The perks of an all-inclusive resort is that everything is paid for! Your accommodations, food, drinks, and tips are all included in this package. Our resort had three pools, two beaches, seven restaurants, nightclubs, tennis courts, a fitness center, gift shop, and more! Plus the amazing resort staff had activities going throughout the day to keep you busy!
This was my first time attending an all-inclusive resort, and it was such an amazing experience. If you are just looking to relax on the beach, all-inclusive trips are definitely the way to go.
Day 1 - Arrive in Jamaica, Explore the Resort, Piano Bar
Our group of six met up at Logan Airport bright and early on the day of our departure. The nerves had settled in as we got ready to embark on this exciting adventure. For a few friends, it was the first time traveling with someone other than family, the first time out of the country, and even the first time on a plane! With our passports in hand, we boarded the flight ready for what the week would bring.
We touched down in Montego Bay, hopped on a charter bus specifically for our resort, and just a few hours later we were escorted into the gorgeous lobby of the Jewel Paradise Resort. We weren't on site for five minutes before servers made sure we had a drink in our hand (this would be the theme of the week) as the staff led us to our rooms. We all had rooms in separate buildings on the resort, and thus were more spread out than we would have liked. My friend Megan and I shared a room on the first floor of one villa that had a gorgeous view of the beach from our patio.
After we had settled into our rooms, we all met up to explore the resort. As we made our way around we made sure to find the pools that had swim-up bars, the hot tubs, the restaurants open 24 hours a day, the main concourse for daily activities, and the best spots to claim our chairs by the water.
We also visited the concierge to make plans for the rest of our week. This is a very important thing to do! Every resort varies, but sometimes even the restaurants on site require reservations. We also wanted to check and see what excursions our resort offered. After checking out both the free and paid excursions, our group settled on a shopping trip to Ocho Rios, horseback riding, and a visit to Mystic Mountain. Once these plans were all official, we could spend the rest of our day relaxing.
We decided to grab food at the dinner buffet, which proved to be a daunting task. With various options to choose from, including both Jamaican and American dishes, we could have gone to the buffet every night for dinner and had something completely different every time. We took advantage of the "all-you-can-eat" theme by trying a little bit of everything each night.
After dinner we decided to head over to the piano bar. Our group of friends had never heard of such a thing and were intrigued by the concept. Well, it proved to basically just be an adult sing-along! With songbooks in one hand and a drink in the other, everyone gathered around a piano and belted out the tunes to classics such as Bohemian Rhapsody, Summer Nights, and Sweet Caroline.
Day 2 - Day at the Resort, Waterslide Competition, Karaoke
Day two consisted of a day to enjoy all the perks of the resort. Each morning, we found a new slip of paper under our door explaining all the activities that were being hosted by the resort each day. From water aerobics to drinking games, there was something to do every hour on the hour. Thus even if you decided to stay at the resort every day, you would never be bored!
The one activity that intrigued our group was a waterslide competition. The resort waterslide was only open for a few hours each day since it needed a lifeguard, thus the competition was a fun way to get a ride on the slide. It was a timed competition where the winner would be determined by who had the fastest time down the slide! I tried two times, but did not advance past round three, but our friend Mira was the champion! She won some sort of prize, but I can't remember what is was.
After the competition we grabbed lunch at the pizza restaurant, each of us ordering a different pizza so we could try them all! The hit of the afternoon was the Indian Pizza, which had a spicy mustard and chickpeas on top! We spent the rest of the afternoon reading on the beach, relaxing on the floating docks in the water, and testing out the rum drink of the day. Since alcohol is included in the all-inclusive package, you can try more exotic drinks that you may not have otherwise tried. If you don't like one drink, just order something else!
As the sun began to set we headed back to our rooms, changed into our evening clothes, and headed to dinner at the Italian Restaurant on the resort. Again, all food is free, so we basically ordered everything on the menu and split it. After dinner we headed back up to the piano bar where a karaoke party was going down!
Day 3 - Hobie Cat Boat Ride, Rum Tasting, Formal Night
The following day was filled with more relaxing by the water and other activities hosted by the resort. One of those activities included various watersports such as paddle boarding, water biking, and a Hobie Cat boat ride. Since the waters were calm enough, we decided to take a sail on the Hobie Cat since a few of us, including myself, had never been on one before. And I have to say, this ride was one of the highlights of our stay!
The small catamaran only held three people and a sailor, so we paired up and took off into the ocean. I for one did not expect the small boat to travel as fast as it did! The wind in our sails took us flying out to sea, flying over the waves and crashing into the water. The waves were calm enough that we wouldn't tip but it sure felt like I was on a water roller coaster! Our guide told us that a few times a crowd of dolphins swam right up to his boat while he was bringing people out on the Hobie Cat. Unfortunately we did not see any, but we had a blast enjoying the ride itself. I highly recommend partaking in this watersport if it is offered by your resort!
A few of us also took part in a small rum tasting in which we learned about the process behind making Jamaica's famous Appleton Rum. We even got to try a few samples!
That evening our group dressed up in our formal wear and went to the resort steakhouse for dinner, after taking a few group pictures at sunset, of course. We were hoping to go for a late night swim in the ocean, but a security guard stopped us for safety reasons. But instead he grabbed a fresh coconut from a palm tree on the beach and cracked it open for us to try! (I think I will stick with regular water for now)
Day 4 - Chukka Horseback, Dinner on the Beach
The day of our first excursion had finally arrived! We boarded two shuttle vans and drove to the Chukka Horseback riding facility. However this was not just your average horseback ride, we would also get to ride the horses through the ocean!
The first part of our horseback riding adventure began with a trail walk through the forest. We rode in a single-file line through the trees, and eventually emerged onto the Jamaican shoreline. We headed down a small path and our horses led us right into the shallow ocean water. It was exciting and refreshing to say the least! But that was just a taste of what was to come.
Our horses trekked through the shallow water and headed back to shore. We dismounted our original horses and the staff helped us into lifejackets for part two of horseback riding adventure.
With my life preserver around my waist and my Go Pro in hand, I remounted my horse and prepared for the splurge into the water. You could tell the horses were itching to cool off, it was a hot day in Jamaica after all. As soon as the guide gave the signal we headed into the water for some horse play (pun intended). We ended up running around in circles, splashing in the calm water, with our waists almost fully submerged! One thing they don't tell you about this part of the experience however, is that some horses take the swim as an opportunity to go to the bathroom. Thus a few times I had to redirect my horse so we didn't swim right through the floating feces.
We spent about 15 minutes riding around in the water before returning to land, thus concluding our trip. And don't worry if you don't have your own waterproof camera, there is a photographer on staff that takes pictures of everyone in the water, and you can purchase the photos in the gift shop.
Back at there resort, the staff was preparing for the weekly dinner on the beach. The buffet was served outside with dozens of tables set up on the beach for a relaxing evening under the stars. There were coconuts to drink from and meat fresh from the spit. After dinner there were various activities hosted on the beach, such as goat racing and dancing.
Day 5 - Shopping in Ocho Rios, Paddleboarding, Night at Margarittaville
Wednesday we decided to get off the resort again and head to the town of Ocho Rios for a free shopping excursion offered by our resort. The shuttle dropped us off at a small boardwalk that had tons of shops and restaurants. We spent about two hours buying souvenirs, trinkets, and alcohol.
Note: Smaller craft vendors are often willing to barter, but if you are in an established store the prices most likely will not budge. Also do not try to negotiate the price of alcohol. You won't win.
When we returned to the resort, we spent the rest of the afternoon lounging on the beach, while giving the paddle boards and water bikes a try. The bikes were fun but difficult to turn, especially in high winds...you don't want to tip over on one of those!
After dinner at the buffet, we settled in to watch the resort staff battle it out in a talent show! They are all incredibly talented singers and dancers and the show was extremely fun to watch! A few of our friends were even brought up on stage to participate. After the show we boarded a shuttle bus back to Ocho Rios for a night out at Margarittaville. We were a little nervous about leaving the resort at night, but the bar was basically one huge tourist spot. It even had a pool, waterslide, and beach access. However if you plan to leave your resort during your stay in an all-inclusive resort, make sure you have a secure ride designated through the staff, and drink a lot beforehand so you don't have to pay any outrageous prices.
Day 6 - Mystic Mountain
Another excursion had us rearing to go the next morning: we were headed to Mystic Mountain. If you have seen the 1993 movie Cool Runnings you know all about the Jamaican Bobsled Team that surprised the world by qualifying for the 1988 Winter Olympics. Well Mystic Mountain is an attraction where visitors can hop on a bobsled ride through the jungle all year round. Don't worry, there is no snow required for this type of bobsled.
As you arrive on Mystic Mountain, you must take a chair lift ride to the top of the mountain since that is where the attractions are. The views from the chairlift are absolutely breathtaking as you are surrounded by the jungle but also have amazing views of the ocean as well. At the top of the mountain there are hours worth of activities to take part in. The main attraction of course is the bobsled ride on a roller coaster track. There are not many drops on this ride, mostly twists and turns.
There is also a small museum of the history of the bobsled team, an infinity pool, hummingbird garden, and a zip line course. Make sure you plan accordingly, as there is usually a long wait to get to the top of the mountain, and the ride itself takes about 20 minutes. Plan your time accordingly!
Due to a time crunch and oncoming rain, our group was only able to do the bobsled ride. While I was waiting for the rest of our group to finish the ride, I made a run for the infinity pool just to check it off my bucket list! If you are visiting Jamaica, a trip to Mystic Mountain is an absolute must!
Check out my Jamaican highlight video here to get a glimpse of the bobsled ride!
Day 7 - Glass Bottom Boat, Last Night at Resort
Friday was our last full day at the resort, and thus we decided to bounce from the pool to the beach, then to the other pool, then back to the beach. We sipped on Jamaican Smiles, which is the best frozen drink I have ever tasted! It mixes a piña colada with a strawberry daiquiri and adds a splash of Jamaican rum cream on top. It was our favorite drink of the week.
One of the other excursions offered by our resort was a glass bottom boat. The boat ride took us out to sea where we saw lots of colorful fish swimming in the blue Jamaican waters. My recommedantion is not to eat breakfast too close to your boat excursion, as the boat can get a little rocky. Let's just say some members of our group learned this lesson the hard way.
We topped off the night with a hibachi dinner and a Broadway themed show by the resort staff. We bounced around all the onsite clubs and bars and even got a late night burger at the poolside grill.
The next morning, we did a final walk around the resort and took some last minute photos. We enjoyed a few more drinks before the shuttle finally took us to the airport. The week seemed to have flown by, but it provided our group of friends the best bonding experience we could have asked for! I got to check-off "staying at an all-inclusive resort" from my bucket list, and ever since I've been dreaming of my next tropical vacation.
If you have a chance to take one of these trips in your life time, do it! I promise you will not regret it.
Pictures taken by Sarah Comtois, Leia Berube, Olivia Marable
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