Jamaica - When To Go...

   Things get noticeably hotter during the summer, and particularly in September and October the humidity can become oppressive. September is also the most threatening month of the annual hurricane season, which runs officially from June 1 to October 31; however, on average, the big blows only hit about once a decade.

   Prices, and crowds at the attractions and beaches, peak during high season. Outside this period it's quieter everywhere, and though the main resorts throb with life pretty much year-round, quieter areas like Port Antonio and Treasure Beach can feel a little lifeless. The good news is that in the off-season hotel prices fall by up to 25 percent, there are more bargains to be had in every field of activity, and a number of festivals - including the massive annual Reggae Sumfest in Montego Bay - inject some zip.

   Jamaica is a different world, full of glorious white sand beaches, lush vegetation, mountains, red earth, the smell of saltwater, and the humidity of tropical climes. People are friendly and laid back, operating on Jamaican time, lackadaisical and easygoing, with no real sense of hurry.

   I have always wanted to go there, to visit the land of jerk chicken and Bob Marley, and paid little attention to the stories of hold ups and the hostile treatment of tourists relayed to me by others. I kept those stories in mind and just decided to be cautious. I would experience the country firsthand, beholding Jamaica's offerings with my own two eyes.