Ziplining with Chukka Caribbean Adventures; the watery finale to a rainforest horseback ride.
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Say "Montego Bay," and most travelers think of beaches, jerk chicken and Red Stripe. But if you can leave your lounge chair and swap your flip-flops for lace-ups, you’ll find a slew of outdoor activities in and around MoBay, as this section of Jamaica’s north coast is called. Just pick your adventure: a backcountry jaunt on horseback, an ATV safari, whitewater rafting, a zip through the rainforest canopy . . . you get the idea.
HORSEPOWER
West of Montego Bay, in the village of Sandy Bay, Chukka Caribbean Adventures offers three-hour horseback rides usually suitable for beginners. Guides take you through the rainforest, along the beach—and right into the Caribbean (876-953-5619; chukkacaribbean.com; adults $73; minimum age 6). Sandy Bay is a 45-minute drive along the coast; take a taxi from a certified company such as JUTA (876-952-0813; jutatours.info).
Chukka Caribbean also offers other thrills, like a two-hour ATV safari on miles of scenic trails ($75; minimum age 16). Or make like a monkey through the lush tropical forests with a canopy zipline tour. A guide shows you the ropes—literally—before you climb the platforms and spend three hours zipping among the trees at speeds up to 35 mph, even crossing the Great River at one point (adults $89; minimum age 10).
FLOATING
For those who love water, Caliche Rainforest Park & Adventure Tours offers two rafting trips down the Great River (876-940-1745; whitewaterraftingmontegobay.com; adults from $80). Kids aged four and up can take the Rainforest Rafting Tour, which includes stops for swimming and rope-swinging. The Canyon Whitewater trip is an adrenaline-inducing ride through rock canyons and pristine stretches of jungle. Children must be 12 or older to join this thrill ride.
To take in more scenery off the beaten path, climb aboard a 30-foot bamboo raft and float down the Martha Brae River (876-952-0889; jamaicarafting.com; $50). The captain maneuvers the raft down three tranquil miles, past banks lush with tropical vegetation, while you sit back and take it all in.
FLY ZONE
Bird-lovers should know that Jamaica is home to some 200 species, and many of them can be spotted at the Rocklands Bird Sanctuary & Feeding Station, a half-hour drive south of Montego Bay in Anchovy (876-952-2009; adults $15). If you’re lucky, you might see the world’s second-smallest bird, the vervain hummingbird. You’ll need sharp eyes, since it’s no bigger than a bumblebee—and it moves fast. But you can take your time, perhaps sitting quietly with a feeder bottle of sugar water while colorful hummingbirds and grass finches cluster around you. The Jamaicans have a word for this state of happiness: irie.
For more adventures, go to visitjamaica.com.
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