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Ocho Rios
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Originally called Las Chorreras in reference to the many waterfalls in the area, Ocho Rios has amazed its visitors for many centuries. The name was given by the Spanish who arrived here after Christopher Columbus set foot on the island in 1494. Jamaica was then a Spanish colony until the Battle of Chorreras in 1657, which ended with British victory.
Throughout history, Ocho Rios was of minor importance to its colonizers and served mostly as a base for pirates. The area started to gain appreciation in the 20th century with the arrival of artists such as Noël Coward and Ian Fleming, who did not only buy an estate here but wrote all of his James Bond novels on the island. Today, Jamaica is packed with locations that have connections to the writer or the franchise. Many of them (such as Fleming's Goldeneye house in Oracabessa) are easy to explore from Ocho Rios.
In the 60s, major developments began in the area with a focus on tourism, establishing good connections with other hubs such as Kingston and Montego Bay. Ocho Rios was transformed into what it is today: a lively city catering to all sorts of touristic needs, but with respect for all that natural beauty that continues to stun locals and visitors alike.
Throughout history, Ocho Rios was of minor importance to its colonizers and served mostly as a base for pirates. The area started to gain appreciation in the 20th century with the arrival of artists such as Noël Coward and Ian Fleming, who did not only buy an estate here but wrote all of his James Bond novels on the island. Today, Jamaica is packed with locations that have connections to the writer or the franchise. Many of them (such as Fleming's Goldeneye house in Oracabessa) are easy to explore from Ocho Rios.
In the 60s, major developments began in the area with a focus on tourism, establishing good connections with other hubs such as Kingston and Montego Bay. Ocho Rios was transformed into what it is today: a lively city catering to all sorts of touristic needs, but with respect for all that natural beauty that continues to stun locals and visitors alike.