Port at Ocho Rios

Is there anything to do right at the port in Ocho Rios? Any shopping, beach, etc.

hint ... take a look at the port area via Google Earth ... you'll get a good overview of the area

there is an area of touristy shopping right outside the cruise terminal area and here you'll also find Marg'ville with its small beach area. A public beach is just east of here, a short walk . . (assuming you are at the main cruise terminals .... OCCASIONALLY because of the number of ships they use the old bauxite loading pier just west of the cruise terminal for overflow)

(tourist tidbit .. that old bauxite terminal appears in the James Bond classic Dr. No, as does Dunns River Falls)

Just wondering if it's within walking distance and also safe to walk to margaritaville? Any idea how far that would be?

I would not walk around on my own.

The Falls are the most popular tourist venue to visit.

Keith

Just wondering if it's within walking distance and also safe to walk to margaritaville? Any idea how far that would be?

so you did not take my advice and pull up the area on Google Earth?

If you did you'd see the distance is about 300 yards from the parking lot of the terminal to "middle" of M'ville

this entire area close to the terminal area is full of tourist traps and tourists. It is perfectly safe.

I've walked and ridden my bike for miles each direction including walking to DRF (which I do NOT recommend because of no sidewalks and crazy traffic, but on my early morning runs was a different story)

JA gets a much undeserved bad rap because the way of 'bartering' in JA is perceived as "in your face" by Americans.

It is DIFFERENT, not wrong ......

Yes you MIGHT get approached to buy something illicit. IME over the course of 30 years a nice but firm NO THANK YOU is all that's needed.

I recommend going ashore to experience the culture and beauty ..... but you can have a nice day sitting on the ship and looking off into the distance too. Frankly I think heading to M'ville is a waste of time. Go to DRF, or take a river raft ride, or go get some JERK. EXPERIENCE someplace NEW.

Answer me this ... over the last 5 years how many reports of people being 'accosted' in JA can you find? TODAY, f a r t ing the wrong way gets written up in the national news .... how many stories can you find about cruise people having real problems in JA?

Is there anything to do right at the port in Ocho Rios? Any shopping, beach, etc.

There is shopping, and a whole lot of weed, if my experience was the same as everyones. I was off the boat for 5 minutes and offered it twice--which is 2 more times than I'd been offered it in my 38 years of breathing to this point!