Cricket is the national game, and bringing it up in conversation is a sure-fire icebreaker. The atmosphere at matches is very Jamaican - thumping reggae between overs , and vendors hawking jerk chicken and Red Stripe. There are cricket pitches throughout the island; visit for schedules.

Scuba diving and snorkelling are concentrated on the north coast betweenNegril and Ocho Rios. The state of the reefs is variable, but there are still some gorgeous sites very close to the shore. The resort areas are packed with operators offering dive and snorkelling excursions; the most reputable are listed in the guide.

Jamaica boasts no fewer than twelve golf courses , from the magnificent championship Tryall course near Montego Bay (tel 868/956-5681) - home to the annual Johnnie Walker International - to less testing nine-hole links in Mandeville and Port Antonio (tel 868/993-7645). All are open to the public, except during tournaments (Tryall sometimes closes to non-members in winter). Greens fees vary from US$10 to US$100 in winter, less in summer.