We were driving to Ocho Rios with stops at Green Grotto Caves and Nine Mile Village on the way.
Green Grotto Cave – About 70 km east of Montego Bay these caves are one of Jamaica’s most prominent natural attractions. During the 17th century when English invaded the island, the caves were used as a hideout by Spaniards who were being driven out of the country.
We went on a 45 min guided tour of this place which consists of a series of limestone caves and an underground lake. If you saw the 1973 James Bond movie ‘Live and Let Die’, you may recognize the caves as the location of Dr Kanaga’s secret lair.
Nine Mile Village – Being a fan of Bob Marley, we had to visit this place. Located in St. Ann Parish, this is the birthplace of reggae sensation Bob Marley. We did a guided tour of the house where he was born and raised and composed his most well-known songs. There is also his Mount Zion Rock where he spent time meditating. This is also the location where he and his mother were laid to rest. There is an on site restaurant and bar serving traditional Jamaican food.
Note : We drove to Nine mile village after visiting the Green Grotto Caves. It was about 40 km and took us more than an hour. The road was narrow with twists and turns and uphill. After we completed the visit here, we drove on to Ocho Rios. The road was again narrow with twists and turns and there was no sign of life most of the way. We lost our way once but got back on track quickly, thanks to our phone having great GPS. There are many tours from Ocho Rios as well as Montego Bay to Nine Mile Village, and I would recommend using them if you are not comfortable driving to this place on your own.