Patricia Larabie Dixon

Ocho Rios

Ocho Rios (Spanish for "Eight Rivers") is a town in the parish of Saint Ann on the north coast of Jamaica. Just outside the city, travelers and residents can visit Columbus Park, where Columbus supposedly first came on land, and see maritime artifacts and Spanish colonial buildings. Ocho Rios was once a fishing village but it’s now a resort with a cruise ship harbor and a busy bay beach that’s lined with hotels. Scuba diving and other water sports are offered in the town's vicinity.

The name "Ocho Rios" is a misnomer because there are not eight rivers in the area. It is most likely a British corruption of the original Spanish name "Las Chorreras" ("the waterfalls"), a name given to the village because of the nearby Dunn's River Falls - (a famous waterfall and a major Caribbean tourist attraction that receives thousands of visitors each year).

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"Ocho Rios"