Couples Ocho Rios:
A "No Problem" Wedding or Honeymoon

by Paris Permenter & John Bigley

Honeymooners can leave their cash, credit cards and travelers checks in the hotel safe, because, while they're on the property, just about everything is theirs for the asking.

Perhaps the most common phrase in Jamaica is "no problem." Every request, from more champagne to extra towels, is met with this promise delivered in the lilting accent of the island residents.

And perhaps nowhere is that phrase heard more than Couples Ocho Rios, an all-inclusive resort for couples only. Honeymooners can leave their cash, credit cards and travelers checks in the hotel safe, because, while they're on the property, everything is theirs for the asking. Shopping excursions, scuba diving lessons, sailing, water-skiing, and windsurfing are provided -- not to mention lavish island buffets, exotic tropical drinks, tips, taxes, and transfers to and from the airport.

At the world's first all-inclusive resort in the world designed for couples only, singles and families are not permitted, just pairs who are looking for a tropical paradise to enjoy together.

Couples is located on the north shore of Jamaica, an area known for beaches the color of a bridal veil and waters as clear as the white rum produced here on the island. The island enjoys a truly tropical climate, and even during the island's "winter" temperatures range in the mid-80's. Summer temperatures are 10 degrees warmer, although nights are cooled by the gentle trade winds that blow off the Caribbean waters.

Honeymooning is easy and carefree in Jamaica. American visitors may use either a passport or official birth certificate and photo identification to enter the country. The water supply is pure and guests can drink water in any establishment. And the residents speak English, with an accent that's partly British and partly pure Jamaican. English traditions live on in this country, including driving on the left side of the road.

Fortunately, guests at Couples need not worry about driving. Guests are picked up at the Montego Bay Airport in a Couples van. The drive to the resort takes about two hours , but it's a ride through paradise on a winding road shaded by tall palms with spectacular views of the Caribbean. Along the way, the van passes Discovery Bay, where Christopher Columbus came ashore nearly 500 years ago.

After a drive through the bustling streets of Ocho Rios, where vendors sell woodcarvings and baskets, the van arrives at the resort, a 172-room beachfront hotel with large windows and balconies opening to the sea. Every room includes a CD player and a selection of romantic songs and no distractions like televisions and telephones. Atop the beds sit a heart-folded towel, topped with a native flower. Some rooms have ocean views; others look out on the lush Blue Mountains.

Days at Couples are as carefree as the Caribbean trade winds. You and your new husband can enjoy Continental breakfast in bed, or head outside for the breakfast buffet. Lunch is also served buffet-style in the outdoor cafe. Any time during the day, stop at one of the four bars at try an exotic tropical drink, part of the package price. Gourmet dining takes place outside or in three specialty restaurants serving French cuisine, Continental fare or at the Bayside, a pasta bar. You can select any restaurant on any day; it's all included in your vacation price.

After breakfast, some vacationers head out for the beach loungers and a day of sun and surf. There are more activities to select from than hours in the day. Sports include tennis, squash, racquetball, paddleball, volleyball, aerobics, reggae dance classes, bicycle tours, horseback riding and golf. All fees, from greens fees to lessons with tennis pros, are included.

Watersports are some of the most popular activities here. Lessons in windsurfing, sunfish sailing, scuba diving, water-skiing, and canoeing are available daily, along with free lessons. Guests can even obtain a PADI resort scuba diving certificate with a free, day long class, and take part in the off shore dives for a look at coral reefs and colorful fish. Even landlubbers can have a look at those clear Caribbean depths without ever getting wet aboard a glass bottomed boat. And if the two of you want to work on a total tan, there's a clothing-optional beach located on an offshore island (complete with a pool and swim-up bar).

When you're ready to take a break from the sun, check the resort chalkboard for a list of changing daily activities. You can take a van to Dunn's River Falls, one of the most photographed sites in Jamaica. Here you'll form a human daisy-chain with other guests and a sure-footed Jamaican guide (who usually has a dozen cameras hung from his neck) for a cool hike up the tiered waterfalls.

Shopping in Ocho Rios is another popular activity. Plan to spend at least one afternoon in town to experience Jamaican culture firsthand and to bring home souvenirs of a honeymoon in paradise. Blue Mountain coffee is one of the most popular purchases. Considered by many to be the world's best, it sells for about $1 an ounce, about half the price found in American coffee shops.

Woodcarvings are also popular purchases. Look for dolphins, birds and even elephants carved from lignum vitae. This tree produces the national flower of Jamaica, and the dense wood has been used for centuries to make ship parts. Small sculptures start about $10. You'll find that most merchants accept both U.S. and Jamaican currency; credit cards are also accepted in most stores.

One of the best bargains at Couples are the free weddings they perform here daily. On any day you're likely to see a couple exchanging vows.

For more information:

• www.couples.com

Related Pages:

• A Taste of Travel: Couples Ocho Rios -- Ocho Rios, Jamaica
• No Tan Lines, No Problems

Photo courtesy Couples Resorts