Sport & Fitness Jamaica

The Tryall Club golf course west of Montego Bay was the venue for the Johnnie Walker World Championship for seven years. It was designed in 1958 by Ralph Plummer along a coastal hillside, with the sea visible from most holes and a stone aqueduct from the original sugar plantation incorporated into the 7th hole fairway.

Martha Brae River runs through tropical forest and mangrove to the sea—bamboo rafting on the river has been a recognised sport and leisure activity since the 1950s. The Rio Grande in Portland, where errol Flynn used to race bamboo rafts for sport in the 1940s, offers the same experience in a wilder, less visited setting.

Jamaica is a country that takes sport seriously. Usain Bolt, eight Olympic gold medals, from Sherwood Content, Trelawny. The island produces elite distance runners, sprinters, and cricketers at a rate that defies its population. The infrastructure for active visitors has grown to match: world-class golf, open-water swimming, hiking trails, and coast-to-coast cycling routes now all have organised options.

Golf — Tryall Club and the north coast courses

The Tryall Club in Sandy Bay, 20km west of Montego Bay, is Jamaica’s premier golf destination. The 18-hole championship course designed by Ralph Plummer in 1958 runs from the Great House on the hill down to the Caribbean coast—18 holes, par 71, 6,836 yards, slope 128. The course hosted the Johnnie Walker World Championship from 1991 to 1997. The 7th hole incorporates a 200-year-old stone sugar plantation aqueduct as a fairway feature. Green fees 2024/25: $80–$155 for 18 holes depending on season. Mandatory caddy fee $36.

White Witch Golf Course at Ritz-Carlton Rose Hall offers a contrasting experience—elevated terrain on the former Rosa Hall plantation estate, panoramic views over Montego Bay and the sea, challenging elevation changes. Cinnamon Hill Golf Course at Rose Hall is more resort-oriented and beginner-friendly. All three courses are within 30 minutes of Montego Bay.

Half Moon Golf Club east of Montego Bay is a Robert Trent Jones design—the oldest of the area’s courses and historically one of Jamaica’s most prestigious. Open to non-guests. All north coast courses require advance tee time booking and golf attire.

Bamboo rafting — Martha Brae and Rio Grande

Bamboo rafting on Jamaican rivers is one of the island’s original tourist activities and still one of its best. A traditional bamboo raft—twelve poles bound together, 9 metres long—carries two passengers downstream, steered by a pole-man standing at the rear. The speed is determined by the current and the skill of the guide, not a motor. It is quiet. The river runs through overhanging jungle, the sound of birds and water the only interruption.

Martha Brae River near Falmouth is the most accessible option from Montego Bay—60 minutes from most north coast hotels, with a purpose-built rafting village at the launch point. The ride takes 90 minutes, covering roughly 5km of calm water through tropical vegetation.

Rio Grande in Portland near Port Antonio is longer, wilder, and significantly less visited than Martha Brae. The 8km run takes 2–3 hours. The surroundings are more remote—the Portland hills on both sides, bamboo overhanging the water, the odd kingfisher. Errol Flynn is credited with popularising the Rio Grande as a sporting activity in the 1940s.

Horseback riding and swimming

Horseback riding on Jamaica’s north coast typically involves a trail ride through sugarcane fields or along the coast, followed by a swim into the sea—rider and horse together. This is genuinely Jamaica-specific. The horses are accustomed to sea entry. You are in the water up to your waist on horseback, which takes about thirty seconds to go from mildly terrifying to one of the better things you’ve done on holiday.

Several stables operate in the Montego Bay area and further east near Ocho Rios. Typical rides are 2–2.5 hours including the coastal trail, the sea swim, and a rinse-off before the return. Suitable for beginners—the horses are well-trained and guides walk beside nervous riders. Minimum weight limits vary by stable; usually no maximum age restriction.

Cycling, running, and open-water swimming

The Island Cycle Jamaica long-distance cycling route connects Montego Bay to Kingston via the north coast and Blue Mountains—a challenging multi-day route used by organised cycling tours and independent tourers. The Blue Mountains section (from Kingston up to Mavis Bank and beyond) is popular as a standalone day or half-day climb for road cyclists. The descent is fast and requires good brakes.

Running in Jamaica is taken seriously. The National Stadium in Kingston hosts regular athletics events. The Reggae Marathon (December, Negril) is one of the Caribbean’s most popular destination races—a flat, fast course along Seven Mile Beach and the limestone coast, with live reggae at the finish. Registration opens 12–18 months in advance and sells out.

Open-water swimming is excellent along the north coast reef systems between Montego Bay and Ocho Rios. Calm, warm water with good visibility. Doctor’s Cave Beach in Montego Bay and Mahoe Bay in Ocho Rios both have clear water suitable for longer swims with lifeguard cover on duty.

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