Jamaica is the Caribbean’s third-largest island. Aside from tourism, the country’s economy traditionally depended on bauxite, bananas and sugar, but the markets for all three commodities have shrunk. Most of the beaches are unexceptional by Caribbean standards, but the country’s interior is extremely beautiful. The Blue Mountains are home to rare flora and fauna, and a series of botanical gardens established in the 19th century is eminently worthy of a visit. The Martha Brae River (near Montego Bay) empties into the dramatic Luminous Lagoon, so named for its phosphorescent microbes.

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