Blue Mountain hike — The Blue Mountains east of Kingston are one of the most rewarding things to do in Jamaica and almost no resort visitors get there. The hike to Blue Mountain Peak (2,256 m) typically begins at 2am to catch sunrise above the clouds. The approach goes through coffee farms and dense forest; on a clear morning you can see Cuba from the summit. Guides are available from Mavis Bank or Whitfield Hall.
Rio Grande rafting, Port Antonio — A gentle two-hour float on a bamboo raft down the Rio Grande river, through lush forest and past small villages. Errol Flynn used to organize these trips for his Hollywood friends in the 1950s and the route hasn't changed much. It remains one of the most genuinely enjoyable things to do in Jamaica.
Dunn's River Falls, Ocho Rios — You climb the terraced waterfall in a human chain, which sounds gimmicky and is in fact genuinely fun. Yes, it's a tourist attraction; yes, it's crowded. Go early and enjoy it anyway.
Bob Marley Museum, Kingston — The house where Marley lived and where he was shot (and survived) in 1976, now a well-run museum with a guided tour. The rooms are largely preserved as they were; it's surprisingly moving.
Appleton Estate rum tour, Nassau Valley — The Appleton distillery in the heartland of the island offers excellent tours through 11,000 acres of sugar cane, past copper pot stills, through aging warehouses, and into a tasting room with the full range of rums. It's a good reason to rent a car and head inland.
Cockpit Country — The interior karst landscape west of Kingston is one of the most dramatic terrains in the Caribbean: a series of collapsed sinkholes and forest-covered hillocks, riddled with caves. It was the stronghold of the Maroons — formerly enslaved Africans who won their freedom from the British in the 18th century — and their descendants still live here. Windsor Cave and its bats are the most accessible entry point.
Port Royal — The sunken pirate city in Kingston Harbour is a short ferry ride from downtown Kingston. Much of the original city sank in the 1692 earthquake; what remains is a small, half-forgotten village with good snorkelling over underwater ruins. Fort Charles is the main standing structure.