In Brief - Montego Bay, Jamaica

TIME ZONE: Eastern
AREA CODE: 876
FOUNDED: 1671
POPULATION: 82,867
AIRPORT: Sangster Int’l Airport (MBJ)
WEBSITE: www.montego-bay-jamaica.com

BY THE NUMBERS

262 number of years Appleton Estate distillery has been producing rum, making it the oldest in Jamaica

80 number of feet underwater to the entrance of Widowmaker’s Cave, Montego Bay’s most famous dive site

1.48+ billion dollars Jamaica’s tourism industry grossed in 2011 It’s held at the Iberostar Grand Rose Hall, one of Montego Bay’s newest luxury resorts with four pools and a two-story, world-class spa, where just being a spectator isn’t so bad, either. www.jamaicaproam.com

NEWS FLASH

Expensive Expansion /// Adding to its luxe, Sandals Resorts recently broke ground on a $500 million expansion project so extensive it will unfold over the next decade. Prospective plans feature new resorts throughout the Caribbean, including an offshore island with “over-water” suites in Montego Bay. www.sandals.com

Mystic Makeover /// A hotel that you can call home — The Crane Ridge Resort in Ocho Rios (60 miles from Montego Bay), a former complex of condo suites — will undergo a $2 million renovation and reopen Dec. 15 as a boutique hotel with alternative energy systems, rebranded the Mystic Ridge Resort. www.craneridge.net

CULTURE CALENDAR

Dec. 3 REGGAE MARATHON And you thought reggae was laidback. This annual road race attracts harriers from nearby and abroad to the small fishing village of Negril (50 miles from Montego Bay), where they pound the pavement along a winding, 26.2-mile route that hugs Jamaica’s stunning northwestern coast. Like any other marathon, runners can expect rest stops every mile. Unlike the others, most rest stops feature live reggae tunes to keep them motivated. www.reggaemarathon.com

Dec. 7-11 JAMAICA’S 6TH ANNUAL INVITATIONAL PRO-AM Golf with the pros, or rather, compete with them over the coveted trophy and $15,000 purse at this Nike Golf sponsored event. It’s held at the Iberostar Grand Rose Hall, one of Montego Bay’s newest luxury resorts with four pools and a two-story, world-class spa, where just being a spectator isn’t so bad, either. www.jamaicaproam.com