The area remained relatively hidden from foreigners until the mid-1990s when a funky lodging named Jake's took shape in Treasure Beach. And its laid-back ambience echoes the sensibilities of the community. Guests temporarily adopt resident dogs during their stay or drive neighborhood kids to school or join locals on the beach for spicy roasted fish and icy Red Stripe beer. Jake's won't expand any larger than 12 rooms. And though Treasure Beach limits lodging density to 30 rooms per acre, some would like to see that reduced by half.
Some lodgings charge less at other times.
At Little Ochie in Alligator Pond, diners select a fish and pay by the pound. Already, residents are bracing for the boom. And they want a piece of the pie. Almost everywhere that large-scale tourism developed in Jamaica, it has become the central vacuum that takes the best resources. Ocho Rios was once one of the most beautiful places in Jamaica.