Approaching Jamaica by air, the Northwest coast unfolds beneath your eyes. Sections of rock separate the many beaches with white sand and turquoise water. You can make out the thin ribbon of road that runs along the sea. As the plane veers beyond this road, the undulating hills of the backcountry extend as far as the eye can see. A few roads snake their way through the intense green of these hills. Here and there, small houses cluster together like bunches of grapes on a vine. The leading tourist destination in Jamaica, people come to the region mainly to stretch out on its many idyllic beaches, especially to the east of Montego Bay. Besides the beaches and old plantation houses, the region offers possibilities for birdwatching and river rafting on bamboo rafts.