Ngoc & Love

The year 2025 was full of first for me, but Jamaica really helped end the year. Not only did I get to celebrate my birthday, but I was also able to ring in the New Year.

Upon Arrival.

The plane ride was not bad. I flew with Delta and had no issues. It took about six hours after leaving Virginia with a layover in Atlanta before reaching my final destination of Jamaica.

Upon arrival, I went through immigration and customs also with no issues. The only thing I should warn you about is the car ride to Ochos Rios, Jamaica. It was about an hour and a half. I would definitely get a private vehicle to transport you if it is within the budget. Well worth the price!

Once I got to the resort, it was beautiful! Sandals Ochi really impressed me despite reading that it was amongst some of the cheaper Sandals resorts. Upon arrival, I was welcomed with a song and given a moist towel to clean my hands. It smelled of lemongrass and maybe lavender? Afterwards, I was taken into a room and greeted by my butler. The butler experience takes vacation into another level. I was given the tour and then escorted to my room. While I rested after being jet lagged, my butler informed me he reserved dinner at all the restaurants that required one for the whole week. That was a pleasant surprise as I felt overwhelmed by just the size of the resort.

Sandals Ochi

To my surprise, Sandals Ochi is massive and if you look at the map of the resort, you will notice that this 100-acre resort is divided into two areas: Seaside and Hillside. Both have its pros and cons and transporting back and forth between the two side requires a ride on the Hop. A shuttle that comes every 10 mins at three distinct locations. Waiting for one did not take long and bonus points if you have a butler because sometimes they would take you in the “lamborgreeni”- a golf cart that every butler drives. It was also convenient when having to go back to your resort room. One quick call on the butler phone saves you so much time.

The room I stayed in was the Romeo and Juliet Honeymoon suite with the private pool sanctuary. It was absolutely beautiful and provided so much privacy. Besides hanging out in the main pools located throughout the resort, you had your own private one for late night swims or when you needed a moment alone. Also, Bonus- there was also a private hit tub perfect for two people. Ahhh… so relaxing.

Besides relaxing in my room, there was also plenty of things to do around the resort. Whether you want to enjoy the beautiful scenery, sign up for excursions, participate in daily resort events, the spa or trying all the foods, there was always something to do. Some of my favorites locations were the infinity pool near the main pool on hillside, the rabbit hole bar, and the dock on seaside. These provided some of the best views in my opinion. As for food, I enjoyed Kimonos (the hibachi restaurant), Jerk Shack for some yummy jerk chicken, Soy Sushi bar for my sushi lovers and the delicious breakfast buffets located on both sides of the resort. For viewing daily events, the Sandals app was a great tool. It also allowed me to look at menus, helped me stay organized, and I was even able to book some of my events.

Walking around the resort at night was absolutely relaxing and wonderful. The timing of my vacation was perfect, as I enjoyed the twinkling lights and Christmas decorations left over from the holidays. The number of guests at the resort was also surprising this time of year. I expected it to be more crowded, but it was not. Never once did I have a challenge finding lounge chairs by the pool or felt my social anxiety creep up on me. In addition, the weather was perfect besides some rainy days towards the end of my week. And as a word of advice- my butler said, “It always rain around New Years”. Almost like a cleanse of the previous year and bringing in of all the new things to come. Booking your vacation around this time of year will be up to you.

The rain made going to excursions challenging, but I still enjoyed Horseback riding on the beach, swimming with the dolphins and snorkeling. Some more firsts on my list.

Only just the Beginning.

Overall, I had a great time in Jamaica, and I would definitely go back. Not only would I got back to Sandals Ochi but Montego Bay and Dunn’s River are also on my list. So cheers… here’s to many first and many more vacations to come.