As stated above, there are wilder, edgier, and scarier nightlife venues in Ocho Rios, but we're uncomfortable recommending them. This, therefore, is as edgy as we want to get, with the full understanding that the place can get wild, edgy, and scary -- once you get used to the long line at check-in, the weapons check from the security-conscious staff, and the long process of maneuvering your way past a bevy of sullen and often surly off-duty police officers to get inside. Once you cross those hurdles, however, and climb to the top of an open-air concrete staircase that seems to carry the fumes of car exhaust with you, you can have a perfectly marvelous time grooving with locals to some of the most danceable reggae, hip-hop, r&b, and soca in town. Expect a mostly orange decor, Rasta-inspired murals, a sprawling bar area, lots of Jamaican locals, both male and scantily clad female, plus a very visible minority of horny British chicks with their (blonde) hair arranged into Rasta-inspired braids. At the top of a very short flight of stairs up from the bar, you'll find a large dance floor bathed in day-glo ultraviolet lighting. The place has managed to survive, despite the fickle fingers of fashion, since 1989. Admission costs J$300 (US$4.20/£2.10). It's open nightly from 9pm to 4am.

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's Jamaica, 5th Edition, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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