Jamaica – License to Thrill

Where to play like James Bond and rock out like Harry Styles in Jamaica

By Sisi Penaloza

From the moment Ursula Andress struck one of the world’s most iconic female silhouettes, strolling sensuously from the surf in 1962’s Dr. No, there’s been an undeniable chemistry between James Bond and Jamaica. Turns out the sultry relationship is back on simmer in the latest in the 25-film franchise, No Time to Die, which like the original takes place partly in the Caribbean island nation.

According to Forbes, cast and crew gathered at Ian Fleming’s GoldenEye estate-turned-resort to kick off production of Bond 25, with many remaining to film scenes on the island. Daniel Craig’s fifth and final Bond outing will be released this April. For a film franchise that increasingly enjoys self-referential nods to its own canon, it’s no surprise they found a way to return to the idyllic island.

Declassified just in time for winter escape planning, an exclusive partnership between global private jet firm VistaJet and Jamaica’s iconic hotel brand Island Outpost gives you unparalleled entree to the luxurious side of James Bond’s literary birthplace. The VistaJet fleet, which includes the $20 million-plus Bombardier Challenger 350, is cleared to access the Ian Fleming International Airport, about 10 minutes from GoldenEye on Jamaica’s north east coast. Though labeled an “international” airport, it’s really more of a high-security small-scale executive airfield, a rarity in the Caribbean, and rather apt for an aviation hub named after the Bond creator.

Fleming’s GoldenEye on Oracabessa Bay is the island’s most coveted 007 address. The British naval intelligence officer-turned-author purchased 15 acres of tropical underbrush, formerly a donkey racetrack, in 1946, and set about building his dream villa. Fast forward to 1976, when Island Records founder Chris Blackwell acquired the property to entertain friends like Sting, who wrote the chart-topping “Every Breath You Take” while on a tropical escape here. Over a period of 30 years, Blackwell, who signed U2 to its first record contract and launched legends such as Bob Marley, Cat Stevens, and Roxy Music, added 25 acres to the original parcel, peppering cottages into the mix of villas and launching a second career as a hotelier in the process.