Runaway Bay is a town in Saint Ann Parish on the northern coast of Jamaica and is considered one of the most naturally beautiful places on the island. It is a notable tourist destination located 16 km (9.9 mi) west of Ocho Rios, and slightly east of Discovery Bay, where Christopher Columbus landed in 1494.
Ocean View Beach is a private beach situated at Runaway Bay. It consists of a series of hotel resort complexes and beaches.
The name derives from its having been an escape route for runaway slaves.
Arawaks were the first native settlers, but they were eventually overpowered by Spanish colonisers.
The population according to the 2011 census was 8,640, roughly eight times the population of 1,116 determined in the 1970 census.
