Jamaica
Jamaica is a top Caribbean travel destination and attracts many tourists every year. Personally, I've had the pleasure of visiting this beautiful country eight times already and absolutely love it!
Jamaica has some of the world's best beaches, including Doctor's Cave Beach, Seven Mile Beach, Frenchman's Cove, Treasure Beach, and Dunn's River Falls and Beach.
It is the birthplace of reggae music, made famous by Bob Marley. However, if you travel to Jamaica knowing other reputable reggae artists, you will impress the locals.
No visit to Jamaica would be complete without trying jerked meat or seafood, which is smoked with traditional spices and herbs to create an undeniably Jamaican and delicious flavor. Another popular item... Red Stripe, their local beer.
Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Falmouth and Port Royal are Jamaica's primary cruise ports, and they offer a full range of services and amenities. Port Antonio is a perfect stop for boutique cruise ships and megayachts, offering beautiful scenery and a more intimate experience.
Arriving in Jamaica by cruise gives you a quick overview of the island, and normally only one specific area. Arriving can be quite overwhelming with all of the vendors trying to sell you things... so I highly suggest having an arranged tour before you arrive.
Most travelers will fly into the Montego Bay Airport . It’s a busy airport and I always recommend that you purchase the fast track pass with Club Mobay.
This allows you to quickly go through Immigration, Customs and Security upon island arrival. Afterwards, you’ll be taken straight to their premium lounge with snacks, drinks, and restrooms while you wait for you Transfer. If your flying in on a Saturday, or holiday....without this pass you could be waiting in lines up to 2.5 hours!
And including this pass for the return transfer is even more valuable as Jamaica requires you to be at the airport 3 hours before your flight departure time, and delays occur often. With the Departure pass, you have access to their premier VIP lounge after a speedy customs/security line. Here, you also have included drinks, snacks, restrooms, showers, and comfy lounge areas.
Travelers can also fly in and out of the Kingston airport. They also have their own Club Mobay Lounge Passes.
Jamaica is a big island, so it's best to stick to nearby activities when choosing where to stay. The roads can be nauseating due to the winding and frequent stops, and traffic congestion is a common issue.
One of my personal favorite areas to stay is in Negril, along Seven Mile Beach. This is about a 1.5-hour drive from the Montego Bay Airport. However, with an arranged transfer, friendly driver and a cold Red Stripe,.....I think you'll be just fine! Plus, the views are not bad at all!
Seven Mile Beach is certainly not the only beach worth visiting in Negril. Bloody Bay Beach, often called "the other Negril beach", is popular amongst the locals and is equally beautiful and relaxing.
Most of the beaches here are public, and you have many beachfront resorts in the area. A few of my favorites being Couples Negril, Couples Swept Away, & Beaches Negril. Even though the beach, water, and views are amazing, you still do have a few local vendors walking around trying to sell you things. This can get a little annoying if you are not used to it. The main time of the day where they are not allowed or supposed to be there are between the early morning hours 6am-9am and evening hours after 7pm.
Supporting Local Musicians is a Win-Win Situation.
There are many talented local musicians playing their wonderful tunes on the beach. In fact, tipping them a few dollars is a small gesture that goes a long way towards showing appreciation for their hard work.
Aside from the included amenities & activities offered at your accommodation, there are a number of activities you can partake in while in Negril.
Going on a Sunset Catamaran Cruise is always a nice experience. You can see so much of the island, snorkel, visit a cave, and more.
Some of the top restaurants in Negril include the Rockhouse Restaurant, Pushcart Restaurant & Rum Bar, and Ricks Cafe. Ricks Cafe also offers cliffside jumping, music, and entertainment. Although touristy, Margaritaville Negril is worth a visit. If you're interested in trying out local and smaller spots, I can recommend some based on your accommodation's location.
The area of Montego Bay, known as “MoBay”, include’s Doctor Cave Beach and Cornwall Beach. The beaches are not as long and walkable, sometimes rocky, but still offer excellent views and experience’s. This is a good area to stay in if you have a limited number of days and want to be closer to the airport ( typically 10-20 minutes).
Some of my favorite resorts in this area include Half Moon, Round Hill, Hyatt Ziva and Hyatt Zilara.
Dolphin Cove offers close encounters with dolphins and other aquatic creatures. Bellefield Great House and Gardens and Rose Hall Great House provide historical experiences.
Good Hope Estate offer’s river tubing and zip lining, or opt for a more relaxed high tea service.
Chukka Caribbean Adventures also provides a wide range of activities and excursions for you to enjoy. I have personally ziplined with Chukka and it was a fun experience.
Around 30 minutes from Montego Bay is Falmouth, a popular destination for cruise passengers.
Nearby Discovery Bay, believed to be Christopher Columbus' landing spot, offers a glimpse into Jamaica's history through an open-air museum featuring a mural and artifacts from that time.
You can also grab some Jamaican jerk at the Ultimate Jerk Center on Main Street. Most cruise passengers decide to take a tour to either Negril, Montego Bay, a river tour, or head to Ocho Rios.
Ocho Rios, around 45 minutes to 1 hour from Falmouth and almost 2 hours from Montego Bay airport, is another popular cruise ship port but also a popular area for travellers to stay.
Ocho Rios has beautiful beaches and mountains, waterfalls, and lovely resorts. Some of my favorite properties here include Couples San Souci, Moon Palace, Beaches Ochos Rios, and Golden Eye.
Attractions include Mystic Mountain Rain-Forest Adventures, Green Grotto Caves, Dunn's River Falls, and Dolphin Cove.
Ocho Rios also offers a lively nightlife scene, and visitors can find souvenirs at the Original Ocho Rios Craft Park, Island Village, Main Street, and Taj Mahal Shopping Center.
Kingston, Jamaica's capital, is located between the Blue Mountains and a natural harbour. The Blue Mountains are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, famous for their Blue Mountain coffee.
Fort Clarence is a popular local beach with amenities and nearby restaurants. Surfing enthusiasts head to Jamnesia Surf Camp in Bull Bay, the only surf camp on the island and home to some of Jamaica's top surfers.
Kingston is known for its vibrant nightlife, with chic cosmopolitan lounges like The Regency Bar & Lounge and The Blend Bar & Lounge. CRU Bar and Kitchen's rooftop bar offers a laid-back atmosphere with excellent cocktails and stunning views. Sky Bar, in the centre of New Kingston, features a 50-foot lap pool and breathtaking views. For dancing, Fiction Fantasy is an upscale nightclub with some of the island's best DJs and hottest partygoers.
Located 2.5-3 hours from Montego Bay's airport, South Coast is quite removed from the touristy hub towns of the island. Treasure Beach offers a six-mile strand that is known for its four bays: Billy's, Calabash, Great Fort Charles, and Frenchman's Bay.
My favorite resort in this area is Sandals South Coast, it is really hard to beat!
YS Falls is a beautiful seven-tiered waterfall with a large wading pool and various activities such as a canopy zip line and natural spring pools.
Black River is the second longest river in Jamaica and offers an exciting river tour.
For a unique experience, head to Floyd’s Pelican Bar, a bar built on stilt’s, set about
one mile off the coast in Parottee Bay.
Take a trip to Appleton Estate and sample Jamaica's world-renowned rum, while participating in an interactive guided tour and learning about the rum-making process.
US Currency accepted.
The electrical supply in Jamaica is 110 volts/50 cycles standard, and electrical appliances use plugs that are two-pronged and flat (as in the United States and Canada).
The official language is English, but Jamaicans like to mix it up with their own island version of Patois. It takes a little getting used to, but you're sure to have lots of fun trying out a few expressions.
