Jamaica Vacations & Travel

Overview

Jamaica is the birthplace of reggae music and the legendary Bob Marley, whose former residence and recording studio in the capital of Kingston, a center for music, art, food, and history, is now a museum and one of the country’s most visited cultural attractions. Surrounded by the majestic Blue and John Crow Mountains, Jamaica’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kingston offers ample opportunities to stop and smell the coffee at some of the local coffee farms dotting the Blue Mountain’s lush slopes.

What To Do

Montego Bay, one of Jamaica’s most popular resort areas, is blessed with beautiful beaches, such as Doctor’s Cave Beach; historic attractions, including Rose Hall Great House, a Georgian mansion overlooking the coast; and championship golf courses. Ocho Rios, the country’s premier nature destination famed for its outdoor adventures, is a gateway to many of the island’s natural wonders including Dunn's River Falls, Jamaica’s most famous waterfall; Blue Hole, a collection of awe-inspiring turquoise pools and waterfalls surrounded by lush tropical vegetation; White River, ideal for bamboo rafting, tubing, swimming, and nature tours; and Mystic Mountain, popular for its rain-forest scenery and outdoor activities, such as hiking, ziplining, and bobsledding, the signature attraction at Mystic Mountain inspired by the legendary Jamaican Olympic Bobsled Team, a ride that takes adventurers on a journey through the tropical rain forest on a serpentine mountain track. 

What To See

There are plenty of festivals on the island, including an annual Bob Marley Birthday Bash in Negril the first week in February and Reggae Sunsplash in July/August. Summer nights heat up with cool jazz at the Ocho Rios Jazz Festival in June.

Learn about Jamaican history at the stately Devon House mansion, the original home of Jamaica’s first black millionaire, George Stiebel, in Kingston.

Step back into the island’s long plantation history with a visit to Rose Hall, a Georgian-style mansion in Montego Bay. Discover legendary tales of ghosts and slavery that still haunt the island.

Shopping

From eclectic marketplaces to art galleries and quirky shops with colorful island trinkets, Jamaica offers a something to satisfy any curious shopper. If you’re not arriving via ship, try to shop on non-cruise days in Ocho Rios, Falmouth or Montego Bay to avoid the crowds.

The U.S. dollar is widely accepted, along with other foreign currencies and credit cards. You’ll find duty-free shopping at the family-owned Casa de Oro in Negril, Ocho Rios, and Montego Bay.

Harbor Street Craft Market in Montego Bay offers one of the island’s best selection of arts and crafts. Head to Kingston's 'Cooyah' market, meaning 'look here' in Patois, the region’s main dialect, for authentic Rasta clothing and local crafts.

Food and Drink

Jamaican cuisine mixes African, indigenous Taíno, European, Indian, and Chinese flavors into bold dishes. Jerk chicken and pork, both a seasoning and a cooking method, is Jamaica’s most popular culinary tradition. The meats are marinated with allspice, thyme, and Scotch bonnet peppers, then cooked over pimento wood. Other must-try Jamaican foods include ackee and saltfish, the national dish of Jamaica, which combines the locally grown ackee fruit with salted cod, onions, tomatoes, and peppers; Jamaican patties, a pastry filled with seasoned beef, chicken, and vegetables; and rice and peas, a staple side dish made with rice, kidney beans, coconut milk, and herbs that often accompanies jerk chicken and pork and seafood dishes. Jamaica also boasts one of the world's most sought-after specialty coffees, Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee, which is grown exclusively in the Blue and John Crow Mountain Range and is famed for its smooth, balanced flavor.

Night Life

Don’t worry, be happy! When the sun sets, Jamaica comes alive with a reggae beat. Celebrate the island’s roots, a fusion of African and European heritage, through its music and dance the night away.