Jamaica

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Why visit Jamaica?

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Jamaica has long been a jewel in the Caribbean tourism industry crown, but there is far more to discover than just beaches and all-inclusive resorts. With Bob Marley, Jamaica gifted us the first global superstar from the developing world. But he didn’t spring from nowhere; this tiny island has musical roots that reach back to the folk songs of West Africa and forward to the electronic beats of contemporary dancehall. Simply put, Jamaica is a musical powerhouse, a fact reflected not just in the bass of the omnipresent sound systems, but in the lyricism of the patois language and the gospel sounds from the island’s many churches. Music is life in Jamaica, and you will soon find yourself swaying along with it.
Ask any expat Jamaican what they miss about their island, and the answer is inevitably the landscape itself, that great green garden that constitutes one of the most beautiful islands of the Caribbean. Jamaica begins with crystalline waters flowing over gardens of coral, lapping onto soft sandy beaches, then rising past red soil and lush banana groves into sheer mountains.

What does Jamaica bring in mind?

The Blue Hole in Ocho Rios

It has become one of the best places to visit while in Jamaica. Once you see the water, you will have nothing on your mind except jumping in.

Bob Marley Museum in Nine Mile If you are a “true” Bob Marley fan, then you have to check out the Bob Marley Museum in 9 mile, St. Ann. It is a hell of a ride through the hills, on some of the worst roads you will ever see. But once you get there, you will enjoy how crisp and fresh the air is. It is also crazy to think that such a great man could come from such a remote, humble place.

Green Grotto Caves, Discovery Bay

About 5 minutes into your hike of the Green Grotto Caves, you will come upon what is known as “The Pirate’s Nightclub”.

White River Falls

White River Tubing in Ocho Rios White River Tubing is a refreshing adventure in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. The White River is known for its beauty and fresh water rivers. Build some great memories here as you tube down this fresh body of water surrounded by lush and tropical scenery.

Glistening Waters (Luminous Lagoon) in Falmouth

This place is magical! Glistening Waters is a glowing lagoon on Jamaica’s north coast. This marvel is only found in 4 places in the world; however, this lagoon is the brightest of them all due to more consistent climate. The water is filled with phosphorous which allows it to illuminate so brilliantly when disturbed.
Floyd’s Pelican Bar in St. Elizabeth Visiting Floyd’s Pelican Bar in Jamaica is definitely something to brag about. Floyd’s Pelican Bar is a tiny bar made of driftwood stilted on a huge sandbar about 3⁄4 mile out in the sea. Located in Parottee Bay on the South Coast of Jamaica, it is one of the most unique places to eat and have a drink in the entire world.

Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville in Montego Bay If you are looking for food, entertainment and an exciting atmosphere, then Margaritaville is the place. Margaritaville Montego Bay is located on the “Hip Strip” Gloucester Avenue.

Croydon Plantation in Montego Bay

Croydon is a beautiful coffee and pineapple plantation located at the bottom of the Catadupa Mountains, near Montego Bay. The grounds at the Croydon Plantation are impeccably maintained and the panoramic views of the mountains are amazing.

Top 10 Things to taste in Jamaica

• Ting A refreshing soda flavored with Jamaican grapefruit.

• Escovitch Fish and Festival This is many people’s most favorite dish in Jamaica. The most popular place to have Escovitch Fish and festival is Hellshire Beach in St. Catherine (near Kingston). Escovitch fish is seasoned, fried, and marinated in tasty vinegar. Festival is like fried corn bread and is so delicious.

• Mannish Water Mannish water is goat soup believed to be an aphrodisiac. It is made from various goat parts, vegetables, and seasoned with local herbs and seasonings.

• Ackee & Saltfish Ackee is a fruit that was imported from West Africa; often cooked with salt cod aka salt fish and sauteed with boiled ackee, onions, peppers, tomatoes and spices.

• Ginger Beer (non-alcoholic soda) This is a ginger flavored soda with a very crisp and slightly spicy taste. The taste is more pungent and crisper than the ginger ale most people are accustomed to. Ginger beer should be served very cold or over ice.

• Jamaican Beef Patty A tasty pastry that houses various fillings, most popular being Jamaican beef patty. The shell of the patty is thick and crisp and typically filled with seasoned ground beef but can alternatively be filled with chicken, vegetables, shrimp, lobster and ackee among other delights.

• Coconut water and jelly This is one refreshing drink! Jamaicans believe coconut water is good for flushing out the internal organs and digestive system. You can easily get one of these if you drive along the street and stop at one of the local vendors.

• Jerk Chicken/Jerk Pork Jerk is a way of cooking that is native to Jamaica. This is one of Jamaica’s most popular dishes. There is the misperception that Jerk is always spicy which is not. Jerk is actually a nice blend of seasoning cooked on either pimento wood or grilled over hardwood charcoal in a steel drum.

• Appleton Rum A Jamaican rum produced in Nassau Valley; with many types and selections.

• Red Stripe Beer Red Stripe is a Jamaican style lager. It is golden-straw in color with a very appetizing aroma. The taste is pleasantly crisp. It is a balance between malt and grassy flower.

Things you shouldn’t miss in Jamaica

• Swim with the Dolphins

• Canopy Tour and quad biking

• Rick's Café

• Scotchies

• Jake's Go off the beaten track to spend a romantic weekend at Jake's. When you get there, take a canoe to the Pelican Bar.

• Firefly Take a trip through time and visit Noël Coward's beloved home. When his first house on the island, Blue Harbor, became too much of a social whirlwind, Coward retreated to this spot, known as Look Out for its wonderful views over Port Maria.

• Strawberry Hill

• River rafting Take a day off and glide down the Martha Brae.

• Bob Marley Museum Visit the King of Reggae's former home and recording studio at 56 Hope Road.

Top Tourist Destinations of Jamaica

Kingston

Squeezed between the Blue Mountains and the world’s seventh-largest natural harbor, Kingston simultaneously impresses you with its setting and overwhelms you with its size, noise and traffic. This is the island’s cultural and economic heart, a lively crucible of music and politics. A visit to Kingston is essential to taste the rich excitement of modern Jamaica. Kingston is a city of two halves. Downtown is home to historic buildings, the courts, banks, street markets and one of the Caribbean’s greatest art museums. Centered around Parade, it has a shabby charm and runs down to a bayside park. To the west lie the ghettoes of Trench Town and Tivoli Gardens, where many houses don’t have running water.

Montego Bay

Montego Bay has two distinct faces: there is the smooth tourist face that beams contentedly from the pages of a thousand glossy Caribbean brochures; and there is MoBay proper, a pretty graphic city, second only to Kingston in terms of status and chaos. Most of the big all-inclusive resorts are located well outside the urban core in the fancy suburb of Ironshore.

Ocho Rios

Jamaica’s third-largest town, Ocho Rios dominates the north coast’s tourist scene. Cruise ships land passengers in huge numbers here, and if the town can sometimes feel a little like a theme park, visitors are at least drawn for good reason: the surrounding area features some of the most beautiful and most popular natural attractions on the island. Forested mountains with deep gorges and rushing rivers spread their fingers towards fringes of white sand and cool-blue surf that rolls into beach-lined coves. The folks are friendly and the hustle small. From Port Antonio, you can explore gorgeous but untouristic beaches, or head into the mountains and rainforest for hiking and bird-watching.