Basic Plan
1. Direct flight on Air Caribbean from Port au Prince, Haiti to Kingston
2. 2 days in each of Kingston and Montego Bay
3. Fly back to Fort Lauderdale.
With 2.8 million people, Jamaica is the third most populous anglophone country in the Americas, after the United States and Canada. It remains a Commonwealth realm and is a completely independent and sovereign nation.
Jamaica exports coffee, papaya, bauxite, gypsum, limestone and sugar cane.
Its motto and nickname for the country is called “Out of Many, One People”.
Capital: Kingston
Currency: Jamaican Dollar (JMD) denoted by the symbol “$” (or J$, JA$) (JMD). It comes in notes of J$50, 100, 500, 1,000 and 5,000. Jamaica’s economy has not been well run and the Jamaican dollar has steadily depreciated from the rate of USD1 = J$0.77 when it dropped the connection to the pound sterling upon decimalisation in 1968.
The US dollar is widely accepted in places most tourists visit, although at a reduced rate. US dollars won’t be accepted at a lot of “local” shops on the outskirts of cities and in rural areas.
US dollars, Canadian dollars, UK pounds, and euros are easily converted to Jamaican dollars at forex cambios and commercial banks island wide.
Population: 2.8 million (2017)
Country code: +1876
Driving Side: left
Language. Jamaicans speak Jamaican Creole or Patois. Its pronunciation and vocabulary are significantly different from English, despite it being based on English. Despite not being official, much of the population uses slang such as “Everyting is irie” to mean “Everything is all right.”
Although all Jamaicans can speak English, which is also the official language, they often have a very thick accent and foreigners may have trouble understanding them because of this. You will usually hear Jamaicans say “Waah gwaan?”, “Waah appn’?”, or “What a gwaan?”, the Creole variation of “What’s up?” or “What’s going on?” More formal greetings are usually “Good morning” or “Good evening.”
Accommodation. For great hospitality, staff and a well-kept environment, there are many hotels or small inns.
SEE
Hiking, camping, snorkeling, zip-lining, horse back riding, backpacking, swimming, jet skiing, sleeping, scuba diving, kite surfing, visiting the Giddy house, drinking and swimming with dolphins.
Going zip-lining in the Jamaican jungle is incredibly exhilarating. Most touring companies as well as cruise liners will have companies that they work with regularly.
There are more than 50 beaches around Jamaica.
SURREY & MIDDLESEX Counties. The central region consisting of the parishes of Clarendon, Manchester, Saint Ann, Saint Catherine and Saint Mary and the eastern region consisting of the parishes of Kingston, Portland, Saint Andrew and Saint Thomas
Tentative WHS: Seville Heritage Park (02/03/2009)
XL: Portland Bight area
Mandeville: Bloomfield Great House
Nine Mile: Bob Marley Museum – where Bob Marley was born and now buried. The journey up into the mountains lets you experience the heart of the country.
Mystic Mountain has a bob-sledding ride combined with options for ziplining, a water slide and an aerial tram. The aerial tram is slower method to learn about the rainforest canopy.
Frenchman’s Cove Beach
Dunn’s River Falls (Sight)
Konoko Falls
Green Grotto Caves (Sight)
Kingston the capital and largest city in Jamaica
National Gallery of Jamaica
National Museum
Peter Tosh Museum
Trench Town Culture Yard Museum
Bob Marley Museum
Devon House
Holy Trinity Cathedral
Spanish Town: Cathedral of St. Jago de la Vega
Hope Zoo
Hope Botanical Gardens
Coronation Market
Bob Marley statue
Emancipation Statue
Port Antonio: Port Antonio Natural and Cultural Environs (Sight), Fort George, Blue Lagoon Beach
Port Royal The Underwater City of Port Royal Tentative WHS:(02/03/2009), Fort Charles
Ocho Rios* Island Village Market, Shaw Park Gardens
Dunn’s River Falls is a must see and do in Ocho Rios. The 600 ft (180 m) cascading falls are gorgeous. You can actually climb right up the falls.
CORNWALL COUNTRY The western region consisting of the parishes of Hanover, Saint Elizabeth, Saint James, Trelawny and Westmoreland.
XL: Accompong
YS Falls (Sight)
Trelawny Parish: Great Hope Estate
Falmouth: St. Peter’s Anglican Church
Samuel’s Bay Marine National Park
Lacovia: Jamaica Zoo
Wiltshire: Rocklands Bird Sanctuary
Savanna La Mar: Blue Hole Gardens
Cave of Refuge
Beaches: Bloody Bay, Doctor’s Cave Beach, Treasure Beach
Montego Bay— Filled with historical sites and monuments, Montego Bay is the second city of Jamaica:
Greenwood Great House (Plantation)
Bellefield Great House & Gardens
Croydon Plantation
Rose Hall Great House (The Dark Side)
Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament
St. James Parish Church
Harbour Street Craft Market
Negril— white sandy beaches, countless resorts; Negril is in Westmoreland Parish. Spend a day at Negril Seven Mile Beach (Sight, XL), and finish off at Rick’s Cafe for a spectacular sunset and watch even more fantastic cliff diving.
Protected areas.
The authorities have designated some of the more fertile areas as ‘protected’, including the Cockpit Country, Hellshire Hills, and Litchfield forest reserves. In 1992, Jamaica’s first marine park, covering nearly 6 square miles (about 1 km²), was established in Montego Bay. The following year Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park was created on roughly 300 square miles (780 km²) of wilderness that supports thousands of tree and fern species and rare animals.
GET IN
By plane. Norman Manley International Airport (KIN) in Kingston and Donald Sangster International Airport (MBJ) in Montego Bay.
GET AROUND
By car. An adventure on bad roads and aggressive drivers – around bends. Jamaican drivers do not slow down because of these twists and turns, so beware. Roads in cities and towns are generally congested, and rural roads tend to be narrow. There are very few north-south routes so travel from the north to the south can involve treks on mountain roads. .
Renting a car is easily done, and it is advised to go through an established major car rental company
By bus. Cheap, tip the luggage handlers. Excursions by bus from Ocho Rios to Kingston and Blue mountain, can turn into a long bus ride without many stops. A visit to Kingston might consist of a stop at a shopping centre for lunch, a visit to Bob Marley’s home and a 2-minute stop in the Beverly Hills of Jamaica. The guided tour at the Blue Mountain coffee factory can be interesting and informative.
By taxi. Local taxis (called “route taxis”) interesting, far cheaper than tourist taxis. Basically a local’s car with no taxi sign on the top, but a red license plate. Generally run between town centres, you can flag a taxi anywhere along the highway. Walk or stand on the side of the road and wave at passing cars.
Route taxis are often packed with friendly people. Route taxis don’t run very far, so if you need to get half way across the island you’ll need to take it in stages. If worst comes to worst, just keep repeating your final destination to all the people who ask where you’re going and they’ll put you in the right car and send you on your way. You may have to wait until the taxi has enough passengers to make the trip worthwhile for the driver. Pay an extra fare for your luggage since you’re taking up space that would otherwise be sold to another passenger.
STAY SAFE
Beware of rapists at resorts, as advised by travel advisories. Jamaica has the 5th highest murder rate in the world.
Drugs. If you are approached by a Jamaican looking to sell you drugs or anything else that you are not interested in buying, they will appear to be engaging in friendly conversation, but once you are marked a sucker (like “It’s my first time here” “I’m staying at Negril Gardens”), you will be harassed.
Marijuana, (locally known as ganja) although cheap, plentiful and powerful, is illegal on the island. Foreigners can be arrested and jailed for drug use. Jamaican prisons are very basic and places you would want to avoid at all costs.
Inner-city parts of the island such as Spanish Town and some neighbourhoods in Kingston (Trench Town, etc.) should be avoided even during the day. However, those who are interested in visiting the Culture Yard in Trench Town should be safe if they go during daylight hours and with a hired local guide, which should not be terribly expensive. Be sure to ask for advice from locals before going, and avoid going there around elections, when violence flares up.
September, October, and November have fewer tourists as this is hurricane season. As a result, the police are encouraged to take their vacation during this time. This reduction in the police force can cause areas like Montego Bay’s hip strip to be less safe than they normally are.
RESPECT
Many Jamaican people are very generous and warm. Returning this warmth and friendliness is a great way to show them you appreciate their country.
Jamaican greetings are mostly informal on the part, and passing even a total stranger will call for a greeting. An upwards nod of the head, or raising the hand to shoulder length will do. Being invited to the homes of locals is largely uncommon. say, “Yes ma’am.” or “Yes, sir”. Attempts at speaking the local dialect will earn you favor and high regards in any social setting.
NOMAD MANIA Jamaica – Middlesex, Surrey (Kingston, Mandeville, Ocho Rios)
World Heritage Sites: Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park
Tentative WHS
Seville Heritage Park (02/03/2009)
The Underwater City of Port Royal (02/03/2009)
XL: Portland Bight area
House Museums/Plantations:
Mandeville: Bloomfield Great House
Nine Mile: Bob Marley Museum
Experiences: Listen to Reggae next to the beach
Entertainment/Things to do: Rainforest Bobsled Jamaica at Mystic Mountain
Botanical Gardens
Cinchona Botanical Gardens
Ocho Rios: Shaw Park Gardens
Beaches: Frenchman’s Cove
Waterfalls
Dunn’s River Falls (Sight)
Konoko Falls
Caves: Green Grotto Caves (Sight)
Markets: Ocho Rios: Island Village
KINGSTON
National Gallery of Jamaica
National Museum
Peter Tosh Museum
Trench Town Culture Yard Museum
House Museums/Plantations
Bob Marley Museum
Devon House
Castles, Palaces, Forts: Devon House
Religious Temples
Holy Trinity Cathedral
Spanish Town: Cathedral of St. Jago de la Vega
Zoos: Hope Zoo
Botanical Gardens: Hope Botanical Gardens
Markets: Coronation Market
Monuments:
Bob Marley statue
Emancipation Statue
PORT ANTONIO
Sights: Port Antonio Natural and Cultural Environs
Castles, Palaces, Forts: Fort George
Beaches: Blue Lagoon
PORT ROYAL
Tentative WHS: The Underwater City of Port Royal (02/03/2009)
Castles, Palaces, Forts: Fort Charles
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NOMAD MANIA Jamaica – Cornwall (Montego Bay, Negril)
Sights: YS Falls
XL: Accompong
House Museums/Plantations: Trelawny Parish: Great Hope Estate
Religious Temples: Falmouth: St. Peter’s Anglican Church
World of Nature: Samuel’s Bay Marine
Zoos
Lacovia: Jamaica Zoo
Wiltshire: Rocklands Bird Sanctuary
Botanical Gardens: Savanna La Mar: Blue Hole Gardens
Beaches
Bloody Bay
Doctor’s Cave Beach
Negril: Seven Mile Beach (Sight. XL)
Treasure Beach
Caves: Cave of Refuge
MONTEGO BAY
Museums: Greenwood Great House (Plantation)
House Museums/Plantations
Bellefield Great House & Gardens
Croydon Plantation
Rose Hall Great House (The Dark Side)
Religious Temples
Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament
St. James Parish Church
Markets: Harbour Street Craft Market