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The Map of Jamaica
Tropical scenery
Why go on holiday to Jamaica?
Guaranteed
sun, beautiful beaches, cheap and gorgeous food, a laid-back attitude
to life, and tropical scenery. But there's far more to Jamaica than all
this.
It's a poverty-ridden nation with a history steeped in the
slave trade. Such contradictory factors make Jamaica and its people
complex and difficult to fathom at times, but your overall impression
will almost certainly be one of laid-back charm.
How much does it cost?
Seven
nights with villa accommodation starts at just under £1,000; two weeks
at about £1,500; an all-inclusive hotel stay will be £200 or £300 less.
Out of the peak season, a flight-only deal from London can start from
as little as £220. All prices will vary.
When should I go?
It
is hot year-round in Jamaica. The rainy season peaks in May/June and
October/November, but this only means short showers amid the tropical
glory. The least-crowded time is from May to November, when hotels will
be cheaper and attractions less packed.
*Feeling inspired? Book a break to the Caribbean here.
Colourful and vibrant
What should I do when I'm there?
Laze
on the beach, attend one of the vibrant festivals, visit Bob Marley's
former home and his final resting place, and eat seafood and tropical
fruit.
What's the capital like?
Kingston is
a seething mass of colour and life. It's not picturesque, and there is
terrible poverty, but its sheer vitality makes it a must.
Visit
the Bob Marley Museum, the great man's former home. You can see his
bedroom, his guitars, the bullet holes from the 1976 assassination
attempt and the tree where he would sit, smoke and strum.
The waterfront area is tatty, but great to stroll through for the craft market and National Gallery.
What beaches are there?
Ocho Rios with its famed Turtle Beach and harbour offers good, if crowded, swimming.
Fern
Gully winds through the canyon of an old watercourse for about three
miles inland, and the 600ft Dunn's River Falls is the island's most
famous beauty spot.
Montego Bay is the ideal for sun, sand, sea,
etc. This is the home of the all-inclusive resorts popular with
holidaymakers. The beaches are beautiful, but the town is smoggy and
full of hustlers.
One or two excellent old buildings survive
downtown, but MoBay is primarily a resort and not for those trying to
find the "real Jamaica".
Negril is a rapidly growing resort, but
remains a laid-back centre. You will interact with the locals more than
anywhere else here, with food stalls lining the streets and woodcarvers
hawking their wares on the beach. Magnificent sunsets.
I want to get away from the crowds
Cockpit
County is a 500 sq mile limestone plateau to the west. There are caves,
wild vegetation and a bewildering array of wildlife.
The area is
probably most easily appreciated from the air, but that is expensive.
If you're on foot be sure to have an experienced and trustworthy guide
- it's hot and hazardous.
Long Bay in the north-east is a
beautiful, untouched spot. The mile-long, pink-sanded beach is a top
surfing spot, but this hasn't altered life in this charming, lazy
fishing village.
Surfing hasn't got as far as Treasure Beach on
the south coast. These four isolated coves are disturbed only by
fishermen and local women selling pickled fruit.
Where can I cool off?
Head
east to the Blue Mountains, which are much wetter than the rest of
Jamaica. June to September are the best months to visit them. They're a
botanist's dream - with more than 500 flowering plant species - not to
mention a hiker's paradise.
What festivals and events are there?
Jamaica
has numerous cultural and sporting events, the most famous and
colourful of which are the Reggae Sunsplash in Ocho Rios and the Reggae
Sumfest in Montego Bay, in July and August respectively.
The
music throbs and everyone gets down on the beach - Jamaicans are the
masters of provocative gyration. If you're taking a winter break, the
Carnival in Kingston in February has more of the same, plus calypso and
ballroom.
Jonkanoo is the Christmas celebration, with street
parades and costumes. Cricket is a national obsession, with provincial
matches all year and an international in Kingston at least once
annually. There are also plenty of yacht races.
| Island entertainment |
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Where's good for nightlife?
For
so-called high culture - theatre, ballet, etc - you will have to stay
in Kingston. Rum shops are the staple island entertainment; they're
macho establishments where you down potent white rum with milk until
you fall over.
Even less "PC" is the go-go club, usually huge
bars where young women shake their booty for a largely male clientele.
They're actually very friendly places, but not for the easily offended.
What's the food like?
Fresh
seafood is everywhere, often heavily spiced or salted. Ackee and
saltfish is the Jamaican national dish, most often eaten for breakfast.
Dip
and fall back is a salty stew served with bananas and dumplings. Jerk
is a fiery marinade used on fish, chicken or pork, which is then
barbecued.
Staple vegetables are pumpkin, breadfruit, callaloo
and cho-cho - a pear shaped gourd. Gorge yourself on delicious tropical
fruit. Avoid eating turtle and booby eggs - both species are endangered
and it is illegal to eat them.
What should I buy?
Fine
handmade Jamaican cigars, colourful bead jewellery, woodcarvings, straw
goods including baskets, art, and food items and drinks, including Blue
Mountain coffee (arguably the best in the world), rum liqueurs and food
marinades.
Remember to haggle, except for high-quality art, when the prices are normally fixed.
What is there for children to do?
Anancy
Park, opposite Poinciana Hotel in Negril, is a children's entertainment
complex. It has a learning centre, folk museum, donkey cart rides,
fishing and boating lakes, nature trail, carousel, go-cart track,
miniature golf course and video arcade.
Individual resorts have good facilities for children, including children's pools and entertainments.
Tourist office
1-2 Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2BZ. Tel 020 7224 0505. |
| Entry Documents: |
|
Beginning December 31, 2005, US citizens need a passport for all travel to
and from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Panama, Mexico and Canada.
Proof of
citizenship for U.S. and Canadian citizens (passport or birth certificate with a
photo ID). Passports required for citizens of other countries. All visitors must
have an ongoing or return ticket. |
| Airport: |
|
Vacationer's typcially fly into Sangster airport in Montego Bay. Kingston's
Norman Manley airport is the second most highly used airport mostly for business
or resident traffic. |
| Departure Tax: |
|
US$27 |
| Driving: |
|
On the left - valid driver's license is
required. |
| Process: |
|
Apply for a marriage license.
Cost: Cost of wedding
arrangments Documents Required: Birth certificates Wait Time: 24
hours
|
| Address: |
64 Knutsford Bouldevard
P.O. Box 360
Kingston 5, Jamaica |
| Phone: |
(876) 920-4924 |
| Tollfree: |
(800) 233-4JTB |
| Fax: |
(876) 929-9375 |
| Phone: |
(876) 926-3635 |
| Website: |
|
|
Jamaica (pronounced /ˈdʒəˈmeɪkə/) is an island
nation of the Greater Antilles, 234 kilometres (146 mi) in length and as much as
80 kilometres (50 mi) in width situated in the Caribbean Sea. ...
|
Airports Authority of Jamaica, Norman manley
international airport flight information, airport profile, Norman
Manley International Airport, Jamaica Airport ...
|
| Jamaica Gleaner News at every turn seven days a
week featuring Jamaican Sports, Island Business, Health, Education,
Commentary, Letters. |
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Property Rentals in Jamaica
Cheap Amusment
and Theme Park
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