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Jamaica map
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Airport
There are two international airports in Jamaica, one outside Kingston in the South-east of the island, the Norman Manley International Airport (airport code KIN), and the other in Montego Bay in the North-west, the Sangster International Airport (airport code MBJ). In most cases you will want to fly to Montego Bay, which is the destination of most long-distance flights anyway. However, if you are eventually heading for the Blue Mountains or Kingston itself, then you should look for a flight bound for Kingston.
Montego Bay is the best point of arrival for the resort areas along the north shore, from the western tip at Negril through Montego Bay, Runaway Bay and Discovery Bay, as far as the towns of Ocho Rios and Oracabessa. Port Antonio is a close call, but it is probably easier to fly in to Mo Bay. Sangster International is currently undergoing an extensive expansion and improvement programme. The airport also has a domestic terminal with local scheduled flights to Kingston, Negril and Ocho Rios. A number of small local airlines also operates from here, offering private charter to these airports and to Runaway Bay and Port Antonio, where there are small airstrips for daylight landing only.
Kingston’s Norman Manley International Airport serves the South-east of the island, covering the city and the Blue Mountains, Port Antonio in the North-east and Mandeville in the centre of the island. The domestic airport in Kingston is Tinson Pen Airport (airport code KTP), which is located in the west of the city, adjacent to the Kingston Free Zone. It has scheduled local services into Montego Bay and Ocho Rios and small airlines that will charter into the other airports around the island.
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Banks
Six commercial banks currently operate in Jamaica, Scotiabank/the Bank of Nova Scotia Jamaica Limited, First Caribbean International Bank (Jamaica) Limited (formerly CIBC & Barclays Bank), First Global Bank of Jamaica, Citibank NA, RBTT Bank and the NCB/National Commercial Bank of Jamaica. Branches are located in all the major towns but not necessarily in smaller towns or villages
Bank opening hours are generally 9am – 2pm, Mondays to Thursdays, with an extended 2-hour period on Fridays, 9am – 4pm.
There are currently over 300 cash machines around the island wide, in all of the main shopping areas, in the malls and in some of the larger petrol/service stations. Most cash machines issue local currency only, however some, in the main tourist areas, also give out US dollars.
You will also find many currency exchange bureaus around the island. In Jamaica they are known as Cambios. |
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Bars & Nightlife
With such a large population on the island - of both Jamaicans and visitors - and such a strong tradition of music, Jamaica has an excellent selection of bars and clubs. Some are actually world famous - drinkers have been jumping off the cliffs at Rick’s Cafe in Negril for 30 years - but you will find excellent variety, from the upbeat, themed bars of the main tourist towns to the uptown bars of Kingston and from local rum shops to the near limitless beach and cliff bars of Negril. There is even a bar several miles out to sea, on a sand-bar off Treasure Beach. And remember that some of the best fun in Jamaica is to be had visiting local bars, in which you are generally welcome, quiet stops at the roadside or on a secluded waterfront in the island’s small towns.
In Montego Bay Gloucester Avenue, the so-called ‘Hip Strip’, is where it all happens. It is a very busy area lined with bars and clubs among the many hotels. All in all, though, Negril is probably the coolest area for bars. There are several excellent ones dotted along the cliffs and then down on the beach they stand nearly shoulder to shoulder. Ocho Rios is relatively spread out - there are some bars along the main street, others are scattered in the outlying districts – and farther east you will find that the bars are increasingly local. In fact every village in Jamaica has its rum shop (as the name implies it usually sells provisions as well as rum) and it can be entertaining to stop by for a while, as the Jamaicans do. Kingston, on the other hand, is large enough for there to be bars and clubs catering to the different crowds – professional, arty, uptown, younger, older. Finally, in the countryside many bars actually double as small restaurants and snack joints. The best of these are the small seaside bars, often rickety sheds, where you can get a grilled fish to go with a beer. It is a great way to eat and drink while you are taking a leisurely tour of the island.
Of course music is central to the nightlife in Jamaica and each of the main resort towns has at least one club which can be interesting to visit. There are also more formal outside venues, ‘reggae parks’ where you can hear a local band playing easy-listening reggae (also see under Music). |
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Beach Bars
Sitting in a beach bar, drinking a rum punch or a Red Stripe, with the easy pulse of reggae in the background, is some of the best fun to be had in Jamaica. And there is a reasonable spread of options, from beachside restaurants where you can get a barefoot but nicely cooked meal to very simple shacks that offer a fantastic local vibe.
From the image of the island you might have thought that Jamaica’s shoreline would be one long line of beach bars standing shoulder to shoulder. In fact this is only the case in Negril. In the other main resort towns beach bars are relatively thin on the ground. Many of the hotels are all-inclusive, with bars on the beach inside their compounds, and their guests tend not to venture out. Independent hotels are usually happy to let you in and so in some areas this may be your easiest option. In the smaller, less touristy towns there are other more local options.
Negril has the most beach bars, with some classics among them. Some of the best are in the many small hotels stretched along the five miles of the main beach, with other independent bars strung between them (and there are still more excellent bars on the cliffs). In Montego Bay head for the beaches and bars of Gloucester Avenue. In Ocho Rios there are just a couple. Between the resort towns, and particularly in the east and along the southern shore, you will find some superb beach bars, tucked into the coves and bays. Some are associated with fishing communities, others very local bars offering fried fish, but they are well worth stopping in if you are travelling around the island.
The public beaches in the main tourist areas all have a beach bar with changing facilities, but be aware that most will not. Off the beaten track many are simply bars on the beach and may only have a lavatory.
A full list of the best Jamaica beach bars will be published with our Jamaica regional guides.
Pick of the best:
Groovy Grouper, Doctors Cave Beach, Montego Bay
Floyd’s Pelican Bar, offshore St Elizabeth
Cool Runnings, Long Bay, Portland
Norma’s at the Marina, Port Antonio
Margaritaville, Negril Beach |
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Beaches
Jamaica has an excellent variety of beaches, ranging from the magnificent five-mile, sunset-facing strand of perfect white sand at Negril in the far west, through the meandering curves and bays of the north shore, to some very pretty, hidden coves the island’s eastern end. The sand on the north shore is overwhelmingly white and is usually protected by an offshore reef, making it safe for swimming. The south coast has some dark sand beaches among the white ones and it is usually protected from the weather, so it often calmer. Offshore it is often shallower too, giving rise to cays and sandbars. The beaches there tend to be quieter too, mainly because there are far fewer tourists, though the beaches nearest to Kingston can be extremely lively on the weekends. A few beaches do have lifeguards but not that many. There are only a few places with currents that you need to be aware of. If you go swimming in remote areas you should ask around.
As in the rest of the Caribbean, all beaches in Jamaica are officially public up to the high water mark. This said, many of the beaches do have restricted access and are often held up as ‘private’. Some, often the best in the area, have restricted access with an entry fee. Others are contained within a resort and access overland is restricted. The result is usually a hassle-free visit with better maintained facilities (though there may be less local character if that is important to you). The hotels will generally permit you to visit on a day pass (usually for eight hours). This includes many of the Jamaica all-inclusive hotels, which charge a bit more but then give you the run of the place – the dining room, bar and watersports shop.
On the beaches with no restricted access - for instance in Negril - you will find independent operators, including bars, restaurants and sometimes watersports shops where you can get a drink or fix up a ride on a jet ski or parasailer. On certain beaches you can expect to be approached by hustlers and small tradesmen. They will offer you anything from coral jewellery to an aloe massage or an island tour. Fine if you want what they are offering, but they can also be quite persistent and sometimes annoying. The only response is to be polite, and as persistent as they are in saying no. Eventually they will go away.
A full list of the best Jamaica beaches will be published with our Jamaica regional guides.
Pick of the Best – a selection of the best beaches in Jamaica
Negril Beach
For its bars, music and sports, and endless sand to walk.
Doctor’s Cave Beach
The main beach in Montego Bay, lively with nice restaurants and bars (entry fee).
Jamaica Inn Simply the prettiest, classic Caribbean beach on the island (entry restricted).
Frenchman’s Cove
A tight cove with overhanging greenery.
James Bond Beach, Oracabessa
A lively and popular public beach with three golden beaches around 30 minutes east of Ocho Rios, close to Ian Fleming’s holiday home, Goldeneye where he wrote the Bond novels. The main activity is on the smaller beach, flanked by man-made sand terraces for sunning and a two storey waterfront bar and grill called Moonraker. Watersports are available, there is also a life guard. There is an admission fee.
Cornwall Beach, Montego Bay
Cornwall Beach is located on Gloucester Avenue (it is close to Doctor’s Cave Beach, but usually a bit quieter) and has excellent white sand, crystal water and good swimming. Watersports are available and there is a snack bar. Admission fee. |
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Bird-Watching
Jamaica has extremely varied terrain in its 4250 or so square miles and a bird-life that is just as diverse. In the Blue Mountains, some of the highest in the Caribbean, where there is rainforest and cloudforest, there are solitaires and vireos at high elevations and parrots and tanagers lower down. There are wet and dry limestone forests and cultivated areas where you can see cuckoos and flycatchers, kingfishers darting along the rivers and four of the Caribbean’s 16 hummingbirds. Down on the plains and wetlands (know locally as morasses) there are different species again, jacanas, ducks and gallinules and on coastal stretches yet more, such as sandpipers that twitter along the sandy beaches and offshore raiders such as boobies and pelicans.
There are well over 250 species to be found on Jamaica, of which 28 species and 21 sub-species are endemic. During the winter, from December to May, the number of species is supplemented by many migratory species. As with anywhere in the Caribbean, the best time to spot birds is early morning or late afternoon. Look out for the most spectacular of Jamaican birds, the red-billed streamer-tail (also the national bird). Known locally as the doctorbird, it is a striking, emerald coloured humming bird, and the male sports a double black ribbon-like tail-feather several times the length of its body. Of course there are many others that you are bound to see, including at the breakfast table, where the bananaquit is likely to fly in to steal the sugar. Overhead you are bound to see the John Crow (actually a black vulture), which soars on the thermals on the hillsides.
The most famous habitats in Jamaica are the Blue Mountains, where there are a couple of nature reserves and also a number of lodges that specialise in birding and hiking. There are also areas just outside Kingston at the Mona Reservoir and woods. In the North East are the John Crow Mountains, which is the lushest and probably the prettiest area of the island. There are many good birding areas in Portland. In the central west, the Cockpit Country (wet limestone forest), is another haven for bird life, if hard to access. All but one of the island’s endemic species found there. If you cannot get into the forest itself, then there are good areas to the North (around Windsor), and to the South, near Mandeville. Also in the west, on the south coast, is the Black River Morass, which is excellent for wetland birds. You might even be staying in Negril without knowing that close by is another wetland, the Great Morass, which also has excellent bird-life.
Accommodation that can help you arrange bird-watching tours include Forres Park in the Blue Mountains and Mocking Bird Hill, Port Antonio. |
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Calendar of Events
2009
JANUARY
06 Jan, Accompong Maroon Festival, St Elizabeth, with dancing, singing, a Maroon feast and ceremonies. 17 Jan, Rebel Salute, 16th annual reggae show, Kaiser Sports Club, St Elizabeth. 18-31 Jan, JPA Polo – 18 Jan, Doc Masterton Tournament, opening tournament of the JPA polo season, Kingston Polo Club, as drawn. 25 Jan, 4 Goal League, Kingston Polo Club. 25 Jan, WCT Qualifier, Kingston Polo Club, 2 goal. 31 Jan, Dallas Butler tournament, Youngest v Oldest, St Ann Polo Club. 22-24 Jan, 12th Air Jamaica Jazz & Blues Festival, this year's international line-up includes the O’Jays, Lionel Richie, Ashford & Simpson, Chicago, Estelle, Randy Crawford, Joe Sample, Robin Thicke, Atlantic Starr, Nikki Yanofsky, Lou Gramm and Maxi Priest, plus local artistes at the Aqueduct, Rose Hall, Montego Bay. 25 Jan, 27th High Mountain Coffee 10k Road Race, for international and local athletes, Williamsfield, Mandeville – the event has been cancelled and will now take place in 2010.
FEBRUARY
Reggae Month - Bob Marley Celebrations, a month of events held throughout the island including: 01-29 Feb, Bob Marley Photographic Exhibition, The Bob Marley Museum, Kingston. 21Feb, Africa Unite-Smile Jamaica Concert at James Bond Beach, Oracabessa. 23-27 Feb, Reggae Film Festival, the Jamaica Film Academy ‘s second annual event at Emanicaption Park - postponed until a later date in 2009. 24 Feb, Reggae Academy Awards, National Indoor Sports Centre, Kingston – event postponed until a later date in 2009. 01-28 Feb, JPA/International Polo: 01 Feb, UK visiting team, Kingston Polo Club, 10 goal. 08 Feb, England v Kingston, Kingston Polo Club, 10 goal. 12 Feb, UK visiting team, Chukkas, St Ann Polo Club, low goal. 14 Feb, UK visiting team, Kingston Polo Club, low goal. 15 Feb, Hanover Charities/Sugar Cane Ball Polo Tournament, Chukka Blue, 10-12 goal. 19 Feb, Aiken 302 Polo Club, South Carolina, USA, Kingston Polo Club, 4-6 goal. 22 Feb, Aiken 302, Chukka Blue, 4-6 goal. 22 Feb, 4 Goal League, Kingston Polo Club. 24 Feb, JPA Keeling Cup, seeded, 4 goal. 26 Feb, JPA Keeling Cup, seeded, 4 goal. 28 Feb, Exhibition Match, St Ann Polo Club. 04-08 Feb, 2009 Digicel Home Series, West Indies vs. England, 1st Digicel Test at Sabina Park, Kingston. 06-13 Feb, Pineapple Cup Montego Bay Race, race sets off from Port Everglades Inlet, Florida on 06 Feb for Montego Bay. 06 Feb-19 Apr, 2009 Bacchanal Jamaica, the Jamaica carnival season begins with a series of ‘Bacchanal Friday’ themed events with live bands and ‘SocaCise’ get fit parties. 10-15 Feb, 11th Annual Jamaica Fat Tyre Festival, downhill and cross-country mountain bike races culminating in the Jamaica Bicycle Bash at James Bond Beach, Oracabessa. Welcome party and head quarters at John Crows Tavern, Ocho Rios. 14-15 Feb, Sugar Cane Carnival 2009, 14 Feb, annual fund raising event at Round Hill Hotel & Villas in aid of Hanover Charities. 15 Feb, Hanover Charities/Sugar Cane Ball Polo, followed by High Tea at Chukka Blue. 15 Feb, Fi Wi Sinting, African heritage event held at Nature’s Way, Buff Bay, Portland. 22 Feb, Misty Bliss 2009, annual cultural festival relating to the Blue & John Crow Mountains National Park, this year held at Hope Gardens, Kingston.
MARCH
01-03 Mar, 5th Annual Caribbean Classic Golf Invitational, White Witch Golf Course, Rose Hall, Montego Bay. 01-28 Mar, JPA/International Polo: 01 Mar, JPA Keeling Cup and 4 Goal League, Kingston Polo Club. 05 Mar, Newport Polo Club, Rhode Island, USA, Chukka Blue, 4-6 goal. 07 Mar, Newport, Rhode Is, St Ann Polo Club, 4-6 goal. 08 Mar, Newport, Rhode Is, Kingston Polo Club, 4-6 goal. 10, 12 & 14 Mar, JPA Marescaux Cup, seeded, 8 goal, St Ann Polo Club, 8 goal. 15 Mar, 4 Goal League, Kingston Polo Club. 19 & 21 Mar, Willie DeLisser Tournament, St Ann Polo Club, 12 goal. 22 Mar, 4 Goal League, Kingston Polo Club. 28 Mar, NCP High Goal opening event, Kingston Polo Club, 14 goal. 02-30 Mar, JamFest 2009, series of concerts held in Negril every Monday night during the annual ‘Spring Break’ party season. This is a three week period when American youngsters flock to Negril and Montego Bay for non-stop wild partying. 03-30 Mar, 2009 Bacchanal Jamaica parties continue in the run up to the main carnival events in April. 27-29 Mar, Jamaica Orchid Society Show, Royal Botanic Gardens, Hope, Kingston
APRIL
01-19 Apr, 2009 Bacchanal Jamaica parties continue in the run up to the main carnival events: 11 Apr, Beach J’ouvert at James Bond Beach in Oracabessa, 17 Apr, Bacchanal J’ouvert at Mas Camp in Kingston and 19 Apr, Bacchanal Gone Hollywood, costumed Road March through the streets of Kingston. 04-30 Apr, JPA/International Polo: 04 Apr, Easter Show, St Ann Polo Club. 05 Apr, NCB High Goal Final, 14 goal and 4 Goal League, Kingston Polo Club. 07 Apr, WCT Ladies Tournament, Kingston Polo Club, 2 goal. 09 & 11 Apr, Battle of the Sexes Tournament, St Ann Polo Club, 7 goal. 16 Apr, JPA Tonka Browne, St Ann Polo Club, low goal. 19 Apr, JPA Hurlingham, St Ann Polo Club, 10-14 goal. 26 Apr, Australia visiting team, Chukka Blue, 10 goal. 26 Apr, 4 Goal League Final, Kingston Polo Club, 10 goal. 28 Apr, Australia, Chukka Blue, 10 goal. 30 Apr, Australia, St Ann Polo Club, 10 goal. 11-13 Apr, Trelawny Yam Festival, a local food and heritage festival. Month of events leading up to the festival include a Schools Songs, Poems & Dance competition, a Farmers Field Celebration, Culinary Competition, a Half Marathon, a King and Queen Pageant and a 50k Cycle Race. The main event is the Grand Yam Festival Day street fare on 13 Apr, at the Hague Agricultural Show Ground, Trelawny. 11-13 Apr, MBYC Easter Regatta, Montego Bay Yacht Club, Montego Freeport. 13 Apr, St Elizabeth Horticultural Show, annual flower show at the society’s showground in Black River. 25-26 Apr, Jake’s Jamaican Off-Road Triathlon & Sunset Run, Treasure Beach, 13th annual charity event welcomes international participants. The triathlon includes 500m ocean swim, 25k mountain bike race and a 7k run, with a 5k Sunset Run the night before.
MAY
02-30 May, JPA/ International Polo: 03 May, Australia tour, Kingston Polo Club, 10 goal. 03 May, Tim Bown & Patron, Kingston Polo Club. 09 May, JPA Junior Cup, St Ann Polo Club, 9 goal. 16 May, JPA Senior Cup, St Ann Polo Club, 14 goal - and JA Cancer Society Fundraiser. 30 May, Densham Cup/Jamaica Open. 11-14 May, JAPEX, 19th Annual Jamaica Product Exchange trade show and convention, The Ritz Carlton Golf Resort & Spa, Rose Hall, Montego Bay. 22-25 May, Style Week Jamaica, 6th annual fashion and beauty event, Kingston. 22-24 May, 9th Calabash International Literary Festival, Jake’s, Treasure Beach.
JUNE
10-15 Jun, Caribbean Fashion Week, Kingston. 14-21Jun, 19th Annual Ocho Rios Jazz Festival, various jazz concerts and events held in Ocho Rios, Kingston and the South Coast. 19-27 Jun, KOTE/Kingston on the Edge Art Festival, platform for local artists at Redbones Blues Café, Kingston. 07-24 Jun, JPA Polo: 07 Jun, Exhibition Match, St Ann Polo Club. 10 Jun, Dennis Lalor Trophy, Kingston Polo Club, 6 goal. 12 & 14 Jun, Dennis Lalor Trophy, Kingston Polo Club, 6 goal. 17, 19 & 21 Jun, Tara Players, Kingston Polo Club, 6 goal. 24 Jun, Harry Miller Fun Day, St Ann Polo Club.
JULY
01 Jul, International Reggae Day, Jamaica Conference Centre, Kingston. 03-05 Jul, Portland Jerk Festival, annual jerk feast (jerk pork/chicken/fish/lobster/sausage/conch) with entertainment, games and competitions including a jerk eating competition. Opens at Boston Playing Field followed by events at Boston Beach and Frenchman's Cove with the main showground at Folly Estate, Port Antonio. 19-25 Jul, Reggae Sumfest, 17th anniversary of the world’s premier reggae festival, Catherine Hall, Montego Bay. 21-30 Jul, JPA Polo: Hi-Pro & ICWI Low Goal Family Tournaments at St Ann Polo Club with Jamaica’s best polo playing families in competition – 21, 23 & 25 Jul, Hi-Pro & ICWI Low Goal, seeded, 4 goal and 28 & 30 Jul, Hi-Pro & ICWI High Goal,10 goal. 31 Jul, Seville Emancipation Jubilee, exhibit of traditional cuisine and culture, Seville Heritage Park, St Ann.
AUGUST
01 Aug, JPA Polo, Hi-Pro & ICWI High Goal, St Ann Polo Club, 10 goal. 02 Aug, Mello Go Roun’, performing arts festival, Kingston. 06 Aug, 47th Anniversary of Independence, celebrations island wide with a National Float Parade and Gala through the streets of Kingston. tba, Jamaica Push Cart Derby 2009, homemade cart races, Discovery Bay. 29 Aug, Breadfruit Festival, annual cultural food event centred around the breadfruit, Bath, St Thomas.
SEPTEMBER
25 Sep, Wine & Food Festival, annual fund raising event held by the Heart Foundation in Kingston. 26 Sep-03 Oct, 46th Port Antonio International Marlin Tournament & 25th Port Antonio Canoe Tournament, Errol Flynn Marina, Port Antonio.
OCTOBER
10-03 Oct, 46th Port Antonio International Marlin Tournament & 25th Port Antonio Canoe Tournament continues. 30-31 Oct, WATA Rose Hall Triathlon and Wellness Festival, international event with 1500m swim, 40km bike race and 10 km run, alongside a health and wellness event, Rose Hall Estate.
NOVEMBER
09-16 Nov, Kingston Restaurant Week, various restaurants throughout the city.
DECEMBER
02-06 Dec, 4th Annual Jamaica Invitational Pro-Am ‘Annie’s Revenge’, White Witch Golf Course, Rose Hall. 04-06 Dec, Rally Jamaica, Jamaica Millenium Motoring Club’s annual event, Kingston. 05 Dec, Reggae Marathon & Half Marathon, Long Bay Beach Park, Negril. 21-23 Dec, Devon House Christmas Craft Fair, held on the North and East Lawns of Devon House Mansion, Kingston. 31 Dec, Fireworks on the Waterfront, Kingston, family entertainment and firework display, Down Town Harbour.
Jamaica public holidays 2009: 01 January, 25 February, 10 & 13 Apr, 23 May, 01 & 06 August, 19 October, 25 & 26 December.
Please note that the above events and dates may be subject to change/cancellation. Please check locally for confirmation of details. |
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Car Rental
Hiring a car can be an excellent addition to a visit to the Caribbean, but particularly so in Jamaica because the country is great fun to drive around. It is large enough to have proper variety and is exceptionally attractive. There are over 8000 miles of paved roads (well, usually) encircling the island and there is a lot to explore. Actually the roads in Jamaica are quite good at the moment as there has been an extensive building programme in recent years. It is quite possible to set up an itinerary lasting a couple of weeks, staying a few nights in the different areas of the island and in varied types of accommodation. For details and information on driving in Jamaica, please see Driving and Parking.
The minimum age for renting and driving a hired vehicle is 21 years, though some companies charge an ‘underage’ surcharge for drivers under the ages of 23 - 25 years (it depends on the car hire company). Drivers must have held a licence for at least two years, though some will accept one year for underage drivers for a surcharge. The maximum age for hiring and driving varies between 65 and 70 years, again depending on the car rental company. Please note that the wearing of safety belts is compulsory and children under 3 years of age must be placed in a child seat. Child-seats cost approximately US$6 per day to hire.
Unlike most other Caribbean islands, there is no need to purchase a local driving licence when driving in Jamaica. Visitors from the UK may use their licence for up to twelve months and visitors from North America may use their country’s licence for up to three months - both per visit. Jamaica also recognises valid International Driver’s Licenses. |
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