Jamaica

Key facts

• Region: The Caribbean
• Capital: Kingston
• Currency: Jamaican dollar (JMD)
• Languages: English and Jamaican Patois
• Main airport: MBJ — Sangster International Airport, serving Montego Bay
• Best time to visit: December to April, the dry season; the hurricane season runs June to November, peaking August to October

Overview

The third-largest Caribbean island, Jamaica has a distinct culture built on reggae, dancehall and a large diaspora connection. Tourism is concentrated on the north coast around Montego Bay, Ocho Rios and Negril, while Kingston in the south is the cultural and business centre. It offers both large resorts and inland mountains and rivers.

Airports

Norman Manley International Airport (KIN) serves Kingston on the south coast. Sangster International Airport (MBJ) serves Montego Bay and handles most of the island's tourist traffic. Ian Fleming International Airport (OCJ) near Boscobel serves the Ocho Rios area with smaller aircraft. Negril and Port Antonio are reached by road or by small domestic carriers.

Main cities

Kingston is the capital, on the south coast, and the centre of Jamaican music and business. Montego Bay is the main tourist city and cruise port. Ocho Rios is a north-coast resort town near Dunn's River Falls. Negril, at the western tip, is known for its long beach and sunsets. Port Antonio in the northeast keeps a quieter, older character, and Falmouth is a north-coast town with a Georgian-era historic core and a cruise port.

Places to go

Dunn's River Falls near Ocho Rios is a terraced waterfall that visitors climb in a chain. Seven Mile Beach in Negril and Rick's Café on the cliffs are the west coast's main draws. The Blue and John Crow Mountains are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and include Blue Mountain Peak, Jamaica's highest point. The Bob Marley Museum is in Kingston, and his birthplace at Nine Mile is in the hills of Saint Ann. Rose Hall Great House is a restored plantation house near Montego Bay, and YS Falls in Saint Elizabeth is a set of cascades on private grounds. Port Royal, at the mouth of Kingston Harbour, was a 17th-century pirate town.

Getting there

Cheapest cached round-trip fare into Jamaica, refreshed every 6 hours:

Where to stay

Practical information

Frequently asked