Jamaican Vacations

...the major Jamaican destinations.
-[they are all listed at the bottom!]-

Jamaican vacations can be action-filled, relaxing, educational, and even inspirational. Jamaica, the third largest of the Caribbean Islands, offers something for every taste. Soak up the sun on the casual and relaxed, seven-mile beach at Negril. Explore Jamaica’s history at Rose Hall or the sunken former pirate city of Port Royal, near Kingston. Sample the spicy Caribbean Creole cuisine, or soar above the beach on a para-sailing adventure.

Montego Bay is Jamaica’s premier vacation destination. Its sheltered Doctor’s Cave Beach is one of the island’s most popular, and features calm and sparkling turquoise waters. Called “MoBay” by the locals, the city began as a Spanish outpost in 1511 before becoming a major British sugar port during their 18th and 19th century colonial rule. Today, the area is primarily a resort area and home to a dozen luxury beachfront resorts, such as the Tryall Club, the Ritz Carlton, and the Round Hill Resort and Villas. Montego Bay is also known for its scenic golf courses and cliffside celebrity mansions. History enthusiasts will enjoy visiting “Rose Hall,” a 19th century sugar plantation manor house and home to the legendary “White Witch of Rose Hall.”

Ocho Rios and the North Coast

Negril

Negril is famous for its spectacular seven-mile stretch of beach, one of the longest and most renowned in the Caribbean. It is also known for its casual and somewhat hedonistic lifestyle. This is not formal, British Colonial Jamaica. Dressing up in Negril is wearing shoes and a shirt. Life in Negril centers around the beach and the dramatic rock formations just beyond it. Casual eateries, watersports, and simple beachfront accommodations abound here. At the far end of the beach, larger resorts, such as Sandals and Hedonism, offer visitors more big-resort amenities. Negril first became popular for Jamaican vacations in the 1960s, yet the resort is still relatively uncrowded…and that’s part of the appeal.

Kingston

All Jamaican vacations should start at Kingston. Located on the southeastern coast of Jamaica, Kingston is the island’s capital and the center of much of its history and culture. The city dates from 1693, when the British moved their shipping port there after an earthquake destroyed nearby Port Royal. Visitors can still tour the remains of the former port city, infamous as a pirate’s haven, as well as Devon House, one of the most gracious mansions in Jamaica and the former home of the island’s first black millionaire. Kingston is Jamaica’s reggae capital and the home of the Bob Marley Museum, built at the singer’s former residence. Beach lovers won’t be disappointed. Kingston boasts a variety of scenic sandy expanses, including the secluded Lime Cay, a tiny island just beyond Kingston Harbor.

The Blue Mountains

Inland from Kingston, on the eastern side of the island, are the towering and mist-covered Blue Mountains. The upper elevations of the mountains are preserved in the 192-acre Blue Mountain – John Crow Mountain National Park. This is an excellent place for hikers, birdwatchers, and those looking the escape the bustling coastal resort atmosphere. You can even spend the night in the mountains. A handful of inns, such as the charming Strawberry Hill, provide elegant accommodations combined with sweeping panoramic views of the coastline far below. The Blue Mountains’ lower elevations are covered with the small coffee farms that produce world-famous Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee.

No matter where you spend your Jamaican vacation, you’re sure to enjoy the delightful island friendliness, sparkling sea views, and lush natural beauty. Consider making your vacation a Jamaican vacation this year.

Return to Home Page from Jamaican Vacations/Major Centres.