JAMAICA
TOURISM OVERVIEW:
Jamaica is among the the top Caribbean travel destinations and visited by
tourists all around the world. It is located just south of Cuba, in the
Caribbean Sea. Jamaica is the largest island of the Commonwealth Caribbean with
an area of 10,910 sq km. An estimated one million tourists enjoy Jamaica tourism each
year, so you can guess its not just the stunning beaches which the tourists get
attracted to, this island is loaded with great Jamaica tourism activities, nice weather,
beautiful scenery and exciting nightlife.
POPULAR TOURIST CITIES IN JAMAICA:
Jamaica tourism is truly the best in Caribbean and most of the major cities are
located on the coast and much of the inland area is occupied by the Blue
mountains. It is also considered a very family-friendly Caribbean tourism
destination. Jamaica has many craft fairs, street markets and Jazz festivals all
year long . It is blessed with winding rivers, lush green forests, picturesque
mountain ranges, beautiful beaches and fertile valleys.
Negril and Montego Bay are Jamaica tourism's two main coastal resorts.
Montego Bay is the second largest city in Jamaica and is the starting point of
tourism activity on the north coast.
Port Antonio is the famous for deep-sea fishing and a gateway to Blue Mountain
ad John Crow ranges.
Mandeville is famous for bird watching, caving and exploring the mountainous
regions.
Kingston has a great Jamaican culture and contains many historical sites and
botanical gardens.
Negril has great beaches and also has the famous Negril Lighthouse. Ocho Rios
has white sand beaches, stunning waterfalls and the many fern gardens.
Popular natural spots of Jamaica tourism include The Black River in South Coast with a
lot of mangrove trees, swamps, birds and crocodiles in the wild, Green Grotto
Caves in Discovery Bay for stalagmites and stalactites, Somerset Falls in Port
Antonio for waterfalls and rainforest, Martha Brae's Rafters Village for river
rafting, Blue Mountains exploration and hiking.
POPULAR JAMAICA TOURISM ATTRACTIONS AND ACTIVITIES:
Beaches are the biggest tourism attraction in Jamaica. The most popular beaches
are found along the north coast which stretch 150 miles from Negril to Port
Antonio. Popular beaches include Cornwall Beach and Doctors Cave Beach in Montego Bay. Seven Mile Beach in Negril, Treasure Beach in South Coast, Boston
Bay Beach in Port Antonio. The beaches of Montego Bay have white sand and offer
food, drinks and water sport activities, these waters are placid and crystal
clear and are ideal for families. The seven mile beach has golden sands that is
fine for families but have some nude beach patches. Treasure beach has crashing
waves and swimming can be tricky as the undertow could be dangerous. Boston bay
beach has the highest waves in Jamaica and great for surfing. Walter Fletcher
Beach is favored by locals. Rosehall Beach is gorgeous too. Ocho Rios Beaches
area is the cruise port capital of Jamaica and the bay is protected by reefs.
Booby Cay is also a popular spot for nude sunbathers. Some tourists like to ride
a bicycle through an elfin forest of beautiful soapwood and redwood trees and
hundreds of species of birds.
Scuba Diving:
It is most enjoyed in Montego Marine Park, dozens of tropical fish, their
environment and amazing coral reefs. Also the coral reefs and caves of Negril
along the coast are a snorkeller's and scuba diver's dream come true
River Rafting:
Great River or the Martha Brae River is quite popular, Bamboo rafting is popular
in Jamaica, this beautiful country has over 100 rivers and white water rafting
sites are discovered often.
Golf:
Jamaica tourism offers many world-class golf courses and many professional
championship tournaments are held each year. There are four championship golf
courses in Montego Bay alone. The six popular 18-hole golf courses are Wyndham
Rose Hall Club, Half-Moon Bay Golf Course, Tryall Golf Club, Sandals Ocho Rios
Golf Club, Cinnamon Hills Golf Club, Superclubs Ironshore Club and the White
Witch Golf Club. Negril Hills Golf Course is nestled in the beautiful hills.
Fishing, horseback riding and yachting is also popular in the Montego
Bay. Tennis, shopping and sightseeing are popular too. There are some
historic legendary plantation Great Houses in the countryside (like Rose Hall
and Belvedere Great House Estate ).
Authentic shopping in Jamaica includes Coffee , Rum , Paintings ,
Woodwork , Straw goods, clothes, cigars, Sauces, seasonings and Jams.
JAMAICA NIGHTLIFE:
Night life is the best in Montego Bay (Margueritaville Sports Bar & Grill, Time
n' Place), Ocho Rios (Little Pub, Jeff's) and Negril (Hedonism II, Treehouse
Restaurant) . Like much of the Caribbean, Jamaica's bars offer refreshing
tropical drinks as well as more traditional beverages. There are several disco
clubs that can be enjoyed by tourists.
HISTORY OF JAMAICA:
Jamaica was under Spanish occupation in 1494 and slave trade was very prominent.
In the year 1655 the island further went into the hands of British, which then
saw a dramatic rise in sugar production using the imported slave labour which in
turn resulted in a large increase of the black population in Jamaica. After a
series of revolts, slavery was formally abolished in 1834. Jamaica attained full
independence in the year 1962 when it broke away from Federation of the West
Indies.
DEMOGRAPHICS AND TRANSPORTATION:
Christians make up 65% of Jamaica's population and the official language is
English but most Jamaicans speak Jamaican Creole. About 90 percent of the
Jamaica population is from the people of West-African descent. Jamaican economy
relies mainly on agriculture, tourism, mining, manufacturing and financial
corporations. Traveling by road is the most popular within the islands and local
buses are much cheaper than taxis. Prices are usually higher in tourist areas
like Negril and Ocho Rios.
TOURIST SAFETY IN JAMAICA:
Some areas of Jamaica have a high level of violent crime and murder rates, a lot
because of drug trade like Marijuana. Unemployment in Jamaica is at a high.
Homosexuality is considered completely unacceptable and against the law.
Tourists should try to remain within the popular tourist places and check on
Department of state website for more safety guidelines. Medical facilities are
good but not great and dial 119 for police services if needed during Jamaica
tourism. Cultural respect
is important to most people and good manners should be displayed to everyone.
JAMAICA WEATHER:
The average yearly temperature range is between 78°F and 85°F, temperatures at
most range from a low of 65°F to a high of 95°F. Good weather is a big
attraction in Jamaica Tourism.
GETTING MARRIED IN JAMAICA:
Apart from regular Jamaican tourism, the weddings are becoming more and more
popular. There is relevant documentation required for the marriage to happen,
the registrar's office should be contacted for specific rules regarding planning
your destination or beach wedding in Jamaica, alternatively there are several
consultants available and you can get recommendation from your hotel too. The
Ministry of National Security, Mutual Life Building, 2 Oxford Road, Kingston 5,
Jamaica, Tel: 876 906 4908
Jamaica Tourism Board in the USA:
5201 Blue Lagoon Drive, Suite 670, Miami, FL 33126, USA
Website: www.visitjamaica.com
Jamaica Tourism Board in the UK:
1-2 Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2BZ, UK
Time:
GMT - 5.
Capital:
Kingston.
Language:
English
Religion:
Mostly Christian
Electricity Converter:
No particular standard,
You can find both 110 volts or 220 volts AC
Currency:
Jamaican Dollar
