Jamaica is a beautiful Caribbean island that attracts millions of visitors every year. With its warm climate, pristine beaches, and vibrant culture, it's no surprise that Jamaica is a popular vacation destination. However, when planning your trip to Jamaica, it's essential to pack the right items to ensure a comfortable and enjoyable stay. In this article, we'll discuss what to pack when visiting Jamaica.

Jamaica is a beautiful country located in the Caribbean, known for its stunning beaches, reggae music, and delicious cuisine. However, like citizens of many other countries, Jamaicans need a visa to travel to most countries around the world. Fortunately, there are some countries that Jamaicans can visit without a visa. In this article, we will explore these visa-free countries and provide tips and advice for Jamaicans who want to travel abroad.

Jamaica is a beautiful island in the Caribbean that is known for its breathtaking beaches, vibrant culture, and warm hospitality. While on vacation in Jamaica, tipping is a common practice that can show appreciation for the excellent service that you receive. However, the question remains: how much should you tip in Jamaica?

The Caribbean is a popular destination for travelers from all over the world. Whether you're planning a romantic getaway, a family vacation, or a solo adventure, there are plenty of airlines that can take you to the many islands of the Caribbean. In this blog, we'll highlight the top 10 airlines in the Caribbean and provide their contact information.

Greetings! Making my way back to Jamaica for the first time in over 20 years. I used to visit Port Antonio quite a bit and stayed up in the hills Ochy way as well. Visiting with my wife and 10 year old son who have never been before so we’d like to do a little tour. Thinking of landing in Mo Bay and heading to Porty first, then Ochy then Negril. 3 days or so in each and trying to stay in Jamaican owned AirBnB’s etc. So, about the car. What’s the going rate for 10 days or so? Is it better to book beforehand? Who should I avoid? Will take any other tips you can pass on. Getting excited about this. One love from Canada.

Wondering if it’s possible to get to the peak if I started in Ocho Rios in the morning . The plan right now is to drive a rental from Ocho Rios leaving at 7 am and getting to Mavis bank at 9 30am . Parking somewhere there and then getting a driver up to white field hall and hiking up from there. If I understand correctly from this point it’s about 7hrs up and down and it can be done without a guide during the day . Hopefully get back to the car by 6 pm and home to Ocho Rios by 8 -9 pm . Is this a realistic plan that is doable and does anyone know how much that driver would be from mavis bank or does anyone know a good person. Also where can I park in mavis bank ? Thanks in advance

I am heading to Jamaica tomorrow (I will be in both Negril and Montego Bay) and realized I have misplaced my vaccine card. I have a picture of my card, but not the actual vaccine card. Will this give me trouble anywhere? Are vaccine cards checked at all, and if so, does a photo suffice?

Heading to Jamaica for the first time for 10 days in May. Staying in Montego Bay. English couple, ~30. What are the best things to do, see, experience etc? For sure going to spend some time relaxing and doing nothing, but I love experiencing culture. Any ideas? Much love. Edit : already read the posts on generous tipping. Will be partaking.

What's up ya'll. I apologize in advance if this is a long post or if they're dumb questions. So I finally did it! I bookee everything last month my flight and Airbnb. Jamaica has been a dream trip of mine for a long time. I fly into Kingston on March 27th and I have an Airbnb in Hellshire Beach in Portmore! I have a couple of questions in advance. What is the best way to get good currency exchange without having to pay ridiculous fees when doing it. Also how does Uber operate in Jamaica? Is it just like everywhere else or is it different. Any advice is good! Thank you and bless up!

Hello. We are planning a trip to Jamaica with a few friends in January and Treasure Beach has really caught my eye. I really value experiencing the culture, cuisine, landscape of wherever I travel and from my research the St Elizabeth Parish sounds like a perfect match. For reference, we’ve done a lot of backpacking in our day and are both accustomed to all types of travel. My husband however has some concerns... 1) He’s a nature freak, loves mountains, wildlife and activity. Can’t lay around on the beach kind of person, and worries he’ll be bored staying a week here in comparison to the adventure opportunities in other areas of the island. 2) I’m pregnant as is our other friend, and we’ll be traveling with our two year old son. So he’s a bit paranoid about access to medical care in the area if one of us happens to need it. I’m not at all worried about the safety of the area otherwise. We were planning on hiring a driver to and from the airport as I read the roads aren’t the greatest. If anyone could help me persuade him about both of these issues I’d really appreciate it. Any tips about the area and recommendations on other places in Jamaica that may work for us are greatly appreciated !

This is likely going to be a long post, so I appreciate anytime you give to it, thank you. This is a big decision for me and my whole way of life, as I am sure you can imagine. With that, I really want to take the time to get into a few details about who I am and why I am doing this. To give context but also help convey how serious I am. I'm 29, and I do not have a lot of family. I have some decent friends but no sort of support system. I have been doing good on my own since I was 19. But just over this past year things have taken a turn. Being alone for so long, (actually... not even alone. More so just Lonely, If that makes sense.) It has turned me inward, I have done a lot of soul searching. Trying to do my best to be my own family. I have a lot of belief in myself but it is getting harder and harder to keep that up now-a-days. This introspection has gotten me to change, personality wise, in some areas and not in others. I have gotten rid of parts of myself I learned were hateful, angry, and just many other negative emotions. While locking on to things about myself I grew to appreciate, Take pride in, and things I want to keep around despite maybe what other say. I have come to terms with a lot about who I am, and I like myself. The reason I bring all that up is because I want to help convey where I am at in life a bit more. I am learning the people around me are not the best people to help somebody like me blossom. Which sucks, because the friends I have are some of the only "family" I have. But they do not help me to grow. Plus, I can ultimately always send them a post card. If anything they unwarily, but actively restrict me. A bigger example of this is just who I am and what I want to do in my life. I am confident I can run a business, I am confident I can be a good employee at other places of business, I am confident I could come up with many ideas to make a life for myself. Some sort of career. And not just settle on some generic 9 to 5 job. I'd like to make it clear that I am not blaming the people around me or anything. I Just realize it is side-effect from me being who I am in this environment. But this space that I am in... I can't evolve. I am never "seen", if that makes sense. I do not have people around me with the ambition I have, and I don't know where to find that in a place near me that I trust. Which brings me to another side of this, I am an America. If that wasn't obvious already. I don't really like my country. Not in a very negative personal way, It just doesn't fit what I want to be. I can't get a 9 to 5 job for 40 years and just be happy. I can't be in a society that is so one-track minded on what it means to be a functioning member of society. I want to go against the grain and find my own way. And of course, Doing things this way anywhere is bound to make things harder, I understand that. But in America you actively get mocked for being anything different. The political system is so extreme and uncommunicative. It just isn't the country I want to call home, and it isn't a country I have any sort of motivation to do anything like; Be a employee for a company that only see's you as a number, Or to start my own business, Or to do anything motivating on top of everything else I have been talking about. It is just a heavy mix of a ton of things that feel wrong to me. And I know I don't need to feel this way. I just want to find some people who are like minded in some aspects. Which is where you all come into play. Your country and what I hear about it sounds amazing. The people, the people sound PERFECT. Of course, this is a very subjective way to look at a whole country. But based of the way I see people who actually live there, the way they talk and react, I am confident I would be happy there. I am a very equal opportunity type of person, I am on Team Humanity at the end of the day. Your equal view on gender, is so refreshing and makes me happy because I am kind of shy, haha. So honestly, I would think an environment like that would make things more comfortable for somebody shy like me. I have also heard, you all tell people how it is. You don't sugar coat things for the sake of keeping a smile and avoiding conflict. For me, that is EVERYTHING. Meeting people who are petty, hide, and avoid everything are pretty much all the people I meet. (I'd like to make that very clear, to show how much that is lacking here in America. Even if I had no money, no skills or anything. This fact alone, about not sugar coating things, would be enough for me to move their and risk homelessness) Along with many other aspects about your country and culture I am starting to really like. Anymore insight into the type of culture and philosophies you all have, would be VERY appreciated. So in a bit of a summary, From age 19 onward I have been going super fast. (With no family, and some friends far off in the distance, as from age 19 - 27 I traveled a lot. Just trying to figure out life on my own. With a few small pit stops and bumps along the way.) I figured it out enough to get stable and finally take time to REALLY think about everything, about mainly who I am and what I want in life. With that, over this past year, things really started to get weird for me. I got depressed and secluded, but I also grew. I realized a lot about myself. I grew to appreciate myself, that I want a better life, and I don't want to be lonely anymore. But then I came to the realization that I can not stay where I am at and continue to grow the way I need/want to grow. I need a healthy more supportive environment. So... I took stock of places in my country and realized I basically hate my country now, too. To which my search continued outside of the country and I have finally landed on Jamaica. After tons of consideration about culture, the people, the climate, and the economics of all the places I looked into, I have landed on you all. None of the other places I looked into spoke to me the way your country is. So I would really like to be apart of it. And now for some of the more practical and/or tangible things about my situation that should effect all this. I'll start with the more bad, and go into the more positive aspects. First, I do not like to drive. But I have already talked about so many things I am not going to get into why. Just know it is serious for me and I have figured it out in every other place I have been without having a car, it does not bother me. (Being a bit more healthy and getting a bicycle and traveling a few miles to work is normal and I like it) Secondly, I do have money saved up to likely be able to stay in Jamaica comfortably for 6-12 months but not much more outside of that. I would like to start/create something within that time frame. Whether it be finding a job for a respectable company or creating my own company with something I can bring to the table, or working with a group of people with the same ambitions as me to come up with a career/business. Thirdly, I have a dog but looking into it, that is going to just be a lot of paperwork, ultimately. So not sure how much that is a problem or not. As for some of the more positive aspects; If I find a company I respect, I am super loyal and ambitious. I just need to know my work is going towards something positive and I will get whatever needs to be done, done. I worked in mobile tech support for over 4 years. I had other, more manual labor type jobs, sprinkled around when I was younger. I am very familiar with computers. So manual labor or a desk job doesn't bother me either way. As I said, Ultimately I want to work for a good company. With that idea still in mind, the best way I would want to solve this would be just making my own sort of income/job/business. So I am very ambitious toward that. If I happen to get lucky, working for some sort of ambitious start-up company would be ideal. I have good leadership skills, and a good leader also knows how to follow/work with a team. I know how to grow weed, and shrooms (if that is important or not?). I am passionate and waiting for a chance to break into something more creative and idea orientated. (I am also a night owl) ((Oh I am also A guy and white. If that matters in anyway)) (((Oh-Oh and I lost my job to Covid, so I am not currently working right now))) All of that was more so a "just in case" kind of thing. Ultimately what I am looking for is more-so just like minded people, rather than some job. I am confident if I just found a good environment with good people, I would be able to figure out the money side of things easily for myself. Too wrap things up, I liked to just express the main purpose of this post. I am looking for any sort of help to help me reach this goal of moving to Jamaica, In any sort of form. Even criticism, as I am sure many people would just consider me crazy. So as long as you can give me a reason or something, I am happy to hear it. Other, more positive things I was considering/hoping for was; Ways I can find people I can vibe with and ultimately lay down some quality roots to have a quality support system. As well as, People for connections. People I could contact and talk to for a possible job, living arrangement, and other quality of life things I would need to learn. Advice on any part of this process, advice on any part of Jamaica specifically, advice on the culture. Reassurance that maybe I am not crazy, and that you all are pretty cool people. Advice on types of jobs I could look into? Jobs I would be qualified for and maybe just jobs in general. I would love if any of you reached out for me to able to contact you more openly. For me to ask questions, for you to ask questions, and whatever else. I will literally be flying blind here in so many ways. I do understand the risks, which is a bit part of this, honestly. I do good under pressure and I want to experience the culture shock. I want to shock my comfort system to force myself to doing things I know I will be proud of. So if you could try to take all this into consideration and come up with anything to help me out, I would appreciate it. Thank you for your time.

So I want to go on a vacation to Negril with my girlfriend but I am not vaccinated. Is this a problem to go to Jamaica? And I heard of the resilient corridor, is it still in effect or not anymore? If it is, can I still go outside of it or Also is Negril nice? How much should I be expecting to pay for food on a day to day basis? There's no food with the hotel package so..

I’m going to Montego Bay next week for 6 days and I want to know what is the best things to do there? Do you guys have some tips for travelers? I’m staying at the Hilton inclusive resort, if you have any insight on that as well. ***The airport strike has ended

I recently returned from a trip to Jamaica. I stayed at a resort in Montego Bay. The staff there was very nice and I believe they were genuinely friendly, but there were things I wondered about. For example, several staff members told us they commute over 90 minutes to work, and only get one day off per week when the resort is full. I understand that the Jamaican economy depends a lot on tourism and that the tips that you stand to earn at a high-end resort probably result in those employees making good money, but it's hard work dealing with a lot of entitled attitudes of guests. Obviously it's hard to get a real sense of that just staying at a walled-off resort in a touristy area. I'm just wondering what the general attitude is there about tourists from the United States. What do they really think about them?

I am looking to see just every day life of regular Jamaicans. I am planning to see Kingston downtown and visit coronation market as well. I’m looking for other suggestions. Thanks ! Edit: I am looking for all socioeconomic activities like malls, markets, concerts, etc

Hi! I am reading conflicting information about whether you can buy a SIM card at the Montego Bay airport. Does anyone have any recent information confirming one way or another? Thank you!

Young couple, 24 yrs want to go to Jamaica. We both have never been. I’m not opposed to an adults only resort like the Zilara if there’s access to I guess a family side? I don’t want to be around little kids all day but I also don’t want to be sitting in silence with old people. Right now the resorts I’ve been looking at are -Hyatt Ziva Rose -Hyatt Zilara -Hilton Rose Hall -Jewel Grande -Moon Palace Any thoughts on these? Thinking of going for 4 nights, 5 days either June or August depending on cheapest flights & matching it with the resort. August makes me a little nervous bc of rain. I’ve been to 1 all inclusive resort in Punta (got food poisoning and it was cloudy the whole time in Sept.)

Looking for things to do for an open minded, adventurous Canadian couple and our 10 year old son. Planning on a 3 day visit. Thinking Boston Beach one day, rafting on the Rio Grand another and Reach Falls. Are these all legitimate options still? I haven’t been to Port Antonio since maybe 1990!! Thanks for any help. Big up to Jamaica!

I've had a lovely family friend show me around the southern part of the island. He's taken me from the airport in MoBay to my family's spot New Market. Also taken me to family in Portland. He's taken me to several amazing restaurants in the New Market area and we're going to Negril today. I leave tomorrow and wanted to him something to show my appreciation. What would be a fair amount to give him?

i'm booking a trip to jamaica and wanted some feedback on which resort is better for a party crowd and solo travellers. thoughts? if you have other suggestions for places, please advise. however, i'd like to keep costs down. i know hedonism II is overly priced so that's a no.

I am an experienced female solo traveller, but would still like to avoid neighbourhoods that are dangerous, so any advice on that would be great. I’m also not a person to stay in a resort the whole time and will be exploring the whole country as much as I can including Kingston using public transport (will likely use Knutsford Express). I am landing and leaving from Montego Bay. I think I will stay one day/one night in Montego Bay and visit the beach (doctor’s cave beach?), and maybe Rose Hall Great House if it’s worth it. I plan to visit Kingston and Ocho Rios as well. I would appreciate any other recommendations. I’m planning a packed itinerary to see as much as possible. Thank you!

Does my passport have to be valid for 6 months or only valid during my time there?

Hello! My bf and I will be going to Jamaica winter 2023. After \~1 week of vacation there, we are going to be working remotely. I can't decide where is the best place to set up base: Port Antonio or Treasure Beach? I know they are both amazing, but here are some deciding factors I'm having issues finding answers to: \- **Internet quality**? We both have to use Microsoft Teams a lot for audio & video calls, and using browsers \- **Groceries**? We are not big cooks and will often eat out a lot, but we still need basics for breakfasts and some meals etc \- **Transportation**? We are not planning on renting a car, as we can't drive on the left. We would rent mopeds, bicycles, or walk and take buses \- **Safety**? We are well traveled and both grew up in developing countries, so we know the street smarts, but we would still take safety in consideration In terms of activities we like to do, we're big beach bums but love to do nature sight-seeing in the weekends. If we end up choosing Treasure Beach to set up base, we'd then visit Port Antonio during our week off :) Another option could be splitting the time between Port Antonio & Treasure Beach?

What it says in the title. Morning trip, one piece of luggage, leave in the morning return before night.

Hey yall, Im visiting my family in Ochi in a few months for the first time in some years. I was looking for something to do around the area, as my family is older and I don’t have many friends my age (early 20s) outside of Kingston. Any ideas? Also, does Ochi have Uber now or will I mainly have to travel by taxi?

Next week we (Americans) will be staying at a resort in Lucea for 1 week. Anything we should know about the area? Cool must-see stops while we're there? How is the area after the recent hurricane? We're very excited about the trip, but neither of us have been to Jamaica before and don't know what to expect.

Hey y’all, looking to travel to Jamaica in Oct to surprise my partner for his bday. Also traveling is fun 😛 I would love to backpack around to save money but also get a feel for the place…rather than a resort or something. But I’m unsure where to start! Love to hear any recs on locations, how to travel around (taxis, trains, buses, etc) and any lovely spots, as well as any other advice folks have! I’m a White female and he’s a black male in our late 20s for reference.

Hello guys, I am traveling to Jamaica, but when I booked my trip they put me to arrive at Kingston’s airport m but my hotel is located at Montego Bay. And all the transfer\ shuttle quotation are very expensive! Do you guys, know any transfer/ shuttle service with a reasonable price? Thank you

Based on what I know there’s only one domestic airline in Jamaica and they mostly due private, charter flights usually connecting tourists to Mbj, negril, Boscobel, Kingston and negril. They don’t seem to entertain passenger service. As such if low cost domestic services were introduced as an alternative to cut driving time between relevant towns and the stress of public transport , do you think that might work? Public hesitancy, challenge of keeping price low/affordable and push back from ground transportation services seem to be the obvious obstacles. NB: by passenger plane I mean those that are designed for short and mid range flights like [Embraer](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embraer_ERJ_family) or [bombardier](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombardier_CRJ100/200) jets with between 35 to 50 seats. Edit: this is a hypothetical especially if rail service isn’t restored. Rail probably would render this and other current modes obsolete but rail isn’t coming back any time soon it seems.

I am going to be in Runaway Bay, and I wanted to tour around Kingston and do a food tour that I am planning. Does anyone know of a driver for a day? Please get in touch with me. Thank you!

Hello all. I and a friend will be traveling to Montego Bay in a few days. I made the dumb mistake of flying into Kingston. What would you all recommend for a safe and reliable travel to Montego Bay? I know probably the obvious choice would be to get a rental but just wanted to get some inside intel on what anyone else would do. Thanks in advance!

Me (f23) and my cousins (f28 and m26) have come from England to see our family out in the country of St Catherine’s parish. We haven’t been able to visit beaches yet but I saw there are a few in St Ann’s just north of here. Do you man know of any free(cheap up to J$600/person) beaches up in St Ann’s? Like nice water, chill, big, doesn’t have to be in an urban area/town, doesn’t have to be touristy. Can be in Ochi, but preferably want a quite area tho.

What’s up everyone. Really hoping some locals/residents can provide some insight for me. After looking through many of the Caribbean/Central America destinations, I decided that Jamaica made most sense for my family to visit for one of our final vacations before we begin to start our own careers/families. The mixture of the energetic/lively culture and breathtaking views make it seem like the perfect destination. I’m a male in my early 20’s who’s very social and active, and has a general knowledge of Jamaican culture as my great friend of the past 10 years is Jamaican and has introduced me to a lot. I listen to the classics like Vybez Kartel, Popcaan, Buju Banton, etc, have had home made beef patties, jerk chicken, and oxtail, and jokingly speak Patois with my bro. Even the scenes of TopBoy shot in Jamaica had me hyped. I lay that out just as some context, and to differentiate myself from the majority of honey-moon or suburban family oriented groups who come to Jamaica to enjoy commercialized food on the beach from the comfort of their resort (which is completely justified in certain circumstances). I have the following **questions**: * What area do you recommend? It seems Montego Bay, Kingston, and Negril are most frequented by foreigners. I’ve chosen Montego Bay based on the following – let me know if it is accurate * *Montego Bay* – great balance of resorts/vacation and culture (if you decide to pursue the culture, and venture outside of your resort). Unlike Negril where the beaches are isolated, instead you have access to a large city as well as many tourist activities such as Bamboo rafting, horse riding, and even local food spots * *Kingston* – although the history runs deep and rich, and it is a major city – the lack of beaches, views, and rumours of crime are something that have eliminated the option * *Negril* – amazing beaches, but seems far too isolated to be able to experience even a taste of true Jamaican culture. The “hotspots” just seem to be Rick’s café – how much culture can you truly experience from an established venue frequented mainly by tourists? * What will the weather be like in late August? Also what tourist “season” is late August generally referred to as - Is it a rush, empty, moderate? And lastly, is there anything special or unique going on in Montego Bay during late August? * What would you recommend we do? We plan on staying at an all-inclusive resort in Montego Bay, but my family has huge a interest in other cultures. We are well travelled, and have also lived in grimy third-world countries riddled with poverty and crime for multiple years in the past. I provide all that information to say; we can handle ourselves in high-pressure situations, and are not immediately scared off at the claims of crime in Jamaica – although a better, more authentic explanation on what to expect would be highly appreciated. Also, I would love to immerse ourselves with the locals and party/dine with them at their functions * What genuine experiences would you recommend for a family with a high tolerance and able to navigate certain situations (we’ll also have a Jamaican driver/companion to help us) – I’m personally tryna go out at night to the block parties/functions and catch a gyal wine on me n teach me summ LOL. Any thoughts? * Where would you recommend to eat? Honestly, I kinda want to avoid an all-inclusive resort just so we have an excuse to eat in the city every day and have some real, authentic Jamaican food. Whether its hidden gems, or classic street vendors. We love it all (Side note: 1 family member is vegetarian, will their be options for them? Everyone raves about the fruits and veggies in Jamaica) * What are some “classic tourist” activities that would be recommended, but actually are fulfilling/enjoyable? I definitely want to visit the Bamboo rafting, possibly the Usain Bolt museum, and horse riding on the beach. Anything else you’d recommend? * What is the best way to meet up with locals? Again, we love immersing ourselves in the culture, and we generally find trips turn out much better when a local takes a liking to you, and would like you to join them in their activities. I would genuinely appreciate any information to any of these questions. I understand I’ve asked a lot, but this is how I show respect to the country and area as I want to experience everything it has to offer in its entirety. I’d really appreciate those individuals who’ve lived there for a while, have grown up there, or have had vacations in a similar structure. If your vacation to Montego Bay consisted solely of getting drunk and eating hamburgers on the beach then I’m afraid your advice/suggestions would most likely not align with what I’m seeking.

I can apreciate a good hustle, I even enjoy it, do it all the time as an artist. But even my white tourist ass knows 20usd for sugar cane and keneppe is way too much. So how hard are beach vendors usually upcharging, should I start negotiating at half price? Ps: I dont mind paying a little extra for things, this is how these people make a living and i respect that

The guide I talked to quoted me at $30000JMD and that is more expensive than I would like to spend. From what I’ve read, the trail itself is easy to navigate and hard to get lost on so I’m thinking of doing it on my own. Does anybody know a good way to get 4x4 transport from Kingston to Penlyne Castle?

Howdy! I'm a a single 40s male, looking to spend a week in Jamaica next month, laying on a pristine beach, going on excursions and immersing myself in the local culture. I've looked at Montego Bay, Negril and Ocho Rios and frankly can't decide. Aside from the criteria above, I'll be traveling solo this trip and want to avoid an area and especially resort that is all or primarily couples, honeymooners, etc. Thanks so much for any suggestions.

So my family and I are planning a trip to Jamaica this summer and being completely new to the country and knowing very little other than jerk chicken and Bob Marley we are looking for some advice one the best things to see and do while in Negril. We really want to learn more about the culture, the local people, the food etc. We are likely going to stay at a resort and will be flying in from the USA. It looks like Negril is around an hour drive from the airport, does this sound right? How are things priced compared to the US if you have experience? It looks like the USD is 1vs130ish Jamaican dollar but that doesn’t tell me much about for example a cab ride or what things in shops cost. What are good things to do to safely experience the best the country has to offer? We aren’t against touristy stuff but we really like to learn about the place we travel to. I think it’s important that we and our children are able to see how others live and we enjoy teaching them acceptance and understanding of people of all kinds. We have unfortunately heard horror stories of crime from friends, is it e really as prevalent as people are telling us? Any tips for a pasty white group of tourists to stay safe and experience the area? 😁 Thanks in advance for any information you can provide.

I am from the US and I am used to tipping for service. We will be going to a Couples resort that has a no tipping policy. From what I've read these resorts are pretty strict with the policy, and I certainly do not want to get am employee in trouble. But before I book, I wanted to make sure that couples (and sandals), pay their employees a fair wage to make up for the lack of tips. Do these resorts pay better than other resorts? Are their employees treated fairly?

Just curious as I read on here a while back that “Jamaica has enough tourists”

Hello! My boyfriend and I want to go to the caribbeans for 4-6 weeks next winter (jan-march, exact dates undecided) to work remotely and travel. Last year we went to Puerto Escondido in Mexico and loved it, and this time we really want to go to Jamaica, as I've always been fascinated by it. People keep saying how dangerous Jamaica is - is it really that bad in 2022? We wouldn't want to stay in a resort or stick to all-resort strips, only visiting jamaica with hotel tours... It's really not our style. With some good intelligence (not walking around with lots of money, staying somewhere safe, etc etc...), would it really be that unsafe still? Also - recommendations are the most welcome!!:) edit: for reference, we are both well-traveled and have grown up in developing countries, but we know each country is different. thank you!

I’m soon visiting Jamaica for a vacation, and can’t find recent info on what I do with my ADHD medication. A trip advisor from like ten years ago is giving me real mixed info. I’m seeing that people “just take it”, or “have never been stopped”, and then others who are like “legally, you need to get a permit”… but, all the contact info I have is outdated. I’m panicking a little. Anyone got any experience with this?

I have family in Jamaica and come to visit them periodically (usually about 3 times a year in normal times). My family is upper middle class in Jamaica and they live very comfortably in a gated villa. We interact with locals regularly but I know there is a large part of Jamaican society that I’m completely sheltered from. Every so often we go and stay at the resorts. I’ve stayed at maybe 7 or 8 resorts in various parts of Jamaica. There is a question that has been gnawing at the back of my mind that I’d love to get peoples’ thoughts on that I feel like my family hasn’t been able to answer adequately. All the people working at these resorts seem very respectful and cheerful, etc. I know they’re paid to do that, and I also see some of them play up the whole Jamaican act (ie. “Yah Mon!”) for tips. Some of them seem to genuinely enjoy their jobs. So my question is how much do the resorts serve to increase the quality of life for these folks? They’re constantly exposed to foreigners with money, see how they live, see how they’re served, and see massive amounts of consumption that may not be the norm in their day to day lives. Does all of this have a positive impact on their lives? Does it create potential resentment? Is it just a job that they believe is detached from an unattainable reality? Or does it inspire them to achieve more? Not sure if there is a right answer, hence why it has a discussion flair. Would love your thoughts!

Hello, American born here looking for some insights. Both my parents were born in Jamaica including my oldest brother. I (24M) have always loved the Island since a child where my mom would occasionally take me there in the summers. I fell in love with land, the people, the beaches, just about everything you can think of. It’s to the point i want and will retire in Jamaica one day. So the point i’m tryna get is, is it worth getting a dual citizenship? Any input would be lovely, thank you!

I've heard that when you travell to Jamaica it's highly recommended that you do not leave the hotel especially for white people. Is it true because I think Jamaica is a beautiful country and it would be a big shame if I ever travell there for basically nothing.

We're taking a delayed honeymoon since it wasn't in our budget when we got married last year. So, after widdling it down from 7,000 islands to just a few, we decided on Jamaica. It has everything we want to do, including swimming with dolphins, scuba/snorkeling, hiking, off-road jeep tours, etc. So we're looking at RIU Palace Tropical Bay in Negril. It's within our budget, right on the beach, and has everything we would need. Is there any reason we wouldn't want to stay there? Sometimes reviews online can't be trusted. It looks great for the price, but before we commit, I just wanted to double check through you all in case there's something we should know. Also, and more importantly, is Negril a good place to stay to begin with to see the actual culture of Jamaica? From what Inread, it's better than Montego Bay for what we're looking for. Yes, in Negril we'll still be at a resort on the beach. It's obviously a tourist destination, and we do want to relax and be tourists because we're going on our honeymoon. But we also want more than just the beach experience -- we can do that in the U.S. We're interested in the awesome parts of Jamaica you don't see in vacation/honeymoon advertisements. We'd also like to know of any common tourist mistakes or annoyances. We don't want to be assholes when visiting, but we don't know much about hit country. So please, I'm all ears. Also, if you all just don't want any American tourists at all, and if you hate us all before we even arrive, I'd like to know that, too. I get it and understand. Americans suck sometimes. Anyway, I'm at work and typed this quickly, so I didn't get all of my thoughts out. But please, tell me anything that comes to your mind that you think a visitor should know. Planning a trip to a country you've never been to is realky difficult without the help from those who have. So we greatly appreciate any info you're willing to provide. Thank you all im advance!

Hubby (teacher) and I (self employed) have booked a trip to Sandals South Coast in early April of 2023 (his spring break). We are spending a pretty good chunk of change because we haven't ever been on a "luxury" vacation and haven't traveled at all during COVID so we're ready for a splurge. We are staying in a beachfront walk-out one bedroom butler suite in the Italian Village. Because hubs is a history teacher he would love to visit at least one, possibly more, historical sites or museums that aren't a 3-hour drive from Whitehouse/Sandals South Coast. I'm also not super thrilled with the number of tours/offsite activities that are being promoted on the Sandals website, so I'm now wondering if there's good suggestions for any private tours/drivers that we might be able to contract on our own. It's our first time in Jamaica and I love nature, he loves history, and we're both in love with food. I mean, I kind of daydream about eating "real" jerk from a small stand, we've never had ackee, I'd love to taste some real pepper pot. I have it in my brain that the "jerk shack" at the Sandals resort is going to be softened for tourists. Is there such a thing as a Jamaican food tour? Are there any historic sites within an hour of Whitehouse/Sandals SC that are worth seeing? Are there any private tour guides/providers that also do the standard trips that are marketed through Sandals like visits to (any) falls, etc.? Anything that's a must-see or must-do in that area? I'm a person who has traveled a lot in Mexico, I speak Spanish, and so when we do visit Mexico we end up spending a lot of our time eating with/hanging out with locals, but I understand that my expectations should probably be a little different in this case. Thank you very much in advance for any ideas/thoughts/experiences with Sandals SC, recommendations of favorite things at that Sandals, or favorite staff, any particular butler we should request, anything like that. We have already booked our flights and our MoBay as I've been told that will shave time and stress off of arrival and departure.

I'm a Male in my mid-twenties coming to MoBay with my family from Canada. We are staying at Secrets Wild Orchid. We currently don't have much planned in our itinerary. We chose MoBay over Negril as it served as a better area to understand the people and culture of Jamaica better, and see the day-to-day life as well as enjoying a resort. We will most likely spend 3 full days at the resort, as well as 3 days split between the resort and venturing into the city. For the 3 days we venture into the city/partake in activities - I'm currently thinking we do: * Bamboo Rafting * Horseback Riding * Hip Strip * Doctor's Cave Beach * Pier 1 (Mainly for me LOL) What else would you reccommend? Ideally we could hire a driver for 1-3 days that require further travel. Also, what would you reccommend with currency exchange? We carry Canadian cash. Thank you!

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There are indeed, many wonderful places to enjoy your vacation in Jamaica, but some of them might not be suitable for a family. The needs of children and the needs of adults are not often adequately provided for in one location.

Getting around town and out of town can be a real hassle...even risky.

Whether you are in need of accommodation or somewhere to host your wedding, you need to find a place that gives you your money's worth- the best bang for your buck.