With its lush Blue Mountains, turquoise waters, sandy beaches and infectious reggae beat, Jamaica charms visitors with its beauty as well as its personality. It’s the largest English-speaking island in the Caribbean, with a range of activities befitting its size. Visitors who vacation in Jamaica can hike, mountain bike, golf, ride horses, tour plantation houses and climb the renowned Dunn’s River Falls—all while falling under Jamaica’s laid-back spell.
Whether visiting Jamaica for a beach vacation, a family vacation or a honeymoon, you’ll have your pick from a range of hotels, from budget to luxury, offbeat to stately, and everything in between, including many all-inclusives. Most resorts are near the seaside towns of Montego Bay (known for its golf and historic great houses), Ocho Rios (home of Dunn’s River Falls and Bob Marley’s birthplace) and Negril (with its cliff-diving and famous Seven Mile Beach). Wherever you stay, you’ll find an endless array of activities on your Jamaica vacation
U.S. visitors arriving and departing by air must have a valid U.S. passport. It’s recommended that those arriving by sea also carry a valid U.S. passport (for the latest information on U.S. re-entry requirements, visit the U.S. State Department’s website, travel.state.gov). The minimum age to rent a car in Jamaica is 25. Driving is on the left, and not for the timid! U.S. visitors require a valid U.S. driver’s license to drive on the island. The weather in Jamaica is tropical, with temperatures ranging from highs of about 86°F in the winter to 90°F in the summer. Hurricane season is June to November. The rainiest month is October, and the driest months are December to April (high season). While the Jamaican dollar is the official currency, the U.S. dollar is widely used in Jamaica. For more information on travel to Jamaica, log on to the official website of the Jamaica Tourist Board, www.visitjamaica.com.