ARRIVING & DEPARTING
By Air
Donald Sangster International Airport (tel. 876/952-4001), in Montego Bay, is the most efficient point of entry for visitors destined for Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Runaway Bay, and Negril. Norman Manley
In Jamaica
Air Jamaica Express (tel. 876/952-5401 in Montego Bay or 876/923-8680 in Kingston), a new subsidiary of Air Jamaica, provides shuttle services on the island. Be sure to reconfirm your departing flight a full 72 hours in advance.
BUSINESS HOURS
Normal business hours for stores are weekdays 8-4, Saturday 8-1. Banking hours are generally Monday-Thursday 9-2, Friday 9-noon and 2:30-5.
EMERGENCIES
Police and air-rescue, tel. 119; fire department and ambulance, tel. 110. Hospitals
University Hospital (Mona, Kingston, tel. 809/927-1620), Cornwall Regional Hospital (Mt. Salem, in Montego Bay, tel. 809/952-5100), Port Antonio General Hospital (Naylor's Hill, Port Antonio, tel. 809/993-2646), and St. Ann's Bay Hospital (Near Ocho Rios, tel. 809/972-2272).Pharmacies
Jamaica Pegasus hotel (81 Knutsford Blvd. in Kingston, tel. 809/926-3690), McKenzie's Drug Store (16 Strand St. in Montego Bay, tel. 809/952-2467), and Great House Pharmacy (Brown's Plaza in Ocho Rios, tel. 809/974-2352).
By Bus
Buses are the mode of transportation Jamaicans use most, and consequently buses are extremely crowded and slow. They're also not air-conditioned, and rather uncomfortable. But service is fairly frequent between Kingston and Montego Bay and between other significant destinations. Schedule or route information is available at bus stops or from the bus driver.
By Car
Traffic keeps to the left in Jamaica, and those who are unfamiliar with driving on the left will find that it takes some getting used to. Please note that driving in Jamaica is a chore and can be extremely frustrating (not the way to spend a vacation). You must constantly be on guard--for enormous potholes, people and animals darting out in the street, and aggressive drivers.
CAR RENTAL
Jamaica has dozens of car-rental companies throughout the island. Because rentals can be difficult to arrange once you've arrived, you must make reservations and send a deposit before your trip. (Cars are scarce, and without either a confirmation number or a receipt you may have to walk.) You must be at least 21 years old to rent a car (at least 25 years old at several agencies), have a valid driver's license (from any country), and have a valid credit card. You may be required to post a security of several hundred dollars before taking possession of your car; ask about it when you make the reservation. Rates average $75-$100 a day. Best bets are Avis (tel. 800/228-0668 or 809/952-4543 in MoBay, 809/924-8013 in Kingston), Hertz (tel. 800/654-3131 or 809/979-0438 in MoBay), and National (tel. 800/227-3876 or 809/952-2769 in MoBay). In Jamaica, try the branch offices in your resort area or try Island Car Rentals (tel. 809/952-5771 in MoBay, 809/926-5991 in Kingston), United Car Rentals (tel. 809/952-3077), or Jamaica Car Rental (tel. 809/952-5586).
By Moped & Motorcycle
The front desks of most major hotels can arrange the rental of mopeds and motorcycles. Daily rates run from about $45 for a moped to $70 for a Honda 550. Deposits of $100-$300 or more are required. However, we highly recommend that you NOT rent a moped or motorcycle. The strangeness of driving on the left, the less-than-cautious driving style that prevails on the island, the abundance of potholes, and the prevalence of vendors who will approach you at every traffic light are just a few reasons to refrain from using these vehicles. If you want to venture out on your own, rent a car.
By Taxi
Some but not all of Jamaica's taxis are metered. If you accept a driver's offer of his services as a tour guide, be sure to agree on a price before the vehicle is put into gear. All licensed taxis display red Public Passenger Vehicle (PPV) plates. Cabs can be summoned by telephone or flagged down on the street. Rates are per car, not per passenger, and 25% is added to the metered rate between midnight and 5 AM. Licensed minivans are also available and bear the red PPV plates. JUTA is the largest taxi franchise and has offices in all resort areas.
HEALTH
Carry along some insect repellent and a strong sunscreen to avoid natural hazards. Sunburn or sunstroke can be serious. A long-sleeve shirt, a hat, and long pants or a beach wrap are essential on a boat, for midday at the beach, and whenever you go out sightseeing. Use sunblock lotion on nose, ears, and other sensitive areas, limit your sun time for the first few days, and be sure to drink enough liquids. Divers' Alert
Scuba divers take note: Do not fly within 24 hours of scuba diving.
LANGUAGE
The official language of Jamaica is English. Islanders usually speak a patois among themselves, a lyrical mixture of pidgin English, Spanish, and various African languages.
Airmail postage from Jamaica to the United States or Canada is less than J$1.50 for letters, J$1 for postcards.
TIPPING & MONEY
The Jamaican government abolished the fixed rate of exchange for the Jamaican dollar, allowing it to be traded publicly and subject to market fluctuations. Currency can be exchanged at airport bank counters, exchange bureaus, or commercial banks. Prices quoted here are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise noted. To find out the current rate of exchange click here.
Most hotels and restaurants add a 10% service charge to your bill. If not, a 10%-20% tip is appreciated.
Taxes
Hotels collect a 10% government consumption tax on room occupancy. The airport departure tax is J$500.
PACKING
Dress in Jamaica is light and casual. Bring loose-fitting clothes made of natural fabrics to see you through days of heat and humidity. Take a cover-up for the beaches, not only to protect you from the sun but also to wear to and from your hotel room. Bathing suits and immodest attire are frowned upon off the beach in some areas. A sun hat is advisable, but you don't have to pack one, since inexpensive straw hats are available everywhere. For shopping and sightseeing, bring walking shorts, jeans, T-shirts, long-sleeve cotton shirts, slacks, and sundresses. You'll need a light sweater for protection from the trade winds, and at higher altitudes. Evenings are casual, but "casual" can range from really informal to casually elegant, depending on the establishment. A tie is rarely required, but jackets are sometimes de rigueur in fancier restaurants and casinos. Electricity
The general rule in the Caribbean is 110 and 120 volts AC; pack a converter if this differs from the standard in your home country.
PASSPORTS & VISAS
Passports are not required of visitors from the United States or Canada, but every visitor must have proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate or a voter registration card (a driver's license is not enough). British visitors need passports but not visas. Each visitor must possess a return or ongoing ticket. Declaration forms are distributed in flight to keep customs formalities to a minimum. For detailed information regarding passports and visas click here and visit our links page. You may also use our search engine.
SAFETY
Police and air-rescue, tel. 119; fire department and ambulance, tel. 110. Do not let the beauty of Jamaica cause you to relax the caution and good sense you would use in your own hometown. Never leave money or other valuables in your hotel room; use the safe-deposit boxes that most establishments make available. Carry your funds in traveler's checks, not cash, and keep a record of the check numbers in a secure place. Never leave a rental car unlocked, and never leave valuables, even in a locked car. Finally, resist the call of the wild when it presents itself as a scruffy-looking native offering to show you the "real" Jamaica. Jamaica on the beaten path is wonderful enough; don't take chances by wandering far from it. And ignore efforts, however persistent, to sell you a ganja joint.
SIGHTSEEING TOURS
Half-day tours are offered by a variety of operators in the important areas of Jamaica. The best great-house tours include Rose Hall, Greenwood, and Devon House. Plantations to tour are Prospect, Barnett Estates, and Sun Valley. The Appleton Estate Tour uses a bus to visit villages, plantations, and a rum distillery. The increasingly popular waterside folklore feasts are offered on the Dunn's, Great, and White rivers. The significant city tours are in Kingston, Montego Bay, and Ocho Rios. Quality tour operators include Caribic Tours (tel. 809/952-4469), Glamour Tours (tel. 809/979-8415), Greenlight Tours (tel. 809/952-2650), and SunHoliday Tours (tel. 809/952-5629).
Air Tours
Helitours Jamaica Ltd. (tel. 809/974-2265) offers helicopter tours of Jamaica, ranging from 15 minutes to an hour at prices that vary accordingly ($65-$225).Land Tours
Blue Mountain Tours (tel. 809/974-0635) offers a daylong downhill bicycle tour of the mountains, which coasts down from 5,060 feet through coffee plantations and rain forests. The cost is about $80 and includes lunch. Maroon Tourist Attraction Co. (tel. 809/952-4546) leads tours from Montego Bay to Maroon headquarters at Accompong, giving visitors a glimpse of the society of Maroons, descendants of fugitive slaves, who live in Cockpit Country. Touring Society of Jamaica (tel. 809/975-7158 in Ocho Rios or 809/944-8400, fax 809/944-8408 in the Blue Mountains), operated by American Lynda Lee Burke, offers several ecotours, from birding in the Blue Mountains to the natural history of Cockpit Country. Valley Hikes (tel. and fax 809/993-2543) in Port Antonio offers guided hikes up the Rio Grande Valley or a combination hiking/rafting trip.Water Tours
Calico Sailing (tel. 809/952-5860, fax 809/979-0843) offers snorkeling trips and sunset cruises on the waters of MoBay; costs are $50 and $25 respectively. An Evening on the Great River (tel. 809/952-5047 or 809/952-5097) is a must for tour groups, yet fun nonetheless. The adventure includes a boat ride up the torch-lit river, a full Jamaican dinner, open bar, a native folklore show, and dancing to a reggae band. It costs around $60 per person with hotel pickup and return, less if you arrive via your own transport. Tours are offered Sunday-Thursday. Martha Brae River Rafting (tel. 809/952-0889) leads trips down the Martha Brae River, about 25 miles from most hotels in Montego Bay. The cost is just under $40 per raft (two per raft) for the 1 1/2-hour river run. Mountain Valley Rafting (tel. 809/952-0527 or 809/952-6388) runs trips down the River Lethe, approximately 12 miles (about 50 minutes) southwest of Montego Bay. The trip is about $40 per raft (two per raft), lasting an hour or so, through unspoiled hillside country. Bookings can also be made through hotel tour desks. Rio Grande Attractions Ltd. (tel. 809/993-2778) guides raft trips down the Rio Grande River. The cost is $40 per raft. South Coast Safaris Ltd. (tel. 809/965-2513) has guided boat excursions up the Black River for some 10 miles (round-trip), into the mangroves and marshlands to see the alligators, birds, and plant life, aboard the 25-passenger Safari Queen and Safari Princess. Undersea Tours MoBay (tel. 809/922-1287) offers you a good look at MoBay's marine sanctuary without getting wet by booking passage ($35) on a semisubmersible craft.
TELEPHONES
The area code for all Jamaica is 809. Direct telephone, telegraph, telefax, and telex services are available.
VISITOR INFORMATION
Tourist Offices
IN JAMAICA
The main office of the Jamaica Tourist Board is in Kingston (2 St. Lucia Ave., New Kingston, Box 360, Kingston 5, tel. 809/929-9200). There are also JTB desks at both Montego Bay and Kingston airports and offices in Black River (tel. 809/965-2074), Montego Bay (tel. 809/952-4425), Negril (tel. 809/957-4243), Ocho Rios (tel. 809/974-2570), and Port Antonio (tel. 809/993-3051).If you'd like to delve into the heart of Jamaica rather than simply explore her sybaritic pleasures, the tourist board will arrange for you to spend a little time with a local host family through the Meet the People program. They'll try to match interests, vocations, ages, etc., so you'll have some common ground. There's no fee involved (other than for activities you and your hosts might select); this is the best way to come to know the warmth and good companionship the island has to offer.
AT HOME
Before you go, contact the Jamaica Tourist Board (801 2nd Ave., 20th floor, New York, NY 10017, tel. 212/856-9727 or 800/233-4582, fax 212/856-9730; 500 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1030, Chicago, IL 60611, tel. 312/527-1296, fax 312/527-1472; 1320 S. Dixie Hwy., Suite 1100, Coral Gables, FL 33146, tel. 305/665-0557, fax 305/666-7239; 3440 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1207, Los Angeles, CA 90010, tel. 213/384-1123, fax 213/384-1780; in Canada, 1 Eglinton Ave. E, Suite 616, Toronto, Ontario M4P 3A1, tel. 416/482-7850, fax 416/482-1730; in the U.K., 1-2 Prince Consort Rd., London, SW7 2BZ, tel. 0171/224-0505, fax 0171/224-0551).
WHEN TO GO
The high season in Jamaica and throughout the Caribbean has traditionally been winter, usually extending from December 15 to April 14. This is when northern weather is at its worst, not necessarily when Caribbean weather is at its best. In fact, winter is when the Caribbean is at its windiest. It's also the most fashionable, the most expensive, and the most popular time to visit, and most hotels are heavily booked. You have to make your reservations at least two or three months in advance for the very best places (and sometimes a year in advance for the most exclusive spots). Hotel prices drop 20%-50% for summer (after April 15); cruise prices also fall. Saving money isn't the only reason to visit the Caribbean during the off-season. The flamboyant flowering trees are at their height in summer. Temperatures are only a few degrees warmer, and more and more hotels and restaurants are staying open year-round, so things aren't as dead-quiet as they used to be. September, October, and November are the least crowded, but hotel facilities can be limited and some restaurants may be closed. Generally speaking, there's more planned entertainment in the winter high season. Singles in search of partners should visit in high season or in summer, or choose a resort with a high year-round occupancy rate. Climate
Jamaica enjoys the Caribbean's fairly constant climate. Average year-round temperature for the region is 78°F-85°F. The extremes of temperature are 65°F low, 95°F high, but as everyone knows, it's the humidity, not the heat, that makes you suffer, especially when the two go hand in hand. You can count on downtown shopping areas being hot at midday any time of the year, but air-conditioning provides some respite. Stay near beaches, where water and trade winds can keep you cool, and shop early or late in the day.High places can be cool, particularly when the Christmas winds hit the peaks (they come in late November and last through January). Jamaica's mountain altitudes always offer an escape from the latitude. Kingston swelters in summer; climb 1,000 feet or so and everything is fine.
Hurricanes occasionally sweep through the Caribbean in fall, and officials on many islands are not well equipped to warn locals, much less tourists. Check the news daily, and keep abreast of brewing tropical storms by reading Stateside papers if you can get them. The rainy season, usually in fall, consists mostly of brief showers interspersed with sunshine. You can watch the clouds come over, feel the rain, and remain on your lounge chair for the sun to dry you off. A spell of overcast days is "unusual," as everyone will tell you.
Fishing Pier in Mammee Bay
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