Beaches, the Blue Mountains, waterfalls and the birthplace of reggae.
Before you go
When to go
December to April is dry and peak. Hurricane season runs June to November.
- Dry Dec–Apr
- Hurricane season Jun–Nov
- Warm year-round
- Cooler in the mountains
How long you need
Seven to ten days, usually one or two coastal bases.
- 7–10 days
- Negril, Ochi or Port Antonio
- Blue Mountains day trip
- Two airports
Getting around
Private transfers or hire car; roads are variable and driving is on the left.
- Drive on the left
- Private transfers common
- Two international airports
- Allow time for transfers
What to do
Dunn's River Falls, the Blue Mountains coffee estates, Port Antonio's quieter coast and the Bob Marley Museum.
- Blue Mountain coffee
- Dunn's River Falls
- Port Antonio is quieter
- Kingston for music history
Highlights
The north coast
Ocho Ríos for Dunn's River Falls and the Blue Hole, Montego Bay for resorts and the airport, Negril for the seven-mile beach and cliff jumping.
- Dunn's River Falls climb
- Negril's Seven Mile Beach
- Rick's Café at sunset
- Luminous lagoon at Falmouth
The Blue Mountains
Coffee estates at altitude behind Kingston, with hiking to the peak and the best coffee in the Caribbean.
- Estate tours
- Peak hike starts pre-dawn
- Cooler than the coast
- Under 2 hours from Kingston
Music and Port Antonio
Kingston for the Bob Marley Museum and Trench Town, and Port Antonio on the east coast for the quietest, greenest part of the island.
- Bob Marley Museum
- Trench Town Culture Yard
- Port Antonio's Blue Lagoon
- Reach Falls
Planning notes
Jamaica is bigger and more varied than the resort brochures suggest, and the east end around Port Antonio is a different holiday from Negril or Montego Bay. Roads are variable and transfers take longer than the distances imply, so many visitors use private drivers. Driving is on the left, which helps Australians. December to April is dry and peak; hurricane season runs June to November.
Where this leads
Blog attracts, things to do informs, tours convert — in that order.
- Journal in Jamaica
- Things to do in Jamaica
- Tours in Jamaica
- Talk to a Cooee travel specialist