THINGS TO DO:
CITIES TO DO THINGS IN:
KINGSTON:
Kingston, the capital of Jamaica, is located on the southeastern coast of the island. There are two major sections to this city: 'downtown' and 'uptown.' Kingston was for some time Jamaica's only city and is still the commercial and cultural capital. You will notice that the city is assigned the equivalent of zip codes, (Kingston 5, Kingston 10, etc.) which is a good representation of how truly large this city is, especially for an island such as Jamaica.
MONTEGO BAY:
Commonly referred to as Mo Bay, Montego Bay on the island's north shore, is the second city in Jamaica, after Kingston. Montego Bay has long since earned the title of 'tourist capital of Jamaica.' It receives the bulk of international flights, being home to Sangster International Airport, the larger of Jamaica's two main international airports.
- Phillip Country Tours, ☎ 404-213-1422 .
- John Halls Montego Bay Adventure Tour. Adults: 63.00 Children:31.50.
- Montego Bay Sea Trek Adventure. 1 hour. US$60.
- No Problem, ☎ (876) 381- 3229. Full day Charter: US $780.00 Half day Charter: US $400.00.
- Doctor's Cave Beach, Gloucester Ave., ☎ 876 952-2566 . 8:30AM-Sunset. The water is crystal clear and snorkeling is available. It can get a bit crowded during busy season, but its still a great place to go for the family. US$5/2.50 (Adults/Children under 12) - Extra for chairs and umbrellas.
- Cornwall Beach, ☎ 876 952-3463 . 9AM-5PM. US$3.20/2 (Adults/Children).
- Walter Fletcher Beach, ☎ 876 979-9447 . M-Th 9AM-7PM, F-Su 9AM-10PM. US$5/3 (Adults/Children).
- Croydon Plantation This coffee and pineapple plantation situated in the Catadupa mountains is the birthplace of Jamaican national hero Samuel Sharpe, and is open to visitors. 25 miles from Montego Bay.
NEGRIL:
Negril is famous for its miles of white sand beaches. One of the most beautiful towns in Jamaica, it has a more laid back atmosphere than that of Montego Bay. When you stay at a hotel on the beach you are literally on the beach when you walk out of the beachside of your hotel. You have probably never seen water this clear. You will probably not find water this warm. You will be amazed at how far out you can walk in the water before it gets up to your neck. The water is gentler and the sand is whiter(smaller grained aka softer) the farther down(away from town) you are. The end of the beach down by the all-inclusives is the whitest. Taking a snorkeling tour in one the glass bottom boats is highly recommended.
OCHO RIOS:
Commonly referred to as Ochi, Ocho Rios is located on the northeastern shore of Jamaica. A popular destination for cruise ships and tourists alike, it features a bulk of resorts and tourist attractions. There are many conveniences, such as supermarkets and restaurants.
- Dolphin Cove, Highway A3, Phone: +1 876-974-5335 or +1 876-795-0484 . Daily 8:30AM-5:30PM. Dolphin encounters and swims.
- Shaw Park Botanical Gardens
- Coyaba River Garden
- Chukka Cove Adventures
PORT ANTONIO:
Tucked away on the eastern point of the island, Port Antonion is still relatively unknown by most tourists, but it has for years been the hideaway of royalty and stars alike. It is easy to see why. Its seclusion is what gives this town its charm. The beaches are beautiful, albeit a bit rocky. However the seclusion from throngs of other tourists is a huge payoff. The people are extremely friendly, and the whole city rings with a unique character all its own. Besides sight seeing, there are many things to do in Port Antonio. Of course, you can go to the beaches and just lay out in the sun or you can surf, the beaches have good waves. In Rio Grande Valley of Antonio, one can either go hiking or rafting on the Rio Grande River. Finally, like most paces, you can go fishing.
DESTINATIONS:
- Black River
- Blue Mountains
- Cave Valley
- Nassau Valley
THINGS TO BUY:
- Always stay up-to-date on the exchange rate and carry a calculator. It's easy to assume everything will be inexpensive when US$1 is the equivalent of JA$71.30 (27 Oct 07), but you'll want to avoid paying US$9 for a bottle of imported shampoo. Buy products made on the island. They are cheaper and you are supporting the local economy.
- Prices are usually higher in tourist areas like Negril and Ocho Rios. Shops in "tourist traps" usually have higher prices than native ones, and you'll see the same items on offer in them.
THINGS TO EAT:
- Jamaican food is a mixture of Caribbean dishes with local dishes. Although Jamaican food gets a reputation for being spicy, local trends lean towards more versatile food variety. Some of the caribbean dishes that you'll see in other countries around the region are rice and peas (which is cooked with coconut milk) and patties (which are called empanadas in spanish speaking countries). The national dish is Ackee and saltfish, and MUST be tried by anyone visiting the island. It is made with the local fruit called Ackee, which looks like scrambled eggs, but has a unique taste of its own and dried codfish mixed with onions and tomatoes. You probably won't get a chance to try this food anywhere else, and if you really want to say that you did something uniquely Jamaican, then this is your chance. This is 100 times better than the tinned ackee. Another local food is called bammy, which was actually invented by the Arawak (Taino) Indians. It is a flat floury cassava pancake normally eaten during breakfast hours that kind of tastes like corn bread. There is also hard-dough bread (locally called hard do bread), which comes in both sliced and unsliced varieties. Try toasting it, for when it is toasted, it tastes better than most bread you'll ever eat. If you are looking for dishes with more meat in them, you can try the jerk flavoured foods. The most popular is jerk chicken, although jerk pork and jerk conch are also common. The jerk seasoning is a spice that is spread on the meat on the grill like barbeque sauce. Keep in mind that most Jamaicans eat their food well done, so expect the food to be a bit drier than you are accustomed to. There are also curries such as curried chicken and curried goat which are very popular in Jamaica.
- You may even want to pick up a piece of sugar cane, slice off some pieces and suck on them.
- Fruit and vegetables in Jamaica are plentiful. Many of the local varieties are unknown to visitors. Locally grown fruits and vegetables are inexpensive. Visitors may well find that imported produce tends to be more expensive than in their home country. Grapes in particular tend to be very expensive on the island.
- It is recommended to sample the local fruit and vegetables. If unfamiliar with a particular fruit it can pay to ask a local about which parts can be eaten. Local and imported fruits are available from road-side vendors. If the fruit is to be eaten immediately the vendors can generally wash the fruit for you on request.
- Finally, there is the category of "ital" food. Ital food is completely vegetarian and generally consists of a vegetable stew. Ital food is not generally on the printed menus in the upscale tourist restaurants and can only be found by going to smaller places (often just somebody's house.) Rastafarians are often vegetarians and eat (and serve) ital food.
THINGS TO DRINK:
There are many drinks in Jamaica. Standards such as Pepsi and Coca-Cola can be found, but if you want to drink local soda, you can try Bigga Cola, Champagne cola or grapefruit soda called "Ting" and also Ginger beer. Also, try any soda by Desnoes & Geddes, typically labelled as "D&G." "Cola champagne" and "pineapple" are popular flavors that you wont find anywhere else. Since the turn of the century, the majority of soft drinks are bottled in plastic instead of glass. You can try the local lager called Red Stripe (which is exported to many countries in the west, so there is a good chance you have already tasted it) and Dragon Stout. Most beers can be found in Jamaican pubs and hotels. A local hard drink is Jamaican Rum, which is made from sugar cane. It normally tends to be overproof and drunk with cola or fruit juice. DRINK WITH CAUTION! It's not designed for someone who is drinking for the first time. Since Jamaica was colonized by Britain, the drinking laws are 18 and over, but they don't generally enforce it as strictly as it would be in the Western countries (minus the ones with no drinking laws, of course)!
MARRIAGE IN JAMAICA:
Would you believe that almost 50% of all marriage in Jamaica are done by tourists/visitors-categorized as 'hotel marriages'? Yes, Jamaica is fast becoming a hotbed for international travellers to exchange their wedding vows- one of the most, (if not the most) special moment in their life. According to the Registrar's General Department (RGD) website, Over the past several decades, with the rapid growth of the tourism industry, Hotel marriages have become a significant contributor to the total number of marriages occurring in the island. The term hotel marriage, as used in the context of this publication, relates to any marriage occurring in the island, performed by a certified marriage officer of the island and taking place under the auspices of a hotel, villa, lodge, cottage or any other property designated to the purpose of tourist accommodation.
The following is what you need to know or provide for your marriage in Jamaica:
- Proof of citizenship - certified copy of Birth Certificate, which includes father’s name.
- Parental consent (written) if under 18 years of age.
- Proof of divorce (if applicable) - original Certificate of Divorce.
- Certified copy of Death Certificate for widow or widower.
- French Canadians need a notarized translated English copy of all documents and a photocopy of the original French documents.
- Blood tests are not required by law.
- Italian Nationals celebrating their marriage in Jamaica must notify their Embassy to be legalized and translated.
|
