Jamaica travel guide

A boat safari on the Black River will take you a bit up river through the mangroves of the Great Morass. There will various birds and of course the main sight, the crocodiles. According to the guide there should be about 400 crocodiles in the river system, but you will probably only see the usual suspects, which all have names like Margaret, Tom and Jerry.

Black River is a bustling little trading town with a pretty setting right at the mouth of its namesake river. There are plenty of small shop, supermarkets and banks for the locals, who come from the surrounding countryside. Tourists come here mainly for the river safari trips up the Black River or to catch shared taxis.

In the hills of Ocho Rios lies the Irie Blue Hole, which is a series of natural pools with icy blue cold water in the forest. Some of the pools are very deep, so you jump in from the surrounding cliffs, others have a Tarzan rope to swing in or a hole you can go through (a bit scary). There is a waterfall about 10 min hike from the last pool. Local guides will show you around and you can of course buy a cold Red Stripes and ganja cakes. It’s not too established, though there is an entrance fee and simple facilities (makeshift changing rooms and benches). The road is sealed all the way up till a few hundred meters before the pools, but even that dirt road can be done in a none-4WD car.

Around the world there are sites, which have become attractions because they were once used in a famous movie. Often the location looks so different from the movie, that it can be hard to recognize them. Blue Lagoon is one of those sites. It was used in the blockbuster movie of the same name from 1980, which made Brooke Shields famous. It’s a bit unclear which part of the movie was actually filmed here in the lagoon, as the movie also was filmed in Fiji, Malta, and Vanuatu. Anyway, today the 60 meters deep lagoon is still blue, but a bit overhyped. There is no entrance fee, but locals offer various trips. You also just welcome to have a swim or a beer at the shore.

Not many associate Jamaica with mountains, but the eastern tip of the island is dominated by the Blue Mountains. The Peak is Jamaica highest point with its 2256 m. The most popular trek in Blue Mountains is, of course, to the top, but other treks are also possible. Though the peak can be done as a long daytrip without guide (if you can find and get to the trail start) it’s recommended to that and other hikes with a guide.

Burwood Beach is a small picture-perfect white beach. Less picture perfect are the concrete pavilions which dominate the ground, but they are nice to seek shade under, as the beach is very bare. The is an entrance fee, which also allows you to use the bathroom.

Ricks Cafe at West End Negril is probably the second most famous bar in Jamaica after Pelican Bar, though they like to advertise them self as number 1. It’s a bit of a tourist trap, but they do have something not seen elsewhere, cliff diving. Anyone is welcome to jump from the various platforms, the highest about 10 m above the blue cove. However, the main stunt is only done by local pros, who first climb a pole and then dive in from the height of about 18 m. Truly insane.

One way to get rid of beach hustlers in Montego Bay is to use the pretty palm lined Doctor’s Cave Beach, as you have to pay to use it. There are plenty of beach chairs for hire and if you get hungry, there is also a cafe so you don't need to get out into the real world.

One of the biggest tourist attractions in Jamaica is Dunn’s River Falls. It’s series of pools and cascades under shady trees which drops 180 m in total before it flows straight into the sea. It’s mega touristic with entrance fee and guides leading handholding tour groups up the waterfalls. However, it’s actually quite fun when you first start the climb, particularly if you do it yourself without a guide. Bring proper footwear for water and a dry bag.

Falmouth is one fine little town. It was once the capital of the area and had the biggest marked on Jamaica, which also included slave trade, so there are some historical relics. But the town’s real charm is its bustling normality. The streets are filled with shopping mamas and fruits vendors pushing their wooden cart. Here you stroll around the town square without being hustled. The town gets particularly lively in the evening as the shops close, and the bars and food stands open. The small town charm might be lost on cruise days, when the big ships anchor up.