I love to travel, always have. It has been a part of my life since I was a wide-eyed little girl visiting New York for the very first time. Back then, it was more about shopping, another of my great loves. However, as I got older, and my interest in travel matured, my lust for all things shopping evolved into an intense curiosity about people, their daily lives, their culture and their history.
Nothing brings me more pleasure than sitting in a bar or sidewalk café just watching life pass me by, observing people as they go about their daily lives, far away from all the ‘go to’ tourist spots recommended by the travel guides. Do not get me wrong, I can appreciate both, but to me, to get a true feel of a place it is important not only to see the ‘tourist’ sites but also to experience life from the point of view of the locals, if you get the opportunity.
My second visit to Jamaica was just that. I was there to help my daughter get acclimated to her new university home and decided to spend an additional two weeks discovering the country. That was one of the best decisions I ever made. I grew to know and love this Caribbean neighbor and frankly, I learn a bit more every time I revisit.
Jamaica is a beautiful country. I love the passion and the vitality of its people. They love their piece of rock and are proud to show it off to anyone who is interested. The only other place I have seen such genuine love for country is Cuba, another of my favorite spots in the world and the topic of another blog…so stay tuned.
Here are some of the things I learned on my visit that made my trip seamless and some of the experiences I absolutely loved. There are far too many to mention but these at the top of my heart:
My top 4 experiences:
Bob Marley Museum. I confess I have already visited the museum 3 times and every time I go; I see something different. I just loved every aspect of this experience -, from walking through the actual house Bob lived in, to the well-informed and friendly guides. It is a definite must-do in my books, whether you appreciate his music or not, since it brings an important part of Jamaican culture, music and history to vivid life. The tour lasts about 2 hours, so you can comfortably do other things on that day, perhaps stop somewhere for a local meal or ice cream and enjoy the tour afterwards. You can book online.
Llittle Ochie. Not to be confused with Ocho Rios, Little Ochie is roughly a 2-hour drive from Kingston. Located in Mandeville, Little Ochie is reputed to be the home of the best seafood, bammy and festival on the island. It has a very rustic beach setting with black sands so don’t expect anything fancy, However, the first thing you’ll notice is that the fish you are about to eat is very fresh because you are actually watching the boats bring them in. You have a choice from snapper to lobster and can choose how you want it prepared. There are helpful staff on hand to guide you and answer all your questions while you are making up your mind. There is a lot of variety available and the food is beyond fabulous – fresh, delicious, and inexpensive.
Hellshire Beach. A stretch of white and some black sand about 15km from Kingston and located close to Portmore. In my opinion, it is not the best for bathing due to coastal erosion but provides a truly great culinary experience. Do not let appearances fool you. Some of the food huts look a bit run down but the food is fresh and absolutely delicious. They even accept credit cards.
Strawberry Hill. A scenic drive up Blue Mountain and the majestic views of Kingston may be all you need to top a perfect vacation day. But Strawberry Hill offers so much more. From the beautiful gardens and learning about Bob Marley’s relationship to the property (it was once owned by music producer Chris Blackwell), to relaxing by the dreamy infinity pool or just digging into a delicious lunch or dinner, this place is at once peaceful and beautiful. There is something to be said about sitting amid nature, and Strawberry Hill is the perfect location to just relax and dream the evening away. I loved the scenic drive and the absolute serenity of the mountains; it is a great spot for photos and destination weddings. On the way back down to reality, there is always the option to pop into the Café Blue in Irish Town for some birdwatching, coffee, and cake.
Honourable mentions:
Devon House for ice cream. A Jamaica tradition. They are also famous for their lobster patties.
Green Grotto caves in Ocho Rios. These caves offer a lot more than stalagmites and stalactites. They have a truly fascinating history and the tour guides are excellent.
Tastee or Juicy patties, which is better? Who cares? I love them both and there are dedicated patty shops all over the island.
Tracks and Records for lunch or a drink. Owned by Usain Bolt, this sports bar themed restaurant is a good mix of tasty Jamaican staples with an international flavor.
The Jerk Centre in Ocho Rios…try the jerk chicken or curry goat and of course, a Red Stripe beer
All in all, there is a lot to do and experience in Jamaica. It’s more than beautiful beaches, Blue Lagoons and Rick’s Café. Experience those too but take your time and don’t be afraid to venture off the beaten track and explore other areas.
Some Practical tips:
Getting around the island is easy. There are several reasonable taxi services you can order by phone and have them advise the cost before so that you will not be surprised at the end of your trip. It is a good idea to talk to a local if you can, to get an idea of what you could expect to pay. I found that once they charged in USD you would be paying on the higher end of the scale. Ask around. I was fortunate to get a good local taxi when I was leaving a popular supermarket, I took his number and used him as my go-to driver during my entire stay If you are in a group, explore renting a car and hiring a driver to take you around.
Get local money. Change local money at a bank. You will get the best rates. You save more when you use local currency as the exchange rate can vary from store to store and you run the risk of getting the shorter end of the conversion stick. It is also better to pay taxis in local currency. The price mysteriously starts to climb once USD is mentioned. If you do have a friend in Jamaica, you will find that they are also happy to take any USD off your hands,
Explore the Knutsford Express. It is amazing and extremely easy to use. In fact, one thing that I noted about Jamaica was that most of the sites had solid websites or social media pages where you could find information about hours of operation, cost, how to get there and booking requirements. The Knutsford express is a wonderfully comfortable way to travel from Kingston to Montego Bay, Ocho Rios etc. You can plan your trip, book your ticket, and pay online. It is very affordable and well worth the experience. The other option would be to hire a taxi for the day but that will cost you a pretty penny. There are also some tour packages online that include transportation to and from Kingston but they also tend to be on the pricier side.
