Is visiting Jamaica on your bucket list for this year? If not, you might need to consider adding it because you’re missing out on a lot! Everyone should visit Jamaica at least once in their lifetime. I’ve spoken to several Americans before who said they have never been to Jamaica. Some have visited other Caribbean countries, but not Jamaica. That was surprising to hear because, who visits other Caribbean countries before visiting Jamaica? Or maybe I’ve just assumed that everyone has visited Jamaica before, because, why wouldn’t you?
Jamaica is the ideal location to spend your vacation or honeymoon. It is known for its happy and friendly people, mouthwatering dishes, exotic fruits, vibrant culture, clean air, tropical temperature, breathtaking landscapes, cascading waterfalls, beautiful beaches and mineral baths.
Still indecisive? Maybe this blog post is just what you needed to help you make up your mind. Let us know in the comments if after reading this post, you’ve decided to pay a visit.
Here are 14 reasons why you should visit Jamaica for your next trip:
1. One of the most affordable Caribbean Islands
Your budget is the first thing you should think about. Whether or not you are on a budget, if you visit Jamaica, you will save, maximize on your spending, and get good value for your money. You can book all-inclusive resorts for as low as USD $140 per night. One of the most affordable ones is Royal Decameron. Read about our experience here. Depending on the booking site, season or date, you may even get lower deals! Foreigners also might find it pretty reasonable to stay here, because comparatively, most things are reasonable if spending from your local currency, as the cost of living is comparatively low. You can do an entire tour with USD $1000 or less! Moreover, you don’t have to stay at resorts, you could rent an Airbnb which is cheaper. However, if you want a comprehensive experience, and for safety, we recommend that you book an all-inclusive resort trip. Check out a few of our experiences at Jamaican hotels and resorts here. If you plan to tour and you’re wondering whether or not it is safe, read these tips as a guide.
2. One of the most popular travel destinations in the world
Jamaica’s culture isn’t the only thing that makes us ideal for tourists. Our geographical location plays a major role. We didn’t choose our location, but thankfully, Jamaica is known as the most geo-strategic locations in the Western Hemisphere. It is rare to be conducting business this side of the world and Jamaica isn’t involved. As the third largest Caribbean island, located between North and South America, and close to Central America, it makes us very accessible. To top that, Jamaica is one of the most culturally rich and diverse countries in the world.
3. Birthplace of Reggae Music
Bob Marley, a world renown cultural icon helped to put Jamaica and Reggae music on the map. For those who do not know, yes, he’s from Jamaica.
4. Fastest Sprinters
To top that off, Jamaica produces the fastest sprinters in history! Jamaicans take great pride in this, knowing that such a small island produces such greatness. If that’s not cool enough, I don’t know what else is. Who knows, you just might meet Usain Bolt on your trip.
5. Rich Culture
Jamaica’s motto is “Out of many, one people.” It means we are very diverse. With this, comes a mixture of cultures to form one. This includes our: music, food, dressing, and other forms of heritage. There are so many things to do in Jamaica, from immersion in street culture, interacting with nationals, learning our language (Patois/Jamaican Creole), art walks, concerts, tours, excursions.
Apart from those things that make Jamaica popular, we have these reasons that are like the icing on the cake:
6. Mixture of natural attractions
Jamaica is known as the land of wood and water. There are attractions both inland and off our coasts. In land, you can go hiking, such as climbing the Blue Mountains, rafting on the Martha Brae or Rio Grande, or camping out in the forest, connecting with nature, or meeting some of our indigenous people. We also have never before seen exotic wild life. So all the nature lovers have an opportunity to learn about our flora and fauna.
7. Tropical Beaches
If you want to escape the extremes of winter while immersing yourself in rich culture, Jamaica is the place to be. Some might say that there are other countries offering the same attractions as Jamaica, but it is taking everything mentioned in this post into consideration that gives us an edge. We have the entire package. Additionally, Jamaica has some of the most beautiful sceneries and beaches in the world. Negril Beach, also known as Seven Mile Beach being one of the most popular in the world.
8. Water Attractions and Sport
What is an island without numerous water attractions? Our white sand beaches aren’t the only water attractions. We have rivers in every parish, limestone caves, waterfalls – some renown, such as Dunn’s River Falls (check out our post about our trip). There are other water activities such as cruises, snorkeling, scuba diving, glass bottom boat riding, and motor sports. Read about our experience on a Catamaran cruise, and snorkeling in the Caribbean Sea, observing our beautiful reef and aquatic life. If you’re in for greater adventure, you can consider diving from a cliff at Rick’s Cafe, or jumping off the Spanish Bridge.
9. Hot Springs and Mineral Baths
To add, Jamaica has healing mineral baths, known as hot springs. This isn’t something that is talked about much, or that’s seen all over the world. Jamaica was once a volcanic island (now dormant), with a section said to have been formed from limestone. To date, several of these features remain, which are now attractions. We have about eight discovered hot springs throughout the island, such as Bath Mineral Fountain, Rockfort Mineral Bath, Blue Hole, and the Blue Lagoon. Blue Hole and the Blue Lagoon are popular diving locations. Blue Hole is a 40-ft-deep pool in a limestone cave. You can either dive in from a cliff, or you can climb down to go into the water.
10. Exotic coffee and fruits
Jamaica has the rarest species of coffee in the world. The quantities exported are not large, hence why you may not see it in your country, so for all our coffee lovers, Jamaica might be the only place where you could try or purchase it. Trying Jamaican coffee and visiting the Blue Mountain should definitely be on your bucket list!
In addition to the coffee, we have an abundance of tropical fruits such as coconuts and mangoes, as well as exotic fruits such as jackfruit, star fruit, naseberry, sweetsop and soursop. Even sugarcane is eaten as a fruit! Some of these might have other names in other regions, so let us know which of these you know, or what you know them as.
11. Best food in the world
Talking about exotic fruits, you cannot come to Jamaica without trying ackee and codfish, our national meal. Because of our mixed heritage, we have a mixture of cuisines from different cultures which we then add our unique style and flavor to, and call it our own. We are the home of jerk, which is the most flavorful way to prepare chicken and pork. If you’re going to try jerk chicken or pork, we recommend going to Boston in Portland, or at jerk spots off the stretch in St. Ann. Those at the hotels and resorts may not give you the best experience, as they have a totally different flavor. The best kind of jerk is smoked underground.
Not to be corny, but we also have the best Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) in the world. This is based on a comparative analysis from persons who have travelled to different countries. If you search food reviews, especially on YouTube, you will see this. Who knows? This might be subjective, so the best way to find out is to try it yourself.
12. Best ice-cream in the world
For all our sweet-tooth lovers, we have good news! Jamaica has the best ice-cream in the world. Jamaica’s Devon House ice-cream has been consistently featured as one of the BEST in the world! National Geographic has it ranked as #4 in it’s Food Journeys of a Lifetime: 500 Extraordinary Places to Eat Around the Globe publication.
13. Jamaica has the best rum brands worldwide
Jamaica has the best selling high-proof rum in the world. I was also surprised when I visited the U.S. and realized that it was so hard to find rum. Not that I could buy it (due to my age), but I was curious nonetheless. In every store in Jamaica, you can easily get rum to buy, and once you’re eighteen, you’re able to purchase or consume alcohol, so this is also an advantage. The laws surrounding alcohol consumption aren’t strict here, so they will not I.D. you. Appleton Estate, which is our largest distillery offers tours, however, you have to be of the drinking age to visit.
14. Other types of attractions
Finally, Jamaica doesn’t have only beautiful beaches and resorts. There are other adventurous activities that you can do here such as Bobsledding. Did you know that Jamaica’s Bobsledding team made their debut in the 1988 Winter Olympics? Interesting because we do not have snow.
We have other activities such as go-carting, horseback riding, zip lining, amongst others, some mentioned in earlier sections of this post. Activities like these can be booked at Chukka Caribbean Adventures.
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Still not convinced? Check out our other blog posts to read about our experiences. We’re locals and we enjoy the beauty of our country, so trust our account. You wont regret it! Jamaica has a lot to offer, and we want you to experience them too. A wealth of awe-inspiring experiences await you. Let us know if you will be visiting. Be sure to tell us about it and tag us in your posts on Instagram @resortcaribbean. See you at your next trip!
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