Awhile ago a friend of mine reached out to me to let me know she was going to Jamaica and she wanted to know what she should do while she was there. I’ve had so much fun in Jamaica that I was excited to put together a list of things to do. After rereading it a few months later, I decided I needed to share this. See my list of things to do below!
Even if you’re not a big Bob Marley fan, I HIGHLY recommend that you visit his Mausoleum in Nine Mile. It’s a great drive especially coming from Montego Bay. You’ll pass Discovery Bay and Runaway Bay that have great views and you can get out and take pics whenever you want. It also takes you up into the hills away from all the tourist stuff so you can see the real Jamaica. Click here for more info!
- If you plan to do any water activities, skip Dunn’s river falls. It’s a tourist trap, costs more and provides less of an authentic experience. Instead go to the Blue Hole and ask for CoCo. He’ll show you a really good time! Click Here for more info!
- If you like Jamaican food at all I recommend eating local every chance you get. It’s significantly cheaper. Pay in the local currency if you can. Scotchies is like their Zaxby’s so go there at least once for some Jerk Chicken. They advertise with an outdoor marketing agency that they have the best Jerk Chicken in Jamaica. There’s one in Montego Bay, Runaway Bay and Kingston that I know of. You’ve also got to try the festival (bread) they have. It tastes like a funnel cake. And you should stop by a Tastee and get you a Juici Patti or 3. You can thank me later!
- Not to overload you on Bob Marley (as if that’s possible), but I also recommend going to see his house in Kingston. It’s another good drive in the Blue Mountains and through Spanish Town. They give a really good tour too. You get to see Bob’s studio, his bedroom, his last bud of ganja, where he got shot and a lot of other things. There is a nice zoo in the area. And you could also go to the Devon House. All of these things can be done in one day,
- To complete your vacation make sure you take a trip out to Negril which is their west coast. It’s home to Seven Mile beach which is beautiful and has a lot of restaurants and bars you can hop around to. That’s a major appeal to me cause bar hopping is my shit! lol Here’s the link to an excursion: Click here for more info!
I think these activities will ensure you not only have a good time but you’ll get to see more of the island without having to pay a lot of money. Depending on where you’re staying, most of these excursions last all day. If you find yourself pressed for time and don’t have time to do everything, I recommend making time for the Blue Hole and at least one Bob Marley activity. Negril can wait if it needs to. Conversely, if you find yourself wanting to do more, just link me! 😉
Free advice: If you’re coming from the states, there’s no need to exchange your money to Jamaican dollars at the airport. They accept USD everywhere. So you can save some money in exchange rates and just get local money at an atm or ask for your change in Jamaican money when you go somewhere, but make sure you have your currency exchange app on deck. Here’s a link to my favorite currency app.
I hope you have as much fun as I’ve had on the island. I feel like I’m going over my cousins house every time I go to Jamaica.
Note: All the excursion prices include transportation and admission. When filling out an excursion request, be sure to tell them you heard about them from PettyDD! Thank you! 😀