Ben Maclean
month average Max
January 2.7 11.4
February 1.8 7.0
March 2.3 20.9
April 2.5 12.6
May 5.9 14.4
June 5.5 13.2
July 2.9 10.9
August 5.2 18.3
September 6.1 13.3
October 7.4 26.5
November 5.5 23.5
December 3.6 15.0
Annual 50.7 82.8
Jamaica Holidays
Jamaica has just about everything - beautiful beaches, fantastic resorts and facilities, a rich cultural tradition all enhanced by super inland attractions. Most visitors spend time on the beaches, but search for scenic beauty and Jamaica will exceed your expectations with an internal landscape dominated by the magnificent Blue Mountains.
Jamaica Resorts
Choose your resort with care for they range from calm tranquillity to casually carefree - Negril is the quietest with fantastic water sports, Montego Bay the most lively and Ocho Rios is the closest to some of the most famous sites. Ja-maica has plenty to offer any visitor. Climb to the top of the 600ft Dunn's River Falls or take a trip round a plantation where Blue Mountain coffee is grown. Kingston has elegant old-colonial houses and New Kingston is home to the Bob Marley Museum. Other points of interest include Fern Gully, Rose Hall, Runaway Bay, Treasure Beach and Firefly, the former home of Noel Cowerd. Relax on Seven Mile Beach which is great for water sports or raft down the Martha Brae River.
Jamaican Food & Drink
There's plenty to see and do! Jamaican food is full of fire and spice and local dishes include curried goat, jerk chicken and rice (spicy and strong), salt fish (dried cod) and patties (staple snack). A typical Jamaican breakfast is ackee, a tree-grown fruit that bears a resemblance to scrambled eggs when cooked. Jamaican rum is world famous as is Blue Mountain coffee or for something cool choose from a wide selection of fresh fruit juices. Local drinks are Red Stripe beer, Tia Maria and Skyjuice (made from shaved ice fla-voured with syrup).
Why Go?
Jamaica holidays have just about everything you could want - beautiful beaches, fantastic resorts and facilities, plus rich cultural traditions all en-hanced by super attractions away from the beach. Most visitors spend most of their time on the sands, naturally, but search for scenic beauty and holidays to Jamaica will exceed your expectations. With its landscape dominated by the magnificent Blue Mountains, the interior of Jamaica is no less alluring than the coast.
Horse riding, mountain biking, quad biking, safari rides and caving are all popular pastimes when on holiday in Jamaica. Inland you'll find many refer-ences to the colonial history of Jamaica - namely the fact that towns have such monikers as Cambridge, Falmouth, Birmingham and London! There are many beautiful churches and colonial architecture to be found, plus remnants of the pre-colonial settlements of the Arawak and Taino Native Americans.
Wonderful, white sand coves washed by the phosphorescent waters of the Caribbean beaches on your Jamaica holiday are all you'd expect them to be. There are some stretches where rocks outnumber sandy patches, and some resorts have had to import their own sands but you don't have to travel far to find a blissful spot. It's the island's north coast, the 'Jamaican Riviera' where the coast to sand ratio is more favourable and, not surprisingly, it's here where you'll find most of the visitors on their holidays to Jamaica.
Jamaica holidays are not only enriching in intriguing colonial and cultural his-tory, but its natural surroundings make just as suitable for film sets as it does for holidays! James Bond Beach, 20 minutes from Ocho rios, has beautiful clear waters and views of the St. Mary Mountains. This is where Halle Berry washed ashore – but we're not making any promises!
Due to the proliferation of the fine all-inclusive Jamaica holiday resorts, many of the island's best beaches are closed to the public. On some stretches you may have to cross through gated "check-points", where you will be watched to ensure you don't use any of the all-inclusive facilities. This may be annoying if you want a hassle-free stroll along the shore but, believe us, the respite it gives you from beach hawkers more than makes up for it. And there are still plenty of stretches open for all. Many of the beaches in Jamaica are 'clothing optional' – you have been warned!
During Ocho Rios holidays you’ll find the Green Grotto Caves. This stunning natural attraction is carved out of the coastal limestone and provided a haven for runaway slaves during the 18th Century. Take a 45-minute hard hat tour for the full, fascinating story. Also in the area, Dunn's River Falls is THE most popular attraction for those on holidays to Jamaica. A nature park where visi-tors can climb the famous Dunn's River Falls by human chain, led by guides, Dunn's falls are actually man-made (sorry to disappoint you). Fun, if you like getting wet and clinging onto a complete stranger for an hour or so of fran-tic tumbling. In the Coyaba River Garden Museum you’ll unearth yet more in-triguing history of Jamaica. Long before the Europeans "discovered" Jamaica, the island was inhabited by the peaceful, nature-loving Arawak tribes. They called the island "Xymaca - the land of wood and water". Unfortunately, their way of life quickly came to an end over the next 50 years of Spanish coloniza-tion. European-borne diseases, slave labour and conflict led to their extermi-nation.
Despite the beauty of Treasure Beach, one of the best secluded stretches on the southern coast of Jamaica, the cliffs above it hide a dark secret. Take the scrambling path that rises 1,000 feet above the sands, towards the lighthouse, and enjoy the view. But spare a thought for the tragic slaves who fled here, in love and on the run from their masters. Unable to bear the thought of being separated for life they jumped from the cliff point to be joined forever in death - hence the name - Lover's Leap.
Rhodes Hall Plantation in Negril is worth taking a guided horseback excursion to explore the fascinating history of the are whilst on your Jamaica holiday. Guides take tourists through foothills, pointing out local landmarks and legends in this small, delightful plantation of banana, coconut and sugar alongside the Crocodile River.
Mandeville is a charming city, built by the English - who preferred its elevated, cooler climate - is 2,000 feet above sea level. Wander its trim, picturesque streets or use the town as a base. It's ideally situated for birdwatching, caving, or the mountains which rise behind it.
Reggae lovers won't be able to take a holiday to Jamaica and not pay homage to the Godfather of reggae. Mind you, it would be difficult for any tourist to visit Jamaica and not come into contact with the great man's legacy, his emotion-ally complex, powerful music. True fans should make the pilgrimage to the singer's hometown of Nine Mile, located in the hills of St. Ann, where the Bob Marley Mausoleum can be visited. The fascinating Bob Marley Experience and Theatre featuring a movie highlighting his life, music and concerts can be seen in Ocho Rios while the capital, Kingston, is home to the beleaguered Bob Mar-ley Museum housed in the original studio where he recorded most of his songs.
