Palm trees, a perfectly light breeze rustling through lush forests and those warm turquoise waters. Montego Bay, Jamaica did not disappoint. An easy 4 hour flight from NYC, as my trip ended I wondered why I hadn’t been to Jamaica sooner.
I have to admit, there is a precise reason for that. I had a pre-conceived notion of what Jamaica would be like. Jamaica is the second Caribbean island I’ve been to, and I thought it would be very similar to the first, the Dominican Republic. It is pretty dangerous to walk around outside of your resort in the DR, and I had been told many years ago that Jamaica was the same way.
When I travel, I have to be able to explore a place on my own, walk the streets, get an idea of what every day life is like, learn about the history and interact with the locals. Jamaica provided for all of the foregoing. Taxis are readily available to take you to local dining, resorts have organized trips to downtown shopping, and there is even a fancy Margaritaville in downtown Montego Bay, complete with an obstacle course of floating objects in the ocean (see below).
I had the pleasure of staying in a villa at the Round Hill Hotel and Villas during my trip to Jamaica, a stunning resort with Ralph Lauren’s contributions as interior decorator. The resort’s villas are pure decadence and ideal for group travel. Each villa has multiple bedrooms with their own locks, its own living room, breakfast service and a separate pool.
The outdoor patio to my bedroom in the villa, complete with its own outdoor shower
The beach at the hotel
To Do in Jamaica
Shopping: There are of course a number of stores in the downtown area. Certain hotels also offer transportation to the Shoppes at Rose Hall, which is a good place to buy souvenirs.
- Warning: Although it looks authentic and is so vibrant on the outside, I’ve heard negative things about the craft market in the downtown area. Be forewarned that you may be hounded to purchase local goods when you go that may not be so local afterall.
Catamaran/Boating/Snorkeling/Diving: I feel like this is a given at any place on the ocean, but to reiterate, the boating, snorkeling and diving are stellar. We saw dolphins swimming in the ocean as we drove along!
Margaritaville: This is the place to go for fun times and drinks while in downtown Montego Bay. If you go during the day with your swim gear on you can also take part in this location’s water activities (pictured below).
Blue Mountain Coffee: This coffee is a must try while in Jamaica. Our resort served it and it’s so good! The coffee is grown in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica and is highly reputed. Don’t forget to buy some before you head back home!
To Eat in Jamaica
Scotchies: Jamaican food at its finest. A local and international favorite, try the jerk chicken, jerk pork, bread fruit and definitely their special hot sauce (it’s really hot).
Juici Patties: The name of the food is deceiving, but Jamaican patties, if you’ve never had them, are actually more like empanadas than burger patties (which is what I initially imagined). Beef patties are the general favorite. Totally affordable and yummy!
The Sky Bar Beach and Restaurant: This seafood heavy restaurant sits right on the ocean. Service is a little slow but the view occupies your time and the food is worth the wait! 😉
Hot sauce and condiments galore! So much deliciousness!
Until next time! Xoxo
Reblogged this on Concierge Librarian.
Great post! Really interesting! I’m not really a fan of the Dominican Republic for the same reason you mentioned. I also like to explore places, so one should be able to feel at ease….Jamaica looks great! And the hotel you stayed at as well! I like hotels with an authentic, local feel to it!