Best of Jamaica
8 days
from Long Bay to Long Bay
From
$ 1519
Duration8 days
Experience the island in all its Caribbean colour, from Rastafari and reggae to the gorgeous unspoiled coast. So much more than the homeland of reggae superstar Bob Marley, Jamaica is a land of white sand beaches, native cuisine that gave the word 'jerk' a delicious connotation, an artistic culture that punches well above its weight and an Africa-centred religion that for many is a way of life. See and hear Rastafari culture on a tour of an indigenous Rastafari village, rest in the refreshing waters of Dunns River Falls, and swim the azure blue waters of Seven Mile Beach. From cocktails at Rick's Cafe to a traditional dinner with Montego Bay locals, this eight-day trip will provide plenty of proof Jamaica's truly the Home of All Right.
This tour is operated by
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Duration: 8 daysService level: Standard
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Starts in: Long BayPhysical Grading: Light
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Ends in: Long BayAges: 15+
Tour Gallery
Itinerary
Day 1: Montego Bay
Start place: Long Bay
Welcome to Jamaica! Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm. Please look for a note in the hotel lobby or ask the hotel reception where it will take place. If you arrive early, perhaps take a tour of Rose Hall, one of Jamaica’s most historic plantation homes, and learn about the legend of the 'White Witch of Rose Hall'.
Day 2: Montego Bay
Everyone does a bad Jamaican impression, so today after breakfast (8:30 am) you'll receive a lesson, for 30 minutes or so, on how to speak proper Jamaican patois (also known as 'patwa', 'patwah' and 'Jamaican Creole'), the language spoken in everyday conversation. Standard English is Jamaica's official language, but it's reserved for professional environments and situations. You can put your newly learned patois to use on an included tour of an indigenous Rastafarian village, where local musicians, farmers and artisans will help you understand the reverence for nature and humanity at the core of the Rastafari philosophy and lifestyle. Expect to spend over two hours immersing yourself in the village lifestyle. There will be free time for quick lunch before you'll visit a variety of Montego Bay hotspots, including the Hip Strip, Charles Garden Market, Dome Street and Sam Sharpe Square (approximately 1.5hours). There will be free time in the afternoon before you head to dinner at 5:30 to a private home, where you'll enjoy a traditional meal and some conversation with the locals.
Meals: B, D
Day 3: Kingston
Head off at 9am today. A 4-hour drive to Kingston will be broken up with a stop at Dunns River Falls. Entry to these cascading, tiered falls is included. Continue to Kingston, where you will be staying in a rustic hotel on the edge of the Blue Mountains. Make the most of this opportunity to relax in a hammock, indulge in an in-house massage, or hit the tiki bar. Alternatively, you can take a short hike along rugged terrain to a beautiful, refreshing waterfall. The hotel offers delicious, reasonably priced meals for dinner.
Meals: B
Day 4: Kingston
At 8 am, drive to Spanish Town (approximately 1.5 hours), one of the oldest continuously occupied places in the Western Hemisphere. Today the historic centre contains the Caribbean’s most extensive, albeit decayed, assortment of Georgian architecture. Over about two and half hours, you'll visit Spanish Town's Rodney's Memorial, Emancipation Square, Old Kings House and St Catherine Parish Church. Afterwards, head back to Kingston and pick a place for an optional lunch. Perhaps your leader can point out a place to try a Jamaican pattie which is a cheap fast food option. Take a stroll around some of the main streets of Kingston, but keep in mind it's not a particularly pedestrian friendly city! Later, stop in a Devon house which, built in 1881, was the residence of George Stiebel (Jamaica's first coloured millionaire) but is now famously known for the ice-cream shop situated in the middle of the lush gardens. Then it's on to Kingston's most visited site, the Bob Marley Museum. It's housed in the old colonial building where the reggae legend lived and recorded from 1975 until his death in 1981. After the two-hour guided tour, you're free to have dinner either in town or back at the hotel restaurant.
Meals: B
Day 5: Negril
Be ready for an early start (5:30 am) to head down the mountain and catch a public bus at 7 am from Kingston to Jamaica's western tip (approximately 6 hours), the laidback beach town of Negril. Once arrived, you'll head south by foot or in a taxi to the section of Negril originally settled by hippies in the 1960s and where cliffs as high as 15 metres lure daring divers. Watch them as you sip cocktails at Rick's Cafe while the sun dips into the Caribbean Sea.
Meals: B
Day 6: Negril
Today you're free to explore Negril at your own pace, which will likely be a fairly lazy one. Maybe enjoy a gentle stroll along Seven Mile Beach, a long stretch of sandy coast dotted with palms and thatched huts. Or you might want to park yourself in one spot all day, only getting up for drinks and dips in the crystal water.
Meals: B
Day 7: Montego Bay
Depart Negril around lunch time and travel the 1-hour journey via private vehicle back to Montego Bay. In the afternoon you're free to explore on your own. Perhaps admire the view from the Richmond Hill Inn, a former 18th-century plantation house perched 150 metres above Montego Bay. Make sure you eat dinner and are ready to head off after sunset (7 pm), to witness the natural phenomenon of bioluminescence at Glistening Waters Luminous Lagoon. Marvel at the eerie glow created by the millions of microscopic organisms that thrive due to the convergence of salt and fresh waters in the lagoon's shallow waters. Bioluminescence isn't an unusual occurrence, but this is one of the best places in the world to view it from the comfort of a boat (1 hour). You also have the option to swim, so don't forget your swimsuit! You will return to the hotel at approximately 9:30 pm and are free to choose how you will spend your last night of this Jamaican adventure.
Meals: B
Day 8: Montego Bay
The trip ends after breakfast this morning.
End place: Long Bay
Meals: B
Inclusions
Included
- Montego Bay - Jamaican Patois speaking lesson
- Montego Bay - Rastafari village tour
- Montego Bay - Montego Bay visit including the Hip Strip, Charles Garden Market, Dome Street and Sam Sharpe Square
- Montego Bay - Dinner with locals
- Ocho Rios - Dunns River Falls & Park (Entrance & Transport)
- Spanish Town - Heritage town tour
- Kingston - Leader-led orientation walk
- Kingston - Devon house
- Kingston - Bob Marley Home Tour & Museum (Entrance fee & Guide)
- Negril - Sunset at Rick's Cafe
- Montego Bay - Glistening waters (Luminous Lagoon) boat ride
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Transport
Private vehicle, Public bus, Taxi -
Accommodation
Hotel (7 nights)