Things To Do In Jamaica When On Vacation

If you want to visit Jamaica don’t hesitate because Jamaica is an award winning destination with one of the best cuisines around the world. The people are warm and friendly and our accommodations are world class. To visit Jamaica is not difficult; all you need is a great vacation package, your passport and visa. Not convinced that you should visit Jamaica? Keep reading.

Not only is Jamaica known for its music but our white sandy beaches too. You can visit Jamaica any time of the year and have a great time swimming, scuba diving and snorkeling. Jamaica is also of great historical importance as it was once ruled by the British who captured it from the Spaniards. The great Henry Morgan once resided here in Port Royal, once named the wickedest place on earth. Port Royal was one of the wealthiest cities in the world but was destroyed by an earthquake and tsunami in the same day. As the few survivors tried to rebuild it was destroyed by a fire about a decade later.

Port Royal: Once occupied by the buccaneers and named the wickedest place on earth. Also was once one of the wealthiest places in the western hemisphere and was definitely the wealthiest place in the Caribbean. Port royal was destroyed by an earth quake and a tsunami in the same day where are a part of the city sank beneath the sea. A decade later it was destroyed by fire.

Rose Hall: Rose Hall is a great house located in Montego Bay where Annie Palmer lived. She was born in Haiti and came to Jamaica where she married John Palmer in 1820. Annie was said to have murdered her husband John Palmer and two others afterwards. It was believed that she used voodoo a lot and even cast spells and scared the workers on the plantation. She seduced the male slaves and then murdered them. You must visit Jamaica and Rose Hall to get the full story.

Green Grotto Caves: A natural formation that is 1525 meter long and 12 meters deep. This cave has been a popular attraction for hundreds of years. Based on research it seems that the Arawaks also known as the Tainos lived in the caves. Evidence is in the markings on the walls. The caves have natural and life like formations that are a wonder to the human eye. Come and see for yourself. The Green Grotto Caves are also known as Runaway Bay Caves, Cave Hall Caves, Discovery Bay Caves, Dry Harbour Caves, Hopewell Caves, Rum Caves and Dairy Caves.

Bluefields: This is a very popular fishing village these days but it wasn’t always so. Bluefields was a settlement that was built by the Spaniards but the the the English came and ran them off. The English didn't like the place much for if they did, they would have let the place die or perish, which they did. The bay was used by pirates in those days and but now a thriving fishing village exists. Come see Bluefields when you visit Jamaica.

Bath Mineral Springs: Are you experiencing joint pains or ailments that you or your doctor can’t figure out? Come to the Bath Mineral Springs and take a bath! These hot springs are natural volcanic springs that are healing and soothing. People have reported being healed from headaches, body aches, skin problems and being rejuvenated. Call me when you get here for this is in my parish!

· Greenwood Great House

· Windsor Caves

· Seville Great House

· Bog Walk

· Cousin’s Cove

· Bob Marley Museum

· Bob Marley Mausoleum

· Hope Botanical Gardens

· Coyaba River Garden and Museum

· Cave Valley

There are so many more historical places to see that I cannot list them all here so here is a link to the Jamaica Historic Attractions website.

There are many things to do and places to go on this beautiful island. You can find places that are opened for entertainment 24 hours per day, seven days per week. You may also choose to relax in your hotel and just hang out at the pool. But beware, hotels have a tendency to want to get you to have fun, what's up with that? I suppose you are on vacation and just need some quiet time to relax.

Try making a list at the beginning of your vacation, for the things you really want to do when you visit. Alternatively you may join in with the hotel's pre-planned activities. Usually they have bus tours, hiking and other group activities up their sleeves.

· Hiking up the Blue Mountain trail

· Have a cup of the Blue Mountain Coffee (the best coffee in the world)

· Scuba dive

· Snorkel

· Go to the beach

· See some museums

· Take a glass bottom boat ride to see the beauty of the sea

· Take a tour around the countryside

· Go to a reggae concert (Sumfest, Jazz & Blues, Heineken Star Time, Sting)

· See a Jamaican play

· Surf

· Go site seeing

· Visit one or more of the historical sites listed above

· Have some real Jamaican Rum

· Have some sugar cane

· Have some coconut water (popularly known as jelly water)

· Go to a craft market

Have bite of the Jamaican apple known as the Otaheite apple

Before you book an expensive hotel, unless of course you don’t mind, do a little research and inquire about guest houses instead. The advantages of staying in a guest house or guest hotel are:

· More privacy – less people, hustle and bustle

· More homely atmosphere

· Personal attention by the hostess or host (usually the owners)

· Get your laundry done

· Less expensive than a hotel

· Get one in the country and pay even less

· In the country you get to really meet the people

· City hotels are great and comfortable but not close to the real people and culture

· Real Jamaican food not the fancied up version that the city hotels serve.

Big hotels serve scrumptious meals but in most cases they fancy up the Jamaican food so you don’t really get the heart of the country flavor. To experience Jamaica you need to eat yam and dumplings with curried goat and real jerk chicken, not the grilled stuff they serve in the hotel.

So talking about hotel foods will lead definitely to the real Jamaican food. Pick and choose, it’s up to you. There are vegetarian foods and food for meat lovers, don’t worry there is something for everyone.

Here is a list of foods you must try when you visit Jamaica. These are authentic Jamaican foods and express the culture of the island.

Meals, deserts and snacks

• Run down pronounced ‘run dung’(salted cod fish or salted mackerel is used)
• Ackees and salt fish the national dish made with the national fruit
• Steamed fish and bammy
• Fried fish and bammy
• Roast breadfruit (better with ackees and salt fish or run dung)
• Jerk chicken
• Jerk pork
• Rice and peas
• Curry goat
• Sweet potato pudding
• Corneal pudding
• Stewed peas
• Red peas soup
• Gongo peas soup
• Salt fish fritter
• Banana fritter
• Festival (usually served with fried fish or jerk chicken)
• Calalloo and salt fish with boiled green bananas, yam and dumplings
• Tripe and beans
• Mannish water (soup made from goat meat)
• Cow cod soup (made from the bull’s you know what)
• Fish tea (light fish soup)
• Roast fish

Fruits and drink

• Jack Fruit
• Guinep
• Cassava
• Mango
• June Plum
• Irish Moss
• Cerassee tea
• Sorrel drink
• Naseberry
• Star apple
• Mammy fruit
• Mango

Some of the fruits are seasonal but you can get most of them in the summer.