Tropical and balmy weather is always the norm in Jamaica. This small island nation has always been a favored tourist stopover among cruise takers and tourists who prefer a more relaxed visiting atmosphere. Jamaica itself lies in the Caribbean Sea, just 90 miles south of Cuba. Kingston is the capital and the largest city of Jamaica.
If you are indeed visiting Kingston City, we highly recommend you get a guide, because it is easy enough to lose your way through the numerous streets and pathways. Preferably, you hire a guide with his own ride, or you can hire the services of a driver with his own car, and ask him to recommend places to visit in Kingston. The mode of transport in the city can be a bit bewildering to the novice traveler, and if you are here on a very limited time, you may be wasting your lot by simply waiting for a bus or a cab to take you anywhere.
Due to the numerous foreign tourists visiting this island nation, you can be assured that there is no shortage of places to stay. The accommodations here are relatively cheaper than other places in the entire Caribbean, so you might as well put up your feet up in a hotel. Some of our recommendations are: Courtleigh Hotel and Suites; Four Seasons Hotel; Hilton Kingston Hotel; Jamaica Pegasus; Knutsfod Court Hotel; Medallion Hall Hotel; Morgans Harbour Hotel at Port Royal; and the Terra Nova Hotel. Not only do these places offer you great sleeping accommodations but they also have bars and lounges where you can just spend time sharing drinks with friends. Try to see what shows are scheduled during your stay because some of these hotel lounge shows (mostly cultural shows and music festivals) are definitely worth watching.
However, if you have had your fill of hotels from all your traveling and would like something more (shall we say) rustic, we recommend you try the Blue Mountain Inn or better yet, the Christar Villas.
If you are into music history, we recommend you visit the Bob Marley Museum. It is one of the most visited spots in Kingston City, and everyone just seems to gravitate there. However, other wonderful places to visit are: the Hope Botanical Gardens, the Jamaica House; King’s House, the Kingston Parish Church, and the White Mark Arawak Musuem. If you are looking for a bit of culture, then we suggest you add these places to your itinerary: the Kingston Craft Market (ah, wonderful place to buy souvenirs); the National Gallery of Art (nothing says culture than the finest works of the local artists); and of course the Devon House. Although the Devon House is a wonderful showcase of Jamaican arts and crafts, and it is a national heritage site to boot – very guiltily we admit that we are drawn to the place because of their wonderful ice cream.
Speaking of food, Jamaica food and booze is something definitely to look forward to. The eating establishments and pubs remain open even through the wee hours of the morning; although dance clubs are somewhat lackluster. However, if you are more into food, we recommend barbequed food, which needless to say, is always in perfect harmony with beer. We then recommend Island Grill and Indies Pub and Grill.
