Travel Jamaica mOn

Considering taking a vacation to the Caribbean Island of Jamaica? Travel Jamaica mOn can guide you each step of the way by giving you the best information and travel deals related to your trip. To give you a brief overview of Jamaica:

Jamaica is one of the most popular honeymoon destinations in the Caribbean, with white sandy beaches, a laid back attitude and plentiful all inclusive resorts, Jamaica rests south of Cuba and west of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Independent since the 1960s, Jamaica's 2.8 million residents show their British influences by driving on the left and with their passion for sports like cricket.

Tourists arrive in Jamaica via cruise ship or by plane, usually via flights into Kingston or Montego Bay, although flights to the popular resort areas of Negril and Ocho Rios are also available. Travel throughout Jamaica is easy with taxis, buses and rental car.

In addition to the popular jerk chicken, visitors to Jamaica should also try the ackee fruit, curries and cassava pancakes called bammy. Enjoy your meal with a bottle of Red Stripe, ginger beer or a drink mixed with Jamaican rum.

Most Jamaicans speak Jamaican Creole, also known locally as Patois. Jamaican pronunciation and vocabulary are significantly different from English, despite heavy usage of English words or derivatives. Jamaican Creole is used almost exclusively when Jamaicans speak between one another. In all other cases English is used.

Although all Jamaicans can speak English, Westerners may have trouble understanding them. It's English but a heavily dialect version. Even the billboards use the Jamaican phonetic slang, like "Eberyting is ah right".

You may hear some Jamaicans say "Waah gwan?", "Waah appen?", or "what tah gwan", the Patois variation of "What's up?" or "What's going on?" More formal greetings are usually "Good morning" or "Good evening."

What to see mOn?

Some fun things to do while in Jamaica can include: Visit Nine Mile where Bob Marley was born and now buried. The journey up into the mountains lets you experience the heart of the country. Spend a day at Negril 7 mile beach and finish off at Rick's Cafe for a spectacular sunset and watch even more fantastic cliff diving.

Lets Talk money mOn

If you have never visited Jamaica and you are wondering about the currency then continue reading. The currency of Jamaica is the Jamaican Dollar ($, J$, JA$). It comes in notes of $50, $100, $500, $1,000 and $5,000. Coins in circulation are $20, $10, and $5 (with smaller coins being almost worthless).

The US dollar is widely accepted in places most tourists visit. Indeed, all hotels, most restaurants, most shops, and almost all attractions in major cities will accept the US dollar. However, be aware that some places accept the dollar at a reduced rate (although it still may be a better rate than exchanging money beforehand). While it is possible for someone visiting only touristy places or for a few hours to not see the Jamaican currency at all, be advised that US dollars won't be accepted at a lot of "local" shops on the outskirts of cities and in rural areas.

Always stay up-to-date on the exchange rate and carry a calculator. Some places might try to make you pay ten times as much if you pay in US dollars. The cost of living in Jamaica is comparable to the United States.

US dollars, Canadian dollars, UK pounds, and euros are easily converted to Jamaican dollars at forex cambios and commercial banks island wide.

Buy products made on the island as they are cheap and you are supporting the local economy.

Prices are usually higher in tourist areas like Negril and Ocho Rios. Shops in "tourist traps" usually have higher prices than native ones, and you'll see the same items on offer in them.

Wondering what the local flavor is in Jamaica?

Jamaican food is a mixture of Caribbean dishes with local dishes. Although Jamaican food gets a reputation for being spicy, local trends lean towards more versatile food variety. Some of the Caribbean dishes that you'll see in other countries around the region are rice and peas (which is cooked with coconut milk) and patties (which are called empanadas in spanish speaking countries). The national dish is Ackee and saltfish, and MUST be tried by anyone visiting the island. It is made with the local fruit called Ackee, which looks like scrambled eggs, but has a unique taste of its own and dried codfish mixed with onions and tomatoes. You probably won't get a chance to try this food anywhere else, and if you really want to say that you did something uniquely Jamaican, then this is your chance. Freshly picked and prepared ackee is 100 times better than tinned ackee, but must be harvested only when the ackee fruits have ripened and their pods opened naturally on the large evergreen tree on which they grow: unripe ackee contains a potent toxin (hypoglycin A) which causes vomiting and hypoglycemia . Another local food is called bammy, which was actually invented by the Arawak (Taino) Indians. It is a flat floury cassava pancake normally eaten during breakfast hours that kind of tastes like corn bread. There is also hard-dough bread (locally called hard dough bread), which comes in both sliced and unsliced varieties. Try toasting it, for when it is toasted, it tastes better than most bread you'll ever eat. If you are looking for dishes with more meat in them, you can try the jerk flavoured foods. The most popular is jerk chicken, although jerk pork and jerk conch are also common. The jerk seasoning is a spice that is spread on the meat on the grill like barbeque sauce. Keep in mind that most Jamaicans eat their food well done, so expect the food to be a bit drier than you are accustomed to. There are also curries such as curried chicken and curried goat which are very popular in Jamaica. The best curried goat is made with male goats and if you see a menu with curried fish, try it.

Fruit and vegetables in Jamaica are plentiful. Many of the local varieties are unknown to visitors. Locally grown fruits and vegetables are inexpensive. Visitors may well find that imported produce tends to be more expensive than in their home country. Grapes in particular tend to be very expensive on the island.

Chinese food is available in many places from Chinese takeout stores and has a distant Jamaican taste.

It is recommended to sample the local fruit and vegetables. If unfamiliar with a particular fruit it can pay to ask a local about which parts can be eaten. Local and imported fruits are available from road-side vendors. If the fruit is to be eaten immediately the vendors can generally wash the fruit for you on request.

Finally, there is the category of "ital" food. Ital food is completely vegetarian and generally consists of a vegetable stew. Ital food is not generally on the printed menus in the upscale tourist restaurants and can only be found by going to smaller places (often just somebody's house.) Rastafarians are often vegetarians and eat (and serve) ital food.

Respect mOn

Many Jamaican people are very generous and warm. Returning this warmth and friendliness is a great way to show them you appreciate their country.

Chances are, you will be approached at one point or another during your travels in Jamaica for money. Do not feel pressured into giving money. A strong "I'm alright" and walking away is usually the best advice for instances such as this. This also applies in the infamous straw markets. Note that the European method of just walking away does not work well. You will generally need to engage with someone in order to get away from them.

That being said, if you befriend or encounter one of the many wonderful Jamaican people and you wish to give a friendly gift, that is perfectly acceptable and welcome. Just exercise common sense when it comes to money.

Cultural respect is far more important. You are guests on their island. Please know also that when speaking to the elderly you should say, "Yes ma'am." or "Yes, sir". Good manners should be displayed at all times. Respect the environment and the people. It is a simple rule of thumb that should always be applied when traveling abroad. Don't expect that everyone will respect you, however.