All you need to know before visiting Jamaica

 Budget

Jamaica is a very popular tourist destination, the prices can, therefore, get pretty high. However, the prices are significantly lower in local shops and restaurants.

• Prices for private rooms for two start at 45 USD (38.4 EUR) in Montego Bay, and 25 USD (21.4 EUR) in Ocho Rios, Negril, and Kingston.

• Food prices in restaurants vary from budget to pretty expensive. A dinner should cost somewhere between 7 and 30 USD (6 and 26 EUR). Breakfasts and lunches are usually cheaper (3 to 15 USD/2.5 to 13 EUR).

• The most comfortable way to get around Jamaica is probably by taxi or by renting a car (although driving on the left side of the road may be confusing). Jamaica also has good bus connections. Bus rides are very cheap (approximately 1 USD/0.85 EUR for 50 miles), but they often don’t follow a strict schedule.

To save some more money, check out our Budget cutting tips.

Where to stay

You can find great accommodation options on Booking. Make sure to search for private rooms popular for romance. 😉 On Airbnb you can rent furnished apartments – those are usually cheaper than most hotels and they offer you the real Jamaican experience.

Best time to go

The best time to visit Jamaica is from November to December or from April to June – the weather is mostly great and the hotel rates are the cheapest. January to March is the peak travel season – the weather is very nice, but the prices get too high. July to October is the rainy season and the chances for hurricanes are pretty high this time of year.

Other information

♦ Planning and preparation: check out our planning routine here.

♦ Packing: check out the honeymoon adventurers’ ultimate packing list here.

♦ For other travel tips check out Travel like a pro, Travel for couples, Honeymoon styles, Honeymoon activities, Responsible tourism, and Travel resources.

♦ Language: The official language in Jamaica is English (Jamaican Standard English). The locals also speak Jamaican Patois, an English based creole language. Check out the typical travel vocabulary in English here.

♦ Currency: Jamaican dollar

♦ Visa or other entry requirements: All visitors are required to have a valid travel document. Citizens of certain countries also need an entry visa. For more information visit their official website.

♦ Electricity standards: The power plug types in Jamaica are A and B, the standard voltage is 110 V and the standard frequency is 50 Hz.

♦ Time zone: UTC-05:00

♦ Immunization recommendations and requirements: There are no vaccination requirements for visitors to Jamaica. However, it is recommended to get travel vaccines and medicines for tetanus, hepatitis B, typhoid, hepatitis A, rabies, and malaria. There is no risk of yellow fever in Jamaica. The government of Jamaica requires proof of yellow fever vaccination only if you are arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever. This does not include the US. Currently, Zika virus is a risk in Jamaica.

♦ Health and safety tips:

You should always make sure to follow the usual travel safety precautions:

• Leave your jewelry and other valuable belongings in the hotel safe.
• Keep your emergency cash apart from the rest of your money.
• Dress comfortably and carry only the items you will need for the day.
• Don’t carry a lot of money.
• Always make sure to lock your room before leaving the hotel.
• Be aware of your surroundings at all times.
• Stay in well-lit areas.
• Try to maintain a low profile and do your best to fit in.
• Carry a travel wallet/money belt/money pouch for carrying money and documents safely.
• Avoid contact with potential scam artists.
• Avoid showing off valuable belongings (like cameras) in public.
• Don’t count your money in public.
• Keep an eye on your belongings at all times.

For other common health and safety concerns in Jamaica, check out Trip Advisor’s Jamaica Health and Safety tips.

To stay healthy while traveling, check out our health travel tips.

• Tap water in Jamaica is generally safe to drink, except in the most remote rural regions. Therefore you should rather stick with bottled or filtered water.
* Always make sure to reuse a water bottle to cut down on waste.

• Jamaica is relatively close to the equator and the sun is very strong. Therefore, always make sure to use sunscreen.

♦ Local Customs: Locals are mostly friendly, polite, talkative and sometimes very direct. Solo female travelers tend to get a lot of male attention. There is no particular dress code required on the streets of Jamaica. Avoid wearing a bikini elsewhere than on the beach. Meeting people or passing them by on the street without acknowledging or greeting them may be considered offensive.

Check out top things to see and do in Jamaica, as well as top romantic experiences and adventures here.