Jamaica

Jamaica is a paradise country that attracts with its endless beaches, stunning nature and relaxing atmosphere. Only here you can enjoy the sounds of reggae, the culture of rastamans and unity with nature.

general information

The history of Jamaica began many millennia ago. At that time, the Taino Indians, who were the closest relatives of the Arawak Indians, lived on its territory. Until the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1494, the primitive communal system flourished here.

Geographical position

If you have already studied photos of Jamaica, then you know that this is a warm and sunny country, which has excellent conditions for recreation. If you still do not know where Jamaica is, then we advise you to carefully study the map.

Jamaica is an island nation located in the Caribbean Sea. Jamaica can be easily found on the world map, where it is located between Cuba and Haiti.

Climate

The weather in Jamaica is always warm. The average annual air temperature is 24-27 degrees. However, tourists tend to come here from November to May, since the rainy season lasts from May to October. From time to time, hurricanes come to the island, which cause damage to agriculture and the population.

Political system

Until August 6, 1962, the country was part of the British Commonwealth in the West Indies. Now Jamaica is an independent state, more precisely, a kingdom in which power belongs to a constitutional monarchy. Despite political independence, the head of Jamaica is the British monarch, that is, Queen Elizabeth II.

The flag of Jamaica (photo below) shows a yellow (or gold) oblique cross. It divides the flag into two black sectors, symbolizing the strength and creativity of the local population, and two green sectors, which represent agricultural diversity and hope for the future. Yellow, green and black are the national colors of Jamaica.

The emblem of Jamaica depicts the cross of St. George, decorated with pineapples, as well as figures of the indigenous population of the Arawak Indians.

Jamaican motto: «Out of many people, one people.»

Cities of Jamaica

The capital of Jamaica is the city of Kingston with a population of 580 thousand people. The official language of Jamaica is Standard English. Resting here, you will hear that the population of Jamaica speaks mainly in Creole, which is a mixture of English and Indian.

If you want to enjoy the exotic landscapes of Jamaica, then feel free to go to its capital — the city of Kingston. If you’re more interested in Jamaican nightlife, then visit Montego Bay. Here you can recharge your batteries with solar energy and positive reggae style. If the purpose of visiting Jamaica is to relax on the Caribbean coast in the shade of branchy palm trees, then be sure to visit the Negril resort area.

Resorts in Jamaica

Holidays in Jamaica are ideal for a family trip. The main resorts of Jamaica are:

Each of these cities has ideal conditions for a good rest. Jamaica attracts tourists with its endless sandy beaches. Some of them were chosen by wealthy tourists from Europe and America, others by hippies and rastamans, and others by ordinary locals. There is no sharp gradation here, but you still need to be more careful when choosing a place to stay.

Landmarks of Jamaica

The main attractions of Jamaica are:

All attractions are located in different cities of Jamaica, so to explore them, you will have to travel around the island.

Accommodation

Jamaica is a country with a highly developed infrastructure. Here you can find a hotel for every taste and budget. The resort clubs that operate on an all-inclusive basis are the most popular among tourists. There are hotels that are focused only on traditional couples (Couples), non-traditional couples (Hedonism), companies with children (Sunset), outdoor enthusiasts (Superclubs) and other categories of vacationers.

Some tourists come to Jamaica for luxury villas (such as the Tryall Club or Round Hill). In this case, it is not necessary to rent the entire villa. Some complexes rent individual rooms for much less.

You should be aware that Jamaica uses American standard plugs, so be sure to bring an adapter with you. The mains voltage is 110 V (in some hotels 220 V) and the frequency is 50 Hz.

Cuisine of Jamaica

The formation of the national cuisine of Jamaica was greatly influenced by English, Spanish, African and Caribbean cuisine. The menu of local restaurants offers a wide range of pork and poultry dishes, seafood, fruits and vegetables. Only here you can taste the breadfruit and the exotic oraniq fruit, which is a hybrid of mandarin and orange.

Jamaican restaurants specialize in the aforementioned cuisines. In almost all of them you can taste the following dishes:

• saltfish, which may remind you of a traditional omelet;
• grilled chicken marinated in pepper sauce and cooked on special coals;
• juicy patties are juicy pies stuffed with vegetables, meat or fish.

The most popular drinks in Jamaica are rum, ginger beer, Red Stripe lager and Real Rock Lager.

Safety

In the major tourist areas of Jamaica, you can not worry about your safety. Each resort center has its own security service. In addition, special police units work here. Outside the tourist areas, you should be more careful, especially when dealing with Jamaicans.

Before heading to the island of Jamaica, stock up on sunscreen and repellents, as there is a high risk of sunburn and mosquito attacks. It is not recommended to eat unwashed fruits and vegetables. Also be careful about tasting local dishes. An abundance of spices and exotic foods can lead to stomach problems.

No vaccinations are required before flying to Jamaica. But remember that in this country the situation with venereal diseases and AIDS is unfavorable.

customs control

Those wondering if you need a visa for Jamaica can breathe a sigh of relief. If you plan to spend less than 30 days here, you won’t have to deal with paperwork. To enter the country you only need a passport.

Please note that the following items are currently prohibited from entering Jamaica:

• narcotic, poisonous and explosive substances;
• firearms;
• fresh flowers and plants;
• honey, rum, non-canned vegetables and meat, fruits and coffee;
• animals.

Local currency, exotic animals and birds, antiques, furs and leather cannot be exported from the island of Jamaica. You can import duty-free currency, cigarettes (up to 200 pcs.), Cigars (up to 50 pcs.), Tobacco (up to 250 g), strong alcoholic drinks (up to 1.3 l), wine (up to 1.3 l), perfumes ( up to 150 ml) and toilet water (up to 340 ml).

Transport in the country

Currently, the following airports operate in Jamaica:

Within the island, you can travel by bus, fixed-route taxi and regular taxi. It is recommended to use the services of large carrier companies, as their vehicles are in the best technical condition. With local taxi drivers, you can arrange trips both within cities and between them. There are no meters in taxis, so all transportation is carried out at a fixed cost. Major Jamaica hotels like Sandals & Beaches, SuperClubs or Couples provide free shuttle service to or from the airport.

Interesting facts about Jamaica

If you are planning to travel to Jamaica, then you will be interested in the following facts about this state:

• during the New Year in Jamaica, colorful carnivals and festivals take place;
• Jamaica is home to famous music artist Bob Marley and Olympic champion Usain Bolt;
• Blue Mountain Coffee, which is grown in Jamaica, is a classic coffee masterpiece;
• approximately 80% of the coffee grown in Jamaica is exported to Japan;
• on the coins of Jamaica you can see images of such famous personalities as Paul Bogle, Marcus Garvey, Samuel Sharp and many others;
• Jamaica’s most famous national park is Blue Mountain, which was founded in 1992;
• the direction of reggae music was formed in Jamaica in the 1960s;
• in terms of the number of victories at the World beauty pageants, Jamaica ranks fourth.

How to get there?

The distance from the mainland of North America, in particular, the city of Miami to Jamaica is 905 km. From here it’s the easiest to get to. You should note that there are no direct flights from Moscow and other CIS countries. The Republic of Jamaica can be reached by Lufthansa, Condor, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic airlines with transfers in Frankfurt or London.

The distance from Moscow to this island state is 9800 km. Therefore, if you are concerned about the question of how long to fly to Jamaica, then get ready for the fact that you will spend at least 14 hours on the flight. But staying here is definitely worth it.