I recently traveled to Jamaica with my husband, parents, and sister. This was my first time visiting Jamaica, and it was absolutely gorgeous. It was my Birthday trip so we thought Jamaica would be a great place for a fun family trip, and it was perfect. A much-needed vacation after one year of no travel due to Covid.
We wanted to explore the country and get to know the culture a bit more rather than just staying at Montego Bay in an all-inclusive resort. Most of the tourists mostly visit the all-inclusive resorts in Montego Bay or Negril, but we decided to explore Port Antonio along with Montego Bay. I am so glad we did.
The Top 4 cities to Visit in Jamaica:
- Montego Bay
- Negril
- Kingston
- Port Antonio
Most of the all-inclusive resorts are in Montego Bay and Negril. Negril is a beach party town. Montego Bay is a relaxing beach town. Kingston is the capital with a lot of sightseeing and history, and Port Antonio is a city with lush rainforests and untouched beaches and waterfalls.
There are two major airports where most of the international flights operate from: The Montego Bay Sangster International Airport (MBJ), and the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston (KIN).
If you are planning to go to Negril and Montego Bay, it is better to land at the Montego Bay Airport. Negril is about 2 hours from Montego Bay. It is better to land at the Kingston Airport if you are planning to visit Port Antonio. Port Antonio is about 2 hours from Kingston Airport.
My Jamaica Trip Itinerary:
We decided to visit Port Antonio for its lush rainforest, untouched beaches, waterfalls, and less crowds as well as Montego Bay to get the relaxing beach town, all-inclusive experience.
We had planned a total of 6 days in Jamaica.
Day 1: Drive to Port Antonio and Check-in at the Geejam Hotel
Landed at the Montego Bay Airport in the morning and drove to Port Antonio.
The drive from Montego Bay to Port Antonio is about 4 and a half hours. The reason why we chose to land at the Montego Bay airport instead of the Kingston airport is that we were visiting Montego Bay towards the end of the trip and needed the car in Montego Bay for the entire trip. So for the ease of the trip, it was better for us to land in Montego Bay and drive to Port Antonio.
We stayed at the Geejam Hotel. The hotel is located in a lush rainforest in the foothills of the Blue Mountains. It is a trendy upscale hotel with a tropical vibe close to Port Antonio’s attractions like Frenchman’s Cove Beach.
Fun Fact about the hotel: it has a recording studio where stars like John Legend, Alicia Keys, and Rihanna frequently visit for some recordings. I can totally see why, because the surrounding is so inspirational. Feels like you are living in a rainforest treehouse.
Geejam Hotel and Bush Bar Restaurant:
I cannot recommend this hotel enough. It was so beautiful and secluded. Loved the views and the rooms. The food at the hotel restaurant, Bush Bar was delicious. The hotel staff was super friendly as well. The chef and the hotel owner actually came to chat with us for feedback and provided so many good recommendations.
All of us, except my husband are vegetarians, and the chef made special meals for us even when it was not on the restaurant menu. I can truly say that even my parents were super impressed with the service and the hotel staff.
If you are a vegetarian, definitely try the stir-fried pasta at the Bush Bar restaurant in Geejam. You won’t be disappointed. If you are not a vegetarian, try the Jerk Chicken. My husband absolutely loved it.
Check out the hotel on my Instagram Highlights. I also have multiple Reels on my Instagram account about my experiences in Jamaica.
Day 2 : Port Antonio, Jamaica. Frenchman Cove Beach and Kayaking
If you follow me on Instagram, you might have seen me raving about this beach. Frenchman Cove beach is one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever been to. It is so serene. Located between a rainforest, it is not crowded, and the water feels untouched and pure. It totally compares to one of the islands in Thailand. The beach is not a free public beach. It is 12 US dollars per person to enter. There is a café at the beach which also offers drinks and food.
After Frenchman Cove’s beach, we decided to go for sunset Kayaking at our hotel. Geejam has a private beach and also offers free Kayaking and Paddleboarding. It was such an amazing experience. The water was turquoise clear. We also got super lucky and saw some Turtles up close along with the beautiful coral reefs. This was truly one of the best days of my trip.
Port Antonio, Geejam, and French Man Cove’s Beach are truly underrated. I would definitely visit again. I cannot recommend it enough. If you are looking for an experience that is different than the all-inclusive resort experience and want to feel the authenticity of Jamaica, definitely visit Port Antonio. You won’t regret it.
Additional Things to Do in Port Antonio:
- Winnifred Beach: Public Beach
- Blue Lagoon
- Monkey Island
- Sunset Drinks at the Trident Hotel
- Folly Lighthouse
Day 3: Drive to Montego Bay
After our delicious Breakfast at Geejam, we drove back to Montego Bay, where we decided to spend the next 2 days of our trip.
The drive is about 4 and half hours, so most of the day was spent driving. Stopped for some coconut water on the way. So DELICIOUS!
Checked into the Secrets St James in Montego Bay. Secrets St James is an all-inclusive resort, which means everything is included (i.e food, drinks, etc. except for things like spa services)! They had a variety of restaurants, so we usually started each morning at the buffet. Each night we tried a different restaurant and then capped the night off at the Piano Bar (so fun)!
This was our first time staying at a Secrets Resort. They’re honestly so gorgeous! I know, there are a lot of all inclusive resorts in Montego Bay, but Secrets is one of the best due to its location. The resort is surrounded by the Caribbean sea from all the sides, which gives all the rooms such gorgeous views.
Day 4: Day for Excursions
We took an excursion to go Horseback Riding in the Ocean and the Snorkeling Party Boat with Chukka Adventures. I’d never been Horse Riding in the ocean before, but it was such a FUN experience. Highly recommend it. My parents absolutely loved the party boat and the horseback riding as well.
My favorite part of this day? Power snorkeling and Party Boat. We saw some gorgeous coral reefs, turtle and sea urchins during this experience and the party boat was so FUN.
Day 5: Relaxing at the Resort
It was our last full day in Jamaica, and we decided to relax and have some delicious cocktails by the resort beach and pool.
Day 6: Back to US
Top Tips from the Trip:
Driving in Jamaica:
Before visiting Jamaica, I did a lot of research on how safe it is to drive in Jamaica, and a lot of forums had mixed recommendations. Based on my experience, I will say it is not too bad if you take certain things into consideration. Driving in Jamaica is not at all like the US. The driving is on the right side, which is completely different from the US. There are highways but there are a lot of internal roads as well. Traffic rules are different and people do not follow the rules. So, if you are generally a good driver and have previously driven in other countries, I would say it is completely fine. We did it and felt totally safe.
One thing I would suggest though is not stopping at random locations and streets. Reach your destination before sunset since some of the roads are not developed and not every street is safe, so if you get lost, it can be a bit scary. Navigation works as well.
Cash:
Carry cash for gas stations. Some gas stations may not accept credit cards. US dollars and Jamaican Dollars both are accepted at most places.
Visit Port Antonio if you want the authentic vibe other than the all inclusive resorts:
When you just stay in the all-inclusive resorts in Jamaica, you might not be able to get the authentic culture of the country since the all-inclusive resorts are catered more towards the tourists. If you want the true feeling of Jamaica and the hospitality, the serene lush waterfalls, and secluded beaches, definitely get out and explore the little town of Port Antonio. We truly enjoyed getting to know the culture and authentic Jamaica through the drive back and forth from Montego Bay to Port Antonio.
Renting a Car:
If you rent a car, make sure you take full insurance on the car. This is the place you need to be sure you are covered. We rented the car from Island Car Rentals and the service was great.
Traveling to Jamaica during the Coronavirus Pandemic:
If you are traveling during the Pandemic you need to complete the travel checklist mentioned below before you arrive in Jamaica and depart from there. These were the regulations till May 2021. The regulations might be changing as more people get vaccinated. Make sure to check the regulations on here.
Travel Authorization: You need to complete the Travel Authorization before 72 hours of arrival. The Travel Authorization needs to be presented at the airport before boarding. The form can be can be completed here.
A negative Covid-19 test also needs to be presented at the airport before boarding the flight. Testing should be completed within 3 days of boarding the flight to Jamaica.
Arrival in the US: A negative Covid-19 test also needs to be presented at the airport before boarding the flight. Testing should be completed within 3 days of boarding the flight to the US. Most of the resorts in Jamaica offer free testing on-site for tourists. We had ours done at the Secrets resort.
Overall, we really loved Jamaica and its people. Everyone we met was super friendly and made sure we had a great time. I will definitely visit again. Have you been to Jamaica?
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