The third-largest island of the Greater Antilles, south of Cuba and west of Haiti — the birthplace of reggae and Bob Marley, famous for jerk cuisine, waterfalls, reefs and a laid-back attitude.
Jamaica is an independent Commonwealth island nation in the Caribbean Sea, the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles — 90 miles (145 km) south of Cuba and 100 miles (161 km) west of Haiti. Its landscape ranges from coastal lowlands and a limestone plateau to the volcanic Blue Mountains in the east. View map →
Jamaica is renowned for its lively and influential reggae music, welcoming beaches and lush rainforests, a rich history of resistance and resilience, and iconic contributions to cuisine like jerk chicken and ackee and saltfish. Read the full fact sheet →
Nationality: Jamaican · Size: 10,991 km² (4,244 sq mi) · birthplace of reggae, Bob Marley and jerk seasoning
Island stations, live.
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gandor.tv specializes in creating, maintaining, hosting and promoting websites in the Caribbean. They are known for their customer service, maintenance packages, fast response, e-commerce, booking systems and social media magic and creation of advertisments.
★ Cool factor: They create, maintain, host and promote websites. Visit site
The Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) has a small and vibrant team. They were formed in 1991 by a group of citizens concerned about the state of Jamaica's natural environment. They are a non-profit, non-governmental membership organization based in the Kingston and St. Andrew area, but their projects are implemented all over the island.
★ Cool factor: Jamaica's longest running environmental education program. Visit site
Jamaica. If you're looking for a true adventure there's little more memorable, and beautiful, than hiking the Blue Mountains Peaks. From long sandy stretches to crystal clear water and secret coves...
★ Cool factor: Now that's what I call all right. Visit siteNo businesses in this category yet.
Real, lived-in advice from travellers and locals — trip reports, packing lists and the tips that make a Caribbean vacation go smoothly.
These Jamaica tours or activities are independently operated. After booking, the tour operator will contact you directly with your reservation details.
A popular, highly-rated excursion in Jamaica, ready to book directly.
★ Cool factor: highly rated by travelers Explore & BookAn up-close dolphin encounter and marine park experience on Jamaica's north coast.
★ Cool factor: swim alongside dolphins in a protected cove Explore & BookA traditional bamboo raft trip down the calm Martha Brae River, guided by a local raft captain.
★ Cool factor: a slow bamboo-raft float steered by a local captain Explore & BookCompare flight prices and book direct with the airline.
The stories behind the postcard — a few things worth knowing before you go.
Jamaica is the birthplace of reggae music, a genre that has gained global popularity. Iconic musicians like Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Jimmy Cliff hail from Jamaica and helped bring reggae worldwide recognition.
Despite its small size, Jamaica has produced some of the world's fastest sprinters, including Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, consistently excelling in track and field at the Olympic Games.
Jamaica's Blue Mountains produce some of the world's best and most expensive coffee — Blue Mountain Coffee is highly sought after for its smooth, mild flavor.
Jamaican cuisine is renowned for bold flavors, especially jerk seasoning — jerk chicken and jerk pork, marinated in spices and slow-cooked over pimento wood, are popular on the island and internationally.
Jamaica boasts stunning beaches and diverse ecosystems, including rainforests, coral reefs, and the famous Dunn's River Falls, drawing millions of tourists each year.
Ranked by locals — the Jamaica essentials.
See the island before you go.
“Jamaica, Land We Love”
Jamaica was inhabited by Arawak (Taíno) people when Christopher Columbus explored it in 1494 and named it Santiago. It remained under Spanish rule until 1655, when it became a British possession. Buccaneers operated from Port Royal, also the capital, until it fell into the sea during an earthquake in 1692. Disease decimated the Arawaks, so slaves were imported to work the sugar plantations.
During the 17th and 18th centuries the British were consistently harassed by the Maroons, armed bands of freed slaves living in the countryside. Abolition of the slave trade (1807), emancipation of the slaves (1833), and falling sugar prices eventually led to a depression that produced an uprising in 1865. The following year Jamaica became a Crown colony, and conditions improved considerably; the introduction of bananas reduced dependence on sugar.
Jamaica gained independence from Britain in 1962, remaining a Commonwealth realm. Today, under Prime Minister Andrew Holness (since 2016, re-elected 2025) and Governor-General Sir Patrick Allen, Jamaica's economy leans on tourism, agriculture, remittances and its global cultural influence through music and sport.
One of Montego Bay's most popular hangouts — golden sand and calm water, kept intimate by a ban on radios, footballs and vendors. A small admission fee funds clean facilities and rental gear.
Jamaica's best spot for sunbathing — seven miles of sand, live reggae, beach vendors, water sports, and a party scene that runs until sunrise.
A collection of four fishing villages and dark-sand beaches, peaceful and largely untouched by tourism — worth the bumpy back-road drive.
A picture-perfect cove on the island's eastern side — a surfer's paradise with board rentals and lessons, and home to some of Jamaica's best jerk food stands.
Afternoon reggae jam sessions on soft sand, cliffs on either side, and clear water good for snorkeling among fan corals, clownfish and rays.
Tips by Liz Strauss, an experienced traveler and piano entertainer. www.lizpiano.com · Disclosure
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