Jamaica

Understand

With 2.8 million people, Jamaica is the third most populous Anglophone country in the Americas, after the United States and Canada. Like Canada, New Zealand and Australia, Jamaica is a Commonwealth realm (the British monarch is the head of state), but it is an independent sovereign nation. Jamaica exports coffee, papaya, bauxite, gypsum, limestone and sugar cane. Its motto and nickname for the country is "Out of Many, One People".

History The Arawak and Taino indigenous people originating from South America settled on the island between 4000 and 1000 BC. Christopher Columbus claimed Jamaica for Spain after landing there in 1494. Columbus' probable landing point was Dry Harbour, now called Discovery Bay. St. Ann's Bay was the "Saint Gloria" of Columbus who first sighted Jamaica at this point. The Spanish were forcibly evicted by the British at Ocho Rios in St. Ann and in 1655 the British took over the last Spanish fort in Jamaica. The Spanish colonists fled leaving a large number of African slaves. Rather than be re-enslaved by the English, they escaped into the hilly, mountainous regions of the island, joining those who had previously escaped from the Spanish to live with the Taínos. These runaway slaves, who became known as the Jamaican Maroons, fought the British during the 18th century. During the long years of slavery Maroons established free communities in the mountainous interior of Jamaica, maintaining their freedom and independence for generations. During its first 200 years of British rule, Jamaica became one of the world's leading sugar-exporting, slave-dependent nations. After the abolition of the slave trade in 1807, the British imported Indian and Chinese workers as indentured servants to supplement the labour pool. Descendants of indentured servants of

See

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.

Beaches There are more than 50 beaches around Jamaica.

Sites Dunn's River Falls Rose Hall Great House Turtle River Park Devon House Blue Mountains

Do

Hiking, camping, snorkelling, zip-lining, horse back riding, backpacking, swimming, jet skiing, sleeping, scuba diving, kite surfing, visiting the Giddy house, drinking and swimming with dolphins. Dunn's River Falls is a must see and do if visiting Jamaica. It is located in Ocho Rios. The 600 ft (180 m) cascading falls are gorgeous. You can actually climb right up the falls. It’s an amazing experience! Give it a try if you're up for a breathtaking challenge. Mystic Mountain has a bob-sledding ride combined with options for zip-lining, a water slide and an aerial tram. The aerial tram is slower method to learn about the rainforest canopy. Going zip-lining in the Jamaican jungle is incredibly exhilarating. Most touring companies as well as cruise liners will have companies that they work with regularly.

Marriage Over the past several decades, with the rapid growth of the tourism industry, "hotel marriages" have become a significant contributor to the total number of marriages occurring in the island. The following is what you need to know or provide for your marriage in Jamaica:

Proof of citizenship – certified copy of Birth Certificate, which includes father’s name. Parental consent (written) if under 18 years of age. Proof of divorc

Getting there

Except for Canada, citizens of Commonwealth countries require a passport valid for at least 6 months, a return ticket, and sufficient funds. Canadian citizens require a passport or a birth certificate and ID card. No visa is required except for citizens of Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Sierra Leone. Citizens of the United States, including those visiting by cruise ship, require a passport, but no visa is required for a stay of up to six months. Passports can have expired, as long as they expired less than a year ago. German citizens can stay for 90 days without a visa. Similar terms probably apply to other countries in the Schengen area. Japanese citizens can stay for 30 days without a visa. Since 27 May 2014, Chinese citizens (including Macau) can also stay for 30 days without a visa. However, it's for tourist purposes only; to travel to Jamaica for any other reason, they still need a visa. Most other nationalities need visas.

By plane Norman Manley International Airport (KIN IATA) in Kingston. Donald Sangster International Airport (MBJ IATA) in Montego Bay. Both airports receive vast numbers of international flights daily. There are smaller airports in Negril and Ocho Rios as well as another smaller one in Kingston, which can be accessed by smaller, private aircraft.

By boat There are cruises to Jamaica from the United States and other locations in the Caribbean.

Getting around

By train Jamaica has about 250 route miles of railways, of which 77 are in service to Windalco to handle privately operated bauxite (aluminium ore) trains. Passenger and public freight service ceased in 1992, but increasing road congestion and poor highway conditions have caused the government to re-examine the commercial feasibility of rail operations. A passenger train was designed for citizens (mostly for children on the Government's Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education Progamme) in 2022.

Clarendon Express. A tourist railway in Clarendon, on Windalco railway tracks using Jamaica Railway corporation coaches, with American-built diesel-electric locomotives for motive power.

By car Driving as a tourist in Jamaica is an adventure in and of itself.

Jamaican roads are not renowned for their upkeep nor are their drivers renowned for their caution. Roads in and around major cities and towns are generally congested, and rural roads tend to be narrow and somewhat dangerous, especially in inclement weather. Alert and courteous driving is advised at all times. There are very few north-south routes as well, so travel from the north to the south can involve treks on mountain roads. These trips can induce nausea in the more weak of stomach, so it is advisable that if you suffer from motion sickness to bring Dramamine or similar medication. Roads can be very narrow, and be especially alert when going around bends. Jamaican drivers do not slow down because of these twists and turns, so beware. Jamaica, as a former British colony, drives on the left. Make note of this when driving, especially when turning, crossing the street, and yielding right of way. There are relatively few traffic lights outside of urban centres; they are generally found in major city cent