Top 5 Things to Do in Jamaica

This took place in Negril, Jamaica but can easily be done all over Jamaica.

1) 7 mile Beach 

is your best friend. One of your top 5 things to do in Jamaica if not THE top 5. I mean really, it’s a 7 mile stretch of beach that you can never get enough of. If it were 1 mile, you’d still be in heaven so multiply x7 miles and enjoy the zen overload! You can simply go to Jamaica for this and your trip will be made. A gaze at the deep blue sea will put you in an immediate trance. But, in this case it’s a clear turquoise gem. The most beautiful gem you could ever imagine that is expansive yet intimate; vibrant yet serene. The sand is soft, the water is warm, the sun is radiant. Everything is irie!

2) Cliff Jumping, Cave Adventures & Bridges:

One thing you don’t anticipate are the cliffs. You anticipate beautiful beaches, but the brevity of dimension throughout the landscape is most surprising for a new visitor. Within cliffs are caves and between the cliffs are bridges. I was fortunate enough to be with a couple people a little more adventurous than I to coax me into this “secret hideaway”. There’s a saying:

“The biggest rewards in life are found outside your comfort zone”

Jack Canfield

This is probably my most memorable adventure yet because it was unexpected. Under a cliff at Rockhouse Hotel was the greatest little adventure through an ocean cave that I unfortunately wasn’t able to capture due to the nature of the environment so all I have is this grainy photo to show for it..lol, but the most lasting memory is the one you actually experience! Go ahead and add this to your top 5 things to do in Jamaica list. Click here for more on my cliff jumping experience.

3) Glass Bottom Tour to Booby Cay:

A 15 min boat ride from one paradise to another! You catch a boat ride right off 7 mile beach to an island called Booby Cay. Once there, enjoy new surroundings, crystal clear water and dine al fresco with live crab and live lobster, freshly caught and picked of your choosing. Within 20 mins of picking you are eating the freshest, most succulent and jamaican flavored crustaceans on an uninhabitated jamaican island. If you get the opportunity to walk the tree-lined path to the other side.. do it! Along the way we had fresh picked almonds and I got some pretty picturesque landscape shots along the ocean rocks. Win win!

4) Eat, Eat, Eat:

I’m serious. Unadulterated, unpreserved, unchemicalized (Is that a word?) fruits, vegetables and protein. Expect another blog to fully encapture the delicious delicacies I was privy to, but for now…. I’m talking fruits with seeds, I’m talking the fruitiest banana unlike any banana you have ever tasted. Fun fact, I’ve never been a huge banana fan, but when I tell you I will eat a jamaican banana on a regular basis…lol I’m serious! My exact words when I tasted it:

“This is the fruitiest banana I have ever tasted!”

Papaya that has a taste! I”m talking rich in color, they are naturally pretty mild in flavor, but nothing like the full bodied flavor I tasted in Jamaica. I’ve already touched on the seafood and yes the chicken is fresh from the yard. For this reason, KFC and Popeyes are phenomenal in Jamaica. You might be shocked that I would even mention fast food as I am more of a gourmet eater and of course jerk chicken is the go-to, but I’m also down for full experiences from high to low. If a local vouches for it, it’s worth a try and coming from a non-fast food eater it was worth a try.

Jamaicans will tell you themselves, KFC is hot and popping!

LOL, ok! And really, they don’t have to tell you. A 1.5 hour wait in a KFC line proves it. Yes, I waited 1.5 hours for KFC and it was worth it!! At all times of the day the line is wrapped around the building. It’s the In n Out of Jamaica or some might say the Chik-fil-a. There is an unparalleled breadth of simple, pure, straight from the earth delicious food in jamaica which is an attestment to the health of the people and the ability to go to on such a trip and not gain a pound. Look out for more on what I ate in a future blog post.

5) Hotel Hop: 

When you go on a trip you want to experience the sights and sounds, but one thing you would be remiss to do is to experience different vantage points of this vast island and in order to do that you have to hop around. Of course, you could take a taxi to another hotel for a day, but your experience may be a bit contrived due to time constraints of getting there and getting back to your home hotel. There are vast terrains including beaches, cliffs, jungles, mountains and islands which will not be as immersively experienced if you don’t leave your all-inclusive resort.

Do a split stay and find comfort in another hotel. Besides, there are many hotels/ resorts that are quite the destination themselves that offer a portal into these various terrains and exciting excursions right on the property. I guarantee you will find something different to love from one cliffside hotel to the next. No two are alike with different restaurants, atmospheres and views of breathtaking beauty to absorb. Hop around and take it all in!

Leave a comment if you want to know more!