Turistic Places

Jamaica Tourist Attraction

The island nation of Jamaica is abundantly bestowed with mesmerizing beauties. However, it is not merely the exotic natural sights that catch your breath; you are sure to be equally rapt while witnessing some of the man made constructions and examples of the civilized world.

*Montego Bay is a place where history and legend unite.


Located on the northern shore, Montego Bay is the jewel of Jamaica's Gold Coast and one of the most well known tourist destinations in the world. As Jamaica's second largest city, Montego Bay is vibrant, colorful and home to some of the most prestigious resorts in the Caribbean.

One of the most historical tourist attractions in Jamaica is the Rose Hall Great House where you can learn the fascinating tale of the white witch, Annie Palmer, and the historical plantation houses of Greenwood and Belfield. Take a relaxing raft trip down the Martha Brae or Great Rivers. Visit ten square miles of protected waters alive with coral reefs and exotic fish at the Montego Bay Marine Park.
A few miles east of Montego Bay, in the town of Falmouth, you'll find well-preserved Georgian architecture in the Parish Church built in 1795 as well as the courthouse built in 1815.
Don't miss Montego Bay's the famous Doctor's Cave Beach and Glouchester Avenue. It's the center of activity with restaurants, night clubs, bars, duty-free shopping and art galleries. Shopping is great in the local crafts markets and all over town.

*Negril is a unique resort that welcomes guests with a "do-as-you-please" wink of approval.

Located on Jamaica's most western point, Negril is truly spectacular. While not well-known for tourist attractions in Jamaica, there is much to experience. Seven miles of fabulous beach, craggy cliffs and crystal clear waters. It's Jamaica's waters ports center where you can dive.
Nightspots are everywhere. Take in a live reggae concert, stay up all night dancing and sleep as late as you want.
Negril is the ultimate freedom vacation and home of many tourist attractions in Jamaica. Kick off your shoes, eat and drink, love and laugh, play, party and enjoy a place like no other on earth.

*Port Antonio

In Port Antonio, you'll find nature's most perfect work. You will find hummingbirds, butterflies and more orchids than anywhere else on earth.
Once a thriving banana shipping port, today Port Antonio is a quaint seaside town. Be sure to visit Musgrave Market for local crafts. European shops abound all over town and in the shopping village of St. George.
Port Antonio reminds us of a more gracious time. It's a one of a kind place of beauty and charm. You can explore the majestic Blue Mountains and swim in the Blue Lagoon. Discover Nonsuch Caves and visit Athenry Gardens.

*The Blue Lagon
You are unlikely to meet Brooke Shields, but the Blue Lagoon is one of the Jamaica tourist attractions not to miss. The incredible colors of the Blue Lagoon are a result of its depth: almost 200 feet.

*Ocho Rios - The Centerpiece of Jamaica

Ocho Rios is a constant hub of activity. You'll almost always find a few cruise ships in port. Cruise ship visitors and resident tourists enjoy bargaining for hand-made items at the Craft's Market and brand name goods in the duty-free shops.
Many bars, lounges and nightclubs offer a wide variety of nightlife.
Ocho Rios is home of one of the most famous tourist attractions in Jamaica, Dunn's River Falls! Visitors, led by a guide, join hands and climb up the warm, cascading waters. Coyaba and Shaw Park Gardens are spectacular. Ride horseback through a historic plantation or take a drive through Fern Gully, a natural forest of ferns. Also, in the area is Dolphin Cove, where you can swim with Dolphins and river kayaking, tubing, a zip-line canopy tour and more.
Columbus first landed nearby in Discovery Bay. Slaves used Runnaway Bay as an escape route. See Indian and Spanish artifacts at Seville Great House. Visit Green Grotto Caves or climb the hills to Nine Miles, birthplace of the legendary reggae artist, Bob Marley.Ocho Rios is the garden of Jamaica and one of the world's most exotic resorts.

Attractions

Attractions

*Natural Wonders:
Explore Jamaica's ecological treasures, from limestone cave labyrinths and gushing waterfalls to mineral springs with curative powers


*Great Houses, Historic Estates and Plantations:
For a window into Jamaica's European and African heritage, take a guided tour of some of our famous Colonial great houses or historic plantations.


* Museums and Galleries:
From vibrant folk art displays to Bob Marley's famous music studio - there's no better way to immerse yourself in Jamaican culture than on a visit to one of our many museums and galleries.

* Craft MarketsWood carvings:
Jamaica wears. Straw handbags. Silver jewellery. Live Reggae recordings. If you're up for a good bargain, shop around for authentic souvenirs and unique gifts at Jamaica’s craft markets.

Religion

RELIGION

The Guinness Book of Records documents Jamaica as having the most churches per square mile. They have wide and varied religious beliefs; religion is the moral fibre of this nation, and most Jamaicans hold fast to something - a belief in a higher power and in man's mortality. Many Jamaicans spend a large part of their formative years in church, squeezed into pews with parents, siblings and grandparents, infused with (at the very least) a healthy respect for faith.On Sunday mornings, you can see the influence of various aspects of his religious heritage. At meetings in churches still European in character, you will find men dressed in felt hats, starched shirts and dark suits, their polished shoes reflecting the glint of the morning sun. Women adorn themselves in colorful dresses, their trims and frills showcasing the handiwork of the local seamstresses. Whether you are Christian, Muslim, Jewish or Rasta, whatever your religious conviction, there is a place for you to celebrate in Jamaica.

The People

The People

In Jamaica, smiles beam from faces in hues ranging from rich coffee to condensed milk-sweetened cocoa. These warm faces bear physical features that are seldom duplicated. There are small noses, proud noses, strong chins, blue eyes and dark ones too, full lips, fine mouths, corkscrew curls and unruly locks. To appreciate these shapes and shades, and to understand our rich history and heritage, is to think on a global scale.Offering handshakes, hugs and hearty hellos, Jamaicans are naturally warm, friendly and entertaining. Often our humour cannot be contained by simple smiles, and breaks loose into contagious bouts of laughter and gesticulation. We seldom cry, choosing to laugh instead at whatever comes our way. Reggae pulses through our veins, giving us an innate internal rhythm that fuels our abounding energy and creativity. Our complex past, marked by slavery and the struggle for independence, has made us proud, resilient and strong. We refuse to be restrained, choosing instead to break the boundaries of our small island, gaining worldwide recognition in areas like music and sports.They have transformed the ways, traditions and customs of our foreign ancestors into something so special it could only be Jamaican. We've mixed and mingled, breaking down barriers, to become one people out of many, living one love.

Jamaican Culture

Jamaican Culture

His ancestors from Africa, Europe and Asia have helped shape Jamaica, and make it the multifaceted mosaic of international customs and traditions it is today.

* Art
Over the years, this relatively small country has produced a seemingly infinite number of outstanding artists. Some of our most famous are Edna Manley, renowned sculptor and painter; Albert Huie, our foremost landscape painter; Cecil Baugh, master potter; Kapo, the most prominent of our self-taught artists and Alvin Marriot, realist sculptor. The list is impressive and endless, growing each day as new artists burst onto the Jamaican art scene.
When visiting Jamaica, take a tour of our colourful art arena. Browse the numerous galleries, showcasing our most treasured pieces, or look out for the newest talents as you wander the streets. You too, may be, inspired.

* Dance

They have "Jamaicanised" traditional European dances, such as maypole and quadrille, performing them to the sounds of our homegrown "mento" music. Similarly, dances such as the "gerreh", the "dinki-mini" and "ettu" reflect our African heritage, but are also satirical commentaries on plantation life. These dances form the backbone of modern Jamaican dance forms. Local clubs and HQs, reverberating with pounding beats of Dancehall music, are breeding grounds for new dance moves. Jamaicans and visitors alike are barely able to keep track of the many new dances that surface at a rapid pace.

* Music for Work and Entertainment

Work songs have their roots in the slavery period. They were used to pass messages and gossip, but also to lighten the load of daily chores. Often a "singer man" led workgroups by singing a line, which the others repeated. Many slaves were unable to read, so this call-and-response scenario also characterised community gatherings such as wakes and funerals.
Games are an integral part of Jamaican life, and it is common to see young children at play engaging in these singing games. Usually, they stand in a ring and accompany their singing with clapping. The energetic nature of the games makes instruments difficult to use, so they are often sung a cappella.

* Religious Music

The eclectic mix of European- and African-influenced religious groups and their syncretistic offshoots results in a multitude of ceremonies and public expressions of faith. Among the most popular forms are Kumina, Pocomania and Rastafari. Rasta music is characterised by drumming and chanting; the Revivalist groups, to which Kumina and Pocomania belong, also use drums, often suspended from the hips or upper arms, and offset by rattling tambourines and shakers. The sessions usually involve all-night vigils with singing, accompanied by musical instruments, thumping and heavy rhythmic groaning.

RASTAFARIANISM

RASTAFARIANISM

Jamaica is the home of Rastafarianism, a religious movement spurred by the beliefs of famous Jamaican Marcus Garvey and inspired by an Ethiopianist reading of the King James Bible. Rastafarian beliefs are Christian, with a Jamaican twist.
Ethiopian Prince (Ras) Tafari is at the center of the religion; Rastafarians believe him to be the messiah. In 1932 Tafari was crowned emperor Haile Selassie. Selassie himself claimed lineage from the biblical Solomon and the Queen of Sheba.
Garvey's followers proclaimed him to be a prophet, as he had spoken of an Ethiopian leader who would take control and who would be the messiah. Selassie became their messiah, having ascended to the throne as Garvey predicted.
Ethiopia is associated with heaven on earth, and souls are said to return there after death. Rastafarianism also includes beliefs about the worlds of the living and the dead associating; these stem particularly from beliefs of the now-creolized Obeah and Myal religions on Jamaica.


Conversion Process: There is no centralized body of Rastafarianism, and therefore no strictly agreed upon rules of conversion exist. Becoming a Rastafarian is as simple as following the teachings of the late Emporer Haile Selassie. And no, you are not required to grow dreads or smoke grass to become a Rastafarian … but why the hell wouldn't you?

Judgment Day: Unfortunately, if you are white, you are probably a part of Babylon -- the white political power structure that has been holding down blacks for centuries -- and are probably not eligible for much forgiveness at any time. For everyone else, the question is if you really want to pass judgment day -- see below.

Afterlife: A disappointment. Rastas consider Ethiopia to be "Heaven on Earth" and don't believe in any eternal heaven or hell. For those of us who sang "We are the World" during elementary school graduation: we're not fooled.

Bells and Whistles: Did we mention the skunk weed?

Overall: 3. Although it combines the ease of Christianity with the fun of trying to speak in a Jamaican accent -- some-ting I and I jus' kyan resist! -- Rastafarianism's overall score was ultimately dragged down by the whole Ethiopia rip-off.

Entertainment

Entertainment

Cricket and soccer are the most popular sports in Jamaica, and dominoes are the favorite board game. The Jamaicans are also fond of table tennis, field hockey, tennis, boxing, mountain biking, hiking, to swimming, sailing, windsurfing and athletics. The plays written and performed in courtyards attract a large audience. Music and dance are very important in the lives of many Jamaicans, the gospel; reggae, soca (calypso) and dance hall music are very popular. This music incorporates elements of reggae, disco music and rap. The Soca is very popular during Carnival; a great spring festival is celebrated with parades, costumes and parties. During free time, they often go to bars to listen to music while sipping a glass of rum. There are many clubs, community centers and clubs. Other recreational activities include watching television, videos, going to movies, have parties on the beach, picnic, fly kites, go to festivals and participating in community meetings or church.