Jamaican vacation: 5 awesome activities for travelers and adventure seekers, from mountain hiking, birdwatching, literary readings, to visiting spooky sights.
Jamaica has to be one of the sweetest spots in the world for a vacation.
Trading on stereotypical tropical attractions of sun, sea, sand and laid-back vibes, its large resorts attract hordes of visitors from around the world.
And although there’s much to be said for the convenience of an all-inclusive Jamdown holiday, if you never venture outside the hotel walls, you’ll only experience a sanitised version of the pulsating, kaleidoscopic culture of this fascinating island nation.
Plan ahead, and there’s plenty of Jamaica that’s completely safe to visit – plus, your experience will be much more immersive and inspirational.
With that in mind, here are five awesome activities for a Jamaican vacay.
1. Blue Mountain Hiking
If you’ve never been before, you might not realise that Jamaica has mountains.
The verdant, vertiginous Blue Mountains are the perfect place to grow the world’s best coffee. And they’re beautiful too – hike with The Blue Mountains Experience and see for yourself!
2. Accompong
The Jamaican Maroons fought several successful guerrilla campaigns against the British in the 18th century and, through guts and guile, won an autonomous status which they enjoy to this day.
Visit Accompong Village in St Elizabeth’s Cockpit Country and you can talk to proud descendants of this rebel army and learn about their unique history – TripAdvisor has ratings and reviews for reliable tours.
3. Birdwatching in Robin’s Bay
Jamaica’s national bird is the Doctor Bird – a lovely hummingbird with an elaborate tail and lashings of sass.
But go birdwatching at Green Castle in Robin’s Bay and you’l enter a tropical twitcher’s paradise where you’ll see many more species you could spot anything from a fearsome Johncrow (vulture) to pretty black- or yellow-billed parrots, and the lush scenery is simply sublime.
4. Literary Lounging at Treasure Beach
The Calabash Literary Festival is held every two years in blissful Treasure Beach, also in St Elizabeth.
Founded by Jamaican writer Colin Channer, guests can enjoy hearing from bookish big hitters like Zadie Smith and Jamaica Kincaid during the day, then chill out around campfires at night and enjoy live music, cold beer and stimulating conversations. It’s held on May 29-31 this year – see its Facebook page for details.
5. Spooky Shenanigans at Rose Hall
When you visit Rose Hall near Montego Bay, get ready for an experience that’s breath taking in more ways than one.
This hilltop former plantation house is a joy to behold but also has a sinister history – it’s the former home of Haitian voodoo queen Annie Palmer, who is said to have murdered several of her husbands within its walls, and supposedly still haunts the stately pile to this day.
Choose any of these five awesome Jamaican vacay activities and you’ll add a splash of cultural colour to your holiday and head home with magical memories that last a lifetime – you can thank us later!
That’s our list! Share your own Jamaican vacay ideas in the comments section.
