Planning a Jamaica Trip: What to Know
Jamaica is big enough that picking a base matters more than almost anything else in your planning. Montego Bay, Negril, Ocho Rios and Kingston are hours apart and each offers a different version of the island, so our planner is built around committing to a region rather than a loose loop of the whole country.
Seven days is a realistic minimum if you want to see more than one area without spending half your trip in a car. Montego Bay and Negril suit travelers who want resort convenience and reliable beach days. Ocho Rios works well if Dunn's River Falls and day trips into the interior matter to you. Kingston is the pick for reggae history and a far less touristy experience.
Roads can be slow going, even over short distances, so build in more travel time than the map suggests. December through mid-April is peak season with the best weather and highest prices; hurricane season runs June through November. If the Blue Mountains coffee farms are on your list, that's really only realistic from a Kingston base.