There are certain things that come to mind when thinking about Jamaica: Bob Marley, bobsledding, and rum might be a few. However, this Carribean country has endless offerings for visitors, from pristine beaches to lush jungles to educational and historical sites. Jamaica is an island surrounded by pristine, warm waters, under which lie colorful ocean reefs and fish. On the island, there is a variety of terrains, from sandy beaches to forested mountains to rushing rivers and waterfalls. Its culture is just as diverse, with influence from British colonial times alongside the vibrant atmosphere celebrating Jamaica as an independent nation. If you thought you were just going to lie on a beach during your vacation, think again. Check out our list of all the things to do in Jamaica.
1. Relax in the tranquil setting of the Blue Mountains (from USD 240.0)
Mountains may not be what comes to mind when you think of Jamaica, but if that’s true for you you’re sadly mistaken. Take this tour to witness the stunning vistas of the Blue Mountain National Park. The tour starts in nearby Kingston, where you’ll be picked up from your hotel. The drive begins to the national park, with stops along the way at photo opportunities and historic sites. The tour passes by many relics of the British colonial period like old houses and barracks. Once you reach the park, you’ll get two hours for hiking, bird watching, and just taking in the panoramic views.
Jamaica Blue Mountain Guided Nature Tour
Duration: 5 to 7 hours
2. Explore Jamaica's backcountry (from USD 205.0)
Pump up your adrenaline on this thrilling day tour through Jamaica’s backcountry! This half-day tour is in the lush and wild heart of Jamaica’s jungle. First, you’ll fly through the trees and over river canyons on a zip line. After that, tube on the Great River, which is equal parts relaxing and thrilling. The day ends with an ATV experience which is perfect for covering rugged trails on a historic estate and going up the mountainous terrain.
Chukka ATV, Horse Ride, Zipline, Catamaran at Ocean Outpost Park
Duration: 9 hours
3. Go on a shopping tour of Montego Bay (from USD 30.0)
Shopping can be stressful in an unfamiliar city. Let this Viator tour bring you to all the shopping hotspots in Montego Bay so that you can stop worrying about finding your way and focus on picking out great souvenirs. The tour brings guests to the Blue Diamond Shopping Center, where you can get Jamaican rum, coffee, and more. Next, you’ll go to the ‘Hip Strip’ which is one of the city’s newest shopping areas. They have everything and lots of specialty stores. The last stop is Margaritaville, where you can rest your feet while having a drink.
Montego Bay Half-Day Shopping Tour
Duration: 3 hours
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4. Take a splash at Aquasol Theme Park
Aquasol is a one-of-a-kind theme park that everyone will love! It has many of the activities you would find at a regular theme park, like go-karts, but its beachfront location allows for many other kinds of activities. You can rent snorkel gear and a kayak to take in the sights at a leisurely pace. If you’re more adventurous, rent out a jet ski or try parasailing! The park features live music every night.
Aquasol Theme Park
Address: Gloucester Ave, Montego Bay, Jamaica
Website: Aquasol Theme Park
Opening hours: Sunrise - sunset (daily)
Price: 20 USD
5. Enjoy a night cruise on Jamaica's Luminous Lagoon (from USD 59.0)
The Luminous Lagoon is a stunning sight to behold. This body of water is home to millions of dinoflagellates, microscopic organisms that emit a glow at night when there are disturbances in the water. You can see the lagoon for yourself and even swim in it as part of this Viator tour. You’ll be brought to the lagoon on a small boat and your guide will tell you about how the water glows. You can even jump in and watch as the water around you emits a soft blue light. It’s an experience that feels out of this world!
Mystic Luminescent Lagoon Night Cruise & Swim in Jamaica
Duration: 3 hours
6. Go on a night tour of Rose Hall (from USD 164.0)
Rose Hall is an elegant but eerie plantation mansion that dates back to 1770. According to local legends, the owner’s wife was a witch who used her powers to kill her husband and haunts Rose Hall to this day. This tour includes a candlelit walk around the mansion, which makes it even spookier. You can also get a ‘Witch’s Brew’ drink in the pub, which was once a dungeon, and debate whether or not you saw her ghost.
Montego Bay to Luminous Lagoon, Rose Hall: Night Tour, Cruise
Duration: 3 hours 30 minutes
7. Enjoy a horse-back countryside tour (from USD 99.0)
This unique tour combines horseback riding with swimming as you ride a specially trained horse into the waves of the Caribbean. The tour starts off by riding trails that wind through historic plantations and farmland. After you’ve worked up a sweat, you’ll arrive at the beach where you and your steed can cool off by splashing in the water!
Ocho Rios Horseback Riding and Swimming Adventure
Duration: 1 hour
8. Stroll down a local shopping street in search of souvenirs (from USD 125.0)
This extensive tour brings you to some of Jamaica’s most naturally beautiful places as well as its top shopping spots. You’ll start in the scenic town of Runaway Bay before heading to Columbus Park Museum, where the explorer once landed. After that, you’ll head to the pristine oasis of the Blue Hole, a bright blue swimming hole surrounded by a lush green jungle. Swim in the mineral waters, under caves, and take a walk up the stunning Secret Falls. The last two hours of the tour are spent shopping in Ocho Rios where a tour guide will bring you to the best shops for your must-have souvenirs. The tour also includes a delicious lunch at one of the best jerk chicken restaurants on the island.
Blue Hole, Secret Falls, and Shopping from Montego Bay
Duration: 8 hours
9. Explore the popular Doctor's Cave Beach (from USD 85.0)
Doctor’s Cave Beach looks almost unreal with its blinding white sand and bright blue water. Take this tour to see it for yourself to see one of Jamaica’s most popular beaches in person! You’ll have two hours on this beach to relax in the shade or take a swim in the calm waters. There are also opportunities to rent equipment for water activities like snorkeling. Afterward, head to nearby Hip Strip for shopping and then Margaritaville for a fun end to the day.
Doctor's Cave Beach Tour Plus Margaritaville from Montego Bay
Duration: 5 hours
10. Visit Nine Mile, home of music legend Bob Marley (from USD 129.0)
Reggae icon Bob Marley is one of Jamaica’s most famous musicians and an inspiration to many visitors who come to the island. This tour will bring you to his hometown, Nine Mile. This small village is where Marley had his humble beginnings and a tour guide will tell you everything there is to know. You’ll also visit Mt. Zion Rock, a location where he went to meditate and is mentioned in his song Talking Blues.
Dunn’s River Falls, Bob Marley's Nine Mile Tour with Transport
Duration: 9 hours
11. Ride an ATV to Salmon Point (from USD 125.0)
The beach near the small fishing village of Salmon Point is a postcard-perfect picture of tranquility. One of the reasons this beach is so unspoiled could be because you have to traverse some diverse terrain to reach it. On this Viator tour, you’ll ride on ATVs while being led by an experienced guide to reach Salmon Point’s paradise. Ride the ATV through sand, rocky hills, and mangrove stands before you reach your destination.
Jamwest ATV Tour to Salmon Point from Negril
Duration: 1 hour
12. Explore the remarkable Green Grotto Caves (from USD 148.0)
Jamaica is a country with many diverse environments. From sandy beaches to mountainous jungles, nothing quite compares to the Green Grotto Caves. This extensive cave network is made up of a maze of underground caverns shaped by stalagmites and stalactites. The caves have served many purposes throughout the years. Cave drawings and tools from the Taino Indians indicate that they used the grotto for shelter long ago. In 1655, the Spanish hid in the caves from the invading British, and they escaped via a tunnel to Runaway Bay. The caves were even used to store rum barrels during World War II.
Green Grotto Caves Excursion from Ocho Rios
Duration: 4 hours
13. Check out the sculptures at Emancipation Park in Kingston
Jamaica’s history is sadly incomplete without the horrors of slavery. Emancipation Park is an oasis in the middle of the city, which was built to commemorate the end of slavery. The park has many fountains and pieces of public art, but the most famous is called ‘Redemption Song’ by artist Laura Facey. This 11-foot (3-meter) bronze sculpture depicts a man and a woman looking toward the sky to symbolize triumph over slavery. After you take a minute to remember the lives lost and forever changed by slavery, take in the park’s pretty greenery and relax in the shade for a while.
Emancipation Park
Address: Oxford Road and Knutsford Blvd, Kingston, Jamaica
Website: Emancipation Park
Opening hours: 5am - 11pm (daily)
Price: Free
14. Go on an excursion to Falmouth Shore (from USD 179.0)
This unique rafting excursion on the White River is one you won’t forget! Your vehicle for the ride is a 30-foot (10-meter) long bamboo raft, which is large enough for two adults and an infant. The raft floats along a gentle river, which gives you plenty of opportunities to take in the lush greenery on the shores. Your destination is the beautiful Dunn’s Falls, a towering cascade that’s famous throughout the world. You can hike to the top for a challenge, or take in the falls from several entry points on its sides.
Falmouth Shore Excursion: Bamboo Raft, Dunn's River Falls
Duration: 5 hours
15. Pay your respects at National Heroes Park
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
National Heroes Park is an important place for Jamaicans because it is the site of the burial grounds and memorials to many of the country’s prime ministers, cultural leaders, and other important figures. Political figures buried here include Sir Alexander Bustamante, the first prime minister, Norman Manley, and activist Marcus Garvey. Some artistic figures honored here include reggae musician Dennis Brown and poet Louise Bennett. There are also memorials to Jamaican soldiers in the world wars and to a group of elderly women who were killed in a fire at a home for the aged in 1980.
National Heroes Park
Address: National Heroes Circle, Kingston, Jamaica
Website: National Heroes Park
Opening hours: 6am - 6pm (daily)
Price: Free
16. Go bird watching at Rocklands Bird Sanctuary (from USD 70.0)
Rocklands Bird Sanctuary is home to thousands of birds, some of which are native to Jamaica and others that have flown long distances to feed here. This is the perfect pick if you’re a bird watcher, but if you aren’t, visit anyway and see if it changes your mind! You’ll see species like the Bananaquit and Greater Antillean Bullfinch darting around the feeders. The sanctuary is home to four different kinds of hummingbirds. The unique thing about Rocklands is that many of the birds are tame enough that they will come to eat out of your hands- watch as the Red-billed Streamertail and Jamaican Mango, sip from sugar water dispensers and maybe even sit on your hand!
Rocklands Bird Sanctuary
Address: Rocklands Rd, Wiltshire, Jamaica
Website: Rocklands Bird Sanctuary
Opening hours: 10am - 5pm (daily)
Price: Free
Rocklands Bird Sanctuary: 2-Hour Montego Bay Tour
Duration: 2.0 hour
17. Take a rugged trail up to Reading Heights (from USD 179.0)
Experience the best of everything Jamaica has to offer on this tour, which offers a variety of cool activities! The highlight is hiking up to Reading Heights and taking in the stunning vistas. It only gets more exciting from there. You’ll also have the opportunity to ride a horse along trails and stay aboard as it swims in the ocean. After you work up a sweat hiking, cool off by tubing down the great river. After lunch, the tour wraps up with a thrilling ride down a zip line and a chance to try rappelling!
Chukka Zipline, Horse Ride, Swim, Tubing and Ocean Outpost Park
Duration: 6 to 7 hours
18. Enjoy drinks at Jamaica's legendary Pelican Bar (from USD 145.0)
There are few places in the world like Pelican Bar: this legendary spot sits on a sandbar in the middle of the ocean, so you’ll feel like you’re eating and drinking while floating! Nothing could be more relaxing unless you book this Viator tour which provides transportation to and from Pelican Bar. Then all you have to worry about is whether you’re going to order a Red Stripe beer or Jamaican rum! Pair your drinks with the freshest seafood you can imagine. You can even take a dip before or after you dine.
Montego Bay to The Pelican Bar Half-Day Tour with Admission
Duration: 6 hours
19. Enjoy a day at Hope Plantation and Nature Adventure Park (from USD 199.0)
This tour combines adventurous activities with historical education to make a day that is both fun and interesting. The tour brings you to Good Hope Plantation, a sprawling estate that dates back to the 1700s. There are 16 buildings still standing on the property, that teach you about how the plantation operated and the crops they grew. After you tour the plantation, visit the Nature Adventure Park which is also on the property! Kids will love splashing in the pool while adults will enjoy the open bar. Everyone can experience the tandem zip lines, ATV rides, and river tubing to round out the day.
Chukka Bamboo Rafting, Ziplines, Tubing and Appleton Rum Tasting
Duration: 7 hours
20. Tour Appleton Estate's distillery and taste local rums (from USD 195.0)
Though tasting local spirits is an aspect of many of these tours, this is the only one on the list where you specifically visit a distillery that makes local Jamaican rum. You’ll spend two hours at the Appleton Estate, where you can take a tour and see how rum is made and have the opportunity to try a few samples. This tour isn’t just about rum, though: you’ll also get to take a fun pontoon boat ride down the Black River. If you’re lucky, you might even spot a crocodile!
Jamaican South Coast Private Sightseeing Tour with Transport
Duration: 6 to 8 hours
21. Board a catamaran and cruise to Dunn's River Falls (from USD 149.0)
Not many tours combine snorkeling, hiking, and a fun boat party in one: book this Viator tour and you’ll get to do all of that and more! This 3.5-hour cruise kicks off with a Jamaican barbecue on Mahogany Beach before you board the catamaran. Then, you’ll snorkel in the Caribbean and see amazing underwater sites. The next stop is at Dunn’s River Falls, where you’ll hike to get amazing views of the 600-foot (183-meter) cascades. After you return to the boat, the night turns into a dance party with an open bar and awesome DJ’s!
Cruise to Dunn's River Falls from Ocho Rios or Montego Bay
Duration: 6 hours
22. Explore Mayfield Falls and Dolphin Head Mountains (from USD 115.0)
Mayfield Falls and Dolphin Head Mountains are two of Jamaica’s most stunning and popular natural attractions. See them both with ease by booking this Viator tour. The tour disembarks from Negril and you settle in for a 90-minute ride through some of the prettiest countrysides that Jamaica has to offer. The towering Dolphin Head Mountains provide an epic backdrop to the rolling jungle. You’ll arrive at the rushing Mayfield Falls and have a couple of hours to hike around the falls and even take a dip. After you’ve worked up an appetite, enjoy the complimentary lunch before returning to your hotel.
Mayfield Falls Tour with Lunch, drink &Transportation (Original)
Duration: 4 to 5 hours
23. Go on a sightseeing tour of Negril (from USD 157.0)
Negril is probably the kind of destination you had in mind when planning your trip to Jamaica. This relaxed fishing town has a low-key atmosphere and endless charm. This tour will bring you from bustling Montego Bay or Ocho Rios to Negril and give you several hours to explore. You can relax on the sandy beach, peruse the local shops for unique souvenirs, or head to famous Rick’s Cafe for drinks and dinner while watching the sunset.
[PRIVATE] Negril Sightseeing Tour with RickS Cafe Cliff Diving
Duration: 4 to 6 hours
24. Ride a bobsled through the Jamaican rain forest in Ocho Rios (from USD 68.99)
Many people are familiar with Jamaica’s famous bobsled team, who despite their tropical homeland trained and competed in the 1988 Winter Olympics. Get a taste of what the sport is like at the Mystic Mountain Bobsled! This bobsled is suited to the tropics and zooms along on a track down Mystic Mountain. Gravity is the only thing pulling you along and the speed and turns make for a thrilling ride.
Mystic Mountain Jamaica Entry Ticket with Bobsled Ride
Duration: 3 hour
25. Visit Jamaica’s Mystic Mountain (from USD 57.99)
This exciting tour may just be the high point of your trip! Take the Sky Explorer chairlift to the top of Mystic Mountain. From this open-air chairlift, you’ll watch as the landscape changes with the increase in elevation. Once you reach the summit, you’ll see the Jamaican rain forest from a whole new perspective as the rolling jungle is laid out beneath you. Take a walk around at the peak and read some of the informational materials about Mystic Mountain, Jamaica, and its people.
Jamaica: Mystic Mountain Sky Explorer Tour
Duration: 2 to 258 hour
26. Have fun at Sunscape Splash Resort (from USD 101.0)
Sunscape Splash Resort is one of the most famous water parks on the island. Visitors travel for miles to swim in the park’s pools and zoom down its water slides. Sunscape’s popularity often means that lines for admission are out the door. Skip the line and get in the water sooner by booking this Viator tour. The tour includes admission to the water park, round trip transportation from Montego Bay, and an open bar and lunch buffet!
Sunscape Splash Resort Day Pass with Transportation
Duration: 6 hours
27. Tube along the rushing rapids of the Great River (from USD 89.0)
This tubing tour down Jamaica’s Great River is the perfect combination of thrilling and relaxing. At points, the river is gentle so you can sit back in your tube and take in the scenery. At other times, the river turns into rushing rapids and you’ll safely bounce around in your tube! Along the whole ride, you’ll be led by an expert guide who will give you instructions while pointing out plants and animals on the shores that you might have missed.
Jungle River Tubing Safari from Montego Bay
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
28. Experience the nightlife at Margaritaville (from USD 56.0)
Margaritaville After Dark is one of Montego Bay’s favorite nightlife spots. This multi-level, open-air club features the island’s best DJ’s and the dancing goes on until the wee hours of the morning. As one of the city’s most popular clubs, there’s often a long line to get in. This tour allows you to skip the line and also gives you unlimited drinks the entire time at the club. All you have to focus on is dancing your heart out.
Margaritaville Skip the Line and Open Bar in Montego Bay
Duration: 3 hours 30 minutes
29. Go scuba diving in Montego Bay with PADI Discover (from USD 135.0)
There is a whole other world underneath the clear blue waters of the Caribbean. Experience it up close and see the gorgeous coral and colorful marine life by taking this scuba diving tour. This half-day tour has everything you’ll need for a successful dive. You’ll start off with a lesson where you learn the basics of scuba diving and a practice session in a pool. Then it’s off to the ocean for a shallow dive where you can put your new skills to use!
PADI Discover Scuba Diving in Montego Bay
Duration: 4 hours
More than just a resort island
Jamaica combines the stunning beauty and relaxing vibe of an island resort with a rich culture and endless opportunities for adventure. There is a lot to do on this little island, whether it’s zooming down a zip line, bobsledding, hiking through a jungle or touring a historical site. If you want to simply lie on the beach while sipping a cocktail, that’s fine too. Jamaica is all about doing things your way, as long as you have a good time doing it!
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