Jamaica🇯🇲

Written By Dolly Oyebadejo

June 2022.

Notes

  • We stayed in Montego Bay, and from there visited Negril, Ocho Rios, Sandy Bay, and Falmouth.

  • The itinerary included for this trip was the one I made for my friend’s bachelorette. But I think it still works for any kind of trip.

    • I took my parents on a trip to Jamaica the following year, and we did a lot of the same activities.

  • Here’s a link to my google doc which has all the information from this post (minus the pics), which may be easier to reference.

Accommodations

  • Because the bachelorette was a group trip, we stayed in an AirBNB Villa with a heated jacuzzi and beautiful pool.

    • The villa is in a gated community, came with chef, maid staff. And they have a driver they can recommend to you.

villa pool

one of the breakfasts the villa chef made for us


  • On the trip with my parents, we stayed in an all-inclusive resort, Hotel Riu Montego Bay, so they could have plenty meal options at the fingertips.

    • This was my first and only time staying at an all-inclusive resort, and I didn't mind it. Riu has resorts all over the world. This one in Montego Bay had great reviews and was my favorite option of the all-inclusives I looked up.

    • The rooms, food, amenities, and service were good. There’s also a small waterpark on the property!

Hotel Riu Montego Bay

view from the Hotel Riu balcony

Activities

  • Beaches

    • Frenchmen’s Cove

    • 7 Mile Beach (Negril)

      • Plenty of beach chairs and umbrellas to rent. Can get food, drinks. Vendors will come buy to sell things and perform music.

7 Mile Beach

mom at 7 Mile Beach

7 Mile Beach

  • Rafting on Martha Brae

    • $77 per 2 ppl

  • Rick’s Cafe (Negril) — highly recommend

    • Food, drinks, cliff jumping, beautiful sunset. 

    • They also have performances in the evenings.

the higher platform for cliff jumping

me at the lower platform for cliff jumping

jumping with my mom

 

Rick’s at sunset

 

  • Chukka Adventure Center 

    • Ocean Outpost (Sandy Bay)

      • Horseback Ride N Swim, Zipline, ATV

    • Eco Adventure Outpost (Good Hope)

      • Ultimate Explorer ($189)

      • Bamboo raft, zipline, river tubing, rum tasting, waterslide, lunch included 

  • Yaa Man Adventure Park (in Ocho Rios)

    • Dolphin’s Cove (swim with dolphins), ATV, Bird Aviary

  • Dunn’s River Falls (Ocho Rios)

    • Hike up waterfall (30 min)

    • Bring water shoes

Dunn’s river

  • Private Catamaran

    • Here’s the company we went with. I cannot recommend enough. It was the highlight of our trip. Great, fun crew. DJ, bartender, and photographer on boat, with open bar. You also can snorkel or lay out on floating devices.

best private catamaran experience I’ve had

  • Sam Sharpe Square

    • Sam Sharpe was an enslaved Jamaican who was the leader of the widespread Baptist War slave rebellion in Jamaica in 1831-1832

  • National Gallery West Museum 

    • Multiple exhibitions, one that focuses on art from West Jamaica. When I went with my parents, there was a chilling slave trade exhibition.

National Gallery West Museum

Dining

  • Breakfast

    • Pelican Grill

    • Cafe Blue

    • Daily’s Cafe

  • Lunch/Dinner

    • Splendid’s (some of the best rice & peas I’ve ever had)

    • Scotchie’s (on your way in/out Montego)

    • Pier One

    • The Pelican Grill

    • Peppa’s Cool Spot

    • Houseboat Grill Restaurant

    • Usain Bolt’s Track & Records

    • Pork Pit

    • Rockhouse (Negril)

    • Apparently KFC in Jamaica is a MUST

  • Nice (Last) Dinner 

    • Marguerites

    • Sugar Mill

    • Round Hill

This plate from Splendid’s consumes my dreams

Sugar Mill

Night Life

  • Montego Bay “Hip Strip”

  • 50/50 Lounge 

  • Lounge 27/27

 

27/27

 

Example Itinerary

my itinerary from my friend’s bachelorette trip

6/24 Fri

  • Check in AirBNB at 3 PM

  • Dinner at Pier One

  • Montego Bay “Hip Strip”

6/25 Sat 

  • Breakfast @ AirBNB

  • Head to Negril

  • 7 Mile beach 

    • Treehouse Resort: food, drinks, beach chair rentals

  • Margaritaville for lunch

  • Squeeze in pattys from Miss Sonia 

  • ?Tiki pon de sea

  • Rick’s Cafe (in Negril) at 3 

    • Get cabana, watch cliff jumpers, sunset, live music

  • Rockhouse restaurant

  • Lounge 27/27

6/26 Sun

  • Breakfast @ AirBNB

  • Chukka Adventure: Eco Adventure Outpost

    • Ultimate Explorer

    • Bamboo raft, zipline, river tubing, rum tasting, waterslide, lunch included 

  • Dinner @ Pelican Grill

6/27 Mon

  • Breakfast @ AirBNB

  • Private catamaran 9:30-12:30

    • Includes drinks, food, snorkeling

  • Dunn’s River (Ocho Rios)

  • Lunch @ Scotchie’s 

  • AirBNB pool vs beach 

  • Game Night

  • Dinner @ Sugar Mill

  • 50/50 Lounge

6/28 Tue

  • Breakfast @ AirBNB

  • 9:45 AM Chukka Adventure: Ocean Outpost

    • Ocean Outpost Double

    • ATV, Horseback ride, kayak, paddle boards

  • Beach day: Doctor’s Cave

  • Last dinner: Marguerites

6/29 Wed

  • Breakfast @ AirBNB

  • Check out at 11 AM

Dolly Oyebadejo
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