Jamaica is an incredibly diverse country and each region of Jamaica has its own particular culture. People in Jamaica are happy to show you their country and in terms of atmosphere and nightlife there is nowhere in the world quite like Jamaica. It gave the world reggae legends like Bob Marley and Peter Tosh and more recently an explosion of dancehall music popularized by the likes of Sean Paul. Jamaica’s most famous music producer Chris Blackwell still lives there and runs a number of experience hotels which are excellent fun to visit if you can afford them. That includes the swanky Goldeneye property which was where Ian Fleming was inspired to write the James Bond novels. But one of the best reasons to go to Jamaica is that there is a range of accommodation and restaurants to suit every budget.
Jamaica has its own unique jerk cuisine and is also a great place to get seafood such as conch and lobster. Meanwhile the country exports large quantities of its prized rum and coffee, as well as another illegal commodity. Jamaica is very impressive in terms of scale and as well as having wonderful beaches there are huge rivers which flow into the sea which are ideal for rafting. The island has an amazing range of natural features such as underground caves and areas of practically uninhabited countryside. The country is an amazing place for bird watchers with many endemic species.
Jamaica has a reputation for being dangerous as Kingston has one of the highest murder rates in the world. In truth these are mostly gang killings in the bad inner city neighbourhoods. With some common sense and the right precautions Jamaica is no more dangerous to visit than any capital city. At times people may bother you to buy things but as long as you engage with them and are firm if you don’t want anything then most likely they will leave you alone. However Jamaica is definitely a relatively poor country so don’t go flashing any wealth or jewellry around.