Hiking in the Blue Mountains is one of the many adventures to be had in Jamaica

JAMAICA: A Different Kind of Island Time

X
Hiking in the Blue Mountains is one of the many adventures to be had in Jamaica
At a glance

With its wild rivers and rugged mountainous landscape, Jamaica has become a top destination for adventure travel. Of course, with its perfect weather, beautiful beaches, and calm turquoise waters, it’s great for snorkeling, diving, and sailing, too.

  • Resorts in Negril and Ocho Rios
  • Restaurant recommendations for the best local flavors
  • Bookable adventure tours and attractions

Get in on the Action in Jamaica

Jamaica – adventure capital of the Caribbean? Absolutely. No longer is this sunny island nation just a prime destination for lazy, rum-soaked beach vacations. It’s also a great spot for nature lovers, wanderers, and people who can’t just lie around doing nothing all day.

Keep Reading
  • Overview
  • Map
 
Chukka Carib Canopy Tour
details
Soar high above the trees on this zip-line tour in the heart of Jamaica’s Cranbrook Flower Forest. There are nine different traverses, ranging from 105 feet to 660 feet apart. Enjoy a birds-eye view of the area, while “flying like a bird” through the trees.
 

ATV Safari Montego Bay
details
After a safety and tour briefing, put your helmet on and get ready to roll! This adventure has you riding through the rugged dirt trails of Rose Hall Estate. Along the way, you’ll learn about Jamaica’s heritage and catch stunning panoramic views of the Caribbean Sea. Heading up into the mountains, the tour concludes with a visit to an old church and a lunch of Jamaican Jerk Chicken and Jamaica’s own Red Stripe beer.
Dolphin Swim
details
Get to know two friendly dolphins on this dolphin encounter. After your trainer gives you the lowdown, it’s time for you to jump in the water and stroke the dolphins’ beautiful skin, get kissed, and even get a foot push or a dorsal pull by the dolphins around the cove. This experience also includes admission to Dolphin Cove Jungle, home to animals and birds in their natural habit, including iguanas, snakes, macaws, parrots, stingrays, eel, turtles, and more.
Black River Safari, Appleton, and YS Falls, Negril
details
This day-long adventure is jam-packed with activities. You’ll start by traveling along the countryside to the South Coast for an exciting boat trip down the Black River, where you’ll see crocodiles and other native species in their natural habitat. Then, you’ll break for lunch before heading over to YS Falls for a swim and on to the legendary Appleton Estate Rum distillery to learn about the history of rum-making (as well as the chance to taste several different kinds) in Jamaica.
Chukka Caribbean Horseback Ride
details
Great for active travelers and horse-lovers of all ages (no prior riding experience is necessary), this spectacular mountain to sea adventure provides a unique view of Jamaica’s natural beauty. This adventure has you riding along the beach, along a cliff, and into the mountains.
Chukka Cove River Tubing
details
This river tubing adventure gets underway at the 17th century landmark “Spanish Bridge.” Traversing the waters between the parishes of St. Mary and St. Ann, expect a day full of challenging rapids, enchanting lagoons, and tons of fun. As you disembark, you’ll be in the White River Valley, home to more than 100 species of flowers.
Martha Brae Bamboo River Rafting
details
Journey along Jamaica’s North Coast to the Martha Brae Village – by river raft! As you peacefully float down the Martha Brae River on a 30-foot bamboo raft, you have time to listen to your captain tell stories about local legends during this three-hour journey.

When to Go

Jamaica boasts sunny and warm weather year-round, though for adventure travel—the months between December-April are best. Temperatures are cooler and the hurricane season (June-November each year) is over.

When in Negril

Sandals and Beaches resorts in Negril offer two complimentary dives per day during the entire duration of your vacation. And if you’re not a certified SCUBA diver, you can take a “resort dive” or “discover scuba” dive in which you learn the basics and dive that afternoon with an instructor. The resorts also offer PADI certification courses that you can sign up for when you arrive.

When in Ocho Rios

This is a cruise port, so if you’re planning any adventure tours, find out from your resort’s concierge which days there are no ships in port for a less crowded, more personalized experience.

 

 

Accommodations

You'll need a place to stay that matches the trip you're on. Our team recommends these hotels for this experience.

    • Beaches Negril

      Norman Manley Boulevard, Negril

      Situated along Negril’s famous Seven-Mile Beach, this all-inclusive resort caters to active families. In addition to enjoying the beach right outside your door, this resort also has three pools and the Pirate Island Waterpark. Very family-friendly, the resort has its own Kids Kamp. There is also an on-site spa for relaxing and unwinding after a day of adventure.
    • Sandals Grande Riviera Beach and Villa Golf Resort

      Ocho Rios

      This Sandals all-inclusive is actually two resorts in one. The beach resort is home to babbling brooks, fragrant gardens, and a nice beach club. For vacationers seeking the ultimate in tranquility, the villas and Great House suites are the place to be. The Great House is a bluff-top manor that has a pool and a piano bar. Regardless of where you stay, you will be treated to fabulous international cuisine. This resort complex also has its own golf course.
    • Sandals Negril

      Norman Manley Boulevard, Negril

      What really makes this all-inclusive Sandals resort stand out is the fact that it boasts unique suites with butler service where you can swim up to your private patio. Plus, there are a wide variety of options available for getting out and exploring the nearby area, including an excursion to the Blue Mountains, deep sea fishing, dolphin encounters, a reggae cruise, and more. Talk with a Team Traterra representative to learn more.
    • Couples Tower Isle

      St. Mary, Ocho Rios

      Exclusively for couples, this resort offers the perfect mix between action and relaxation. Situated on its own private island, a wide variety of activities also leave directly from this resort, including a glass-bottom boat tour, the Dunn’s River Falls tour, a shopping excursion to downtown Ocho Rios, and a shuttle to Island Village, home of Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville. Talk to a Team Traterra representative to learn more about how to reserve your spot on these optional activities. Three pools and six restaurants round out the list of amenities.
    • Couples Sans Souci

      Route A3, St. Mary, Ocho Rios

      This resort is also exclusively for couples. Offering the same excursions as Couples Tower Isle Resort, what makes Couples Sans Souci stand out is its design – it pays tribute to Jamaica’s Colonial past. Dining on site is also phenomenal – offering Jamaican and international cuisine. Other highlights include the resort’s own spa and private cabanas.
    • RIU Palace Tropical Bay

      Norman Manley Boulevard, Negril

      This beachfront, all-inclusive resort is especially noteworthy because of its spa. Renova Spa offers a wide variety of massages and after a day of adventure, perhaps a deep tissue, Swedish, stress cure, or therapeutic massage is in order? Swimming pools, a special kids’ program, as well as tennis courts, a fitness center, windsurfing, sailing, snorkeling, kayaking, body boarding, diving, and other aquatic activities are also available here.
    • RIU Ocho Rios

      Mammee Bay, St. Ann, Ocho Rios

      Conveniently located to the attractions in Ocho Rios, this family-friendly all-inclusive resort caters to active travelers. In addition to being close to the beach and having great pools, there are also tennis and volleyball courts on site, as well as windsurfing, sailing, snorkeling, kayaking, and more. Nightly entertainment features live music and theme shows. There is also a daily entertainment program for children.
    • RIU Negril

      Bloody Bay, Negril

      Directly on the beach, this all-inclusive resort offers a variety of aquatic activities, a kids’ program, a disco, and the chance to take part in many of Jamaica’s exciting excursions. Talk to a Team Traterra representative about trips to the thermal springs of Rhodes, Hall Plantation, Seven-Mile Beach, and The Great Morass (a cave), home to endemic birds, bats, and crocodiles.
    • Sunset At The Palms Resort and Spa

      Norman Manley Boulevard, Negril

      If the idea of staying in a treehouse appeals to you, Sunset at The Palms has your name on it. The 85 “treehouse-style” guest rooms are environmentally friendly, built from locally-sourced materials, and have received accolades from Architectural Digest. A host of daytime and nighttime activities, as well as its spa and tennis courts, also make this resort stand out.
    • The Jewel Dunn's River Beach Resort and Spa

      Mammee Bay, St. Ann, Ocho Rios

      Catering to couples, this all-inclusive resort has extra special touches that will be particularly inviting after a day of adventure. Sip on a glass of eucalyptus-infused water poolside to refresh or grab an ice-cold face towel to cool down. The resort also features poolside “dive-in movies” and a great spa.



Restaurant Recomendations

Sweet Spice Restaurant
Sheffield Rd., West End, Negril

For the best in local Jamaican food—popular with natives and tourists alike—head to Sweet Spice Restaurant. Specializing in Jamaican and other West Indies fare, the cocktails here are also quite delightful.

Sunset After Dark Bar & Grill
West End, Negril

This is a basic burger joint, but the burgers here are really worth sinking your teeth into. Plus, it’s right on the cliffs in Negril, a great location for a casual meal and a drink while watching the sun go down.

Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville Ocho Rios
Turtle Beach Rd., Ocho Rios

This is the perfect spot to hit if you’re in the mood for drinks and a good time. Directly on the beach, there is also a pool (with a waterslide and a swim up bar). Order a margarita (what else?) and if hunger pangs kick in, the Jamaica Jerk Chicken gets two thumbs up from us.

   




 
en-US-CheckInLabel en-US-CheckOutLabel

Book This Vacation



Choose your hotel

Add a flight?


 

Please wait…

Need Help?

There are three ways to get in touch with our Travel Planners

  Chat
Email
Call
Why Traterra?

Knowledge and insight from our travel planners and insiders. Limitless possibilities for creating amazing vacations. Around-the-globe support. All at no cost to you. Find out more in About Us.




Similar Experiences

PERU: In the Footsteps of the Incas
Nestled into an Andean mountain crest nearly 8,000 feet above sea level, the ruins of Machu Picchu look out upon towering peaks that were sacred to the Incas who inhabited the city’s home and palaces some 500 years ago. The polished dry-stone walls of its most important buildings mingle with lush mountain greenery to create the spectacle you truly must see to believe.
Experience It
SAN FRANCISCO: Gourmet by the Bay
There is no city in the world with a soul quite like San Francisco. It drifts in and out of every nook and cranny of the city’s steep, undulating hills and narrow, Victorian-lined streets like late afternoon fog through the shimmering Golden Gate.
Experience It
AMSTERDAM: Discover the Art & Architecture of the Dutch
The Dutch are famous for their master painters (Vermeer, Van Rijn, Hals), tulips, windmills, cheese, and bicycling—though not necessarily in that order. Amsterdam, the largest city and capital of the Netherlands, is most famous for its impressive Grachtengordel, the 17th-century canals that have been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2010.
Experience It