Many Ocho Rios restaurants and resorts have strict dress codes, especially at night. You don't need to bring a suit and a tie or cocktail dress, but you should at least bring a few collared shirts, long pants and closed-toed shoes so you can eat without causing a stir. You also should invest in a pair of water shoes.
Where to Go in Jamaica: 5 Destinations You Can't Miss
- Negril. Arguably one of Jamaica's most beautiful (and laid-back) beach destinations, Negril is popular among honeymooning couples.
- Montego Bay. Affectionately known as MoBay, Montego Bay is a good point of entry to Jamaica.
- Kingston.
- Port Antonio.
- Ocho Rios.
Sandals Dunn's River area is about 1 1/5 -1 3/4 hours, Sandals Grande Ocho Rios takes about 2 hours, Beaches Boscobel takes 2 - 2 1/2 hours. It depends on time of day, weather, if you are in a private taxi or having to stop half way with a hotel shuttle full of other guests.
Montego Bay - Sangster International Airport
10-12 days is perfect to be able to get a tast of Jamaica and do a few excursions! Many often overbook themselves and the point of jamaica is to chill, explore and feel the vibes.
Unfortunately, no it is not safe right now. There is a state of emergency in effect due to the recent violence around all the tourist areas in Montego Bay Area. Please google: “How safe is Jamaica 2018” to find all the details.
Montego Bay is a city, so it is not without crime. But most tourists never encounter any issues and if you exercise a normal level of care and concern, you should have nothing to worry about. There are of course people who try to prey on tourists, so you don't want to leave cash or valuables in plain sight.
Best Times to Visit Jamaica. The best time to visit Jamaica is November to mid-December. That's when the island's already beautiful weather (ranging from mid-70s to the high 80s all year-round) is the most pleasant and the hotel and flight deals are the easiest to find.
It's definitely safe to wander around during the day. Most tourist areas are safe at night as well. Just use caution like you would in any other large city. Montego Bay is definitely safe during the day and the tourist areas, bars, clubs, etc are safe at night.
Is It Safe to Go to Montego Bay, Jamaica? A surge in violence on the tourist-popular Caribbean island of Jamaica has prompted officials to declare of state of emergency in parts of the country. As such, mandatory curfews have been issued for these areas, and tourists have been advised not to leave their resorts.
Jamaica's Travel Advisory for COVID-19. Subsequently, on the 31 January 2020, Jamaica placed a travel restriction on all persons who have been in China in the 14 days prior to arrival in Jamaica. On the 27 February 2020, the travel restrictions were expanded to include South Korea, Iran, Singapore and Italy.
Taxi Fares
| Route | Fare |
|---|
| Kingston–Port Antonio | US$120 |
| Montego Bay–Ocho Rios or Negril | US$100 |
| Norman Manley International Airport–Kingston (Uptown) | US$35 |
| Donald Sangster International Airport–Montego Bay | US$20 |
Ocho Rios, Jamaica: 24 Awesome Things to Do on a Cruise
- Dunn's River Falls. Sponsored Links.
- The Blue Hole. Photo Credit: Coolblueholeochorios.com.
- Cool Runnings. Photo Credit: rainforestadventure.com.
- Canopy Zip Line.
- Martha Brae River Rafting.
- White River Tubing.
- Dolphin Cove.
- Green Grotto Caves.
1. The tap water in Jamaica is safe to drink. Travelers need not spring for bottled water when eating out, worry about brushing teeth with water from the faucet, or avoid raw veggies for fear of getting sick.
- Dunn's River Falls and Park.
- Blue Hole.
- Konoko Falls & Park.
- White River.
- Rainforest Adventures.
- Ocho Rios Bay Beach.
- Fern Gully.
- Taj Mahal Shopping Center.
7 Best Beaches in Jamaica
- 01 of 07. Doctor's Cave Beach, Montego Bay. Douglas Pearson/Photodisc/Getty Images.
- 03 of 07. Treasure Beach, South Coast. Doug Pearson / Getty Images.
- 04 of 07. Seven Mile Beach, Negril.
- 05 of 07. Rose Hall Beach, Montego Bay.
- 06 of 07. Boston Bay Beach, Port Antonio.
- 07 of 07. Mammee Bay Beach, Ocho Rios.
The areas of Flankers, Canterbury, Rose Heights, Norwood, Hart Street, and Clavers Street are high-risk areas travelers should avoid. As long as you stay within the tourist hot-spots and avoid venturing into nontourist destinations staying safe in Jamaica shouldn't be an issue.
Tourists are advised to avoid traveling in notoriously high-threat areas of Kingston including, but not limited to, Mountain View, Trench Town, Tivoli Gardens, Cassava Piece, and Arnett Gardens. In Montego Bay, avoid the areas of Flankers, Canterbury, Norwood, Rose Heights, Clavers Street, and Hart Street.
Jamaica has had a lot of bad press about its levels of violence and crime and this might make you think about avoiding this Caribbean country. There are high levels of crime in certain places like Kingston and Montego Bay, where gang violence, shootings, and petty theft happen.
Yes, Jamaica is worth visiting. We stayed at Sandals Negril last yr and had the time of our lives. We will return their again very soon. Yes Jamaica is worth visiting, you would just have to use common sense and take safety precautions just as you would do at home.
According to Jamaican newspaper The Gleaner, 2018 has seen murder rates in Jamaica continuing to spiral upward, with at least 38 homicides committed since the start of the year. This is an increase from 23 over a similar period last year. St. James Parish saw the highest number of killings, with 335 recorded last year.
Some areas of Jamaica, particularly cities such as Kingston, Montego Bay and Spanish Town, experience high levels of crime and violence. Jamaica has had one of the highest murder rates in the world for many years, according to United Nations estimates.
Tourists are advised to avoid traveling in notoriously high-threat areas of Kingston including, but not limited to, Mountain View, Trench Town, Tivoli Gardens, Cassava Piece, and Arnett Gardens. In Montego Bay, avoid the areas of Flankers, Canterbury, Norwood, Rose Heights, Clavers Street, and Hart Street.
According to United Nations data, the homicide rate in Jamaica ranks at 47 murders per 100,000 individuals, down from 61 in 2005. That's similar to the murder rates in Detroit and Baltimore, according to FBI data.
Ocho Rios (Spanish for “Eight Rivers”) is a town in the parish of Saint Ann on the north coast of Jamaica. Ocho Rios affectionately called “Ochi” by locals was once a fishing village but now caters to tourists. Ocho Rios is known as the “capital of adventure” home to the highest number of attractions per square mile.
Ocho Rios Excursions and Tours
- Exclusive Bob Marley Reggae Tour.
- Exclusive Dunn's River Falls.
- River Tubing Safari & Beach Adventure.
- Ocho Rios Exclusive Dunn's Falls and Area Highlights.
- Ocho Rios Exclusive Dunn's River Falls and River Tubing.
- Enchanted Gardens, Bird Aviary and Mini Waterfall from Ocho Rios.
Caribbean reef sharks, tiger sharks, hammerheads, and bull sharks have been reported. Perhaps, the most common sharks in Jamaica are nurse sharks, which are docile creatures that tend to live towards the bottom of the seafloor.
Beaches Ocho Rios is a VERY small resort but is very well appointed. It is a safe environment for older children and teens to explore, with activities designed specifically for them. The self-serve ice cream and slushy machines are VERY popular! The water slides are lots of fun.
The most dangerous Caribbean islands
On the basis of crime rates, some of the least safe Caribbean Islands to visit include Puerto Rico, Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago. As we noted though, most crime in the Caribbean is an internal problem and is linked to inner-city areas well away from tourist resorts.Related: What are the most popular tours in Ocho Rios? Not to worry, the water is perfectly safe to drink in Jamaica! The water is fine to drink.
