Flights
Direct connections from the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada to Montego Bay — the main tourist gateway — and Kingston, the capital. From continental Europe, usually one stop. Nine to ten hours from London. The two airports are four hours apart by road, so book into the one that serves your destination.
Getting around
The north coast highway is good and the drive between Montego Bay, Ocho Rios and Port Antonio is straightforward. The interior is mountainous and the roads are slower than the map suggests. Driving is on the left. Route taxis — shared, running fixed routes — are the local transport and are cheap; for visitors, arranged drivers are the usual choice and often the same cost as hiring a car.
When to come
December to April is the dry season and the high season: best weather, highest prices. May and June, and late November, offer a good compromise. The wettest months are May, and September to November, which is also the peak of hurricane season. The Blue Mountains are noticeably cooler and can be genuinely cold at night.
Orders of magnitude
| Return flight from Europe | £500 to £900 |
|---|---|
| Mid-range hotel night | $90 to $200; all-inclusive resorts far more |
| Local restaurant meal | $8 to $25 |
| Private driver for a day | $100 to $180 |
What holds everywhere
- Insurance covering medical costs and repatriation stops being optional as soon as local healthcare is limited. Check it actually covers the destination: many policies exclude areas under adverse travel advice.
- Carry cash. In much of the world cards work in the big cities and nowhere else. Check the ATM situation and your bank's charges before leaving.
- Leave margin on connections. A tight transfer on a thinly served route is expensive: the next flight may be tomorrow, or in three days.
- The real budget runs over two years, not one trip: repeated flights, paperwork, translations, legalisations, any support sent. It is always underestimated.