When people think about Jamaica, usually the beach and its stunning sunsets come to mind. But what some don’t realize is that it’s also perfect for taking road trips! You can slowly explore Jamaica’s most famous sights over the course of a week by car. Here are the seven best places to go on your Jamaican adventure:
The buildings in Falmouth are very bright and colorful, like a painting!
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45 Minutes to Caribbean History & Baciliant Blue Water Wonders in Falmouth, Jamaica!
Montego Bay and Falmouth in Trelawny is about 34km (or 21 miles) away from each other.
If you’re interested in history, a trip to Falmouth is a must. All it takes is a short drive of around 45 minutes from Montego Bay and you’ll get to the Caribbean’s best-preserved Georgian town! The highway covering much of the journey is paved, so you can get there easily. Most of Falmouth’s 18th-century buildings still remain intact today. You can take a drive through the historic town along Market Street, stop by St Peter’s Anglican Church, or visit the former post office, which is an old building from 1832 that looks yellow.
Head to Glistening Waters, located near Falmouth. It’s also known as Luminous Lagoon, and it’s glowing in a cool neon blue because of the special bioluminescent life that lives there. You can book a night tour for a chance to witness one of nature’s rarest events! Seven Mile Beach is also an awesome spot for romantic vacations.
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5 Hours from Montego Bay, Witness Beautiful Sunsets and the Incredible Landscape of Negril!
Negril is the perfect destination for a romantic getaway! It’s only 81 km (or 1 and a half hours) away from Montego Bay, and is full of great things to explore. With seven miles of soft white sand beaches, beautiful sunsets, and lots of green trees, Negril has an amazing natural environment. Plus, there are lots of restaurants and hotels for tourists to choose from. So for those looking for peace and relaxation during their vacation – this is definitely the place to be!
If you head west in Jamaica, you can find amazing limestone cliffs and an awesome sight – daredevils jumping into the Caribbean Sea! The journey doesn’t end here but continues to go even further west where you will see the Negril Lighthouse. This lighthouse was built in 1894 and it’s bright white. Best of all, at either cliff sides or from the lighthouse itself, you can witness one of the world’s most beautiful sunsets!
If you’re looking for the best place to watch a stunning sunset, check out Rick’s Cafe in Negril! Be sure to get there early, though, or it’ll be swollen with people. Plus, you can search for nice spots on the multiple-level cliffs.
As an added bonus, take a detour and go to Barney’s Flower & Hummingbird Garden. It’s full of amazing plants and flowers – not to mention that they also have exclusive Jamaican swallowtail hummingbirds!
And lastly, don’t forget all the beauty Treasure Beach has to offer – however, make sure to keep attention of any waves so as not to be caught off guard.
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Take the Epic Journey to Treasure Beach, Jamaica
Kingston is about 138 km (or 85.7 miles) away from Treasure Beach.
Take a journey from Kingston, Jamaica’s lively capital city, to Treasure Beach; a haven for eco-friendly activities. This trip passes through many small towns and across five different districts. On the southern coast – unlike the north – roads are bumpier with holes across different size gaps, so keep a careful eye out. You’ll find yourself in Mandeville which lies in a colonial area with 18th-century structures and a historical courthouse – you won’t want to miss it!
Take a short trip to St Elizabeth, and don’t forget to visit Lover’s Leap restaurant. This amazing place sits high up in the sky at 1700 feet, giving you an incredible view of Jamaica. It also tells a special Jamaican story about two lovers who jumped off the cliffs just to escape their angry plantation owner. Finally, pay a visit to Treasure Beach located on Jamaica’s south coast. Here, you can sample traditional farm-fresh food and meet all the nice locals!
It’s important to be careful while visiting Treasure Beach because the waves are powerful and may contain rip tides. It is strongly advised not to swim even if the water is shallow.
Furthermore, it might be interesting to plan a visit during the turtle-hatching season which is usually from August to October. That way, you can watch hundreds of hawkbill sea turtles go back into the ocean.
Head to YS Falls, Jamaica’s top natural attraction! It’s about an hour drive north from Treasure Beach. The waterfall is split into seven parts and pours down into different swimming pools surrounded by lots of trees and plants. Port Antonio offers a break in-between driving Jamaica’s curvy mountain roads.
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Take the Road Trip of a Lifetime to Visit Jamaica’s Stunning Buff Bay!
Kingston and Buff Bay, which is in Portland, are about 62.7km (or 39 miles) apart from each other.
If you’re looking for an adventure, a road trip from Kingston to Port Antonio is the one! The journey takes you through Jamaica’s winding mountain roads, but they tend to be bumpy and have sharp curves. That’s why it’s best to use a 4WD to travel on the unpaved roads that go through the Blue Mountains. Remember, though – speed up slowly when driving because it can be hard to spot other vehicles around steep turns.
Buff Bay is a special place located in Portland, Jamaica. It’s famous for its stunning views of the Blue Mountains and super rainy weather. Before you get there, make sure to pay Newcastle a visit where you can see the incredible peaks! On your way eastward along the coast of Portland you’ll find some amazingly beautiful beaches to enjoy the sun at.
It is best to take this trip in the dry season; because when it rains a lot, roads can be blocked by landslides. The coffee plantations of Jamaica’s Blue Mountains look very pretty!
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Journey To Newcastle
The distance between Papine in Kingston and Newcastle is about 22.8km or 14 miles.
Take a one-hour drive from Kingston to Newcastle. It’s a unique trip because you’ll pass through the UNESCO-listed Blue and John Crow Mountains. When you get there, you’ll find out that Newcastle used to be an army base for the British Army. To get there, take the route from Kingston to Papine, then Irish Town, then the Red Light area (which is really just a small village). Keep going on the main road and you’ll soon reach your destination.
Take a trip to Newcastle and admire the beautiful ridgelines along the way! Don’t forget to take some pictures. You can also try some Blue Mountain coffee from Cafe Blue or Mavis Bank Coffee. It’s definitely a great way to spend your day, but one local tip: it could be cold and foggy in Newcastle, so bring a jacket with you!
Let’s take a detour on our way to Newcastle and have a picnic in the Holywell National Park in the Blue Mountains! It’s an amazing place with beautiful scenery all around. You can even rent cabins and go on hikes with a guide to see waterfalls. Port Antonio is one of Jamaica’s less busy areas. It’s super cool there!
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Exploring Jamaica
We are taking a trip from Ocho Rios to Port Antonio. It’s around 102km (or 63 miles) away. This is a beach trip – we’ll be driving along the coasts while leaving behind all of the tourist stuff in Ocho Rios. On the way, we’ll take A3 road through St Mary Parish and then switch to A4 road near Annotto Bay before finally reaching Port Antonio.
This drive in Jamaica is calm and peaceful. The road has a few bumps on it, but overall, it passes through small beach towns and expansive hills from St Mary. As you move along, you may spot the famous Goldeneye Hotel – this was the home of Ian Fleming, author of James Bond. After that, you will find yourself in Port Maria with banana fields all around, then back to the edges of the ocean on A4 road.
Taking the A4 road from St Mary will lead you straight to the beautiful Port Antonio in Jamaica. Along the drive, you’ll pass through Annotto Bay and Buff Bay which are small towns in Portland. At Port Antonio’s seaside, if you’re in for a delicious meal then head on over to the Marina and have some drinks with your nice dinner. The fun doesn’t end there because if you’re lucky enough then you can even hear the sound of waves crash against Trident Castle while sipping on a Red Stripe beer!
The parish of Portland is a rainforest, so it can rain sometimes. Goldeneye is really nice, but Firefly has the best view in Jamaica! It’s so special that even playwright Noel Coward used to stay here. The view from here stretches as far as where pirates would look out. Lastly, Bamboo Avenue gets its name because lots of bamboo trees line both sides of the street.
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Discover Jamaica’s Hidden Treasures
Treasure Beach and Negril are about 99 km (or 61.5 miles) apart.
This road trip is special because it visits nature’s hidden treasures in Jamaica. Here you can find lush greenery, with wild animals living alongside the locals. Very excitingly, if you’re brave enough, you can spot real crocodiles while going along the Black River! The Bamboo Avenue also awaits, with a 4km stretch of tall bamboos framing both sides of the road. And don’t forget to buy some fried fish from roadside stalls when passing by the Border village!
After leaving Border, you’ll find Bluefields – a small village in Westmoreland county with many nice public beaches. The next important town is Savanna-la-Mar, also known as “Sav” or “Sav-la-mar”. Here, you can get new things and stock up on the necessities. Besides that, here there are lots of places where you can rent vehicles and fix your car if it needs any repairs.
When you drive on Bamboo Avenue, be careful! The road has some potholes that the shade from the bamboo can make them difficult to see.
For a fun outing, try taking a boat ride from Parottee Bay to Floyd’s Pelican Bar – it’s in the middle of the Caribbean sea and they sell fresh food. You may even have a chance to spot dolphins if you’re lucky!
Drive Safe in Jamaica
When driving in Jamaica, you have to drive on the left side and always wear a seatbelt. Speed limits around the island are between 50km/h and 80km/h, and can be different from place to place. Also, always have your identification and car rental documents with you because police might randomly stop you. Roads marked with an ‘A’ will probably be good for driving in a rental car, but ‘B’ roads may be more difficult because they’re narrower and there could be potholes. On top of that, many B roads don’t appear on maps.
Minor roads, especially those in the Blue Mountains and Cockpit Country, can be tough to drive on. If you plan to go off the main route, it’s best to have a strong 4WD vehicle. Signs on big roads are alright, but there are hardly any signs when you leave them. On smaller roads, what may look like a short drive on the map could take several hours. You should always be aware of sharp turns and steep hills since there won’t usually be warning signs about them.
– On dark nights, roads can be really hard to see.
– Jamaica has some of the world’s toughest drivers – they take risks with their cars and might suddenly switch direction on turns when you least expect it. Be extra careful while driving there, especially at night time, because the other drivers might be driving without lights or might use high beams that blind you.
Make sure to honk (beep) your car horn a lot, especially when you are driving around a bend where you can’t see what’s ahead. And always remember to be careful of people and animals that might be around!