Jamaica holidays

Jamaica boasts some of the best beaches in the Caribbean, and many of them come with a prestigious Blue Flag. It’s worth bearing in mind you might need to pay a small fee for entry to some of them, so it’s a good idea to carry some cash on you.

Jamaica’s big-hitter is Seven Mile Beach. As the name suggests, the white sands here stretch along Negril’s coast for, you guessed it, seven miles. The beach first became popular with the hippies back in the Sixties and, today, it’s a favourite with locals. Al fresco restaurants, market stalls and bars for sunset-watching line up along the sands.

For a true castaway experience, head to Lucea Beach. This sweep of milky sand on the northwest of the island has been virtually untouched over the years. What’s more, because there aren’t any bars or restaurants here, it’s really quiet.

Head to downtown Montego Bay to scoop a real saving. Gloucester Street is the best place for picking up duty-free bargains like perfume and make-up. For souvenirs, Negril’s Westmoreland area is great. You’ll find little wooden cabins selling rainbow-coloured sarongs and the island’s signature Rasta T-shirts. Lucea’s Saturday market, meanwhile, is good for picking up fresh seafood, jerk spices and fruity jams.

The road behind Seven Mile Beach plays host to a parade of stalls that sell handmade bits and pieces. All the usual red, gold and green souvenirs sit alongside funky works of art and bespoke silver jewellery. With its fashion stores and gold jewellery shops, Ocho Rios is another good spot for shopping on a medium-sized budget. Alternatively, head for Harmony Hall, about 10 minutes’ drive from Runaway Bay, where you can pick up paintings, sculptures and carvings by local artists.

If you’re looking to splurge, head for the Bay West shopping mall in Montego Bay or the Taj Mahal Mall in Ocho Rios. They’re both packed with designer shops and outlets, including big names like Chanel and Rolex. Norman Manley Boulevard in Negril is another good option – you’ll find a few chic boutiques here, selling one-of-a-kind pieces.

Runaway Bay and Lucea are good bets for low-key nights out. Their after-dark scenes revolve around the lantern-lit bars and open-air restaurants that sprout up from behind the sands. For something a bit different, head to Falmouth, which is home to the island’s Luminous Lagoon. As darkness falls, take a boat ride over the lake – it’s filled with glow-in-the-dark microbes that cast the waters in a luminous blue hue.

Montego Bay is Jamaica’s main party playground. Start your night on the town’s ‘Hip Strip’, which is lined with hip-hop bars, cocktail lounges and nightclubs. If you’re staying in Negril, meanwhile, try Norman Manley Boulevard, where waterholes coax you in with happy hours, sports screens and reggae beats. Over in Ocho Rios, Margaritaville is the night-time epicentre – this lively complex houses bars, clubs and restaurants.

You can’t visit Jamaica without sampling the nation’s speciality, and jerk chicken and pork are served all over the island. The meat cuts are marinated in peppery ‘jerk’ sauce before being slow-cooked until they’re lovely and tender.

Ackee and saltfish is Jamaica’s answer to an English fry-up. Salted cod is paired with ackee, a fruit that’s a bit like an avocado. Follow custom and order it for brunch. Most places serve it with either fried corn dumplings or boiled green bananas.

If you like your meals to have a bit of a kick, drizzle some of Jamaica’s signature hot sauce over your meat, rice and peas – there’s usually a bottle on every restaurant table. Made to a secret recipe, this taste bud-terrorising garnish contains super-hot Scotch bonnet chillies.

Thanks to an abundance of bananas in Jamaica, you’ll find lots of puddings featuring the fruit as their main ingredient. One of the most popular is banana bread, which is made with crushed bananas, nutmeg, vanilla and raisins, and looks just like a sponge cake.

There’s no doubt about it – the Jamaicans love their rum. And there are plenty of varieties of the nation’s nectar-like tipple to try. One of the most popular is Appleton’s white rum. Drink it straight up or combine it with fruit juice, Coke or coconut milk.