Planning a Trip

Arriving by Plane

Most arrivals in Jamaica are at Donald Sangster International Airport (tel. 876/952-3124), 3km (1 3/4 miles) east of the center of Montego Bay. Those booked into resorts at Negril or Ocho Rios and its satellite, Runaway Bay, also use the Mo Bay airport as a point of entry into Jamaica.

In winter, the busy season for tourism in Jamaica, lines move smoothly. Things move more slowly during the summer months, despite dwindling numbers of tourists -- partly because many Jamaicans from Canada and the United States arrive during those months to visit family. They often bring suitcases packed with gifts and supplies; inspection of these items can cause endless delays. (Jamaica's Customs and Immigration officers are zealous.)

After clearing Immigration, there is a currency exchange office. You can change money here into Jamaican dollars. Nearly all places on the island will accept the Yankee dollar -- in fact, some vendors will specifically request it -- but if you plan to go to local dives, they'll usually accept American dollars, but at a rate that's not as good as what you'd have gotten at a bona-fide bank. Our advice? Pick up a little Jamaican cash here at the airport, where you'll get a far better exchange rate than at your hotel.

In recent years, the numbers of ATMs has greatly increased within Jamaica. They're now readily available within most of the shopping malls and tourist zones frequented by cruise ship passengers and foreign visitors. Although it's true that you can find ATMs at the airport, some Frommer's readers have noted that some of these machines have occasionally run out of cash.

Warning: Once you retrieve your luggage at the airport, hang on to it, though luggage theft at the airports is less common than in years past, the police having made successful efforts at cleaning things up.

Getting from the Airport into the City -- Some of the major resorts, such as the Sandals properties, keep vans waiting at the airport to carry guests right to the hotel for free. Other properties do not, however, especially the less expensive ones. If you're staying at one of these, you must take a taxi (unless you're picking up a rental car at the airport); there is no public bus service from the airport into Montego Bay.

Use only special taxis or vans operated by JUTA, the Jamaica Union of Travellers Association (tel. 876/957-4620), or taxis operated by its government-sanctioned counterpart, JCAL Tours (Jamaica Co-operative Automobile & Limousine Tours; tel. 876/957-4620). Do not get into a "pirate taxi," even if the driver promises to cut the going rate in half; cheating tourists is disturbingly common. JUTA tariffs are controlled, and you'll recognize its vehicles by the union emblems and red license plates. A list of official tariffs is posted at the airport -- but it's still important to agree on the price before setting out, to avoid potential disagreements later.

Visitor Information

The main office of the Jamaica Tourist Board is on Gloucester Avenue (tel. 876/952-4425), opposite the entrance to Cornwall Beach. It is open Monday to Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm and on Saturday from 9am to 1pm. A small branch office of the tourist board is in the arrivals hall of Donald Sangster Airport, just at the point where new arrivals line up for approval of their passports, before they retrieve their luggage. According to a spokesperson from that office, most of the staff's function here involves reserving hotel rooms for visitors arriving in Jamaica without reservations. When visiting, ask for a free map of Montego Bay.

Getting Around

Taxis are generally the way to get around, as there is no practical bus service in Montego Bay and no minivan shuttles except those maintained by hotels -- and they're usually reserved strictly for the use of registered guests. There is, however, a loose cohesion of quasi-official minivans (referred to as "route taxis") that follow vaguely predetermined routes, usually along major highways leading in and out of town. The best and most reliable of these communal vehicles bear red-colored license plates whose numbers contain the letters "PP" (an abbreviation for "public passengers") somewhere within their sequences, and the words "route taxis" will be written on the outside of their doors. There are no individual signs indicating anything approaching a clearly designated bus stop, but locals know the points where they should stand along traffic arteries heading in and out of town. Rides cost between US$1 and US$2 (50p and £1), depending on the distance you want to travel, and fares are usually collected before you get in. If you opt for this awkward and inconvenient mode of transport, predetermine the fare before you board.

You can walk to most places within the center of Montego Bay itself, especially along Gloucester Avenue. In other cases, summon a licensed taxi. These have red license plates. A few of them have meters, but more often, government-sanctioned fares between most commonly requested destinations and points of departure are prominently posted inside each vehicle. If you want to hail a taxi to go somewhere outside of town, most of the cabs can be found along Gloucester Avenue.

For the truly adventurous, getting around by bike or motorcycle is another possibility, but frankly, the country's narrow, deeply potholed roads, the many blind curves, and the general hysteria associated with road traffic make transport by bicycle hazardous. Two-wheeled bike transit isn't particularly popular even among Jamaicans, and it's much less so for foreign visitors. If you still want to risk life and limb on a two-wheeled conveyance (and we hope that you won't), your hotel might either lend you a bike or rent you one. Whereas the law requires the use of a helmet for motorcycle riders, no such mandate is necessary for pedal bikes.