Travel to Jamaica – Episode 608

Hear about travel to Jamaica as the Amateur Traveler talks to Dave and Deb from theplanetD.com about their trips to the island.

About Jamaica, they say, “We have been to Jamaica four times and one of the things that keeps us going back is that out of all the Caribbean Islands that we’ve been to, Jamaica is really the only island that has this perfect mix – beauty, gorgeous beaches, but also such a great culture and history. Jamaica is huge. You can go back again and again and never do the same thing twice. There’s a lot of adventure travel, there’s romance, there’s beauty, there’s luxury, great culture, and food. It has it all.”

Dave and Deb describe an itinerary that is filled with activities with local tour companies. So, while they tell us their favorite beaches, this is not a couple known to spend a lot of time just lying on the beach.

We focus more on the west side of the island. They fly into Montego Bay which is known for its resorts, but they avoid the tourists at Doctor’s Beach and hang with the locals at Deadend Beach. They recommend some restaurants on the “Hip Strip” in Montego Bay and also recommend a visit to Rose Hall to learn some of the island history, including the legend of the “white witch”.

Dave and Deb recommend 3 other areas to explore: Ocho Rios on the north shore, Negril on the west end, and Treasure Beach on the south shore.

They did a number of activities on the island:

• hiking to waterfalls
• swimming with horses
• riding the bobsleds at Mystic Mountain
• rafting
• seeing the crocodiles at Black River Safari
• visiting the Luminous Lagoon
• cycling through the farmland near St. Elizabeth
• taking a boat to the famous Pelican Bar
• hiking up Lover’s Leap

Most of these they highly recommend, but at least one of these they would advise you to skip.

They also spent time watching the cliff divers at Rick’s Cafe and finding the best jerk chicken.

Dave and Deb have been to more than 100 countries. Find out what keeps bringing them back to this special Caribbean island.

subscribe: rss feed | Apple podcasts

right click here to download (mp3)
right click here to download (iTunes version with pictures)

Show Notes

theplanetD.com
Travel to South Australia – Episode 377
Jamaica
Things to do in Jamaica
Montego Bay
Ocho Rios
Negril
Jamaica Mystic Mountain Bobsled Tour
Rick’s Cafe
Sandals Resort Negril
Jakes Hotel, Villas & Spa – Treasure Beach
Chukka Tours
islandroutes.com
Swimming with Horses in Jamaica
Feel the Vibe Jamaica: Great Ideas to Get off the Resort
Bracco Tours
YS Falls
Jamaica Rafting
Hip Strip Montego Bay
Doctor’s Cave Beach vs. Deadend Beach
Jamaican Blobsledding – Ocho Rios
Green Grotto Caves
Rose Hall, Montego Bay
Meet the People Program
Bob Marley
Jamaica Volunteer Programs
Scotchies
Traditional Jamaican Food
Jamaican patty
Ackee and saltfish
Luminous Lagoon Tour
Jamaica Day Trips You’ll Love

Community

booking tours through Amateur Traveler

Eric writes about Travel to Kiev, Ukraine – Episode 581

Hello! 

 

I recently discovered your podcast have been listening to several episodes. Keep up the great work!

 

I visited Chernobyl in October 2017, just before your Kyiv episode was posted, and wanted to share a few things to expand or clarify on your guest’s comments.

 

First, it’s absolutely safe to visit. You go with organized small group tours, and only go to areas that have been remediated and cleaned up. While there are many hot spots, they are mostly signed. And your guide will know where to go or not go. In much of the exclusion zone the background levels of radiation are actually lower than Maidan square in central Kyiv.

 

The total radiation exposure from a day at Chernobyl is approximately equal to one transatlantic flight.

 

Second, you can stay overnight. There is one town inhabited by clean-up workers and scientists, and it has a cafe, hotel, and hostels. The food and water is brought in from outside the zone, but it is certainly available. 

 

Third, it is not exploitative. It’s an important part of the tourism economy for Ukraine, up to 20,000 visitors a year. It is a very reverent, almost sacred feeling. And it is a very important part of the histories of nuclear energy, the Cold War, and the Soviet Union. 

 

The biggest danger is the abandoned buildings that are starting to collapse and be reclaimed by nature. I highly encourage anyone interested to go before the best sights become too unstable. It is one of the coolest things I have ever done. 

 

I wrote up more details here: http://ericrogers.org/blog/visiting-chernobyl/

 

Thanks again for your podcast, I love it!

 

Eric

Please take our listener survey

Amateur Traveler Trips
Amateur Traveler Trip – 2018 – to Prague, Krakow and Budapest
Amateur Traveler Trip – 2019 – Africa, Kruger to Victoria Falls