Alice World Travels

I had wanted to visit Jamaica for years. But all-inclusive resorts aren’t my thing and it seemed that most people visited this alluring Caribbean island to sprawl out on its magnificent beaches all day.

When one of my aunts told me that she went to Jamaica (reluctantly) when a friend was working out there but it ended up being one of her favourite countries that she had ever been to, my interest was piqued; I wondered if I could find someone to go on a similar adventure with?

Then, I met a Danish woman in Zanzibar in 2022 who told me she backpacked across the whole island by herself. This intrigued me; she was the first person I had heard of who had travelled across Jamaica solo instead of staying at a beach resort. I was now more determined than ever to experience the island for myself.

As a lover of Bob Marley and a fan of reggae, rum and island life, I knew I had to visit soon. So when my friend Vania also said she wanted to go and suggested hiring a car to get around, that was it — a plan was starting to form and before we knew it, we were at the airport!

Here is what we packed into our 13-day road trip across Jamaica.

Day 1: Landing at Montego Bay

I booked a one-way flight from London Gatwick to Montego Bay with Norse Atlantic Airways (not recommended as you don’t get free movies or meals, but I guess you get what you pay for!). We landed quite late, picked up our car-rental from SIXT, and off we went.

As someone who is used to driving on the left side of the road, I went behind the wheel first. Besides the fact that the 8-minute drive to our first accommodation took about 20 minutes (let’s just say the ‘one way’ signs weren’t always clear…) driving in Jamaica seemed pretty easy!

We used Montego Bay as a base for the first night as we had heard that nearby Negril would be more our style, and so we grabbed some street food before going to bed, ready to start the trip properly the next morning.

Days 2-4: Delving straight into life in Negril

The 1.5 hour drive from Montego Bay to Negril was along a smooth coastal road, and I felt free and happy driving to the start of our adventure. We had booked Can Jam Retreat, a hidden gem with beautiful gardens along the quieter, more rocky part of the coastline, opposite the famous Rick’s Cafe with its incredible sunset views.

Negril is a place which has to be experienced for yourself and is hard to put into words. With the gorgeous Seven Mile Beach, water sports activities, and live reggae right on the white sands, it felt like quintessential Jamaica. We ate Ital (vegan) food, chilled with locals as we sipped on rum punch and Red Stripe, and watched the stunning sunset dip into the sea. It was the perfect way to begin our trip.

Days 5-6: From dynamic to dozy in Treasure Beach

Now it was my Italian friend’s turn to try driving on the left side of the road for the first time! Our next stop on our itinerary was Treasure Beach, a sleepy town away from the main tourist areas which offers a more authentic taste of the island. Along the way we stopped off at the Blue Hole Mineral Spring, jumping 24 feet into the refreshing hole before drying off in the scorching sun.

At Treasure Beach we noticed an immediate slower pace of life, with fewer restaurants and bars and an almost-deserted beach, save for a few fishermen and sailors. We booked a two-bedroom lodge at the beautiful Moringa Ingadi, my favourite accommodation during our time in Jamaica. If you stay there you’ll be greeted by Skip who is one of the coolest, most laidback people in Jamaica, which is saying something!

From Treasure Beach, you can take a boat to visit the famous Floyd’s Pelican Bar, a tiki hut half a mile off the shore and a must-do if in the area.

Days 7-9: Kingston and everything Bob Marley

I have loved Bob Marley’s music since I was about 18, and he always reminds me of positivity and travelling: from Kenya to Peru, I have heard his raspy and expressive voice almost everywhere I’ve been. The main reason I wanted to visit the capital of Jamaica was to visit his former home, now a museum, but Kingston exceeded my expectations in general — I loved it!

Besides visiting the Bob Marley Museum which is a must-see but the most touristy place we had been to at that point, we went to the Trench Town Culture Yard. Trench Town was where Bob lived from age 11, where he met his mentor Vincent Ford, and where he wrote many of his most famous songs. Seeing his beginnings including the single bed mentioned in ‘Is This Love’ was humbling, and was in stark contrast to the other (huge) house which he bought once he had become rich and famous. As the only people on the tour which really surprised me, I much preferred Trench Town to his other house for its more authentic feel, and would highly recommend a visit there if you’re a fan of the King of Reggae.

Another highlight to Kingston was Kamila’s Kitchen, an Ital restaurant perched on the top of Reggae Mountain in the hills of St. Andrew. The drive up the winding road was slightly terrifying, but we made it in one piece in time to take in the breathtaking sunset views over the city.

Just next door is the wonderful Kingston Dub Club with DJs playing reggae music every Sunday, so we slipped into this atmospheric outdoor club after dinner to listen to the undiluted sounds of Roots Rock Reggae, swaying with locals and tourists alike.

Days 10-11: Rafting and Relaxing in Port Antonio

It was time to leave the city behind and get back into nature. We drove for two hours through the stunning Blue Mountains National Park to get to Port Antonio, the island’s third largest port, and after quickly settling in, we headed off to raft on the Rio Grande. We had the river to ourselves for three hours as we drifted sleepily on a bamboo raft through the magnificent scenery, occasionally stopping off to jump into the cool waters.

The next day, we were on the lookout for a beach! It had felt like ages since we had relaxed on the sandy shores of the island, and we were in a wonderful spot that wasn’t as touristy as Negril. Instead of Frenchman’s Cove, a private beach with an entry fee, we went to Winifred Beach. Besides being quite shady, this was my favourite beach on the whole trip; it had a local vibe with warm waters and gorgeous, draping trees. We then visited the Blue Lagoon for a few hours — a blue hole of turquoise waters surrounded by lush greenery.

Up until now, we had had zero incidences with the car. However we had a little bump/scratch when parking up here (which wasn’t too bad), but we then started driving to realise that we had a flat tire! Luckily there was someone close by to help us, and we gave him some cash as a thank you for getting us out of our difficult situation.

Days 12-13: Ocho Rios then back to Montego Bay

Our final stop on our road trip around Jamaica was to Ocho Rios, a resort town with a cruise ship harbour. With a beautiful beach and the fun Dunn’s River Falls to climb up and explore, it was fine for a two-night stop. But it was by far my least favourite destination on the island.

Jamaica is a really wonderful place to visit. People are friendly and eager to talk to you, the service is slow but food exceptional, the scenery is other-worldly and the general vibes are unlike anywhere else I’ve been to before. Seeing the island by car was, in my opinion, the absolute best way to do it, and I would highly recommend road tripping in Jamaica if you get the chance.

If it wasn’t the start of a 3-4 month trip of mine to a few other countries I would already be thinking about my next time in beautiful Jamaica. Although I think I will be back sooner rather than later…

Top tips and info

• We hired our rental car with SIXT from Montego Bay airport which cost a total of £440 for 13 days — make sure you add insurance on, just in case!
• Plan your route but leave some room for flexibility.
• Chat to the locals — most people are fun and friendly, and you won’t regret it! You’ll also get tips from them.
• Jamaica is expensive — you’ll need more spending money than you expect.
• Don’t miss out on live reggae music!
• If you go rafting on the Rio Grande, start before 3pm as by the time 6pm comes around, it can be chilly.
• If you’re vegan or vegetarian, look out for Ital restaurants. Rastafarians are vegan and they eat Ital food, which is fresh, varied and delicious.
• Be prepared to go with the flow and just have fun!

Words by me, photos by me or Vania