One Week in Jamaica: My Itinerary and All Inclusive Resort Experience

Jamaica is one of the most visited islands in all of the Caribbean, and it’s no surprise that there is a plethora of resorts to choose from. If you have any curiosity about traveling to Jamaica, including where to stay, what to do, and even what to wear, I’m here to break it all down for you. 

Jamaica is a country filled with lush vegetation, rainforests, mountains, waterfalls, and of course, miles and miles of beautiful beaches. Montego Bay is one of the main tourist regions on the island, and it is where we were based for our stay. 

We stayed at Secrets St. James, an adults-only, all inclusive resort in Montego Bay. Secrets St. James delivers a world-class experience for guests with amenities including gourmet dining, unlimited premium drinks, 24-hour room service, and endless entertainment options. This was my first time experiencing an all-inclusive hotel, and I have to say that it played a big role in making our vacation an amazing experience. 

 

Some of my favorite pictures of me in my clothing thus far were taken at the resort. These pictures are of me in my petite maxi dress. You won’t run out of options to get the perfect vacation photos here!

Speaking of clothing, you are probably already aware that Jamaica has a tropical climate. This means that it will often be hot and humid. There is some variability depending on the month, but overall, you can count on wearing comfortable, breathable dresses, skirts, shorts, pants, and tops, without much need for jackets and sweaters. However, I always bring at least one jacket anyway, since I tend to get cold easily. You may also want to have a raincoat just in case you get any tropical rain!

Some of the main regions I would recommend visiting in Jamaica include Ocho Rios and Negril in addition to Montego Bay. We had 7 days in Jamaica, which I felt gave us plenty of time to see all of the main attractions, while also getting some time to relax and enjoy the resort. I would personally recommend visiting for at least 4 days to be able to experience most of the major sites of interest. 

Similarly to other vacations I've planned in the past, I used TripAdvisor for pretty much all of my excursions in Jamaica. I have always felt safe and had great experiences with TripAdvisor, so I usually recommend booking activities and tours through them. I always look for excursions that have had plenty of positive reviews. There may be several tour options for the same attraction, so I’m going to provide a breakdown of the main excursions I did. All of the tours I picked also included round trip transportation to/from our resort in Montego Bay:

1. Dunn’s River Falls and Cool Blue Hole - Ocho Rios: Dunn’s River Falls is a series of waterfalls extending over 960 feet, flowing directly into the Caribbean sea. One of the most popular activities on the island consists of climbing up these waterfalls. It is a moderately challenging activity that is great for those who want a little adventure. In Ocho Rios, you can also experience the Cool Blue Hole, a series of natural limestone sinkholes and waterfalls that you can jump into and take a swim in. These natural pools get their name due to their brilliant blue color. Visitors are able to jump and dive off of the cliffs, or simply admire their beauty. As for food, we stopped at Linda’s Jerk & Sea Food Restaurant, and I would highly recommend it. The jerk chicken and oxtail were excellent.

2. Seven Mile Beach and Rick’s Cafe - Negril: Negril is a region on the Northwestern part of the island. Seven Mile Beach is in Negril, where you can swim, sunbathe, relax, and/or partake in a variety of ocean activities. There are also coral reefs that you can snorkel at. The water is beautiful, and there are a variety of restaurants available nearby. After our afternoon at the beach, we stopped at The Best in the West for jerk chicken and conch soup. Another famous destination in Negril is Rick’s Cafe, where you can watch the sunset from the naturally formed cliffs. Those who are adventurous can also partake in cliff jumping from various heights. 

3. Glistening Waters / Luminous Lagoon - Falmouth: This was one of the most interesting activities I did while in Jamaica, because it was undoubtedly a unique, once in a lifetime experience. The Luminous Lagoon contains dinoflagellates that glow in the dark when disturbed by movement, creating a surreal experience of glowing water all around you. We booked a tour via Tripadvisor, which included round trip transportation from our resort in Montego Bay. A boat will take you through the lagoon shortly after the sun sets. As the boat heads further into the lagoon, you will start to see the water glow. The boat will stop at a point so that visitors can jump in and swim among the bioluminescent microorganisms. This was unlike anything we had ever experienced before, and I would definitely recommend this activity while in Jamaica.

As for Montego Bay, I will also break down some major areas of interest, including great places to eat at. All of these areas are within Montego Bay’s Hip Strip, a touristy neighborhood with plenty of beaches, shops, restaurants and bars to explore: 

1. Doctor’s Cave Beach: This is a lovely beach where you can swim, sunbathe, relax, and even snorkel! There is a coral reef that you can swim to from the shore.

2. The Pelican Grill: This is a restaurant with a lovely atmosphere and great Jamaican cuisine. We had amazing jerk chicken, ackee and saltfish, and classic sides like rice and peas, and callaloo.

3. The Pork Pit: This is a casual spot for authentic Jamaican favorites like jerk pork, jerk chicken, and classic sides like rice and peas, bammies, festivals and more.

I really enjoyed my trip to Jamaica. If you're looking to take a Caribbean vacation and experience a unique combination of relaxation, adventure, culture, and more, I think you would enjoy visiting too. 

Have you ever visited Jamaica? If so, how was your experience? If not, is it on your list? Let us know in the comments below!