Jamaica Just For The Fun Of It

Caribbean Jamaica travel doesn't just offer rum, sun and reggae. Few Caribbean islands can compare with Jamaica for the wide variety of activities it offers.

Jamaica's motto is, "Out of Many, One People." This is really what Jamaica is all about. Good beaches and great food can be the focus for the typical vacationer, but Caribbean Jamaica travel boasts sightseeing for those who want more, especially in Montego Bay ("MoBay" to the locals). Montego Bay has many homes that used to belong to wealthy plantation owners back when sugarcane was king.

Here are a few things you should know to get the most out of that Caribbean Jamaica vacation:

Banks/Currency

Money is easily handled when you travel in Caribbean Jamaica. Visit one of the many licensed cambios and bureaux de change available in resort areas. With such easy access, there's no need to have Jamaican money with you before you get there. In the rare event that your resort doesn't have a money exchange, banks in the area will be able to help you.

The official rate of exchange changes daily, so shop around a bit before you do your exchange. Many Jamaican ATMs also accept international bankcards with Visa, Mastercard, Cirus, and Plus logos. Banks also give credit card advances, cash traveler's checks, and offer other financial services.

Climate

Jamaica's climate is tropical at sea level and temperate near the interior highlands. As one Jamaican poem says: "We have neither summer nor winter/Neither autumn nor spring...."

In Caribbean Jamaica, you'll need clothes for a tropical climate. Swimsuits are necessary for swimming or other water sports, as is a jacket or a light sweater for hiking.

Communications

When you're in Jamaica, you have easy access to other parts of the world. So you can easily access direct international telephone service 24 hours a day. Telephone operators are also available to help with third party or credit card calls, too.

Most hotels, resorts, and parish libraries have Internet and email access. They also have fax, telegram, and cables available. Jamaica also has three daily national newspapers and five weekend newspapers. Other international editions of major newspapers and magazines are also available, such as the New York Times, TIME, The Economist, and the London Times.

Driving

If you drive while you're on your Caribbean Jamaica travel, remember that you should drive on the LEFT side of the road. Fast reflexes are necessary unless you want to collide with pedestrians, cows, goats, chickens, and other domestic animals, but the roads themselves are pretty good, with more than 17,000 kilometers of road networks connecting all major towns and cities.