Joey and Sandra’s Guide to Where to Go, What to See, & What to do in… Montego Bay, Jamaica!

How many more weeks until spring?!? This weather really sucks now.  The warm weather can not come fast enough…

So, are you planning your Spring Break? You should consider going to Montego Bay, Jamaica! Everything about Jamaica is fantastic! The Jamaican way of life is very laid back and chill. It definitely beats the hectic lifestyle of a New Yorker, that’s for sure. One of the main reasons why we decided to visit Jamaica was to kick back and unwind.  And if that’s a determining factor when picking your vacation, than you need to go here.

It’s no exaggeration: Come to Jamaica and feel alright! Jamaica, which is the largest English Speaking island in the Caribbean, also happens to be the third largest island in the Caribbean. While it is a small nation, Jamaica influences a huge global presence. Check out www.visitjamaica.com for more details.

Montego Bay, Jamaica

Hotel- Grand Palladium Jamaica Resort & Spa http://www.fiestahotelgroup.com

Montego Bay is a tourist destination complete with duty free shopping, cruise terminals, and stunning, unforgettable beaches! Christopher Columbus was the first to discover this amazing vacation destination. Mo-Bay (as locals tend to call it) is low key, relaxed and warm year round.  Montego Bay houses the airport within its city, so staying in Montego Bay insures a quick ride to your destination.

Joey and Sandra’s Guide to Where to Go, What to See, & What to do in Montego Bay, Jamaica:

1)      Tip: Stay at an all inclusive.  It’s all you can drink, eat and do! We stood at the Grand Palladium Jamaica Resort and Spa.  We were given a suite, complete with views of the beautiful waters of Montego Bay. Every morning we would wake up and see the water, and at night we would fall asleep to the sound of the waves crashing.  The food is either influenced by the culture of the island or the talents of the chefs of the hotel.  We enjoyed Indian food one night and tried goat and conch for the first time another (Joey- Food is important; I don’t care what anyone says. You really can’t go wrong with the endless choices of food at an all inclusive. ). Also, most of the time, premium liquor is served at all inclusive (Hell Yeah!). You’re on vacation, so enjoy your life! Check out tripadvisor.com for rates and reviews!

2)      The Rum is good, but it can be your worse enemy.  Go easy on the rum. Rum in Jamaica is DELICIOUS! It goes down smooth but it will knock you on your ass if you’re not careful.  Rum comes from Sugar Cane, so its sweet, which makes for a serious hangover.  Tip: Become friends with the bartenders.  Not only did we make some awesome friends but we partied with some very experienced rum drinkers.  There was one particular night where the Rum ran the party, and after doing 10 or so “Mother F*ckers” (a rainbow collection of rum infused shots. Most of the time, it was mixed with a concoction of liquors, that helped enhance the Rums taste. Purple Mother F*ckers are the strongest shot we ever took!) we were pretty much in a bad place (Sandra- I still never want to see Chicken Nuggets ever again…).  Try Appleton Estate Jamaican Rum (http://www.appletonestate.com ) for authentic “off the island” rum. 

3)      Wear Sunscreen! Jamaica is located at the Caribbean belt.  So therefore the sun is the strongest and most brutal.  If you’re consuming alcohol and sunbathing, we strongly suggest you layer the sunscreen.

4)      Enjoy Reggae and Dance. Reggae was born in this country and has inspired music and other genres for years (Sandra- AND Fashion. Look at Gwen Stefani.) One artist in particular comes to mind when we think of Jamaica. Tip: Listen to Bob Marley and dance like it’s your job.  Bob Marley is ESSENTIAL in Jamaica, and his iconic face is every where, from key chains to rolling papers to beach towels.  There is nothing like listening to “Jamming”, having a rum drink and hanging out with the locals.  Till this day, if we hear Bob Marley it brings us right back to Jamaica. There is a ton of history in Bob Marley’s music, with songs like “Buffalo Soldier” and “I Shot the Sherriff.” To Purchase “Bob Marley’s Legend”, head over to www.itunes.com.

5)      Go to Ricks Café. It’s an excursion to Negril; however, it’s infamous for the sunsets and their cliff divers.  Check them out and make it a point to go.  http://rickscafejamaica.com

6)      EAT JERK CHICKEN! This is one of Joey’s favorite foods.  (Joey- I liked it so much that one of my friends at the resort gave me a bottle of their secret Jerk Sauce to bring home so Sandra and I can make it. Tip: Don’t be afraid to ask for a recipe.) So what’s our fondest memory of jerk chicken? It was when we went to the Jerk Hut one day for lunch, which our favorite bartender Cleon suggested. He said there was someone there that would literally make us do a double take (Joey- No, not a Victoria Secret’s Model…).  So we went to the Jerk Hut and we swear we saw 50 Cent serving Jerk Chicken.  This kid was shorter but he LOOKED EXACTLY LIKE HIM.  Scar and all. In fact his nickname was 50.  He wouldn’t take a picture but he was a complete doppelganger. 

7)      Visit Rose Hall Great House.  Talk about a woman scorned.  This house has a serious spooky reputation.  Annie Palmer or better known to most as “The White Witch” supposedly helped with the deaths of three husbands and one plantation hand (her lover). Sound like a soap opera? If you’re into that sort of thing, than check this place out.  http://www.rosehall.com/home.html  You can stay here too…. Sorry, not into the whole “Ghost thing” lol but we hear this hotel is beautiful and a great experience. We know people who stayed there and loved it.  But we don’t share vacations with the paranormal. We don’t like that shit.

8)      Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville –Go here!!  No really. Go here.  It’s a party here everyday.  http://www.margaritavillecaribbean.com/montegobay  Its serious business when you have one on every island including Jamaica, but even more serious when there’s one in the airport! Tip: Its pretty obvious, order a margarita or a Land Shark.

9)      The people of Jamaica are relaxed and nonchalant…so expect to take your time going places. Not like this is a bad thing, but being that we are New Yorkers, we tend to rush places and stress over everything.  Tip: Be ready to slow down.  Jamaicans enjoy life.  They don’t stress; they laugh and live life to the fullest.  (Joey- OK, I have to mention this story.  The day we got there, we took the shuttle bus from the airport to the hotel, thinking that it was going to be a quick ride considering the hotel was less than 25 minutes from the airport; it took an hour! The bus driver seemed to be the town mayor. He stopped and spoke to everybody! And he did 5 miles an hour the whole time. It was kind of bugging me out because all I wanted to do was to start my vacation already. But I found it amusing that he literally knew EVERYONE. He was a good guy, just popular lol)  However, you will adapt quickly to their pace. You really appreciate your life when you slow down and take it lightly. Their way of life is pretty amazing.  If we can translate that to our everyday lives, we probably wouldn’t suffer heart attacks or other health issues so frequently.

10)  Tip: You need to catch a sunset.  Montego Bay is known for their sunsets.  We caught one every night.  It’s romantic. (Joey, Yes, I do romantic things with the wife.  There’s nothing wrong with that). 

Joey and Sandra’s Top 5 Things to DRINK and EAT in Montego Bay:

1)      Conch (a shell fish that has distinguish taste and texture)

2)      Goat (in our opinion, its a lot like lamb)

3)      Rum (smooth yet strong)

4)      Jerk Chicken (So good!)

5)      A Purple Mother F*cker. (The mother of all Rum infused shots, it’s actually purple. If you can handle it, do it. However, you will be crawling back to your room)

For us, Montego Bay was a phenomenal vacation, where we were forced to slow down and take life NOT seriously.  We made great friends, and we recommend the island constantly to friends and strangers alike.  Jamaica made us appreciate our lives, and allowed us to experience a culture that is genuine and special.  Check out Tripadvisor.com for more information.  Next time, we’ll take you to the place where Joey actually kissed his freedom goodbye and proposed… Riviera Maya, Mexico