Safe Affordable Jamaican Travel

Jamaica is an exciting place and here are a few tips to help.

I’ve been asked recently by a single woman traveling alone about the best way to get around while exploring things to do in Montego Bay Jamaica and other top Jamaican tour sites like Dunn’s River Falls, all in 10 days and covering the whole island from Kingston and Negril and the South coast of Jamaica. She wants to see Ocho Rios on the north as well as Black River on the south, a 150 mile long island holiday adventure (Jamaica is about 150 miles long but it can take most of the day to cover it by bus). The way to make it affordable, fun and safe is to know the variety of ways to get around and how to ask for the best transportation option.

You begin with a Montego Bay airport transfer or Kingston airport transfer which could be with a large tour company like Sun Holiday Tours. These large buses service larger all inclusive hotels and other well established resorts. These can be booked ahead of time online or arranged by your hotel if you are a guest. If you are staying in a guesthouse, boutique hotel or hostel, a more flexible point-to-point option is to hire a taxi car service from in front of the airport. This has its hazards of high prices and lots of confusion at the airport door.

Lately there have been small independent companies like jamaican routes and Clive’s Transportation that are booking ahead of time like the big outfits and give you reliable service. The added benefit here is these local drivers will also act as a tour guide with lots of local knowledge who can makehidden gems appear before your eyes while under their protection or help you plan other options.

The inexpensive form of car travel is to get a route taxi. These are allowed to pick you up anywhere off airport property – a long walk or a short expensive ride from the approved airport guys. A route taxi is labeled as such on the door of the cab telling you which towns they drive between and can be as cheap as $1.00 for several miles (about $100 JA dollars at this time). These route cabs can take you anywhere, including the local bus stop, your inexpensive long haul option.

The buses service most of the working people of Jamaica and the school children in their uniforms, who will all welcome you aboard. You need to do a little asking around at the bus depots. Speak up, speak clearly and ask if you don’t understand the thick Jamaican Patois you will encounter. You will be helped to your seat and be packed in tight on the right bus.

Here’s another testimonial about a single woman’s adventure in Jamaica:

“I never felt unsafe, just use your common sense as every other place in the world. Be open and talk to people! I think you will find fun when it comes to dancing and vibe, it seems like the island is really great (according to the people I met and know who both live and have traveled all over the island).”