Most vacations to Jamaica begin with a flight to Montego Bay. Many visitors continue on to Ocho Rios, just down the coast, up-and-coming Negril, or the urban vibrancy of Kingston. Those who stay in Montego Bay Jamaica find a wide variety of activities awaiting them: Historic plantation houses provide a glimpse at Jamaican history. Gorgeous Caribbean beaches are perfect for relaxing in the sun. Beneath the waves the coral reefs around Montego Bay Jamaica offer some of the best diving in the world. Championship golf courses cater to the golf-hungry. A variety of dining options, from simple jerk huts to fine restaurants, serve the conventionally hungry. Hawkers push their products from the stalls along the "Hip Strip." Nightclubs and bars buzz with reggae beats and come alive in the hedonism of college spring breaks. Montego Bay Jamaica has something for everyone.

In July Montego Bay hosts the best of all Jamaican events: Reggae Sumfest, a four-day festival featuring dozens of the world's best reggae musicians, a beach party, and all-night celebrations.

Montego Bay Jamaica tours are as varied as the attractions of the area. Sunflower tours in Montego Bay offers fishing trips, scuba dives, and excursions to the Blue Mountains and Kingston, the Dunn's River Falls, Nine Mile (the birthplace and final resting place of Bob Marley), and elsewhere. Other reliable tour companies include Barrett Adventures, Maroon Attractions Tours, and Cabric Vacations. Look for signs and listings around town and in the resorts and hotels.

Jamaica Map

Highlights of Montego Bay Jamaica tours include visits to the historic homes in the area. The Greenwood Great House, built in the late 18th century, is one of the best-preserved Jamaican plantation homes. It was home to Richard Barrett, cousin of poet Elisabeth Barrett Browing. The Barrett family operated thousands of acres of sugar plantation and owned hundreds of slaves. The family's relatively kind treatment of its slaves (they received an education, unusual for the time) ensured that the house survived the great slave revolts of the 19th century, when most nearby plantations were razed.

Rose Hall Great House is not as historically significant as the Greenwood home, but it probably the most famous plantation house in Jamaica and a popular attraction on a Montego Bay vacation. It is the setting of the famous novel, The White Witch of Rose Hall, a fictional account of a murderous female resident of the home.

The days of the sugar plantation are long gone, but Montego Bay Jamaica is still home to some luxurious lodging. Many of the finest resorts in Jamaica are found around MoBay, as the town is popularly known. Half Moon resort, Ritz-Carlton Rose Hall, Round Hill Hotel, Rose Hall Country Club, and FDR Pebbles are just some of the prestigious all-inclusive hotels around the town. If you are looking to book into one of these resorts, it is advisable to get a package combining accommodation with a flight to Montego Bay.

Not all visitors arrive by flight to Montego Bay. Montego Bay used to be the prime stopover for Jamaican cruises. Nearby Ocho Rios is attracting more cruise traffic these days, but many there are many Jamaica cruises that still offer Montego Bay tours.

Montego Bay Jamaica offers the best in resort vacations, but with great deep-sea fishing, scuba diving, historic houses, top shopping sites, and other fun activities, there are many reasons to leave the hotel.