Kingston Travel Guide

  Wall of museum with scenes from Marley's...
by toonsarah
  • Wall of museum with scenes from Marley's life
      Wall of museum with scenes from Marley's...
    by toonsarah
  • Port Royal
      Port Royal
    by RudoElCojonudo
  • Me in front of Bob Marley's house.
      Me in front of Bob Marley's house.
    by morgr
  •   Kingston
    by toonsarah
  • kingston from airport view
      kingston from airport view
    by hanspeter_W.

Flights to Kingston

All fares Ashburn (IAD) to Kingston (MBJ) found by travelers in past 48 hours*
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Pro

toonsarah profile photo

 Lots of history, the Bob Marley Museum & surrounding scenery all make it worth seeing 


Con

subarka profile photo

 dont like the way the men pee anywhere ... 


In a nutshell

TravelSooz profile photo

 The place to be to understand why Marley wrote such great songs. 

 

Explore Kingston

Things to Do  

enjoy hellshire beach

enjoy hellshire beach, Kingston

 hanspeter_W. Says:  Hellshire Beach is the largest and most popular of them and has interesting black sands and cool clean waters. Many different activities are held here when it is time to get out of the sun yet still stay entertained. Although Jamaica offers some more secluded beaches that... 

visit strawberry hill

visit strawberry hill, Kingston

 hanspeter_W. Says:  Mountaintop resort with panoramic view of KingstonIn Blue Mountains Occupying the flat top and steep sides of a standalone mountain, this secluded Blue Mountain resort 15 km (9 mi) northeast of Kingston features views of the city and harbor from 945m (3,100 ft) up 

Spanish Town-old cast iron bridge

Spanish Town-old cast iron bridge, Kingston

 Dabs Says:  At the eastern edge of Spanish Town, heading towards Kingston, you will pass by this bridge, no longer in use, that spans the Rio Cobre River. The bridge dates back to 1801 and is the oldest bridge of its kind in the Western Hemisphere.Unfortunately the picture I took... 

Blue Mountains: Strawberry Hill

Blue Mountains: Strawberry Hill, Kingston

 toonsarah Says:  North and east of Kingston lie the justifiably famous Blue Mountains of Jamaica. With only a couple of hours in which to visit, we couldn’t possibly do this area justice, so this tip doesn’t pretend to be a comprehensive look at the area but simply records my impressions of... 

Hotels  

Hilton Kingston

 4 Reviews and 168 Opinions  Spent 60 days here in 2005 while on a business contract in Kingston. The hotel is in the New... 

Terra Nova Hotel

 1 Review and 67 Opinions  I stayed here for 6 weeks the first part of 2006 and off n' on over the next year and a half, as I... 

Restaurants  

Sweetwood Jerk Joint: Some of the best BBQ I've had

Sweetwood Jerk Joint: Some of the best BBQ I've had, Kingston

 mcbuckley Says:  A local on the street told me about this place, that was crowded with locals, and I seriously ate every single meal there until I left Kingston after eating here. Very simple place, order at one window, and pick up food wrapped in tinfoil at another. They've got their meats... 

Island Grill: Jamaican Fast Food

Island Grill: Jamaican Fast Food, Kingston

 RudoElCojonudo Says:  It's sth like a jamaican McDonald's. They cook the tipical menues, I mean, miniburguer, chips and soft drink, but you can also find things like roasted fish or jerk chicken with rice and beans.It's not the restaurant I would choice for my wedding but it isn't such a bad... 

Nightlife  

usain sport bar: visit usain bolt sport bar

usain sport bar: visit usain bolt sport bar, Kingston

 hanspeter_W. Says:  Located in The Marketplace along Constant Spring Road, Usain Bolt's Tracks and Records seems to capture the very essence of the track superstar, with a vibrant and edgy design concept, never-before-seen technology and some of the best food you'll taste... 

Quad nightclub: Top nightclub

Quad nightclub: Top nightclub, Kingston

 planxty Says:  One of the busier nightclubs in town, it is frequented by locals and foreigners alike. There is a jazz bar on the ground floor which is very relaxed, and two floors of dancing upstairs. One floor tends to be predominantly Jamaican dance music and the other more... 

Transportation  

Avoid "Rush Hour"

Avoid "Rush Hour", Kingston

 LeslieFun Says:  It seemed to be quite congested leaving Kingston around 6:00 PM. Took us twice as long to get back to Ocho Rios then it had for us to get there earlier in the day. Also, lots of "windshield cleaners" approached and cleaned our vehicle without asking first, throughout our day... 

Use ONLY JUTA Tours in Jamaica. They're Reputable

Use ONLY JUTA Tours in Jamaica.  They're Reputable, Kingston

 fusner Says:  Because Jamaica is one of the best tourist spots in the Caribbean (for various reasons which I will not get into), many people go to Jamaica each day.If you plan to visit Jamaica, there are airlines flying there (USAIR, SPIRIT, AIR JAMAICA, AMERICAN, DELTA(?)). All of these... 

Taxi

Taxi, Kingston

 RudoElCojonudo Says:  Every person who owns a car could be a taxi driver in Jamaica, so be careful!! The most trustable company is JUTA, but they are more expensive.* JUTA TOURS:Adress: Norman Manley Boulevard. Negril. Jamaica WITlf: (876) 957-4620 OR (876)957-9197Web Sites:... 

Kingston airport tips.

Kingston airport tips., Kingston

 planxty Says:  The airport serving Kingston is Norman Manley International airport (NMIA) which sits on a spit of land lying opposite the town which forms a natural lagoon. It is supposedly going to be upgraded with work starting in September 2005 to be completed for the cricket world cup... 

Shopping  

Rum, Roast and Royals.: Just as the name suggests
planxty profile photo

3.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

planxty 1634 reviews
Rum, Roast and Royals, Devon House, Kingston.

The Rum, Roast and Royals shop in the Devon House courtyard, is excellent. As the name suggests, it carries a large selection of Jamaican coffee, alcohol of all sorts and cigars as well as every conceivable type of souvenir.

Although not a cigar smoker myself, my friends are, and they say the cigars, which include a large Cuban selection are very well kept in a humidor.

Apart from the local alcohol, there is a good selection of European wine, and also New World wines. Some of the Chileans are good, and obviously not as expensive, due to lower shipping costs. Be sure and ask about the special offers, which are not always clearly marked, which often mean that the apparently more expensive wines actually work out cheaper. The staff are very helpful and will point you in the right direction.

What to pay: Prices are slightly expensive but quality is good.

Updated Oct 29, 2005

Address: Devon House courtyard, Trafalgar Road

Related to:
 Food and Dining
 Luxury Travel

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Local Customs  

Patois

Patois, Kingston

 RudoElCojonudo Says:  The jaimacans have their own language, they call it PATOIS. For me is like a 'bad spoken' english, but it's nice to listen to then talking it. I learnt some words because all the people use to call us like this, they aren't very nice words but we had to start learning from... 

Warnings and Dangers  

You prejudice people!

You prejudice people!, Kingston

 godhelpjamaica Says:  Kingston is not dangerous. I'm a white 27 year old woman and I walked there alone maby 40 times.But it depends on your vibes, if you're nice and friendly as a person. I know people in Kingston, and that helps. Before you go to an area like Rema and Cassava Piece you have to... 

avoid Spanish town

avoid Spanish town, Kingston

 geyr7 Says:  Stear clear of Spanish Town! It's just as easy to get lost there as in Kingston and as potentially dangerous as going to Trenchtown. Just not worth it unless escorted by a well-known local...and even then... 

Off The Beaten Path  

Bog Walk Gorge & Pam Pam Rock

Bog Walk Gorge & Pam Pam Rock, Kingston

 toonsarah Says:  North of Spanish Town, and a little under an hour’s drive from Kingston, is the striking scenery of Bog Walk Gorge. The name Bog Walk is derived from the Spanish words Boca de Agua which means water's mouth. In 1770 the first road was cut through the Gorge, which must have... 

Local Market

Local Market, Kingston

 redmon5 Says:  There is a market accross from Tivoli Gardens that you should visit. Make sure you go during the day as this is a rough neighborhood and some parts are very dirty. Have your driver take you and have him walk with you. He'll make sure that you're not overpaying for anything.... 

Sports & Outdoors  

Cricket at Sabina Park
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4.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

toonsarah 2985 reviews
Sabina Park, Kingston
1 more image

I took these two photos from the window of our car, so the quality isn’t great, but I was pleased to get them nevertheless. They, and this tip, are specially for my friend David, whose dream is to play cricket for England either here or at Lords – when he isn’t playing football for Aston Villa, that is ;)

Sabina Park was established in 1930, and the first test match was played here the same year. Sabina Park's most famous moment is when Garfield Sobers made a record breaking score of 365 not out in 1958, at the time the highest ever individual test score – a record that stood unbeaten for 36 years.

The stadium has recently undergone major renovations for the 2007ICC Cricket World Cup, including expansion of its capacity to 30,000 seats. The opening match of the World Cup between the West Indies and Pakistan was played here.

Jamaicans are enthusiastic cricket fans as are all West Indians, and I imagine the atmosphere here during a match is fantastic. In fact, one stand is known as the “Party Stand” and is the main area for those who enjoy a more raucous style of support for their team.

I’m not sure what I make of one story I read, about the members’ pavilion, which appears to be a throw-back to less politically correct times. Apparently no member is allowed to say a lady's name in the club, and if anyone slips up on this rule he must buy drinks for everyone there. This has its roots in a dispute, when a man mentioned the a name of a woman with whom he was having a liaison. Unfortunately for him, her husband was right behind him as he said it.

Updated Apr 5, 2008

Address: South Camp Road, Kingston

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Favorites  

Kingston is not a Tourist Destination

Kingston is not a Tourist Destination, Kingston

 jtothaizzl Says:  Kingston, in my opinion, is NOT a tourist destination at all.It's a city, and it is not for toursits.Don't get me wrong, it is cool, but if you are looking to vacation in Jamaica, do not consider Kingston. 

Comments

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Map of Kingston