Jamaica
COSTS : In-country: £858 (£19 a day) // See additional cost breakdown at end
CURRENCY : Jamaican Dollar JMD
DATE : 2nd December 2022 - 5th January 2023
DURATION : 35 days
AGE : 21
TOP APPS : Workaway / Currency Converter / Reverso Contexto / Travel Spend
Contents :
💟 Treasure Beach
💟 Christmas Tour
💟 Cultural notes
Treasure Beach
A slow-paced Rasta beach community in the South of the island 🌞 Treasure Beach is the name given to a stretch of four Jamaican coves and their associated settlements: Billy's Bay, Frenchman's Bay, Calabash Bay and Great Bay. The region is isolated from the main tourist areas. I volunteered here in a hostel called Welcoming Vibes for two weeks.
My journey from Montego Bay was eventful in itself; after a pleasant bus ride (go Knutsford Express) I arrived in Black River (the closest big town), at about 6pm. I hoped to get a taxi. What I didn’t realise is that, here, the principle of taxis is getting in whatever car is driving past and, if enough people are going in the same direction, then you get to where you want to go. . .
After having waited a good half hour on the side of the street, standing out, as usual, as the crazy white foreigner, a man in a van filled with watermelons asked where I was headed and, despite not going to Treasure Beach, offered to drop me!
He also picked up another friend on the way, and it was at that point that I realised I would get nowhere trying to understand Patois. We did have some interesting chats, though—they love the late Queen!
With very little direction from the wonderful, practically 24/7 high, owner I was free to enjoy time at the beach, work on my Open Uni degree, do yoga on the rooftop, try soursop, watch beautiful sunsets and the football world cup at the beach bar, listen to the ceaseless nighttime reggae/afro-beats of the surrounding area and get excited for Christmas !
I also visited Jake’s frequently. A beautiful seafront B&B , where I made friends with a lovely British couple, went with them for lobster, got my nails done at the beautiful spa and flirted with the bartender 😊
Me and the other fab volunteer, Jade, also helped to start the proposed ‘eco-farm’ part of the hostel. This consisted of going with Jerome, the hostel handyman, on a motorbike to a random plot of land, being given a machete and/or chainsaw (to me, a clueless 21 year old) to clear the vegetation.
It’s a wonder no one got hurt 😂 !
Christmas Tour
A wonderful two weeks with Mum. Starting off with a few days in the fabulous Riu Reggae all-inclusive. We then took a short taxi ride to Falmouth. After we whizzed to Ocho Rios for Christmas Eve and day. Then back to Treasure Beach. Then Negril, with the famous seven-mile beach for New Year’s Eve🎉 Finally, we headed back to Montego Bay, forming a nice lil circle of the west side of the island. Below are some of the best moments :)
A lovely reunion with mumma Angie and endless convos catching up after 6 months 💛
Getting Christmas braids
Watching planes coming in to land at the airport
Visiting ‘Usain Bolt's Tracks and Records’ - a fab restaurant/sport bar along the strip by Doctor’s Cave beach
The luminous lagoon with bioluminescent plankton
A fab jet ski ride
The Appleton Estate Rum tour and tasting experience + YS Falls afterwards
Trips to the local supermarket for essentials: nuts, crisps, rum etc for wonderful picnics
A lovely Ital lunch at a Ratsa Cafe in Treasure Beach
A fabulous Christmas Eve of Jerk Chicken and Rum
Champagne and panetonne on Christmas Day +
Dunn’s river falls guided tour: the whole group of about 50 people form a line holding hands so you are connected as you climb up the giant staircase of waterfalls
Snorkelling, a cheeky dance with ‘Santa’ and a Mamma Mia! moment at the front of the boozy boat trip to and from Dunn’s Falls
Rick’s Cafe - unfortunately, I was too hungover to jump from the highest ledge 😭
Rock jumping at Blue hole (see video below). A beautiful series of natural limestone pools
Fireworks and dancing on Seven Mile Beach + laughing at my Mum’s incapability to get high from smoking, no matter how many joints she smoked 😂
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After this wonderful time with Mum she left for home while I spent a further few days at a nice hostel called Mobay Kotch. I got stuck back into my Uni work and enjoyed the community vibe in the evenings. There was also a fab night out with a lovely French Canadian who even came with me to say goodbye at the airport as I hopped on my flight to Colombia !
Cultural Notes
Jamaica has one of the highest numbers of rum bars per square mile in the world
The the chill, low-key vibe in Treasure Beach really contrasted with the experience had when travelling with Mum. I became a tourist, and tourists are viewed as $ signs, unfortunately. We got ripped off a couple of times and harassed a fair amount. It seems that one love logic applies more so between the locals, understandably.
The Jamaican accent is awesome
Jamaica has been the only country throughout my travels where I’ve felt more unsafe due to being a woman. I was surprised by the patriarchal society. Men are allowed to speak and behave far more explicit than I had experienced before.
The goat curry is so good but, personally, Ackee and Saltfish was not for me
Out-of-country cost breakdown
£ 173.17 Flight
£ 0 Visa: visitors are allowed to stay within 90 days without a visa
£ 17 Fees
£ 2000 ish Accom/food/travel : very kindly paid by Mum (imma v lucky gal)
