Call or email for assistance planning your trip: +1 (212) 203-0064 | reservations@moonjamaica.com
Jimmyz Restaurant and Bar (tel. 876/390-3477, Mon.\Sat. 6 a.m.\7 p.m, US$3.50\11) located at the local fishing beach and run by George "Jimmy" Williams, serves Jamaican breakfast items like ackee and saltfish accompanied by yam and boiled banana, with lunch and dinner dishes that include chicken and seafood staples. Fresh juices are also served.
Route taxis ply the coast all day long from Sav-la-Mar (US$2) and Black River (US$2) to Whitehouse. Karl (cell tel. 876/368-0508) is a JUTA-licensed driver based in the area who offers tours and taxi service.
Given the proximity of Negril, Jamaica's most developed beach town, as well as the mountains of the Dolphin Head range in Hanover, the interior and South Coast of neighboring Westmoreland, and Cockpit Country in St. James and Trelawny, there are plenty of opportunities for recreation and relaxation from a base in Montego Bay without being on the road for more than a couple hours.
Jamaica's "vibes city," Mobay has been the principal hub of the island's tourism industry since the 1950s, with the country's most well-heeled duty-free shops and beaches.
Montego Bay has distinct tourist zones, well separated from the bustling and raucous downtown area. The main tourist area is the Hip Strip along Gloucester Avenue, where most of the bars, restaurants, and hotels catering to tourists are located. Extending off the strip is Kent Avenue, a.k.a. Dead End Road, which terminates at the end of the airport runway.
Whether or not you choose to stay at this well situated hilltop property, a sunset cocktail from the beautiful poolside terrace will remain a romantic memory indefinitely.
Montego Bay Marine Park encompasses the entire bay from high-tide mark on land to 100-meter depth from Reading on Mobay's western edge to just east of the airport on the eastern side. The marine park contains diverse ecosystems that include mangrove forest, islands, beaches, estuaries, sea-grass beds, and corals.
Pitfour (contact Sister Norma, cell tel. 876/882-6376) is a Rastafarian settlement in the Granville district in the hills above Montego Bay. A Nyabinghi ceremony lasting more than a week begins every November 1 to celebrate the coronation of His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I, revered by Rastafarians as their God.
Montego Bay Cultural Centre, a re-branding of the former Civic Centre (9 a.m.-5 p.m Mon.-Fri., US$2 adults, US$0.75 children) houses the National Gallery West, featuring a history of St. James as part of the permanent exhibit and temporary exhibits. The small collection of artifacts in the permanent collection spans the Taino period to the present day.
