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Calabash Festival Is Back

Check out this amazing literary festival set against the beautiful backdrop of Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth.

CRUCIAL REGGAE

The following selections are not intended as an exhaustive list of reggae releases but are a few essentials for any reggae fan's collection and some of the author's favorites. In the United States, the best source for reggae albums is Ernie B's, which has an excellent online catalog of full albums a... More on CRUCIAL REGGAE

Local Spas and Hot Spring

  Laidback SpasJamaica has world-class spas based predominantly at the high-end resorts. These facilities are not for those traveling on a tight budget or those seeking an authentic Jamaican vibe. There are several inexpensive local spas that tend to be rough around the edges but can make for entert... More on Local Spas and Hot Spring

Sound Systems & Street Dances

Sound systems fostered the development of Jamaican music. Starting out as little more than a set of speaker boxes on wheels, the sounds would set up at different points around town or arrive in rural areas to feed a thirst created by the advent of radio in the country in 1939, which brought American... More on Sound Systems & Street Dances

The Life & Legacy of Miss Lou

The life of Louise Bennett Coverley (September 7, 1919-July 26, 2006) spanned an evolution in the identity of the Jamaican people. Born in Downtown Kingston at 40 North Street, she was raised during a tumultuous time alongside the growth of Jamaica's Labour Movement, whose leaders were agitating for... More on The Life & Legacy of Miss Lou

Kingston Highlights

Tuff Gong Recording Studio: Bob Marley's production base offers a "Making of Music" tour, including a visit to the studio, record printing shop, gallery, and herb garden. National Gallery: The National Gallery is the crown jewel of the Institute of Jamaica, where visitors can view Jamaican art from... More on Kingston Highlights

Nyammins: Food on the Go

While it is sometimes said that Jamaica's national dish is fried chicken from KFC, there are a host of authentically Jamaican fast-food joints to compete for that title, like Tastee Patties, Juici Patties, Island Grill, and Captain's Bakery. While not all of these restaurant chains serve the country... More on Nyammins: Food on the Go

Caribbean Fashion Week

Jamaica's contribution has been central to a bourgeoning Caribbean fashion industry. Pulse Entertainment, founded by Kingsley Cooper and Hillary Phillips in 1980, started holding Caribbean Fashion Week (CFW) in 2001. CFW has become a wildly successful annual event, described by British Vogue as one... More on Caribbean Fashion Week

Jamaican Coffee: Cultivating an Industry

Coffee is one of 600 species in the Rubiaceae family, understood to have its center of origin in what is today Ethiopia. The plant's beans and leaves are believed to have been chewed by the earliest inhabitants of the region and later brewed by ancient Abyssinians and Arabs, the latter credited with... More on Jamaican Coffee: Cultivating an Industry

Portland's Banana Boom

The global banana trade, currently a multibillion dollar industry, has its roots in Portland and St. Thomas. The originators of the banana trade were American sea captains George Busch and later Lorenzo Dow Baker of the 85-ton Telegraph, who arrived in 1870. These two established a lucrative two-way... More on Portland's Banana Boom