Montego Bay aka “Mobay”

 

As a tourist, it is highly likely that you’ll fly into Montego Bay when arriving in Jamaica, so the first parish you’ll touch is St James.  Montego Bay is the capital city of St James, located on the northwestern tip of the island and is referred to as “the second city”.  It is the second largest city and business center on the island, next to Kingston.

Montego Bay is home to the Donald Sangster International Airport as well as one of Jamaica’s three main cruise ship ports.  The greater Montego Bay area is also home to numerous tourist accommodations ranging from low budget to extremely high end, and includes hostels, guest houses, villas, hotels and mega resorts.  If you don’t want to venture any further than Montego Bay for your vacation you’ll find everything you’re looking for there, except any notable nature and countryside if you don’t venture outside the city.

Since Montego Bay is a major business center there is also a shipping wharf run by the Jamaica Port Authority.  It is a distribution and shipping hub for the Americas.  Many Jamaicans living abroad and foreigners living in Jamaica ship goods to the island via this shipping wharf.

Distance from Montego Bay to:

Negril – 1.5 hours

Ocho Rios – 1.5 hours

Kingston – Approximately 2.5 hours (or less) on the toll highway.

Port Antonio – 4 to 5 hours depending on stops and traffic.

Black River – Under 2 hours through the hills.

Treasure Beach – 2.5 hours through the hills and Black River.

Excursions in Montego Bay

When vacationing in Montego Bay and the greater area there are plenty of attractions and excursions to experience nearby.  This list contains excursions that are either in the city or within one hour of the city.  Of course, you can venture out much further into the island if you wish to pay the price for transport but this is what’s near to Montego Bay – more than enough to fill up every single day of a typical 7 to 14 day vacation.

Click on each link below for more information.

 

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It is worth mentioning that even if you’re staying in Montego Bay, other tourist towns such as Negril and Ocho Rios and are less than two hours away so there’s no need to limit yourself to the excursions listed in this section.  Please check the other area guides to see what’s available less than two hours from Montego Bay.  All tour guides and drivers will take you anywhere you want to go.  Just make sure you negotiate a price first.

 

Montego Bay Beaches

There are several public beaches in Montego Bay which are easy to find on foot from the hip strip area in town.   The list of beaches below DO NOT include private beaches that belong to resorts and hotels.

Doctors Cave beach is part of Doctors Cave resort but for an admission fee anyone can enjoy it during the day.  It is a well-maintained beach and is located right in the hub of the hip strip.

 

Dead End beach is named so because it is located on a dead-end road opposite the airport.  The beach is not really maintained and the water isn’t the cleanest for swimming but the most redeeming quality of Dead End beach is that the airport landing strip is right on the other side of the wall.  There’s a bar located at the end of the dead-end road so it’s an amazing place to sit and watch flight after flight come in right above your head.  This is the beach you see from your airplane right before landing in Montego Bay.  The restaurant and bar here serves Jamaican food and liquor at decent prices, and has pool tables.  It’s an excellent place to hang out and waste an afternoon if you love the rumble of airplanes flying low.

 

Dump-Up Beach and Events Park is located further toward the city but is still within walking distance from the strip.  There is no security and no lifeguards on duty but it is still a nice spot to kick back and enjoy the water.  The surrounding park at Dump-Up hosts several events such as music stage shows and various festival events.

 

Cornwall Beach is a small public beach right on the strip.  It is located next to the Royal Decameron resort, is well maintained and has lifeguards on duty.  A restaurant and bar are also on site.

 

Aquasol Beach & Theme Park is located right on the hip strip and is a very popular spot for tourists and locals alike.  The beach is maintained and the theme park is more of a water park / amusement center with water trampolines, banana boat rides, waverunners, kayaks, pedal boats, glass bottom boat and snorkeling..  It is busy all the time and a great spot to cool off in the hot sun.

Dining and Shopping in Montego Bay

Montego Bay is one of the most versatile locations for food and dining options.  Plenty of vacationers who leave their hotels and hit the streets will find whatever they’re looking for whether it be Jamaican food, Indian, Chinese, Western, Italian, fast food, and my personal favorite – street food.

The Montego Bay area is very up to the times as far as finding modern food conveniences if that’s what you’re looking for on vacation.  It is simple to find coffee shops and cafes with wifi, iced coffee delights, cheesecakes, pastries, etc.  You’ll also find North American food chain restaurants such as Pizza Hut, Dominos, Burger King and KFC.

Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville has a location on the hip strip in Montego Bay and it’s more than just dining.  When visiting Margaritaville bring your swimsuit because they have a water slide from the second level that dumps you out into the sea below.  It also has a water trampoline out front in the sea for guests to use.

With a decent population of East Indians and Asians living and running businesses in Jamaica it is very easy to find international food without looking very far.

If you’re the type of tourist who wants to fully experience local Jamaican food there are numerous authentic local cook shops spread among the bigger restaurants.  These local cook shops sometimes have poor signage and don’t look like a place you’d want to dip into for dinner but they serve up some of the tastiest dishes at the most affordable prices.  It can be intimidating to step into a cook shop and make your way to the front of the line because they are often crowded but don’t hesitate to give it a try.  As with any local food shop anywhere else on the island you can get a full (and delicious meal) served up for less than $10.00.  Even though you’ll probably get your food in a takeout box the cost is much less than you’ll pay in a proper sit-down restaurant and the meal will be much more reflective of local Jamaican culture.

Montego Bay is a very busy and expensive city with a heavy focus on tourism and is developed for the convenience of tourists for the most part.  Because it is a hub city, shopping, dining and transportation are more expensive for travelers than other parts of the island.

The “hip strip” aka Gloucester Avenue, is where the bulk of hotels are in Montego Bay and most tourists are encouraged to stick to the strip, although I’m a big fan of getting as far away as possible from touristy areas.  The strip is lined with gift shop after gift shop, restaurants, bars, billiards, hotels, and public beaches (entry fees apply at some beaches).

The downside of the hip strip is the aggressive nature of locals selling their often-overpriced wares, whether it be souvenirs, crafts, drugs, or even just straight up asking for money.  Negative comments have come from several tourists I’ve chatted to in Montego Bay over the years.  It can be a bit intimidating if you have a mild personality, or just plain annoying if you value your personal space.  On the flip side there are many repeat visitors to Jamaica who adore Montego Bay because of its versatility and convenience.  If you become a repeat visitor to Jamaica or if you’re very well traveled to similar destinations, you will eventually toughen up and become immune to the aggressive nature of vendors.

Mega Mart wholesale club is a big-box mega-store type concept in Jamaica and has a location in Montego Bay.  Mega Mart is similar to a Walmart or Superstore back home, and is the place to shop for North American conveniences such as specialty foods, American cheeses, gluten free products, furniture, novelty items, and everything you’d find in a giant mega store back home.  It’s a decent one-stop shop to stock up on items in bulk or items that you won’t find in the average Jamaican supermarket.

In the Fairview district of Montego Bay is where you will find the Fairview shopping center which has nearly every convenience one needs.  You’ll find Fontana’s Pharmacy, Progressive Foods supermarket, several major banking institutions, the Palace Multiplex movie theater, and several restaurants.  Fairview is not really within walking distance from the main tourist strip but depending on traffic it is a fairly easy taxi ride away.

East of the airport in the upscale shopping areas of Rose Hall and Ironshore (the greater Montego Bay area) you’ll find North American shopping such as Payless Shoes, Harley Davidson, and several high-end jewelry and brand name apparel stores.  Rose Hall, Ironshore and Spring Farm (all east of the airport) are a few of the most affluent communities in Jamaica so it’s no surprise this type of shopping exists there.  If you’re at all interested in seeing some MEGA homes and villas ask a driver to take you through these communities.  Some of the homes are unreal in size and design.  It’s a very interesting way to spend half a day, although you might come out green with envy.

Right on the main highway at the entry road to Ironshore is a shopping plaza called Whitter Village which is a great place to find whatever you need.  There are cafés, a Pizza Hut, an Indian restaurant, Fontana’s Pharmacy, a full service casino and a Progressive Foods supermarket which is a huge grocery store where you can find almost any grocery item you’re looking for.  Plenty of expats live in this area so shopping is very mainstream around Ironshore.  Across the road from Whitter Village is the Blue Diamond shopping plaza with a smaller supermarket and many smaller shops.  This entire shopping area is within walking distance to the Riu Montego Bay and Sandals Royal Caribbean resorts.

It is worth mentioning that there is also a very real, gritty and authentically Jamaican side to Montego Bay, which, unless you know someone from the city you’re not likely to ever end up there on your own.  But if you’re adventurous it’s well worth exploring because that is where you’ll find true local markets, food shops and cheaper prices than in the tourist parts.  If you’re truly interested in seeing the very busy hustle of the local side of this city it’s a good idea to have a driver take you there.  Not because it’s unsafe but because it’s extremely busy, crowded, and chaotic on any given day.  It’s also easy to get twisted around once you’re in there.

The Montego Bay craft market is located just off the Howard Cooke highway right in the middle of town.  It is a fenced off area and fairly well organized to shop in and you may find much cheaper prices than those in the souvenir shops on the hip strip.

Safety in Montego Bay

Although the main tourist areas in Mobay are well patrolled by security personnel on the streets, it is wise to be aware at all times.  In recent years, I’ve been told by locals from the area that Montego Bay has become much more of a crime hub than it used to be.  Some have even said it’s one of the worst places on the island for crime and violence nowadays.  As a tourist, you’re unlikely to end up in the worst areas but it’s advisable to just be aware of where you are and who you associate with.

As previously mentioned, the vibe in Montego Bay is much more aggressive than in non-tourist areas.  You may be solicited for money and it’s likely that you may be approached by people selling drugs.  A polite but firm NO THANKS is all it takes to avoid these situations.

Single women may also be subjected to relentless propositions by Jamaican men.  Use common sense in these situations.  Not everything is as it seems and pairing up with these individuals may result in stolen property or money.

If you do decide to venture into local communities around Montego Bay make sure you have a local you trust take you there.  As a big advocate for experiencing the true local life of Jamaica, if you can do it safely then by all means, explore!