Choose when to go. One of Jamaica's biggest draws is its stable temperature, hovering between 72 F and 88 F year-round, but it gets more rain in May and June and then again in October. The driest month is March with 10mm of rainfall on average. April sees the highest sunshine with an average of 8.9 hours each day.
Choose the style of your vacation. This will narrow down your choices. Do you want to relax, unwind and be pampered? If so, look at the many resorts with spa facilities. If you need to be active consider hotels with all-inclusive water activities or look into resorts with diving instruction. Decide if you'd like a vacation for the whole family or if you'll be looking for adults-only accommodation with added nightlife.
Pick your location. Hot-spots in Jamaica include Montego Bay, Negril and Ocho Rios. Montego Bay on the north coast is a hub of tourist activity offering an abundance of bars, restaurants, souvenir shops and hotels. It is close to popular Doctor's Cave Beach and Cornwall Beach. Nearby Walter Fletcher Beach offers calm waters for swimming. The area is also home to Montego Bay Marine Park, a wildlife reserve. Also on the north coast, Ocho Rios has plenty of water sports, restaurants and visitors. It is close to Dunn's River Falls. Its most famous beaches are Turtle Beach and Mallard Beach, both offering a choice of hotel accommodation. Negril is more laid back and boasts naturally beautiful coastline.
Decide on a resort. Many Jamaica resorts tend to be all-inclusive and you can pick up a deal covering all your accommodation, food, drinks and activities in the main tourist areas of Montego Bay and Ocho Rios. If you don't want to spend your time in a large all-inclusive village, seek out alternatives that include boutique hotels, spa resorts and guest houses by the beach or inland. Or go for a more independent vacation by renting a villa and pool or a catered apartment.
Book a flight. Choose to book a package deal with hotel accommodation included or book a flight separately. You can fly to either Montego Bay or Kingston with airlines such as American Airlines, Continental, US Airways and Northwest Airlines from the US. Booking in advance is generally cheaper though you can shop around for last-minute deals if your plans are flexible. Higher fares are normally charged in the December to April high season, especially around Christmas.
Get excited about your excursions. According to 'Jamaica Guide', Jamaica is a great place to explore the Caribbean's underwater world. Negril offers caverns and caves to swim through while Montego Bay Marine Park is home to many dive sites including Widowmaker's Cave. Runaway Bay's dive opportunities are close to shore. As well as beach and water activities, Jamaica has some interesting inland excursions such as historic sugar plantations and houses, horseback riding in the forest and trekking in the Blue Mountains National Park.
