A developing country of 2.6 million people, Jamaica requires a valid passport for entry. If you decide to venture on your own, be aware that driving in Jamaica may present challenges. Car rentals are expensive and roads are not maintained as they are in the United States. Seat belts are also required for those riding in the front seat and motorcyclists are required to wear helmet.
If you take a bus from your hotel to your destination, be aware that buses don't always run according to schedule. Taking a taxi may be a better alternative. According to Frommer's Travel Guide, look for Jamaica Union of Travelers Association (JUTA) marked taxis with an emblem on the side. Negotiate the fare, which is per car, before you get into the taxi. Specify if the currency is Jamaican or American.
On February 6, 2000, the Jamaica National Heritage Trust designated the Trench Town Culture Yard as a protected national site. Chris Blackwell's discovery and promotion of musicians, such as Bob Marley, Bunny Wailer and Peter Tosh, introduced the world to reggae, and see where Bob Marley wrote "No Woman, No Cry." You can also arrange to see a tour of the entire area.
The word "yards" reflects an area of 200 acres where the government constructed government owned homes. Built between 1940-1949, these "yards" comprising the area from Seventh Street to First Street between Collier Smith Drive and West Road, called Trench Pen, makes up the district now referred to as Trench Town.
Although born in February 1945 in St. Ann's Parish, Bob Marley moved to Trench Town in the later 1950s and joined forces with Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer. When Chris Blackwell discovered their talent, he catapulted reggae music into the limelight with Island Records. Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer made their debut with Island Records in 1974 with the release of "Catch a Fire."
Decide if you would like to stay in Kingston or one of the other cities in Jamaica. Day trips can be arranged to Kingston if you prefer to stay at a hotel, villa, apartment, guest house or bed-and-breakfast. You might also consider checking time-share availabilities. Although the weather is usually warm and sunny, be aware of the possibility of hurricanes between June and December, the official hurricane season.
