Kingston

Eco-friendly travel guide to Kingston advises how to be a responsible tourist. Learn how to explore the attractions in a sustainable way and how to respect the local people and culture. Make your trip green by supporting locally owned hotels, organic restaurants and other businesses. Read more on how to protect the environment by making conscientious choices and how to travel green in Kingston, Jamaica.

Northern suburbs of Kingston, Jamaica

Air quality: 2.5 / 5

Exploring by foot: 3.0 / 5

Exploring by bicycle: 3.5 / 5

Public transportation: 3.5 / 5

Parks: 4.0 / 5

Outdoor activities: 4.0 / 5

Locals' English level: 3.5 / 5

Safety: 3.0 / 5

Accommodation: US$25 - $120

Budget per day: US$50 - $150

Responsible Travel

Kingston is the capital city of Jamaica. Half of Jamaica's 2.7 million people live in Kingston; therefore, this capital city's population is around 579000. It is located on the south-east side of the Island. The city is quite different from the rest of Jamaica. It is said that loving Kingston is not easy. Still, on the other hand, because of the city's international metropolitan character, it's easy for a visitor to blend in. However, your time in the city will be a little challenging as the city is enormous, boisterous, and bold. You need to keep your head up always while walking on the streets; otherwise, cars will not notice you; even on the sidewalks, you can fall into the massive potholes! If you get intimidated by the whole thing, then that will be your biggest mistake. All you need to do is be a responsible tourist, take it all in, and go with the flow.

Your duties of being a responsible tourist in a city like Kingston should be a little different. This time you need to be accountable for yourself instead of the city. Here are a few tips for you:

Theft is a big issue in the city. Keep your car, mobile, and other valuable things in a safe place.

Avoid the Spanish town as it is a dangerous part of the town.

Kingston has divided into two sections, Uptown and Downtown. Uptown is considered to be a safer place.

Try to avoid the prostitute areas. They are not specifically aggressive, but they will be around. Be aware while walking with your children or family.

Air Quality and Pollution

The air quality of Kingston city is average; it's moderately polluted. According to some recent reports, the AQI here is 27. The climate of Kingston is mostly hot, windy, and partly cloudy. Generally, the temperature varies from 79°F to 89°F over the year. From mid-December to mid-April, there is high season in Kingston. It would be best if you visited the place at the starting point of Winter, which is November to mid-December. If the crowd doesn't bother you, then it's the best time to visit Kingston.

Respect the Culture

Kingston is the 'Heart of Jamaica.' It is enriched with culture, heritage, and arts, which makes it such an attractive place. Suppose you like to know Kingston's cultures, your need to visit the Ward Theater, the Bob Marley Museum, and the National Gallery because they might not be some tourist spots. They can show you Kingston's culture better than anyone or anything else.

The city is a vibrant and lively place; life spills out from every corner of the city; no matter it's a bowl of sour soup or a taxi driver, you will be able to feel the culture everywhere!

Jamaica's largest carnival takes place in Kingston city; it starts from Ash Wednesday. Kingston celebrates one of the most renowned artist's birthdays on 6th February. Several Marley-themed events like concerts, movies, karaoke, lectures, etc., are celebrated throughout a week. Other than that, several Caribbean festivals like Trinidad and Tobago Carnival, Guyana Carnival, Jamaica's Reggae Sumfest, etc., are celebrated by Kingston city.

Top 10 Places to Visit

Some areas of Kingston have earned the reputation of a 'dangerous place' due to the violation; several places in the city are worth visiting! Kingston is a beautiful city surrounded by coastline in the South and mountains in the North. The coastline and mountains offer you some beautiful beaches and tourist spots in Jamaica; on the other hand, the city's rich culture provides you with so many inspirational works to experience!

National Gallery of Jamaica: This gallery is Jamaica's oldest and largest art gallery. It showcases modern, contemporary arts to early arts from indigenous communities to pre-Columbian, Caribbean, Jamaica, and other neighboring countries. It showcases some of Jamaica's most talented artists' works; several exhibitions take place here.

Port Royal: It was founded in 1518 and was used as a shipping center for the Caribbean region. But later, in 1692, an earthquake destroyed it. The place becomes more interesting when the history of pirates who lived here comes out! Once the pirates used to snatch valuable goods from Spanish ships, they lived in Port Royal. Now, various archaeological findings are displayed here.

Mavis Bank Coffee Factory: A factory no more remains just a factory when it is declared the only wholly integrated factory in Jamaica's capital city. This Blue Mountain coffee factory was founded in1923. More than 70 percent of the entire country's coffee, produced in the factory, is exported. If you want, you can visit the factory and have a tour of it.

Institute of Jamaica: This institute was built to increase Jamaica's scientific and cultural heritage. This place holds various exhibitions in cultural history, natural history, and art. It includes Jamaica Memory Bank, Caribbean Institute of Jamaica, Jamaica Music Museum, Museums of history, etc.

Trench Town Culture Yard: The community has grown to preserve places where the young Bob Marley grew up and wrote some of his famous songs. It's a very colorful town located in Kingston; it is filled with welcoming and adorable people. Trench Town is also the birthplace of reggae music.

Strawberry Hill: Strawberry Hill is a boutique hotel located on a hilltop. Back in the 18th Century, it was a coffee estate, and today it's the perfect Kingston hideaway. The property starts with the infinity pool. The pool offers 360 views of the blue mountains and Kingston downtown. Spend an afternoon here with your companion and experience what they call 'quality time.'

Life Yard: Kingston's Downtown has the reputation of being a dangerous place due to gang problems. Today, the site is trying to rebuild its reputation with the innovative permaculture and art scheme, Life Yard. The program centers around an urban farming project. Organizers cover the whole city with beautiful pictures of several renowned artists. Youth projects like homework and breakfast clubs, educational workshops, media training, etc., are taking place here. Visit the downtown and participate in the Life Yard scheme.

Liberty Hall: It was the headquarters of Marcus Garvey's Universal Negro Improvement Association in the 1930s. Today, there is a multimedia museum in this building. The museum is about Marcus Garvey and his work; it showcases his impact as a founder of Pan-Africanism.

Shaare Shalom Synagogue: This attractive white building is Jamaica's only synagogue since 1912. This is a famous landmark of Kingston. The building is usually locked, and sometimes you will see the office open for donations. The neighboring Synagogue houses host a small exhibition on the history of Jamaica's Jewish community.

Hellshire Beach: It is one of the most popular beaches in Kingston. It attracts plenty of visitors every day. Locals love to come here now and then in search of some sun. Hellshire Beach is mostly known for open-air festivals and concerts that take place here.

Marley’s 1970 Volkswagen on display at the Trench Town Culture Yard

Explore

Kingston is the world's seventh-largest natural harbor. There are several things to explore in the city from the jungle-covered Blue Mountains to the beautiful sandy shore to the oldest parts.

City Parks

Here are some of the city parks of Kingston:

National Heroes Park: It's a botanical garden in Kingston, Jamaica. The park stands on a 50acres of open space and features numerous monuments. The park commemorates various Jamaican National Heroes, Prime ministers, and cultural leaders. Before the park was built, the land was the Kingston Race Track.

Papine Park: The Papine park lies under the public open spaces of Papine University Town. It is also called the Papine Square. This is not a place where you would like to come to spend your leisure time and relax. People here primarily use it as a thoroughfare during their walk from one side to another side of the town, but it's a fun place. Several events take place here, and it's a cool place to meet people and hangout.

Mona Heights Park: It is a beautiful place located at Garbera Drive, Kingston. Mona Heights Park is one of the safest city parks in Kingston; your children can play peacefully here. It's an excellent choice for a family picnic. There is also a basketball court here.

Funland Jamaica: Funland Jamaica is an amusement park located inside the gates of Hope Gardens, Jamaica. Public entry is allowed here during the public holidays and on the second and last weekend of any month. Before 2017, this place was known as Coconut park, before rebuilding the place as it is today. There are several entertainment options available here for everyone. Kids can sing heartily as there are over 13 rides for them. You will also get gaming arcades if you are a screen enthusiast.

President Obama visiting National Heroes Park

National Parks

Blue and John Crow Mountain National Park is the most famous national park in Kingston, Jamaica. Here we have also mentioned some of the other national parks located in the city of Kingston.

Chinese Garden: The Chinese Garden lies across 11 acres of land on the east side of the Hope Estate or Hope Total Botanic Gardens. In the 50th Anniversary of Jamaica, the National Park was constructed by the Chinese Garden and gifted to Jamaica's people. This gift also stands for the many years of friendship between both countries. There is a lily pond outlining an aspect of Jamaica. The three walls built at the entry gate are Shadow wall, Spirit Wall, and Screen Wall—these walls initially symbolize ranks and, according to that, are placed in Infront of mansions. But here they stand as the friendship walls of China and Jamaica.
The Imperial Garden, The Seat of Heaven, inside the garden, also showcases authentic Chinese architecture.

Emancipation Park: The park was built in 2002 on the land gifted by the adjacent Liguanea Club, precisely in the middle of New Kingston. Today, it is one of the best-kept parks in Kingston. There is an 11-foot high bronze sculpture at the park's southern entrance, which is the sculpture redemption song by Laura Facet. There is a jogging ground, sub-zero ice-cream stand, and many other things to make your evening perfect. There are various Topiaried trees which provide several shady spots for you to sit in the lap of green grass and Fragrant flowers.

Holywell Park: It's a world of verdant forests. It is tough to believe, standing in a place full of trees, silent clouds, and panoramic vistas, Kingston is only one hour away. Holywell is the perfect place if you are finding peace and relaxation. On the other hand, Holywell can also be your destination if you are looking for some activities like bird watching, hiking, etc. Holywell is also the home of Blue and John Crow National Park's visitors' center. There is a children's discovery zone, coffee, and farm tours; you can also stay here overnight, in the lap of nature, in the fantastic cabins.

Blue and John Crow Mountain National Park: BJCMNP covers more than 495.2 km² area. It conserves 100,000acres in the tropical rainforest. This national park was designated as A UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015. The park shelters most of the island's animals and plants, endemic plants of more than 800 species, resident and migrant birds of more than 200 species, the giant swallowtail, the largest butterfly in the western hemisphere much more. The Blue and John Crow Mountain National Park is also called the 'Lungs of Eastern Jamaica.'

Open story telling circle at the Holywells Park

Beaches

Jamaican sandy shore and explicit, turquoise waters are pretty famous, but people usually don't know what to expect when it comes to Kingston's beaches. Here you can say that Kingston's coastline is a slice of paradise. Several Amazing beaches are located here.

Hellshire Beach: The local people here prefer this beach for sun, swimming, and open-air concerts and festivals. You will see several lifeguards here. The beach features a paid and a free section. There are restrooms, changing rooms, showers, seating areas, and picnic tables for the paid section.

Lime Cay: You can probably recognize the place from the Jamaican movie "Harder They Come." The unpolluted water and calm environment attract visitors the most. It is the closest beach to downtown Kingston. The place orders you a 360-degree view, and you will be able to see the city or even pass the city due to the blue's endless horizon. You can get here by boat and sit in the beautiful, powdery white sand, as long as you want.

Boardwalk Beach: This is a small spot with a lot of wonders. There is a shady two-story wooden building constructed as a restaurant and venue for special events as well. You can sit on the traditional rustic wooden lounging chairs and benches, kept in a line in Infront of the water. Just within a small distance, there is the Fort Clarence Beach Park.

Bob Marley Beach: The beach is named after Robert Bob Marley because it is said that this was one of his favorite hangout places. It's a famous beach for both locals and tourists. The beautiful dark beach with clean and clear water is also the place to catch fresh fishes onshore by fishers.

Fort Clarence: This beach is the nearest to Fort Charles. It's a large white sandy beach that is always open for the public in exchange for low entry fees. The calm water of this beach is just perfect for swimming. Several music festivals, occasional beauty pageant, bodybuilding contents take place here. Well maintained restrooms, changing rooms, bathrooms are located in a part of this beach.

View of the Lime Cay Beach

Landmarks

Several landmarks are located in Kingston that are worth visiting, namely Fort Charles, Fort Rupert, Trinity Moravian, Fort Nugent, etc. Some of the most popular ones are listed below:

Fort Walker: The Fort was used for naval exercises. From here, Helicopters are used today, and ratings used to be taken super fastly; the history of Fort Walker is quite impressive. The Fort was built back in the 1680s and named after Colonel Walker, the commander of Fort Charles. Fort Walker is the entrance of Port Riyals.

Devon House: Devon House is Kingston's most famous landmarks because of its cultural diversity and rich history. This Georgian style house offers an eye-filling tour for the visitors. You will see the incredible and detailed architecture of every room of this house. The Devon House attraction ends here, but there are also several shops and dining places hosted by Devon House. Especially the Devon House I Scream, this ice-cream shop offers more than 27 flavors of ice creams. The name of Devon House I Scream is famous across entire Jamaica.

Holy Trinity Cathedral: This religious building is located in downtown Kingston. The American architect Raymond F. Admiral designed the church in the Byzantine Revival design. With more than 3000 sq. ft of frescos and mud on its walls and ceilings, the Holy Trinity Church is one of the most beautiful churches in Jamaica.

41 Fleet Street: A community of artists started a project to make some of Kingston's streets look amazing with their art. One of their creations is 41 Fleet Street. It's a safe and welcoming street full of meaningful, inspirational, and not to mention fantastic Street arts. There are so several structures that are worth seeing.

The National Stadium: The National Stadium is a cultural complex and the main venue in the Independence Park sports. The stadium was initially built for the 1962 Central American and Caribbean Games; later, in 1966, it hosted the Commonwealth Games.

Parade: Another name of the parade is William Grant Park. Originally, there was a fortress built in 1694 with lots of guns pointing towards the harbor. Later in 1870, the first was replaced by Victoria Park, and centuries later, the name was changed and kept to honor the Black Nationalist and labor leader of Jamaica, Sir William Grant. There is a large fountain, just in the middle of the park.

Alpha Boys School: Only a few like the Alpha Boys School and it's students have had such an impact on modern Jamaican music. It's a nonprofit vocational school served by young men from the central city. Since 1890, the administrators of Alpha are the Religious Sisters of Mercy. Many Jamaican music pioneers had their music studies from the school.

Peter Tosh Museum: Peter Tosh was another reggae legend of Jamaica. This tiny museum is dedicated to him. Tosh was a co-founder of Wailers and also an early campaigner against apartheid. He was a pan-Africanist. One of the notable ones among his excellent albums is Legalise It. The museum was built to tell visitors stories of his amazing life journey, works. It also has a small collection of Tosh's memorabilia. You will see his guitar here, which is shaped like an M16 rifle.

Tuff Gong Recording Studios: Tuff Gong Recording Studios is the Caribbean's most prominent studio. The legend Bob Marley used to love to come here and record his songs. Now it is one of the most influential studios in Jamaica, run by his son Ziggy. Visitors can take a one-hour tour of the studio. They are shown the entire music production system during the tour and explained all the rehearsal room processes to mixing desk, vinyl pressing— everything. The whole studio centered around Bob Marley. If you are interested in visiting the Bob Marley Museum and the Tuff Gong Recording Studios on the same day, you can buy a combination ticket. But while you are taking the studio tour, if someone is recording, you cannot see all of the sections.

Hope Gardens: Hope Gardens is spread over 18 hectares of land. In 1881, the manicured grounds, beautiful flowers, and various plants were brought into the garden when the government decided to establish an experimental garden. It was built on the site of Hope Estate. The amazing lawns, palm trees make the walkways more exciting and satisfying, and all together, they give a feel of the Urban Jungle.

Museums

Some of the museums are listed below:

Bob Marley Museum
National Gallery of Jamaica
Trench Town Culture Yard Museum
Fort Charles
Liberty Hall: The Legacy of Marcus Garvey
Peter Tosh Museum
National Museum Jamaica
Natural History Museum of Jamaica

Bob Marley Museum

Eat

Jamaican cuisine includes a rich mixture of several cooking techniques, a fantastic blend of authentic spices and flavors. Their flavors are influenced by the African, Amerindian, Irish, English, Portuguese, French, Indian, Chinese, Spanish, and Middle Eastern people who came here and influenced Jamaican cuisine, resulting in today's flavor are able to eat in Jamaica.

Traditional Local Restaurants

Explore some of the best restaurants serving traditional foods in Kingston, Jamaica:

Deli Works: Deli Works provides you with satisfying diners in a relaxing, calm ambiance. Try the gourmet chicken filet burger here, along with perfectly crispy fries and a fresh salad on the side. You can also have their steak cheese sub and some traditional Jamaican foods like saltfish, escovitch snapper.

Hot Pot: It's a break and brunch buffet restaurant serving mouth-watering foods filled with flavors for 35 years. The Jamaican jerk chicken or pork is one of the best dishes they serve here. The restaurant's atmosphere is casual yet relaxing; overall, it's a perfect place to eat satisfyingly.

So So Seafood Bar and Grill: The restaurant serves some delicious dishes, including 15 different shrimp dishes, fresh fish, and delectable crab. If you are looking for authentic seafood dishes, so it is the perfect place. The most interesting part about their menu is their seafood twists like fish burgers with cheese. Enjoy some fantastic cocktails in the sleek bar here.

Usain Bolt's Tracks and Records: We are talking about local restaurants and don't mention Tracks and Records—that cannot happen! The sprawling restaurant and lounge bar offers you a large selection of Jamaican Dishes, but the famous one here is the Yaad style stew beef. It's Jamaica's traditional beef stew brought in perfection by the chiefs of tracks and records. You order it with side dishes of potatoes or roasted vegetables.

Chung: Chung is the place where you will find a wide variety of traditional Jamaican lunchtime dishes. Curried chicken, salt fish, authentic ackee, salt mackerel liver, each of them is made with excellent skills and efficiency. This is a family restaurant offering you a beautiful, friendly vibe, Monday to Friday. They also cater to Cocktail parties, big buffets, and seated dinners.

Vegetarian and Vegan

When we say foodie, a large variety of meat options flashes in front of our eyes but on the other hand, we are limited with vegetables or fish. The same thing happens with restaurants; it's hard to find vegetarian restaurants with reasonable prices. But now, you don't have to worry as you can choose either of the following and eat delicious vegetarian dishes.

New leaf vegetarian restaurant: The restaurant is located on Old Hope Road and offers you a huge variety of veggie specials. Their eggplant and callaloo lasagna, red peas rundown, grilled veggies, and sweet potato casserole are must-try.

Kushite's Vegetables Cuisine: This is one of Kingston's most popular vegetarian restaurants. They offer lunch, dinner, and also drinks. Green Thai Curry Cashew, Juicy Lentil Meatballs, Herb Infused Flatbread, Herbed Couscous White Ackee-quinoa cutlets are the names of some of their most admired dishes. The restaurant is located at Phoenix Avenue, Kingston.

Tehuti Café: The restaurant is known for its raw salads. Don't forget to try their Jerk ackee, Dehydrated Jamaican fruits, and fresh fruit salads. You will find the restaurant at 21-23 Harborne Road, New Kingston.

MiHungry Whol Some Food: If you want to eat something healthy yet mouth-watering dishes, this is precisely what you were looking for. They mainly promote no sugar, no fire, and no water. Try their mushroom burgers, pizzas, zucchini noodles, and seaweed vegetable salads.

Street Food

Tastee: One of the most favorite Jamaican street foods is a savory, flaky pie stuffed with fillings like sailfish or traditional beef or curried chicken or veggies. Tastee is one of the main shops where Kingston's local people frequently visit to have their favorite street food. Here, you will find various party flavors and several options for classic meals like sides, soups, curried goat, etc.

Redbones: It's a café and restaurant located at a Kingston institution. The lively atmosphere and fusion cuisine are exactly what is loved by locals so much. The menu consists of several Jamaican classics like callaloo, ackee, feta pasta, chicken salad, etc. Amongst the wide variety of dishes, the most popular one is the Coconut curry shrimp.

Devon House I Scream: Local people say that Devon House I Scream is the creator of Jamaica's best ice-creams. They serve various flavors of creamy goodness on top of perfectly crunchy cones. You can pick as many as you want from the 27 flavors!

Scotchies: The original Scotchies restaurant is located in Montego Bay. Still, Kingston's version is nothing less than that. The locals always crowd the scenic garden setting here. Everyone loves the grilled jerk meat! There is also a bar. You can choose jerk pork, sausage, chicken, or roasted fish— all of them are wonderfully delicious.

Drink

Rum Punch: Jamaican Rum Punch is very popular and loved by many locals. Typically, this drink is made with Jamaican Strawberry syrup, the famous Jamaican Appleton Rum, or Nephew & Wray white overproof rum.

Sorrel: Sorrel's demand rises during Christmas and New Year as the hibiscus sabdariffa flowers, known as Sorrel, are harvested during late November. The dried flowers are boiled and then mixed with water, ginger, and rum to make the drink. Apart from the delicious taste, the drink also has various health benefits like managing blood pressure and controlling high cholesterol levels.

Tia Maria: It's a coffee liqueur with an exciting history. In the 18th century, a Spanish heiress was forced to leave her plantation. While fleeing, he took a few of her valuable possessions, a female servant, jewelry, and her family recipe for the liqueur. The drink is named after her, Tia Maria. Tia means aunt in Spanish. Today, this drink is made in Italy with Jamaican ingredients, coffee beans, sugar, rum, and vanilla from Madagascar.

You should also try Ting, Bag Juice, Malta, Blue Mountain Coffee, Red Stripe Beer, Planters Punch, Bob Marley Cocktail, etc., when visiting Kingston, Jamaica.

Tap-water

It is entirely safe to drink water in Kingston unless you are in a rural area. It will taste different from your home place's water, but there should not be issues. Sometimes it might be hard for some people to drink water from a place where he is not habituated. In cases like this, you should carry bottled water while moving around in Kingston.

Organic Cafés

Here are some Organic Cafés located in Kingston:

Organic Seafood Restaurant
Cafe Blue Sovereign Centre
Kaya Herb House
Living Food and Juices
Cafe Africa

Breweries

Three are not many breweries in Kingston, Jamaica, but the following will take you to the famous Breweries in the city;

Big City Brewing Company
Desnoes & Geddes
Razz Breweries Jamaica Ltd

Activities

There are a ton of outdoor activities waiting for you at Kingston. Check out some of the options in the following list;

Participate in a sports game: Jamaicans are deeply in love with sports, especially cricket, football, and field and track. Even some offices here close early so that everyone can see the significant matches! You will see any sports game in Jamaica, has the most exciting and lively audience. Play home games in the National Stadium and enjoy it.

Party Hard: Kingston is known for its never-ending nightlife. Major parties here are sessional, but there is always some celebration going on. Just ask locals and hop in! Visit Kingston between February and April to experience some of the biggest carnivals in the country.

Bike Tour to the Blue Mountain: Take a full day Bike tour of the entire Blue Mountain area. Visit the Blue Mountain coffee factory and see a coffee roasting demonstration.

Take a spa at Strawberry Hill. It's a beautiful hilltop boutique hotel. Spend your afternoon here and relax with the fantastic spa here.

Hiking in the Blue Mountains
Sky explorer at Mystic Mountain
Rafting and Tubing at the Rio Grande
Scuba diving and snorkeling at the beaches
Speed boat tours
Paragliding and parasailing

Yoga and Retreats

Having yoga and Retreat in a place like Kingston, Jamaica, is like experiencing some time in paradise. The jungles, full of a variety of trees, endless beaches, everything is just so satisfying and calming.

Here are some locations and Yoga studios in Kingston where you can take your Yoga Retreats.

Skyline Yoga
Chai Studios
Bikram Yoga Jamaica
Acta
Fort Clarence Beach
Blue Mountains
Strawberry Hill

Accommodation

It's a beautiful city in nature's lap, and the accommodations here can provide you with mesmerizing views of nature. Take a look at the list below and check out your accommodation options in Kingston.

Green Hotels

Begin a responsible tourist; you should always make sure that you support such people and businesses who mean no harm to the environment. Staying at Green Hotels should be just a step toward being more environmentally friendly.

The Spanish Court Hotel
Courtyard by Marriott
The Courtleigh Hotel and Suites
Eden Gardens Wellness Resort and Spa
The Jamaica Pegasus Hotel

Hostels and Guest Houses

Staying at hostels cuts your accommodation in half; this is helpful when you are traveling. You can use that money to do something fun or buy a souvenir as a memory of Kingston. Here are some of the best hostels and guest houses in Kingston:

Belleh23 Kingston Creative Guesthouse
Ragamuffin Hostel and Coffee Bar
Backpackers Hostel
Reggae Hostel
Price Valley Guesthouse

Apartments

If you want to stay here for a while, then renting an apartment is a great idea to save a lot of money. You should search for an apartment close to the venues of at least some of the festivals and events celebrated here, this way, and you don't even have to travel far! You can also stay in a beachfront apartment and make your days in Kingston memorable.

Kingston is one of the most crowded cities in Jamaica, so finding an apartment for rent will be pretty easy here. Just manage your budget, decide your closest destinations, and find your apartment.

Couchsurfing

There is an online community, Couchsurfing.com, which has gathered to find hosts or couchsurfers from different cities worldwide. You can log into the website of your Couchsurfing host from more than 2323 hosts in Jamaica.

Camping

Camping is the most adventurous and exciting way to stay in a beautiful place like Kingston, full of mountains, trees, and surrounded by sandy shores. Camp Berley, Blue Mountain Campsite, Holywell Park, and The Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park—these are the best camping choices in Kingston.

How to Get There

Being the capital city of Jamaica, Kingston is a famous city, and there are several ways to reach there; check them out.

Air

There are two airports in Kingston, the international airport, The Norman Marley Kingston, and the domestic airport, The Kingston Tinson Pen. You can also land at the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay and drive down to Kingston.

Sangster International Airport

Bus

The bus is not a preferred mode of Travel to Kingston, but a few buses are available from Haiti and Domination republic. You can also reach by road with a car or taxi from other tourist destinations or Jamaica cities.

Train

No railway roots are available to reach Kingston.

Hitchhiking

Once you reach Jamaica, you can hitchhike to Kingston, but it's hard to get to an Island by hitchhiking. Apart from that, hitchhiking is a very complicated way of travel. The more you ignore this, the more it is safer for you.

Others

Traveling through the sea is the easiest way to reach an Island. The port of Kingston, Kingston Harbour, is located in Jamaica. It is the world's 7th largest natural harbor.

Moving Around

The most dangerous part about Kingston is its traffic. It is said that the cars on the roads do not even care; if you are walking in their way, they will get you! So you always have to be very conscious around the streets. In the following list, all the possible ways to get around Kingston is explained.

Walk

Walking is the best way to explore the sights of downtown markets and get into crowded areas. But you should keep in mind to avoid walking at night, especially in the slum areas.

Bicycle

Rent a bicycle and visit some of the beautiful sites of Kingston. Bicycling is also a great idea to get into a few less crowded places, and apart from that, it's a great outdoor activity. There are several bicycle rentals located in Kingston.

Electronic Vehicles

You may find a few electronic vehicles around the city, and there are not many. But you will find rental cars and taxis, in case you need them.

Public Bus

The bus service of Kingston is now improving. Before locals-only used the bus service, they have started AC busses that cover various routes. But buses are always crowded here, and as a tourist, you may not feel very comfortable. On the other hand, traveling by bus means contributing to a place's economy indirectly, and it is also the most sustainable way to travel around a city. So as long as you are comfortable, try to travel by bus.

Tram, Train and Subway

Kingston has the most developed and modern metro system in Jamaica. On the other hand, Jamaica had Two hundred miles of railway track, but for the last few decades, the track's situation has deteriorated in a large amount, and today only 50 miles of the trail is in use. Even the 50 miles of track is in use for transporting bauxite, not for public transportation.

Sustainable Shopping

Don't forget to bring Blue Mountain Coffee with you from Jamaica. You should also look for the wood carvings, Wray and Nephew white rum, Jamaican oil paintings, coconut wine glasses, Calabash wooden bowls while shopping in Kingston. Here are some famous shops in Kingston, Jamaica.

Kingston Crafts Market
Jubilee Market
New Kingston Shopping Centre
Wassi Art Gallery and Collections
Shops at Devon House
Things Jamaican
Bookland
Sovereign Centre

Food Markets

Here are some of the food markets in Kingston:

Coronation Market
Carnation Market
Ujima Natural Farmers Market
Kingston Night Market
Downtown Market

Flea Markets

Shop or sell at the flea markets in Kingston and contribute to the sustainability of the place. Some of Kingston's flea markets are listed below:

Coronation Market
Culture Market Jamaica
Albert George Market
Crafts Market
The Kingston Flea Market

Second Hand Stores

Thrift Nature Closet Ja
Auto Chris used parts
Yokohama Trading Jamaica Ltd
Thrifty Attic
Vintage Vermont
Local Consignment and Boutique

Eco-Fashion

Eco-fashion is now a new trend in Kingston. This is why several shops are opening in the city by supporting eco-fashion. Some of them are listed below:

Okhai
Dakimz Closet
Fashinique

Recycling

According to the National Environment and planning agency reports, on average, Jamaica produces 8667 tonnes of waste every day. Being an Island, there is not enough space to dispose of all this waste. Because of this improper disposal, over 3.3 million pounds of plastics had been found in Jamaica's environment, which is why recycling is crucial here.

The country's authorities decided to take recycling seriously and therefore inspired the residents to establish various recycling outlets like Jamaica Environment Trust Recycling Depot, INET Jamaica Ltd, Jamaica Recyclers, etc. As a tourist, you can also take part in this initiative by:

Reusable purchasing products.
Instead of dumping recyclable products into the garbage, give them to the recycling depositors.
Purchase and use recyclable batteries.
Try to use less plastic as much as possible. Buy products with little to no plastic, don't buy plastic water bottles, etc.
Donate the clothes that you no longer wear.

Waste

According to the management of all wastes in Jamaica, Jamaica's environmental problems are constantly increasing due to the enormous amount of solid waste generated every day. Public health, social, and liability problems are now at a huge risk. Even the marine environment is also getting dirty due to wastes on land.

The maximum amount of waste is collected from parks, markets, and tourist places in Kingston, the lack of conventional solid waste disposal sites is the main reason behind the pile of wastes— in this situation, even as a non-residence, you should participate in saving the Jamaican environment.

Keep the city clean and don't miss its beauty with your wastes, donate to the recycling outlets and waste management, improve, don't dump waste in the drains as the sewage system is getting affected, therefore, polluting the main Kingston Harbour.

All you need to do is be a responsible tourist and keep the environment safe as much as possible.

Work and Study Abroad

There are various study abroad and internship programs available in the universities in Kingston, Jamaica. The University of West Indies and University College of the Caribbean are participating broadly in such programs.

Exchange Student

The educational institutions of Kingston, Jamaica, organize exchange student programs every year. In most cases, you will be sent to a host family, and you will need to stay with them and study from there. Kingston is an exciting city, and Jamaica is full of wonders; being an exchange student and learning in such a place would be a fantastic opportunity for anyone.

Au Pair

The concept of Au Pair is not something everyone has heard of; it is yet to catch up in Kingston. But if you research on the internet or ask a few local people, you might be able to get in touch with people interested in this idea.

Volunteering

There are several volunteering programs available in Kingston. Still, you must be at least 18 years old to participate in such programs, and also, you must have specific English skills to participate in a program. Contact the local project manager, and you will get the information related to the program.