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“I’m bored.”It is a simple yet profound comment that should never come up during a vacation. A successful holiday always requires a lot more than having financial resources. A lot of rigorous planning is involved, which can be draining emotionally. It is no wonder there is a specific lot of people who are always dissatisfied even after they visit the most coveted travel destinations. One word, planning. To avoid falling into this trap, it is prudent to conduct thorough research on the trending holiday destinations before committing any time or money.
In the past few years, Jamaica has been rising and has taken a prominent position as a global travel destination. Whether you are going for a romantic holiday, family vacation tours, or even a solo escapade, there is always something for everyone.
Once you are convinced that Jamaica is the place to be, the daunting task that remains is to come up with an articulated plan to ensure the trip is bliss. It is noteworthy that the preparations may vary significantly depending on your budget, and whether you will travel solo or tag along with family and friends.
Planning a Trip to Jamaica While On a Budget
Pick a Strategic Travel Date and Time
Most holiday destinations are often packed with visitors during winter seasons in America. During this period, accommodation and travel rates are significantly higher. You can be smarter and decide to go against the grain, which will result in significant savings in the long run.
Unknown to many clueless travellers, planning for a holiday or a weekend off during the off-season is an excellent way to get the best-discounted rates in accommodation and travel. If you are on a tight budget and are still interested in having a good time, your best bet would be to schedule your trip between May and October.
Decide On the Locations You Are Interested In Visiting
Since you are a bit low on funds, it is vital to come up with a list of the most intriguing places to visit, rather than randomly visiting places only to discover you wasted resources in mundane places. By conducting a quick search on the internet, you will discover some places in Jamaica which are highly recommended. They include Montego Bay, Negril, the Blue Mountains, Port Royal, Treasure Beach, and Kingston.
Watching the sunset at Montego Bay. Photo by Ian. Original here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/iancvt55/4865292981/
It is also important to note the activities that you are likely to enjoy doing, and arrange them in order of your preference.
Make Hotel Reservations
There is a variety of accommodations to choose from depending on your preference. They include but are not limited to cottages, guest houses, home-stays, camping sites resorts, and beach cabins.
Jamaica prides itself on having numerous resorts at different locations. Once you have come up with a list of places you are interested in visiting, it is prudent that you find accommodation that is closest or centrally located.
While on a budget, it is recommended that you identify an all-inclusive travelling resort. These are resorts that have different cost packages which include accommodation, meals and any other amenities that may be available. Booking an all-inclusive resort is an excellent way of staying clear of last-minute surprises such as additional costs that may be slapped on your face, especially in mismanaged hotels.
Other cheaper alternatives include booking a home-stay accommodation, of if you are hardy enough; why not camp for the entire duration?
Book Plane Tickets
One effective flight saving hack is always to book early. Even the dumbest person is aware of the fact that the earlier you book, the cheaper the flight will be. As a rule of thumb, strive to book a flight at least three months in advance. To get even better deals, you can opt to:
Set price alerts. Ticket prices for different companies fluctuate on a daily basis, and close monitoring can result in huge savings.
Having a flexible schedule. You can choose to travel mid-week or even better, during a holiday such as Thanksgiving.
Choose connecting flights, which are way cheaper than direct flights. Make the journey part of the adventure.
Compare prices in different travel portals. Since you do not have the pressure of time anyway, it may not be the worst idea to browse through a list of third-party online booking sites. It may land you on an appealing deal.
Compare the prices of round trips (return trips) and one-way flights and determine which is cost-effective.
The Big Question
What if after all the research on travel and accommodation you still cannot find a viable solution that will fit your budget? Is there anywhere else you can scout for cheaper rates?
Relax. Don’t give up yet. Even after spending your valuable time researching the cheapest rate and still are not satisfied, you can randomly browse through some travel agencies in Jamaica. Contrary to popular belief, that the tours agencies are a preserve for individuals who are well off, you will be surprised by how affordable and irresistible some of their vacation packages are. For instance, a random google search of the same can land you on Tropical Trips Jamaica, which is a competitive Jamaica tour company.
Some of the packages they offer include:
Travel around Jamaica Tours, a 10-day group tour preferably for solo travellers. It is an impressive tropical travel package consisting of a fully guided tour. For ten- day duration, expect to travel across 14 parishes with up to 3 bucket list activities in each parish.
Apart from that, there is the Blue Mountain Jamaica Tour which is a single day tour to great heights at the summit of Blue Mountains as part of the Jamaica Vacation Packages. Other activities included during the trip include visiting the infamous coffee plantations and actual tasting of one of the most refreshing coffee flavours that you are sure going to remember for life.
Now that all the mind-boggling part of planning has been catered for, it’s time to get ready for the fun stuff!
Write a Vacation Itinerary
Once you are in this stage, you can allow your mind to begin drifting while imagining about all the new dishes you are going to try and new friendships you are going to create. This is the essence of going for a vacation; allow the fantasies to flow and build your anticipation.
Nonetheless, it is important to schedule the activities you plan to do and places you intend to visit. Equipping yourself with an itinerary ensures that you make the most out of your time during any vacation. It is worth noting that flexibility is paramount in creating a workable and effective itinerary. Apart from that, if you will be travelling as a group, it should be designed such that it will accommodate each person equally.
Other Money Saving Tips
- Visit Free Tourist Attraction Sites: If you are completely on edge financially, you can consider spending your day at places such as Emancipation Park, Castleton Gardens or Rick's Cafe. Alternatively, you can head to the beach or even go for a hike in the Blue Mountains. These are examples of places you can visit without heavily investing, and by the end of the day, you will still be delightfully tired.
- Route Taxis: You can use shared taxis which are cheaper than privately hired taxis. Alternatively, if you are part of Jamaica group trips, it may be wise to carpool and share the costs.
- Window Shop: Most shops within the recreation centres or vicinity of visitors ‘accommodation facilities are often way expensive. That is because the savvy business people take advantage of tourists, who may be unfamiliar with item prices. Those operating businesses along beach front are especially notorious for hiking prices should they think you are naïve.
- Get Food from the Supermarket: If you are unable to prepare your own meals, and affording meals at restaurants is a challenge, purchasing ready-made food from supermarkets may be your only way out.
Planning a Trip to Jamaica for Solo Travelers
While most people think that the more the number of people the merrier the vacation, avid travellers admit that travelling alone also has its own perks. Exploring the world solo is often more fulfilling and peaceful. Additionally, you can get a chance to expand your horizon by carefully reflecting on your life. Unnerving as it may seem, it can turn out to be one of the most rewarding experience you can ever have. Essentially, solo vacations can expose you to raw encounters which often get you out of your comfort zone and lead you to self-discovery.
Luckily enough, Jamaica is known to reward travellers who venture beyond the crowds; those beat their own paths. With proper planning, they often have a more thrilling experience since they get to prepare their to-do list without having to consider their friends’ opinions, more so if they are the boring type. The Blue Mountains, historical sites, Jamaican culture, and sandy beaches always receive lone visitors with open arms.
Getting the Basics Right
Since solo travel excludes being responsible for any other person, there is a tendency to relax during preparation with the hope that nature will take its course. However, be warned. That is a terrible idea. You must properly plan a trip to Jamaica to ensure that each minute you spend is worthwhile. Remember every minute spent in planning saves ten minutes during execution.
Pick a Favorable Date
Once again, since the trip only involves a single person, determining the appropriate date can be relatively easy and flexible depending on your work or school schedule. However, if you plan to meet and interact with new people, it may be wiser to go during a weekend.
Scout for Locations You Intend To Visit
Many solo travellers who are out to have fun often prefer all-inclusive vacation packages at resorts such as Sunset Beach resort. Such packages often have many additional frills. Apart from that, those who are interested in nightlife should find accommodation near Montego Bay.
On the same note, those who seek for adventure should consider going for a hike in the Blue Mountains or rafting on the Rio Grande River. Other locations worth considering include Mystic Mountains, Mayfield falls, Negril beach and cliffs.
Rafting at Rio Grande River.
Travel and Accommodation Arrangements
To avoid the hustle of searching for accommodation and flight deals manually, you can opt to contact a reliable Jamaica travel agency which will take care of the logistics on your behalf.
Benefits of Using a Reputable Travelling Agency
Saves time and money. Spending countless hours on the computer looking for best deals often results in frustration, especially if you are doing it alone.
Travel assistance. Reputable agencies in Jamaica can provide you with information and travel recommendation on worthwhile places to visit.
Other perks. Since travel agencies make reservations and book flights in bulk, there may be many other benefits such as free or waivered room upgrades, or even offer you additional activities to add to your to-do list.
Write an Activity List
It is vital to include all the activities you intend to do and allocate sufficient time for each. That will ensure that you will be able to get through your check-list without undue pressure. One thing to note is that maintaining a flexible schedule may allow you to add any upcoming events you may want to attend, especially if they come as an afterthought.
Safety, Safety, Safety
Since you are travelling alone, you should be wary of your safety all the times. There are a few places in Jamaica which you may need to be extra careful based on their reputation. However, that should not be a reason for you to be uptight, because the vacation will then be pointless. Some safety tips to bear in mind, especially since you are solo include:
Resist the urge to disclose to everyone that you are travelling alone. While that narrative can make you look like a fun and adventurous type, it also makes you vulnerable. For your own security, should strangers bring up the question, tell them that you came as a group. The last thing you can ever want is having a memory of being mugged, drugged or taken advantage of by unscrupulous individuals.
Always ensure that you carry your national identification documents at all times. It could be either school ID or even a driver’s license. However, you should avoid walking carelessly with your passport, lest you lose it and are forced to end your vacation unceremoniously.
Use social media to your advantage. It may not be the worst idea to share your location with friends online. Of what use are they anyway? Alternatively, you can use Google maps to share your ETA when you go hiking or sightseeing. That way, some people will be constantly aware of your location.
Trust your instinct. One of the best survivals strategies in any situation is to trust your gut feeling. Intuition allows you to perceive the first warning signs. Therefore the next time you suspect a place may not be safe; there is a good chance that it may actually not be safe.
Must-Do Activities for Solo Travellers
Rafting
There are several waterways and stunning waterfalls in Jamaica. To get your adrenaline rushing, you can visit Martha Brae or Rio Grande River for a rafting expedition. You will love the high-energy rapids mixed with laid back and calm floating sections.
Hang Out With Rastafarians
On a lazy afternoon, you can opt to visit Rastafarian communities located in the Blue Mountains. Alternatively, you can visit the Riverside Cool Cottages near St Thomas. The guest house is Rasta-themed. It will also be an excellent opportunity to sample their traditional dish, Ital, prepared by native Rastafarians.
Rastafarian Nyabigi drummers
Enjoy Peace and Serenity
Unknown to many visitors and natives alike, there are several small beaches on the island. These hidden beaches are outstanding locations for reconnecting with yourself. One classic example is the Winnifred Beach located in Portland parish.
Take Home Message for Solo Travellers
Treasure your “me” moment. Who doesn’t know how valuable it can be in this era of technological advancement and countless social media sites?
When out in public places, be open to meeting new people. A small chat with a random person may actually turn out to be the highlight of your trip. You never know.
Live in the moment! Treat each day as a new experience; you may be so engrossed in capturing moments with a photo to the point offailing to appreciate the moment.
Planning a Trip to Jamaica for the Entire Family
There are several holiday destinations in the world which are family-friendly, but Jamaica conspicuously stands out from the pack. It is known for its white sandy beaches with turquoise waters. Additionally, it has several mountain ranges such as the Blue Mountains which are suitable for hiking, picnic, and camping. Across the island, there are several family-friendly resorts with attractive packages and direct flight options from most places around the globe. All these factors make Jamaica a place to be for family getaways.
Considering that there will be children, it imperative to ensure that everything has been planned to detail right from travel arrangements, accommodation, to-do activities, and sightseeing locations. Bearing that in mind, here are some tips that may be useful to ensure the vacation is fun-filled and the dreaded “I’m bored” phrase never comes up. Dealing with frustrated kids is the last thing you want to do during a vacation. It is for this reason that planning should be done based on your children’s preferences.
The flexibility of the Vacation Period
You should be smart enough to know the benefits of travelling during off season. You will be able to yield significant savings on both travel and accommodation. That will give you more funds to spend on travelling between different locations, without worry.
Consider Renting an Apartment
In as much as many resorts offer attractive packages, if you have a sizeable family, or have toddlers, renting an apartment may not be the worst idea. With an apartment, there will be sufficient floor space for your kids to play, a kitchen, and separate bedrooms. It will be beneficial especially if the trip will be for an extended duration.
However, you can also scout for resorts with cottages. They will offer you a cosy alternative and considering that they are located on the slopes of mountain ranges, or facing the ocean, you will get to enjoy the picturesque view during family dinners.
Watching the sunset from Firefly in Negril.
Do a Trial Run
If it is your first trip to Jamaica, it may be necessary to plan for a trial weekend gateway or even a day’s journey. That will give you an opportunity to check out different Jamaica tour packages, and what the island has to offer for those on vacation.
Additionally, you will have sufficient time to check the available travel agencies in Jamaica to review their vacation packages, and reliability to determine if they can be suitable.
Budgeting
Most people would agree that the best dishes or flavours appreciated were when they were on vacation. While this is a time to try out new meals, care should be taken especially if it is a family vacation as food can take up a large portion of the budget. To avoid falling into this pitfall, you can choose to:
Avoid going out for dinner. Breakfast and lunch, in most restaurants, are usually reasonably priced. At times you will find lunch specials which are cost effective.
Self-cater. If you intend to stay for more than a weekend, preparing your own meals should be the way to go. You can spice things up by trying out new recipes and meal ideas.
Identify local’s eateries. To taste real and authentic dishes that Jamaicans prepare, you are better off identifying hotels where the locals frequent. Their meals will be easy on the pocket. Additionally, you will get to taste meals prepared by indigenous people rather than international chefs in tourist restaurants.
Places To Visit While On Family Vacations
For action-packed activities, Mystic Mountains should take the first position on your itinerary. At the rainforest adventures, there is a mountain coaster, with over 2000 feet of twists and turns in thelush forested terrain. It is a sure way to make the entire family scream with excitement.
Other must-try activities include the riding at the Sky Explorer, zip lining, and waterslides. You can then wind the day by going to a small museum, still within the mountain.
Zip lining at Mystic Mountain.
Negril, Jamaica
No one has ever regretted taking a trip to Negril, even if they do not intend to stay there. The seven-mile beach has numerous resorts and the infamous Rick’s Café, where thrill-seeking people jump off from a cliff into the waters.
If you have young kids, you may take them to a water spot location of their choice, where they can swim and have a euphoric moment with their age mates.
Braco stables are owned by Braco Stables Adventure Company.They are known for their Horseback ride, Ride and Swim tour package. You will get to ride on horses as they wade through shallow waters on Jamaica’s North coast. You can tag along even young kids, but then you will have to straddle a horse with them.
Turtle River Garden
For a quiet day with your kids, you should visit Turtle River Falls. It was once a resort and was later converted to an attraction site. There your children will get a chance to explore the secret gardens, and play in one of the 14 meandering waterfalls of the turtle river.
Turtle river falls and gardens, Ocho Rios, Jamaica
The Bigger Picture
There is nothing worse than arriving in Jamaica, tired and wasted from all the travelling only to embark on a search for accommodation and an eatery. In case you are on a solo vacation, it may be acceptable. But since it the entire family will be present, you need to think again.
To protect you from this uncertainty and last minute rush, you should seriously consider contacting tours and travel company. Tropical Tips Jamaica is one of the fast-rising companies which have received a lot of positive reviews from visitors to Jamaica. The company has several Jamaica family vacation packages which may be customised to suit your needs. For a family vacation, you can explore the Jamaica Family Vacation Tours.
Planning a trip to Jamaica?
Contact Tropical Trips Jamaica, they can help you with your trip planning needs. Call them today for your free consultation.
Call or Skype: 1 (876) 518-2364
The package
The package offers a mixture of adventure and learning moments for the entire family. It is packed with the most memorable adventures which include horse rides in the countrysides, hikes, cave explorations, river safaris, Zip lining at the South Coast and relaxing moments at the sandy beaches. Inclusions that make the package unbeatable are:
- Airport transfers
- Private transportation
- Meals and accommodation
- Local tour guides and in-country support
- Free Tropical Video Tours travel companion.
They also recommend to you must-see sites should you be unsure of the places to visit while on vacation in Jamaica.