Places / North & Central America / Jamaica
Montego Bay
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At a glance
- Country
- Jamaica
- Region
- St James
- Population
- 110,000
- Best time to go
- December to April
- Main airport
- Montego Bay Sangster International (MBJ)
- Coordinates
- 18.48°N, 77.89°W
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Overview
Montego Bay is where most visitors to Jamaica first land, a busy city with a string of resorts along its coast. The Hip Strip of bars and beach clubs is the tourist centre, while downtown is a working Jamaican town.
It makes an easy base for the west of the island, with plantation houses, rivers and Negril's long beach all within reach. Step outside the resort gates when you can.
Things to see
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Photo: en:User:Op. Deo, Public domain Doctor's Cave Beach
The best-known beach on the Hip Strip, with calm, clear water that has drawn bathers for a century.
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Photo: Don Ramey Logan, CC BY-SA 3.0 Rose Hall Great House
A restored Georgian plantation house east of town, known for the legend of the "White Witch" told on evening tours.
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Photo: Martin Falbisoner, CC BY-SA 4.0 Sam Sharpe Square
Downtown's main square honours the national hero who led the 1831 Christmas Rebellion against slavery.
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Photo: Van Atrecht, CC0 Greenwood Great House
A less polished but more atmospheric great house, once owned by relatives of the poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning.
Tickets and tours
Things to do
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Photo: Donna-Kay Delahaye, CC BY-SA 4.0 Raft the Martha Brae
Drift down a jungle river on a long bamboo raft, poled by a local guide.
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Photo: derek dye, CC BY-SA 2.0 Luminous Lagoon
Swim at night in the glowing waters near Falmouth, lit up by bioluminescent micro-organisms.
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Photo: Unknown photographer, CC BY-SA 3.0 Day trip to Negril
Seven Mile Beach and the cliffs of the West End, where people gather to watch the sunset.
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Photo: OUTography.com from Gilbert, AZ, USA, CC BY 2.0 Eat jerk
Seek out roadside jerk centres for pork and chicken smoked over pimento wood, with festival and hard-dough bread.
Where to stay
Hip Strip
Walkable to beaches, bars and restaurants, ideal if you don't want a full resort.
Hotels in Hip StripRose Hall
Large all-inclusive resorts and golf courses east of the city.
Hotels in Rose HallIronshore
Quieter villas and smaller hotels between the airport and Rose Hall.
Hotels in Ironshore
Getting around
Licensed taxis carry red PPV number plates and fares are usually agreed in advance. Route taxis and buses are cheap but crowded; for day trips, tours or a hired driver are easiest.
Sangster airport is on the edge of the city, about 10 minutes by taxi from the Hip Strip.
When to go
December to April is the dry season and the busiest time. Prices drop from May, but the hurricane season runs from June to November. Reggae Sumfest takes over the city each July.
Plan your trip to Montego Bay
Guide last checked October 2026. Opening times and prices change, so check before you go.