if you’ve ever considered visiting montego bay, then this guide is for you. keep reading for where to stay and eat and what to do in the island paradise.
if you follow me on social media, then you know that my trip to montego bay was gooooodt. it was legit one of the best trips that i’ve ever taken, especially because i left the bitter cold in washington, dc and got to spend five days with my close family.
one quick word first. as beautiful as montego bay is, jamaica is known as a very homophobic place. i didn’t visit with my partner, and honestly don’t know that i would have been comfortable leaving the resort if i had. i’m also aware of my privilege as a femme cisgender woman. trans folks and queer men may have to face very serious harassment when visiting. in summary, be cautious and keep the island’s reputation in mind.
okay, now for the good stuff.
The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Montego Bay
where to stay
our first hotel was abyssmal. the food was mediocre at best and the wifi signal was super weak. we stayed one night and switched to the s hotel.
the s hotel is one of several luxury resorts on the island. it has two pools, two bars and easy access to doctor’s cove beach. rates are pretty reasonable if you book at least one to two months in advance. to be honest, it gave me major miami beach edition vibes.
other hotels that have great reputations are bahia principe and riu resort. however, both are a taxi ride away from the city’s night life known as the hip strip. if turning up is your plan, then i recommend the s hotel. you can literally walk to margaritaville and other clubs.
READ: The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Curacao
where to eat
honestly, we enjoyed breakfast, lunch and dinner at our hotel most days. not because we weren’t adventurous, but because we were too lazy to go anywhere else. however, two restaurants stand out.
the pelican is a sit down spot that offers everything from red snapper to oxtails on the menu. it was our first official meal outside of the resort, and it was pretty good. if you looooooove caribbean food, then you may not give it the highest praise. however, i’d been craving stewed red snapper and was super pleased with my meal.
the most famous spot to eat in montego bay is scotchies. it’s an authentic jerk spot where the meat is literally cooked on huge wood burning grills. their jerk is amazing!
what to do
our trip mostly consisted of relaxing and drinking. i was hype to just enjoy the beautiful hotel and laugh nonstop with my aunt and cousin.
we ventured off the resort for three things that i highly recommend:
1. snorkeling: we found a local captain to take us out on a beautiful day. i was shaking like a leaf when he put a life vest around my neck and guided me in the ocean. I’m so glad that I faced my fears though because it was amazing to see the fish and coral reefs just below the water’s surface. no doubt one of the highlights of the trip!
my favorite part of the tour was horseback riding in the ocean and the atv tour. if you’re visiting montego bay, then skip dunn’s river falls and zip lining. it honestly felt like we were inside an amusement park like bush gardens.
3. lounge 2727: this place is lit. a friend recommended we visit, and it was hands down one of the flyest spots in the city. it’s a club/bar/smoke lounge with beautiful women and bomb music on friday and saturday night.
right beside the lounge is their dispensary where for $10 you can get a medical marijuana card. after speaking with the nurse on site, we were given a menu with about 30 different strains. we were literally on cloud nine.
hopefully, this short guide is helpful as you plan your jamaican vacation. if you’ve visited, drop a comment down below and let us know your favorite things about the island!