Jamaica Hotels

In the Caribbean Sea lies numerous groups of islands. In the Greater Antilles group of islands is the island of Jamaica, 145 miles in length and 145 miles south of Cuba. Other nearby islands are Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Prior to the becoming an English colony, the indigenous Taino people named the island Xaymaca, meaning the ‘Land of Wood and Water’. It is now home to 2.

8 million people and still has Queen Elizabeth II as the head of state. The island has a varied ethnic diversity with the majority of the population having African descent. People from Irish, Indian and Chinese ancestry are also very common and recent years has seen a large amount of immigration, mainly form China, Haiti, Cuba and other Latin American countries.

Whilst the official language of Jamaica is English, most Jamaicans speak a creole language known as Jamaican Patois, made familiar by it’s use in Reggae music. Just over 10 hours from London and with the official language being English, Jamaica is a popular tourist destination for people from the UK, even though it has one of the highest murder rates in the world. Popular with wedding parties, diving tours or those just wanting to enjoy the perfect beaches and amazing sunshine, there is a wide variety of accommodation available.

It is best to avoid April to October as this is the rainy season and will rain most afternoons or early evening, June to October is also the hurricane season. The rest of the year is the dry season and whilst it is warm all year round it is slightly cooler in December to April. This is a good time to visit the island especially if you are planning on participating in outdoor activities.

The island can get very busy in February, as the Jazz Fetsival is held in Montego Bay, October holds the Heroes weekend in Ocho Rios and Independence weekend in August.