JAMAICA km² Music and beach

Transcription

1 JAMAICA km² Music and beach

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Who lives here? How things work What you'll need to get in and out Where can I exchange my currency? How to move around Must-sees and must-tastes. How much is To make memories What if I get ill? Travel warnings Who to turn to Must-take pics

3 EXCHANGE RATE JUL2016 JAMAICAN DOLLAR EURO JAMAICAN DOLLAR = 0,007 = 140,09 DS DOLLAR = 0,007 = 126,55 CUBAN PESO = 0,209 = 4,775 = 0,146 = 0,010 MEXICAN PESO CANADIAN DOLLAR C = 6,857 = 97,40 * Types of wholesale change for a particular day subject to fluctuations in the time you read this guide. WEATHER The weather in Jamaica is generally warm and humid, tempered by sea breezes. For that reason, temperatures slightly vary from summer to winter, the coldest months being the ones between December and March. 30º 20º 10º 0º SPRING SUMMER AUTUMN WINTER AVERAGE TEMPERATURE PER YEAR 3

4 PROBABLY......most of us associate Jamaica with Bob Marley, which is perfectly normal, because this country witnessed the rise of the reggae singer to worldwide fame. But besides being interesting because of the singer, Jamaica has a lot to offer, such as idyllic beaches that are hard to equal. Bob Marley's mausoleum Nine Mile 4

5 Alligator Pond Saint Elizabeth WHO LIVES HERE? The population of Jamaica hovers around 2,711,476 people, 50.4% of which are women and 49.6% are men, approximately. The most populated cities are Kingston, with 661,862 citizens, Spanish Town, with 147,152; and Montego Bay, with 110,115. The main form of religion in Jamaica is Protestantism, divided into different churches. The second most practised religion is the Rastafari movement, with 24,020 adherents. Jamaica s official language is English, although most people speak «patois». MONTEGO BAY SPANISH TOWN KINGSTON people 5

6 HOW THINGS WORK The form of government in Jamaica is a parliamentary monarchy. Jamaica is a member of the Commonwealth, the Chief of State being Queen Elizabeth II and her appointed representative, the Governor-General Sir Patrick Allen. The legal tender is the Jamaican dollar (symbol: $; ISO code: JMD). The GDP amounts to 14,000 million dollars. The annual inflation rate is at 9%. The unemployment rate is at 14.2%. Numbers according to economic sectors: agriculture represents a 6.7% of GDP, industry a 21.1% and the services sector a 72.2%. WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO GET IN AND OUT A valid passport with an expiry date of at least 3 months ahead of the entry date. It is indispensable to have a return ticket and your boarding pass, and to indicate your name and temporary address in the country on the Arrival form. WHERE CAN I EXCHANGE MY CURRENCY? 2 3 Upon arriving to Jamaica, you can exchange your travel money to Jamaican dollars in any of the 9 branches that Global Exchange has in the country. Get more information on our website for Jamaica. 1. Norman Manley International Airport, Kingston. Po Box 567, Kingston 5, Palisadose, West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica. 2. Sangster International Airport, Montego Bay.. Montego Bay, St. James, West Indies - Jamaica. 3. Secrets St. James Hotel, Montego Bay. Lot 59A Montego Bay, Jamaica. 1 6

7 Banner jamaicana HOW TO MOVE AROUND _ By car: Driving outside the city is quite risky because people don't really abide by the highway code and most roads are in poor conditions. Cars drive on the left side of the road. Overall, it is quite easy to rent a car in Jamaica, and there are even hotels offering this service. Some companies operating in this country are Europcar, Avis, Budget Car Rental or Sixt. _ By bus: This is the cheapest and easiest way to move around the island. There is a regular line connecting Kingston and Montego Bay and one of the companies covering this itinerary is Knutsford Express. _ By taxi: It is easy to move around by taxi in Jamaica but they do not carry taximeter so you will have to agree on the price with the taxi driver before hopping on it. _ By train: There is a line covering the route Kingston-Montego Bay and, although it is not the easiest way to travel, the upside of it is seeing the stunning landscape. 7

8 1 2 MUST-SEES 3 1. Dunn s River Falls, near Ocho Ríos, whose beauty will leave you speechless. 2. Bob Marley Museum. Whether you like him or not, the museum dedicated to Bob Marley in Kingston is worth visiting. 3. Swimming with dolphins and stingrays. Participate in the activities offered at some of the sea centres in the country, which are right next to the beach, and mingle with the sea animals. 4. Blue Mountains. From this spot, you will get the best views over the island s scenery. 5. Sunset from Rick's Café. On top of a cliff in the coast of Negril, you'll experience the magnificence of the sun setting down. 6. Feel the music in the streets. Just do that: stop for a second at any given street and listen. 7. Go scuba diving in the ocean and surrender yourself to the sea world underneath it. 8. Montego Bay, a city located on the northwest coast of the country with the most spectacular, white-sand, surrounded-by-vegetation beaches you will ever see. 9. Kingston. What can be said of the capital of Jamaica? That you can visit Bob Marley Museum, the National Dance Theatre or the National Art Museum, among many other distinct places. 10. Trelawny, where you will find varied tourist attractions and beaches that will also blow you away

9 AND MUST- TASTES _ Jamaican patty, a pastry containing diverse fillings and spices. _ Ackee and saltfish. This dish contains ackees, a variety of fruit that can only be consumed when ripe, otherwise they can be toxic. _ Papaya «chutney»: chunks of papaya, mango and ginger, marinated with tamarind juice, vinegar and chili peppers. _Jamaican omelette, made with eggs, spinach, carrots, celery, potatoes and tomatoes. _Rabbit in rum. _ Tropical juices, which you can find in plenty of combinations given the wide range of fruits that grow in the country. _ Jerk chicken, dish prepared using meat that has been smoked over a long period of time. _ Baked fish stuffed with callaloo. But, what is callaloo? A mix of leaves and stems from different plants. _Pink ginger rum, a strong drink but also a mind eraser. _ Jamaica flower water, infusion made from the calyces of the roselle flower. HOW MUCH IS _ A single ticket for the tube, bus or commuter train: 150 JMD. _A coffee at a coffee shop: 100 JMD. _ A daily special at an average restaurant: 700 JMD. _ A drink at a nightclub: 350 JMD. _ A beer in a pub: 250 JMD. _ A ticket for the movies at the weekend: 1,000 JMD. _ Renting a room in the downtown: 36,666 JMD. _ Renting a room in the outskirts of the city: 24,875 JMD. _ A ride in a taxi from the airport to the city centre (20 minutes approx.): 2,000-5,000 JMD.

10 TO MAKE MEMORIES _The bank holidays are: 1 January (New Year s Day), 5 March (Ash Wednesday), 18 April (Good Friday), 21 April (Easter Monday), 23 May (Labour Day), 1 August (Emancipation Day), 4 August (Independence Day), 24 October (National Heroes Day), 25 December (Christmas) and 26 December (Boxing Day). _ Voltage in Jamaica is 110V and plugs have two or three flat pins. _ Banks open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday-Thursday; and from 9 a.m. to 12 a.m. and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays. _ The service fee is not usually included in the price at restaurants and taxis so we advise to add a 15% tip. WHAT IF I GET ILL? _ The healthcare situation in Jamaica is acceptable, although in some marginal rural and urban areas there are still places in questionable hygienic conditions. We recommend taking out a private health insurance. _ It is also advised to take precautions against mosquitoes, such as using repellents, linen clothes, light colours and long sleeves, because there have been registered cases of dengue and chikungunya. Akí y bacalao Plate national Jamaica 10

11 TRAVEL WARNINGS _The country is currently affected by the chikungunya virus. This illness is transmitted by a mosquito bite and there is not a vaccination against it, so travellers must be especially careful with these insects. Get more information about the illness on the website of the World Health Organisation. _ The tropical storm and hurricane season in the Caribbean goes from June to November. Lear more. _ Avoid taxi services and organised field trips. Instead, use the services offered by hotels and agencies, hire a local professional guide, and decline offers from strangers. _ Be careful when moving around certain areas that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation considers dangerous and recommends visiting only during the day, without getting out of the car and always accompanied by a local. Downtown Kingston, East Kingston, Spanish Town and Flankers (Montego Bay). _ Water tap in Kingston is drinkable. WHO TO TURN TO _If I need to make a call to the country: dial the prefix _ If I have an emergency: call 119 from any place in Jamaica or an ambulance or the firefighters at 112 and 911, respectively. _If I need to call the local police: Kingston (capital): (+1 876) / Montego Bay: (+1 876) Negril: (+1 876) / Ocho Rivers: (+1 876) / Port Antonio (Portland): (+1 876) _ If I need information about hurricanes: call 116. _ If I need to call the coastguards: In Kingston: (+1 876) / 8189 In the North Coast: (+1 876) _ If I need to check something online: Spanish Ministry of Health Website of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. Visit Jamaica Lonely Planet (content only available in English) World Health Organisation The World Bank 11

12 MUST-TAKE PICS Yellow, red, green colours rastafari 12

13 Floyds Pelican Bar Negril Doctor Bird Colibrí jamaica 13