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Climate

In Jamaica the climate is tropical, hot all year round, with little difference between winter and summer (just a few degrees). Even in winter, daytime temperatures are around 27/30 °C (81/86 °F), and night-time temperatures around 20/23 °C (68/73 °F). The southern coast, where the capital Kingston is located, is slightly warmer in the winter months, so that the maximum temperature is around 30 °C (86 °F) even in January.

The main difference between the seasons is found in rainfall and air humidity: the rainy season, from late April to October, is hot and muggy. Rainfall occurs mainly in the form of thunderstorm in late afternoon. In almost all of Jamaica, except in the west coast (see Negril), in July there is a relative lull in precipitation, and in any case there are two peaks in May and October, that is, at the beginning and the end of the period. 

The best time to visit Jamaica as a whole, whether you intend to visit cities and make excursions, or to swim and sunbathe, runs from January to April. In fact, it is the period when the rains are more scarce, and the air is less hot. The absolute least rainy months are February and March, while December is still quite rainy in the easternmost region and in the northern slopes of the Blue Mountains (otherwise, in the south even December would be fine). In summer, and generally during the rainy season, the heat is sweltering and annoying, but the breeze blows and there are also some hours of sunshine per day; in addition, in Kingston and on the southern coast, in July it usually does not rain much, so if you want to choose the summer, you can choose this month, also because the risk of hurricanes is lower than in August. 

Getting Here

Good to know

For a quick way to get from one side of the island to the other, consider taking one of Jamaica’s domestic flights, available in Kingston, Montego Bay and Ocho Rios, with smaller aerodromes also located in Portland, Negril, and on the south coast. Chartered helicopter services are also available.

Visitors wishing to explore the country on a budget will enjoy the many public transport networks available on the island. As well as train routes, you will find many bus services serving the main towns, points of interests, and amenities such as supermarkets and shopping centres. Ask the reception of your hotel to find out about the routes available locally.

Taxis are available all around the country and can be a cheap and fast way to reach your destination. Wherever you are, if there are cars passing by, raise your arm and you’ll quickly get your ride. There are two different types of taxis on the island: the tourist taxis and the “route taxis”. The latter are often packed with people and are much, much cheaper than the tourist option, as they are what the locals use to get to work, school, etc. These run for short routes, and you may have to take several route taxis to get to your destination if it happens to be on the other side of the island. It is not uncommon for route taxis to take more people than there are seats, and drivers may sometimes wait until they have enough passengers to make their trip worthwhile. Passengers with luggage may also have to pay extra.

History of Jamaica

Jamaica, one of the largest Caribbean islands, was inhabited by Arawak natives. When Christopher Columbus arrived on the island in 1494, he claimed the land for Spain. Just a few decades after Columbus' death almost all Arawaks had been exterminated. Spain held the island against many buccaneer raids at the main city- now called Spanish Town. Eventually England claimed the island in a raid, but the Spanish did not relinquish their claim to the island until 1670.

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