When is the best time to vacation in Jamaica?

Jamaica, sometimes referred to as the Emerald Island (Even though Jamaica, in fact, the main landmass of a 28-island archipelago) is, probably, the closest thing we have here on Earth to a real-life paradise. Surrounded entirely by the Caribbean Sea, with lovely people, incredible culture, a tasty mixture of food, and amazing weather all year round.

The question is pretty simple, What is the best time to vacation in Jamaica? Well, I will give you a quick review of the nation’s climate and what you can expect on each of them so you can decide what fits best what you want to do.

Jamaica‘s General Climate

Starting from the beginning, Jamaica is placed not too far from the Equator, meaning it has a tropical climate year-round.
The island is not too big as to experience a notorious climate difference between its coasts and the middle of the country, being just 4,244 square miles (10,991 square kilometers).

We can expect four seasons:

Two rainy seasons, May-June and September-November.

and

Two dry seasons, July-Agust and December-April, with July being the hottest and sunniest month, blasting 9 hours of sunshine each day.

The hurricane season is from May to September, and here is when you can expect the most rain of all. The last big hurricane that hit the country was Sandy, back in 2012, and weather experts predict that every 11 or so years a hurricane of similar size is going to pass through Jamaica.

So,

When is the best time to visit Jamaica?

Allegedly, it’s during the so-called Winter, if you can call winter a time frame with an average temperature of 80°F (26°C). This ranges from November to mid-December.

The most crowded time of the year ranges from December to April, falling completely on one of the dry seasons, so there you can expect the most amount of beach time, parties, festivals, and… other people.
If you want to avoid the peak season but still enjoy kind of the same climate and views at a slightly lower price, you can try to book for the months of  November and mid-April.

Jamaica‘s most popular cities

Kingston

Being the capital of the country is one of the main destinations for tourists. Located on the southern coast, it has an average temperature of 86°F (30°C). The city receives less rainfall overall thanks to the mountainous terrain that protects it. Kingston won the Creative City of Music by UNESCO in 2015
We will recommend going there only if you really do not mind the crowds, if you are looking for a peaceful and relaxing time on the beach you may be better of with some of the other cities listed below.

Negril

Facing the continent, on the west side of the country, Negril IS the beach paradise that you may be looking after. Seven Mile Beach is one of its main attractions, and I bet you can’t guess what is waiting for you there! Yes, 11 km of uninterrupted sand, with practically endless warm water for as far as you can see.

Montego Bay

If you want the best of both worlds, for a more… exquisite, price tag you can have your cake and eat it too on Montego Bay. Combining beaches with city malls, this is the tourist capital of Jamaica.

Ocho Rios

Let’s see that you are not that much of a -beach- kind of person. Well, in Ocho Rios (Eight Rivers) you can experience the more diverse nature that the country has to offer. Located on the northern part, its less than a two-hour drive from the city of Kingston.

What to do in Jamaica:

Now that we mentioned some of the popular cities, let’s find out what is there to do on the Emeral Island:

Bob Marley Week

Located mainly on the city of Kingston, during the first week of February you can discover the reggae fanatic and Rastafarians arriving at the city to pay homage to Jamaica’s top figure, the musician Bob Marley. You can find karaokes and exhibitions between various other events.

St. Ann International Kite Festival

Usually held in April, and also called the Jamaica International Kite Festival, the day is full of fun activities to do in the family. Do not worry if you do not know how to fly the kite properly, as this is more about the design and the building itself.
There are activities especially for the kids, for adults, a dancing competition, and a bun eating competition for some reason. And, we can’t miss it, the Reggae is also celebrated in shows throughout the day.

The Ocho Ríos Jazz Festival

It started out as an experiment to shift a little bit of the attention from the reggae in 1991 towards other music genres, and as we are talking about it we can conclude that indeed it worked! Held in the month of June during eight straight days and featuring artists from all over the world, the festival surely gained a reputation of is own.

Jamaica Carnival

Located on the main cities of Kingston, Ocho Ríos, and Montego Bay, you can probably guess what will happen. An explosion of color, music, dance, food, culture, diversity, and fun time. You can expect the carnival to take place anytime and multiple times between the months of January to April, they do not really worry about it too much.

Restaurant Week

Quite explanatory as well, the Restaurant Week takes place throughout the whole country in the month of November, normally during the second week, and more than a hundred different restaurants take part in it. Offering huge discounts so you can have the experience that fulfills you the most. No pun intended.

So, Have you decided when to visit?

Summarizing it briefly, the country offers you amazing beaches on every corner, amazing tourist-centered cities with every accommodation you might want, and in the mountainous middle regions that receive more rain, the green patches will give you an amazing dive into some well-preserved nature.

Tell us how your trip went down below, we would love to hear it!