Things to see and do Montego Bay

It's hard to miss this temple of Jamaican tourism! Its name is inscribed in white stones on the sides of the hill at the top of which sits the most majestic greathouse in the country. Many cultural events (concerts, ballets) find there a stage and a decor worthy of the most prestigious shows. Topped by a grey tiled roof with a severe and almost austere architecture, a multitude of small windows brighten up the façade and give it the air of a respectable English residence. The gardens surrounding the house are discreetly flowered. Built in 1760 by John Palmer, a wealthy colonial planter for the British Crown, this massive Georgian mansion was named after Palmer's wife, Rose. It was destroyed during the slave uprising of December 1831. Abandoned to its fate for over a century, it was to be reborn from its ruins after its purchase in 1966. It was restored by John Rollins, a former governor of the State of Delaware, who, having made his fortune in real estate, devoted a great deal of time and energy to it. Neither the decoration nor the furniture are original, but everything has been reconstructed. The richly furnished rooms bear witness to the opulent life of the planters of the time. Reception rooms, ballrooms, bedrooms, reading room, music room... Nothing was too beautiful - or too expensive - to reproduce a bit of that Old England-scented life left behind.

The White Witch of Rose Hall. Legend has it that she has haunted the house since the 19th century! When Anne May Patterson married John Rose Palmer, the grand-nephew of the founder and heir to the property, she was still a very young girl. Half English, half Irish, Annie had been raised in Haiti, the neighboring island. Her nanny, who came from Africa with the slave traders, had initiated her into the rites of voodoo. Annie is an authoritarian young woman with insatiable sexual appetites. Without a doubt, her first husband does not live up to her expectations because, without further ado, she skillfully poisons him without leaving any trace. Very quickly remarried, Annie finds a husband who is hardly more satisfactory than her first. She stabs him savagely. Many male slaves of the plantation will know a fatal destiny after having honored the bed of their mistress. Still dissatisfied, despite the services rendered by the slaves, Annie again convenes. This time, she chose to strangle her third husband. Revolted slaves eventually got rid of the lady. But, since then, Annie's ghost, not giving rest to her tortured soul, haunts the places of her crimes. During a seance in 1978, Annie herself led the spiritualist to the discovery of a voodoo doll! The affair made the tour of the island.

Such is the legend to which Jamaicans are attached and which will be told to you without laughing by the young girls in madras dresses who guide the visit. The truth is probably much less dramatic, since Anne Palmer died in 1846 after many years of a peaceful marriage with John Palmer. The legend has its origins in a fantastic novel written in 1929 by H.-G. de Lisser and in the fact that Rose Palmer, the first owner of the house, actually had four husbands. To test: the visit by night, more fun! On site: bar and souvenir store.

A postcard beach, protected by the National Marine Park, whose history dates back to 1906 when Dr. Alexander McCatty donated his seaside property to the city of Montego Bay. The cave that owes its name to him was destroyed by a cyclone in 1932. It is so enclosed between the hotels that you can't see it before entering! In addition to the white sand, the turquoise sea lined with palm trees, there are bars and restaurants, toilets, deckchairs, umbrellas, etc.

This is Montego Bay's new free public beach, which opened in late 2021. A success that we recommend to you. First of all, the beach is beautiful, with its white sand, its deckchairs and its very calm azure water (supervised swimming). As it is free, students come to relax on the lawn under the palm trees in the shade. There are games for children, jerk chicken, fried chicken and burger stands, drinks, and brand new, well-maintained sanitary facilities. The entrance is secure, the family atmosphere friendly and calm.

Typical example of a tiny beach that was left abandoned, but is currently under renovation and therefore closed. One Man Beach unfolds a perfect curve between two long stone piers. On the left, a few trees like beautiful umbrellas. Everywhere, clear water licks a strip of sand often deserted.

Located at the end of Dead End, it is one of the few free beaches in MoBay, but it is not really exceptional. Very busy before the creation of Harmony Beach, it is tiny, next to the airport and therefore noisy because of the heavy air traffic. The water and the beach are very dirty... It was not recommended, except for the Friday night atmosphere where street vendors, tourists and locals come to spend a convivial moment.

12 km east of Montego Bay, take Greenwood Avenue, the road that climbs from Greenwood Plaza, turn left at Brooks Heights, then turn right at Belgrade Avenue. There you will find a large flowered driveway with all the shades of bougainvillea leading to the massive and perfectly maintained old mansion built in 1760 by Sir Richard Barrett. The solid stone structure contrasts with a warm wood-paneled interior. The period furnishings are a testament to the lifestyle of another century. One enters the house through a huge ballroom containing, among other marvels, ceramics and porcelain and a splendid collection of musical instruments in perfect working order, polyphonies, organs, piano (from the same craftsman who supplied Beethoven, John Broadwood). The two-level dining room overlooks the garden on one side and the sea on the other. The bedrooms on the second level have retained their original furniture. From the immense wooden gallery, the eye is lost on a sea with silver reflections.

Bibliophiles will be seduced by the first editions - including a Dickens - of the large library which contains more than 300 books. Throughout the rooms, portraits allow us to meet the members of this prestigious family. The visit ends with a well-deserved stop at the bar, set up in the former outdoor kitchens. In the heart of the beautifully flowered garden, a collection of carriages from the last century recalls a bygone era.

Belvedere Plantation is an interesting half-day tour of what was life in the plantations, just after emancipation. It is located inside the land in the direction of Mandeville (see between Montego Bay and Mandeville).

You can't miss the main square of Montego Bay's Downtown: Sam Sharpe Square, where two giant lighted screens have been installed and are easily recognizable behind a small fountain in a rotunda-shaped paved square. Here you will find the interesting Montego Bay Cultural Center, housed in a beautiful 19th century building, a permanent night and day entertainment, and one of the most famous relics of the island's slave era, The Cage. Originally built in 1806, its bell tower put in place in 1811, the first building was replaced in 1822 by the current building, a modest square red brick and mortar structure topped by a tiny brick-tiled belfry. Its size, small for a prison, indicates how symbolic its role was. Vagrants, unruly sailors, runaway slaves or those who had not left the city by 3pm to join their plantation as the ringing of a bell told them to, in short all undesirables spent the night in this miniature prison. There they waited for their fate to be determined, either to be sent back to the plantation for severe correction or to be transferred to a real prison. A striking and even terrifying place that says a lot about the treatment inflicted on slaves. Its colonial architecture with its small old bricks contrasts with the modernity of the colored concrete houses around. The former night prison now houses a very classic souvenir store.

It is the largest marine reserve in the Caribbean and the first national park established in Jamaica. Established in 1992, the marine reserve extends from Sangster Airport to the islet of Sea Winds, approximately 15 km2 which includes the sandy spit developed as a beach along the Hip Strip. It is established as a non-profit trust and NGO. Its purpose is to protect the environment and marine resources of Montego Bay, which is composed of three marine environments: mangroves, seaweeds and coral reefs. Each of these environments is home to numerous animal and plant species, whose survival maintains a fragile ecological balance. A guide of the rules to be respected by all, visitors as well as industrialists or fishermen, and of the severe sanctions corresponding to the infringements, has been published. It is available at the diving centers. The trust organizes cleaning operations on the coast (for example, 21,000 plastic bottles have been recycled since its creation!), as well as programs to raise awareness about nature protection among students and schoolchildren in Montego Bay. Among the warnings for tourists, let's remember a few. Do not touch the corals under any circumstances, the smallest contact can cause irreversible damage. Leave plants,shells and fish in the water, even if they are dead. Boycott black coral or turtle shell handicrafts (sea turtles are protected in Jamaica).

On the heights of Camrose, 15 minutes from the city, this garden-gallery where art is in communion with nature has been shaped in the rock by the strength of the wrist for years, a real wonder. A garden of Eden maintained by Ras, his wife Tamika and their son Ayale covered with a multitude of plants and flowers. Hummingbirds have taken up residence there. The path is amazing and the works of the artist fascinating. On site: a Juice bar. The generosity of the hosts will remain an unforgettable memory. If the price can be dissuasive, it is worth the candle.

The Rastafari Indigenous Village has been in existence for about ten years. Its community brought it to life through a generous sharing of land from an open-minded neighbor. The visit is a real cultural and initiatory rejuvenation for those who wish to discover the Rastafari precepts. This movement is based on the principles of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and identifies the last Emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie, as the Negus, the king of kings, lord of lords, lion of the tribe of Judas. The welcome is sincere and warm and the lesson of life amazing. It is an opportunity to discover the Ion Station community, which is well anchored in its values, and yet lives with the times. Philosophy, lifestyle, education, culture, music, ganja, after a brief historical point, your guide will explain everything to you without any language, by making the tour of the village. You will also discover the basics of i-tal cuisine, the vegetarian Rasta cuisine (while enjoying a snack). You will end up with a moment of musical sharing where you will not only be a spectator. A souvenir store, composed only of handicrafts made by the community, will be a must before heading back to the road. Please note that it is forbidden to photograph the members of the community alone. It is also possible to stay there for a few nights, if the visit was a revelation or if you wish to know more, to live more, but it is not cheap.

The Montego Bay Cultural Center houses the National Museum West and the National Gallery West. It is located in the heart of Downtown. With its permanent and temporary exhibits, it provides an informed view of the country's central cultural and historical themes. From the Tainos to the Spanish and British colonization to modern Jamaica, the structure traces its history. The part on the birth of the Rasta communities is very well highlighted.

The Mayfield falls tours office in Montego Bay makes it easy to arrange this excursion to these little known and truly well preserved waterfalls. Two beautiful waterfalls and 21 natural pools make up this exceptional eco-park, which has 52 types of ferns and an abundance of tropical rainforest flora, rich in butterfly, bird and island endemic species. You can swim in the refreshing water, and it is necessary to bring water shoes (which can be rented on site if needed). The tour lasts 1h30.

A beautiful beach at the exit of Montego Bay in the direction of Negril, hemmed in by coves and surrounded by a vast and beautiful lush garden. If you want to escape the crowds of Mobay's beaches, you've come to the right place. Thomas, the owner who speaks a little French, organizes beach parties and beautiful evenings of concerts and parties, but also weddings, birthdays and other private parties, by the light of the sunset. He also organizes open-air cinema sessions for an American-style drive-in, right in his car, at night.