Jamaica’s Outsized Experiences Ideally Suited for Micro-cation Getaways

Posted by On March 11, 2020 0 Comment

To break up the bleakness of winter, now is the perfect time to plan a sun-soaked micro-cation escape to Jamaica. According to the Vacation Index survey conducted by Allianz Global Assistance, these 5 days or less leisure trips are increasing in popularity because they make the most out of limited vacation days with strategic itineraries that still allow travelers to fully experience a destination.

Jamaica punches above her weight offering visitors more attractions than any other English-speaking country in the Caribbean. Jamaica’s year-round temperate climate makes it easy to trade-in parkas for bikinis and leave those winter blues behind for tropical hues. With nonstop airlift from major U.S. or Canadian gateways to Jamaica, the destination is a perfect micro-cation choice as it has never been easier to get to and offers a myriad of activities.

For a prescription of bite-sized bliss, below are some itinerary ideas for a micro-cation escape to Jamaica.

Adventure

  • Blue Mountain Bicycle Tour is a remarkable way to see the lush, tropical countryside and the world-famous Blue and John Crow Mountains, a designated UNESCO World Heritage site. On this downhill bike tour, riders will take in over 500 species of flowering plants, cascading waterfalls and coffee plantations.
  • Bloody Bay in Negril is a diver’s paradise! The colorful coral reefs and calm, clear waters make for an unforgettable diving experience.  Many local companies offer PADI certification and guided SCUBA excursions, in addition to catamaran cruises, snorkeling, and equipment rentals.

Culinary

  • The Jamaica Food & Drink Festival (October 28 – November 1) is a celebration of great spirits, fine foods, live entertainment, culinary mastery in Kingston. For ten days, the destination’s cultural capital buzzes with flavor and vibes as some of Jamaica’s best chefs and wine and spirit experts blend energies to present delectable offering of some the best food in the Caribbean.
  • Falmouth Food Tour offers a delicious blend of Jamaican food and history on a guided walking tour of the historic town of Falmouth. Through various food tastings, visitors will learn how Jamaicans have used a fusion of cooking methods and practices from different cultures to develop dishes that sustained Jamaican people through slavery, colonialism, wartime and independence.

Music

  • Reggae Sumfest is Jamaica’s premier festival dedicated to showcasing the island’s indigenous reggae music, while promoting the island as a prime summer destination. The event, with its new tagline of Our Music Our Festival, attracts visitors as well as media from all over the world. The 2020 festival will mark the 27th annual staging of this event.
  • Dream Weekend in Negril, Jamaica, is an annual week-long music festival that attracts thousands of local and overseas visitors to Negril for a series of events, which are packaged with hospitality, entertainment and transportation. This international music festival takes over Negril at the height of the summer.

Wellness

  • Jackie’s on the Reef is an oasis on the West End of Jamaica. Jackie herself cultivates a spiritual, self-aware environment offering tech-free accommodations, meditation, massages, yoga and locally-sourced meals. Her prime location on the cliffs near Negril allows her guests to wake up to the sun and the sound of the waves.
  • Blue Hole Mineral Spring sits beneath a cavernous opening in Jamaica’s terrain and is completely encased by Karst limestone, offering visitors a refreshing mineral bath. The naturally occurring minerals in the limestone (known for their therapeutic value) act as an underground filter for the steady upwelling of water, leaving behind a luxuriously pure bath of minerals for guests to enjoy.

Romance

  • Rafting Martha Brae River is a tranquil ride on a 30-foot handmade bamboo raft and an ideal moment to reconnect. The three-mile ride is piloted by a trained “Raft Captain” who will gently glide the raft downstream through the verdant Jamaican countryside. Chirping birds, rustling leaves in the wind and cascading waterfalls are just a few of nature’s serenading sounds that awaits.
  • Lover’s Leap is a 1,700-foot cliff on Jamaica’s rugged South Coast and offers one of the most picturesque views on the island. Cherish the scenery while considering the devotion behind the cliff’s name – legend has it that two young slaves jumped to their deaths from the cliff fearing that they would be separated after their secret love affair was exposed.

To plan a micro-cation to Jamaica or for more information on the destination, go to www.visitjamaica.com/things-to-do/.

About Jamaica Tourist Board 

The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), founded in 1955, is Jamaica’s national tourism agency based in the capital city of Kingston. JTB offices are also located in Montego Bay, Miami, Toronto and London. Representative offices are located in Berlin, Barcelona, Rome, Amsterdam, Mumbai, Tokyo and Paris.

This year, the JTB was declared the Caribbean’s Leading Tourist Board by the World Travel Awards (WTA) for the thirteenth consecutive year and Jamaica was declared the Caribbean’s Leading Destination for the fifteenth consecutive year. Jamaica also earned the WTA award for the World’s Leading Cruise Destination and Leading Meetings & Conference Centre for the Montego Bay Convention Centre. Most recently, Jamaica was named as one of the “Best Places to Go in 2020” according to CNN, Bloomberg and Forbes. Jamaica was awarded three gold 2020 Travvy Awards including Best Culinary Destination, Caribbean/Bahamas; Best Tourism Board Overall and Best Tourism Board, Caribbean/Bahamas. In 2019, TripAdvisor® ranked Jamaica as the #1 Caribbean Destination and #14 Best Destination in the World. In 2018, the International Council of the Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA) named Jamaica the Destination of the Year and TravAlliance Media named JTB Best Tourism Board, and Jamaica as Best Culinary Destination, Best Wedding Destination and Best Honeymoon Destination. Jamaica is home to some of the world’s best accommodations, attractions and service providers that continue to receive prominent global recognition.

For details on upcoming special events, attractions and accommodations in Jamaica go to the JTB’s Website at www.visitjamaica.com or call the Jamaica Tourist Board at 1-800-JAMAICA (1-800-526-2422).  Follow the JTB on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube. View the JTB blog at islandbuzzjamaica.com.

source: FIR