Food & Drink
Jamaican food is full of fire, taking advantage of overpowering spices and peppers. National specialties include ‘Rice and peas’ (which is a tasty dish with no peas at all but with kidney beans, coconut milk, white rice, spring onions and coconut oil), Salt fish (dried cod) with ackee (the cooked fruit of the ackee tree).
Jamaican pepperpot soup (salt beef, salt pork, okra and Indian kale known as callaloo) is another speciality, as well as Chicken fricassée Jamaican - style (a rich chicken stew with scallions, carrots, yams, onions, tomatoes and peppers prepared in unrefined coconut oil). Roast suckling pig (a 3 month old piglet which is boned and stuffed with rice, peppers, diced yam and thyme mixed with shredded coconut and corn meal) is also popular in Jamaica.
National drinks include Jamaican rum, which is world famous, especially Gold Label and Appleton. Rum Punch, Rumona (a delicious rum cordial), Red Stripe beer, Tia Maria (a Blue Mountain coffee and chocolate liqueur) and Blue Mountain coffee are also Jamaican drinks.
Bars can have table and / or counter service. The legal drinking age in Jamaica is 18 and there are no licensing hours and alcohol can be bought all day.
Nightlife
There is no shortage of night time entertainment on Jamaica, the island that is the home of reggae music. Every town or village has some sort of nightlife, and there are customary street dances. Folkloric shows at larger resort hotels are held and steel bands regularly play. There is a torch lit, steel band show with limbo dancing and fire eating demonstrations at least once a week.
Nightclubs feature soca, jazz, reggae and other music. For details of events, visitors are advised to consult local newspapers. The Jamaica Tourist Board arranges ‘Meet the People’ evenings in several scenic locations throughout the island. Please contact the Tourist Board in Kingston, Montego Bay, Ocho Rios or Port Antonio for further information.
Shopping
Special purchases from Jamaica are generally locally made items and duty free bargains. Crafts include oil paintings, hand loomed fabrics, silk screening, embroidery, woodcarvings, woven straw items and sandalmaking. Custom made rugs and reproductions of china and pewter from the 17 th century ruins of the ancient submerged city of Port Royal can be bought in the In Craft workshop.
At Highgate Village in the mountains, Quakers run a workshop specialising in wood and wicker furniture, floor mats and other tropical furnishings. Jamaican rum, the Rumona and Ian Sangsters Rum Cream are unique purchases. Other local specialties are jams, Pepper Jellies and spices. The most renowned produce market in Jamaica is Coronation Market, Kingston. Linstead Market in St Catherine, Brownstown Market in St Anne, the Savanna-la-mar Market in Westmoreland and the Albert George Market in Falmouth are also popular markets.
There are shops offering facilities for in - bond shopping, which allows visitors to purchase a range of international goods free of tax or duty at very reasonable prices. These goods are sealed (hence the ‘bond’) and, because goods are tax or duty free, can only be opened once away from Jamaican waters and territory. All goods have to be paid for in Jamaican currency.
General shopping hours are from Monday to Friday from 8.00 am to 4.00 pm and Saturday from 8.00 am to 1.00 pm. Some shops close half day Wednesday in Kingston, and Thursday for the rest of the island.
Tipping
Most Jamaican hotels and restaurants add a service charge of 10 %; otherwise 10 to 15 % is expected. Waiters, chambermaids, hotel bellboys and airport porters all expect tips. Taxi drivers receive 10 % of the fare. |
