The name Jamaica originates from the pre-colonial native inhabitants, the Arawak Indians, to whom 'Xaymaca' meant 'land of wood and water.' Now there is little left of the Indian culture. After being discovered by Columbus in 1494 Jamaica was ruled by the Spanish for 150 years and then by the British for the next 300 years. Independence came in 1962 to the Jamaican people who are now a warm blend of different cultures and nationalities, though significantly African based because of the influence of the imported slaves who endeavoured to keep their tribal traditions alive. 

Jamaica is comprised of three main popular vacation destinations with the usual entry point being Montego Bay airport. Brand new highways link Montego Bay to the other two main resort areas, Negril an hour to the west and Ocho Rios an hour and a half to the east.  Whether you stay on the beach or on the cliffs, Negril has something for everyone. Many come here for raucous revelry, intoxication, dancing, letting go of inhibitions or simply relaxing on the seven mile beach. In Negril you can relax, go snorkelling, take a boat tour, listen to music, shop, dance, eat, drink and be merry and mix and mingle with tourists and locals. Take side trips to the historic Negril Lighthouse, Mayfield Falls River Walk or the Y S Falls. Other excursions that are worth the trip are the Appleton's Rum Tour, Bob Marley's hand built house at Little Bay and rafting the Black River. 

Ocho Rios, nicknamed ‘Ochi’ by the locals, offers the white sands and clear water expected of a Caribbean island made even better by waterfalls, rainforests and mountains. Climb the natural staircase of Dunn's River Falls, stroll the Coyaba River Gardens or take a driving tour under the lush canopy of Fern Gully. Swim with dolphins, take a dune buggy for a spin or ride horseback along plantations and beaches. Reggae fans should make the trip to Nine Mile, Bob Marley's birth and final resting place. Your Rastafarian guide will share with you little known insights into Bob Marley's childhood and musical career and you’ll get to stand on ‘Mount Zion Rock’ where Bob used to meditate and rest his head on ‘the pillow’ made famous in the song ‘Talking Blues’.

Low-key and relaxed, Mo’Bay, as the locals call it, is warm year-round. In Montego Bay you can swim and snorkel in the tranquil waters at Doctor's Cave and Fletcher Beach, dive in the ominously named Widowmaker's Cave, golf on famed courses such as the Ritz Carlton’s White Witch and the home of the Johnny Walker Open, Tryall Club. Off the beaten path, Hungry birds and tourists alike love the Rocklands Bird Sanctuary and Feeding Station and you won’t want to miss a tour of Rose Hall Great House, a former sugar plantation with a spooky past. After dark, feast on jerk chicken, dance to a reggae beat and hang out on Gloucester Avenue where you can gamble and shop with none of the straw market hassle; it’s not known as the Hip Strip for nothing!

Where ever you decide to spend your time in Jamaica it will be a truly memorable escape. The Jamaican Dollar (JMD) is divided into 100 cents itravel2000 recommends you use cash and travellers cheques in US Dollars and most hotels will give you change in US dollars. The island is well supplied with ATMs, banks and bureaux de change. Banking hours are usually Monday to Thursday 9am to 2pm, and Friday 9am to 4pm. Cambio exchange offices are found throughout the country, open later than banks and offer better exchange rates. Exchange bureaux at the airports and hotels also offer better rates than banks. Major credit cards and travellers cheques are widely accepted.

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun
Rainfall (mm)	29	24	23	39	104	96
Rainfall (inches)	1.2	0.9	0.9	1.5	4.1	3.8
Min Temp (°C)	21	21	22	24	24	24
Max Temp (°C)	30	30	31	31	32	32
	July	Aug	Sept	Oct	Nov	Dec
Rainfall (mm)	46	107	126	181	95	40
Rainfall (inches)	1.8	4.2	5.0	7.1	3.8	1.6
Min Temp (°C)	24	24	24	24	23	22
Max Temp (°C)	33	32	32	32	31	31

Kingston (Norman Manly) Airport (KIN) is the major airport serving the island and its capital city.

However, most tourists, and most tourist-orientated flights go to the country’s second largest airport Montego Bay (Sangster) International (MBJ). The airport is located close to downtown on the edge of the Caribbean Sea. Although there are a few local exceptions, almost all the country operates on 110vAC, 60Hz - the same plugs as Canada. The official language is English, however a local “patois” is also spoken which is an evolution of parts of English, Spanish and some African languages and even Rastafarian. There are even differences from village to village, but ‘yeah, mon’ seems to be quite universal! From Toronto and Montreal the average flight time is just under four hours. itravel2000 books daily flights from Toronto on Air Canada to Montego Bay and to Kingston on Air Jamaica and frequent Air Canada service. itravel2000 also offers charter flights from Sunquest all year round with Skyservice in Toronto and Air Transat from Montréal. Seasonal flights are also available with Sunwing, Air Transat and West Jet.
There are winter charter flights non-stop from twelve Canadian cities: from Vancouver (approx 8 hours flight) across the country to Halifax (approx 4 hours flight). These flights are generally chartered by Air Canada Vacations, Sunquest, Transat Holidays, Sunwing and Signature Vacations, all of which itravel2000 can provide you the very best deals for. High Commission of Canada
Address: 3 West Kings House Road, Kingston 10
Postal Address: P.O. Box 1500, Kingston,
Tel.: (876) 926-1500
Fax: (876) 511-3493 GMT-5. Jamaica does not adjust for Daylight Saving Time, so during winter, it has the same time as Toronto and Montréal, but in the summer months, it is one hour behind. From Vancouver, Jamaica is 3 hours ahead in winter and 2 ahead in summer.