Why You Ought to Go to Montego Bay, Jamaica Proper Now, From a New Riu to a Hip All-Inclusive

Montego Bay is the gateway to Jamaica for many vacationers who go to the island, and whereas some journey on to resort areas like Ocho Rios or Negril, ‘Mobay’ itself is the ultimate vacation spot for thousands and thousands of tourists annually.

And whereas Jamaica’s second-largest metropolis has been attracting worldwide guests for greater than a century, there’s lots new to expertise, too. Listed here are 9 good causes it’s best to make plans to go to Montego Bay proper now.

Keep at Jamaica’s Coolest All-Inclusive

It’s been some time since Montego Bay’s ‘Hip Strip’ actually lived as much as its identify, however the S Lodge is about as fashionable because it will get. A bit of slice of South Seashore on the Caribbean Sea, the S Lodge embraces laid-back luxurious from its wind-swept foyer to a Instagram-worthy pool space and complicated room design. Born as an a la carte lodge, the 120-room S solely acquired higher when it transformed to an all-inclusive, adults-only idea: the setting, eating and leisure all stay high shelf.

Preserve It ‘Riu’ at Montego Bay’s Latest Lodge

The Riu resort chain now has seven properties in Jamaica, with the brand new Riu Aquarelle, opened in June 2024 on White Bay Seashore, the primary within the Montego Bay Space. The 700-room all-inclusive lodge close to Falmouth ups its enchantment to households with a big water park in addition to 4 swimming pools.

Take pleasure in Jamaican Quick Meals

Montego Bay is blessed to have two of Jamaica’s high eating places serving spicy jerk meals: the legendary Scotchies on Falmouth Street (the primary coastal street from Montego Bay to Falmouth, close to Rose Corridor) and the lesser recognized Pork Pit, which has some great benefits of being strolling distance from MoBay’s downtown “Hip Strip” and likewise having a giant open grill the place you’ll be able to see your meals cooking over scorching coals of pimento wooden.  Patties — savory beef, hen, or greens inside a golden pastry shell, are a Jamaican avenue meals staple, and locals are fierce about which native model is their favourite: Tastee or Juici. Determine for your self in Montego Bay, the place each have eating places only a block aside on Barnett Road. Additionally in MoBay is what’s reportedly the world’s most worthwhile KFC location: Jamaicans declare the KFC fried hen served on the island has a particular native spice mix that makes it one of the best on the earth.

Expertise the Revamped Rose Corridor Villas

The signature Rose Corridor villas on the luxurious Half Moon resort are getting a makeover guided by the design agency Atelier-Vidal, with the primary 11 villas attributable to be accomplished by November 2024, and one other eight in 2025. Positively value trying out (in the event you can afford it) as this iconic beachfront resort celebrates its seventieth anniversary.

Extra Air Choices

Each new and acquainted airways are boosting their service to Montego Bay, making it simpler than ever to get right here from the U.S. In November, the brand new Avelo Airways will start flying nonstop twice every week (Wednesdays and Saturdays) from Connecticut’s Bradley Worldwide Airport (close to Hartford) and Jamaica’s Sangster Worldwide Airport (MBJ) — the airline’s first worldwide route. United Arlines now flies to Montego Bay from 5 of its hubs, providing as much as 34 whole weekly flights, and Frontier Airways added nonstop service between Cleveland and Montego Bay in March 2024. For island-hoppers, Bahamasair is launching new nonstop flights between Nassau and Montego Bay in November 2024.

Discover ‘One Love’ at MBJ Airport

Departing vacationers can get one final style of Montego Bay on the Bob Marley themed One Love restaurant at Sangster Worldwide Airport (MBJ). Opened in August 2023, the colourful restaurant includes a conventional Jamaican pimento grill for cooking jerk meals, an herb backyard, ample vegetarian and Rastafarian ‘ital’ dishes, a VW bus as soon as owned by Marley, and naturally loads of reggae music and musically impressed decor. The airport’s implausible Membership Mobay additionally simply debuted one other new addition.

Roll the Cube on the New Royalton Resort

The Hideaway at Royalton Blue Waters, an adults-only all-inclusive resort that opened in Montego Bay within the fall of 2023, unveiled a on line casino earlier this yr — a pleasant added amenity on the 352-room resort that additionally has a sports activities bar, 10 eating places, and a spa.

Keep Below Funds on the Lodge 39

An inexpensive lodge with a rooftop pool overlooking the Caribbean sounds inconceivable, however that’s simply what the brand new Lodge 39 — a revamp of the previous Wexford lodge — brings to Montego Bay’s Hip Strip. With room charges beginning beneath $200 an evening, a keep right here is a good different to a giant all-inclusive seaside resort whereas additionally only a brief stroll to Physician’s Cave Seashore and Concord Seashore Park.

Really feel the Pure Vibrations

As a result of Montego Bay has been a vacationer vacation spot for a very long time, lots of Jamaica’s basic sights are close by. And whereas some are possibly a little bit drained, there are a couple of that by no means actually get outdated. Rafting the Marsha Brae River, for instance, has been featured on the duvet of Jamaican vacationer brochures, however nonetheless manages to be enjoyable and infrequently stunning — you by no means actually know what’s across the subsequent bend as your information gently poles the raft downsteam. YS Falls is one other longtime vacationer vacation spot, a seven-level waterfall with a pool you’ll be able to swim in and a rope swing for Tarzan moments. A more moderen restaurant and zip line add to the enjoyable.