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Capital and chief port of Jamaica
Photo: Wolmadrian, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
Kingston, the capital and largest city of Jamaica, is nestled on the southeastern coast of the island. Visitors often come to the birthplaces of reggae. Trenchtown and other parts of the city may be best visited on a guided tour as it is unwise to visit on your own.
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One of the best example of Jamaican architecture, the Devon House was built by George Stiebel, the nation's first black millionaire. Much of the interior furniture is not original, but it upholds the 19th century mansion style. The courtyard has craft shops, a few restaurants, and the most famous ice cream shop on the island.
The museum features artwork by Jamaicans from throughout its history, from the native Taino Indians through the colonial period to works by modern artists. The gallery hosts its annual National Visual Arts Exhibition, which began in 1963 as a way to promote post-colonial art and to showcase the works of rising artists from Jamaica. Entrance fees are waved during the exhibition period.
The seat of the Jamaican upper and lower houses, parliament and legislature. This modest building was finished in 1960 and named after the national hero George William Gordon, elected as a member of the island administration in the mid-18th century. The building can be visited by prior appointment.
Hibbert House, Headquarter House
First built as a residence for Thomas Hibbert, a wealthy merchant and later the Speaker of the House of Assembly. The War Office of the West Indies Regiment bought the house in 1814, and it served as an army headquarters and residence for the commanding general. In 1872 it was sold to the colonial administration, whereafter the parliament functioned here until 1960 when it moved to the new Gordon House across the street. The Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT) office has been in the house since 1983, and visitors are welcome.
The massive white and blue theatre building north of the William Grant Park is definitely an eyecatcher. The neoclassical building is the third theater building standing on this place and was gifted to the city by rum magnate Colonel Charles J. Ward in 1912. The theatre is a national heritage site and has more than 800 seats with its interior hardly changed since its inauguration. However, not much else has been renovated either, and the building is in a quite bad condition. The population of downtown do not really have a relationship to the cultural side of this building whereas the richer inhabitants avoid the surroundings at nighttime.
This university was established in 1948 on the grounds of the former Mona and Papine sugar plantations. Sights on the campus are the Hope plantage aqueduct build in 1758 and the university's chapel built from stones from the Gayle plantation in Falmouth.
Three centuries ago, this was the eastern end of the harbour. Rock Fort was established in 1694 as a protection against the French, and it was enlarged over the course of the 18th century. Now the ruins of it stand along the highway. Next to the ruins there's a mineral bath (Rockfort Mineral Bath) in a source that emerged in the 1907 earthquake.
Filled with tons of memorabilia and Bob Marley's personal belongings, this museum was Bob Marley's recording studio and was his home until his death in 1981. The house is a preserved historical site; even the bullet holes from the attempted murder of Bob Marley remain. Every visitor will be added to a tour upon entry.
Coin and Notes Museum
In the Bank of Jamaica Building there's a museum showcasing the history of Jamaican money. There's a collection of old coins in banknotes on display.
Taino Museum
A small museum with artifacts and information about the original inhabitants of the island, the Arawak (or Taino) Indians.
In the southern corner of Kingston's most (in)famous neighbourhood there's a museum where you can learn about the district, and the musicians behind the style of music that was born there in the 1960s – reggae.
Originally this was the horse race track of Kingston and as such also goes by the names Racecourse or George VI Memorial Park. In the southern end of the park, there's a big memorial stone, and it's the burial place of the national heroes Marcus Garvey, Alexander Bustamante and Norman Manley. There are statues of Paul Bogle, Simon Bolivar, and the Cuban general Antoneo Maceo. On the southern end of the park there are the ministries of finance and education.
Former parade ground with a colourful history. In 1694 a fortification was built on this place, with the guns aimed at the harbour. It was torn down in 1870 and the place was turned into a parade ground, named Victoria Park after the queen. A statue of Queen Victoria was placed here, in addition to a gallows. In 1977 the park got its current name, and the queen's statue was joined by statues of Alexander Bustamante and Norman Manley. In the end of the 1980s the parade grounds were remodelled into a park.
The second largest Botanical Garden in the Caribbean after the one in Santo Domingo. The garden gets its name from the man Richard Hope who helped capture Jamaica for Great Britain and was given the property to reward him for his faithfulness to the Crown. Hope established a sugar plantation here. In 1758 the first stone aqueducts were built here, channeling the water of the Hope River and still part of the city's water supply system. In 1881 the government bought a part of the plantation and set up the botanical garden, much of which was first used as an experimental farm. Here new species of sugarcane, coffee, cocoa and pineapple was grown. Until the 1907 earthquake it was possible to travel here by tram from the city centre. Queen Elizabeth II visited the park in 1953 and since that "Royal" has been part of its name. There's a small zoo and a restaurant in the park. The garden has seen better days, but the zoo has been renovated and expanded.
See animals from many parts of the world; mammals, birds and reptiles from iguanas to emus and lions to bobcats.
Offers free concerts occasionally in the summer and during the Christmas. The six-acre park includes fountains and public art. The park is known for the large sculpture Redemption Song at the park's main entrance.Redemption Song, which takes its name from Bob Marley's song of the same name, is an 11-ft-high (approximately 3 m) bronze sculpture by Jamaican artist Laura Facey. The sculpture features a male and female figure gazing to the skies – symbolic of their triumphant rise from the horrors of slavery. The statue was unveiled in July 2003, in time for the park's first anniversary. The park is in New Kingston, opened on 31 July 2002, the day before Emancipation Day. Prime Minister P.J. Patterson's address to open the park he acknowledged that the park is a commemoration of the end of slavery. Even though the park doesn't provide food and drink, except ice-cream, restaurants and cafés are nearby.
Beach off the coast of Port Royale must take a boat from Port Royal fisherman or the hotel to island. Island is famous as the location for final scene in The Harder they Come. Crowded party spot on the weekends with food and drink available for purchase, much more sedate and often deserted on weekdays. You can camp overnight if you arrange a next-day pickup time, but be careful, as you can't exactly swim to shore!
Once known as the "Richest and wickedest city in the world", Port Royal was a notorious pirate haven in the 17th century. The most famous privateer (basically a pirate, but licensed by the British crown) who operated from Port Royal was Sir Henry Morgan who plundered Spanish vessels travelling in the Caribbean and even sacked Panama City. The city prospered as the pirates gathered riches, but a strong earthquake struck the area in 1692 sinking many ships in the harbour, killing many people, and leaving much of the city under the sea. Some claimed the quake was God's punishment for the evildoers of Port Royal. This disaster helped to establish Kingston as the new capital, and many of the survivors moved to Kingston. Although most of the buildings at the port today are not the original buildings, the walls of Fort Charles have been preserved since the rebuilding two years after the earthquake, Saint Peter's Church built in the early 18th century, and the ruins of Fort Rocky remain. There is also a museum to learn more about the history and see artifacts from its heyday. The site was listed as a in 2025.
Gym.
18-hole golf course, designed by Scotsman Stanley Thompson in 1920. Par 70, 6,096 yards. Clubhouse, bar, restaurant, pool, tennis court, equipment shop.
120 berths, 3-ton crane, pool, restaurant and bar, fuel and water.
Built for the 1962 Central American and Caribbean Games, with 35,000 seats. Mainly used for association football, concerts.
Established in 1895, this has a capacity of 15,600. It hosts the island team and Jamaica Tallawahs in the T20 Caribbean Premier League.
600 seats.
1,000 seats
Mexican and vegetarian.
Chinese cuisine.
Vegetarian restaurant.
Chinese restaurant.
Chinese restaurant.
Chinese restaurant.
Simple Jamaican cuisine.
Jazz & Blues-themed Caribbean fusion cuisine restaurant & bar. Cultural watering hole with live music & art gallery.
Excellent upmarket restaurant with a fusion of Western and Jamaican cooking. Eat outside at large tables with very decorative flower arrangements.
Highly recommended, but expensive, fish and seafood joint. Tuesdays are all-you-can-eat shellfish nights.
East Japanese Restaurant
Japanese cuisine.
Steakhouse.
Popular watering hole mainly patronised by those over 30. Disco and live music and excellent bar snacks.
38 rooms, air conditioned unit, cable TV, free Wi-Fi, fitness room/gym, 8 tennis courts, 6 squash courts and a swimming pool.
Guest house. 15 rooms with AC and TV. Breakfast restaurant and bar in the inner yard, restaurant across the street. The hotel has been owned by the same family for more than 50 years.
58 rooms and suites. All rooms have balcony, shower, internet access, air condition, safe and TV. Rates include breakfast.
Fascinating mid-range Jamaican hotel with a wide range of facilities and Jamaican mojo. 22 suites and studios, Palm restaurant, Vibes Sportsbar, pool, gym, jacuzzi, 4 conference rooms
19 standard rooms and 57 deluxe rooms. Two bars, pool, gym, three conference rooms. Restaurant with German cuisine.
Mahogany furnishings in a traditional Caribbean style. Usual amenities for business travellers. Mingles Pub is a popular meeting place and Alexander's restaurant has a good reputation. Offers handicapped access. 88 rooms and 30 suites. Pool, gym (24 hr open), conference room, Mingles night club.
Reports suggest that it has seen many better days and lost its former Hilton franchise. Breakfasts not included in price and are expensive. Internet extremely unreliable.
170 room, newly refurbished. Bar, restaurant, pool, fitness centre.
New hotel, with gym, swimming pool, etc. The architect seems to have almost forgotten windows in some of the rooms at the back, however, and others are a bit noisy if you want an early night. A business rather than a tourist hotel. Excellent internet, both Wi-Fi and cable, and a good restaurant.
Arguably Kingston's major hotel. In the New Kingston area close to most offices. 300 rooms and suites. Pool, souvenir store, fitness centre, 9 conference rooms, two floodlit tennis courts, wellness centre. 17-floor building, accessible for disabled guests. Multiple restaurants.
Definitely a splurge hotel the Terra Nova advertises itself as an "All Suite" hotel. Convenient location, good service and a highly regarded kitchen. 35 suites. Gaming lounge, two restaurants, two bars, pool, boutique, fitness centre (24 hr open), conference rooms.
Handicraft and souvenirs are what they sell here, both Jamaican traditional craft and touristy items like t-shirts.
On weekends, where you can buy fruit and vegetables from across the island.
By plane
By car
Island Rental Cars has offices at the NMIA airport, in downtown Kingston, Ocho Rios and Montego Bay, and will allow you to do one-way rentals. Remember to drive on the left!
By bus
Regular bus service in Jamaica costs J$80-100. Air-conditioned buses (in yellow with the Jamaican flag at the front) cost J$150 (children under 12 J$50).
By taxi
All official taxis have red license plates that start with PPV.
By car
With some practice, bravery, and chutzpah you can rent a car (Island Rent a car allows for one-way car rental).
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Kingston · International · KIN
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