Montego Bay (aka MoBay) is one of the top tourist destinations in Jamaica. Located on the northwestern coast of the island nation, Montego Bay is perhaps best known for its stunning sand beaches and crystal clear waters. Due to its immense popularity, Montego Bay has the best travel infrastructure in all of Jamaica.
No matter what you want out of a Jamaican vacation, you’re sure to find plenty of things to do in Montego Bay. Below, we’ll help you get a head start planning your super special voyage to MoBay. The following eight attractions are the absolute best things to do in Montego Bay.
1. Soak Up Some Sun At Doctor’s Cave Beach
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Let’s get the obvious attraction out-of-the-way first: Doctor’s Cave Beach. Founded way back in 1910, Doctor’s Cave Beach first became popular with tourists in the 1920s after British doctors discovered powerful healing minerals in these waters.
Although the cave that used to be here was destroyed in 1932, this beach still enjoys the largest crowds of any beach in Jamaica. This family-friendly beach is a perfect place to sunbathe, play some water sports, or go on a snorkeling dive. There’s also a clubhouse here with facilities like a sauna, showers, and even a pool table.
Even if you only visit for a few hours, Doctor’s Cave Beach is a must to include on anyone’s list of things to do in Montego Bay. Note, this beach can get extremely crowded, so be sure to get in Doctor’s Cave Beach right when it opens at 8:30AM. It costs around $5 for adults and $2.50 for children under 12 to enter this beach.
2. Eat The World’s Best Pineapples At Croydon Plantation
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Interestingly, the Croydon Plantation is on TripAdvisor‘s top 10 list of “Things to do in Montego Bay. There are so many reasons why you should schedule a tour of this award-winning pineapple plantation. Once you arrive at the Croydon Plantation you’ll get some incredible views of the Jamaica countryside from the base of the Catadupa Mountains.
As you walk around this area, your tour guide will teach you all about Samuel Sharpe, a major anti-slavery activist who was born on this plantation. Last, but certainly not least, you’ll get to taste all of Croydon Plantation’s delectable produce. In addition to sampling the pineapples, you’ll enjoy some locally grown coffee, sugar cane, and a BBQ lunch.
Anyone can schedule a tour of Croydon Plantation on either on Tuesday or Friday. Tour guides offer round-trip transportation from your Montego Bay hotel to the plantation. Croydon Plantation is about a one-hour drive from central Montego Bay.
3. See Ghosts In The Opulent Rose Hall Great House
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Do you believe in ghosts? No? Well, maybe you’ll change your opinion on the spirit world after a nighttime tour of the Rose Hall Great House. Your tour guide will tell you all about the life and times of Annee Palmer, a former resident of this house who is now believed to haunt the plantation. Palmer is better known today as the “White Witch of Rose Hall.” Pretty spooky, huh?
If you don’t feel strong enough to endure this night-time haunted tour, no worries. You can tour the Rose Hall Great House and the garden in the daytime. It costs $18 per person to go on either of these tours. The Rose Hall Great House also has two golf courses and a wedding pavilion. The Rose Hall Great House is only a 30-minute drive from central Montego Bay.
4. Learn About Jamaican History At The Greenwood Great House
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Sticking with the theme of historic houses, the Greenwood Great House is an incredible place to visit for anyone interested in history and/or literature. The wealthy Barrett family built this immense house back in 1780. One of the Barrett family’s patriarchs, Edward Barrett, was the father of the famous Victorian poetess Elizabeth Barrett Browning.
Despite a massive slave revolt in 1831, Greenwood hasn’t been damaged at all throughout the years. Tour guides take guests through amazingly well-preserved rooms on a 45-minute guided tour. Tickets are only $20 per person. You can schedule any day of the week between 9AM to 5PM. This house is a 15-minute drive from central Montego Bay.
5. Great Art And Glorious Flowers: Ahhh…Ras Natango Gallery and Garden
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The Ahhh…Ras Natango Gallery and Garden is a must-see destination for anyone interested Jamaica’s flora. Believe it or not, the area that’s now the Ahhh…Ras Natango Gallery and Garden used to be a desolate and jagged hillside. An accountant by the name of Ian Williams (aka Ras Natango) changed that when he bought the area in 1988. By 2009, Williams realized his dream of creating both a world-renowned art gallery and garden open to the Jamaican public.
It’s particularly stunning to visit this garden at night because you can see lights illumined throughout the Jamaican countryside. Anyone staying in the Montego Bay area can schedule a free van pickup from their hotel to this gallery. The car ride is only 15 minutes from central Montego Bay.
6. Enjoy Privacy At The Powerful Mayfield Falls
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Most lists of things to do in Montego Bay include a day-trip to the nearby Dunn’s Falls. While Dunn’s Falls in Ocho Rios is undeniably awesome, it’s also usually crammed with tourists. That’s why we’ve chosen to include the lesser known Mayfield Falls on our list.
Since Mayfield Falls doesn’t have the notoriety of Dunn’s Falls, you won’t have to fight the crowds here. Also, Mayfield Falls is a bit closer to MoBay (a little over a one-hour drive) than Dunn’s Falls (which is one hour and 30 minutes away by car). Mayfield Falls is officially in Glenbrook Westmoreland and is composed of over 20 falls. You shouldn’t have any difficulty booking a trip to either Dunn’s Falls or Mayfield Falls online or from your MoBay hotel.
7. Stroll Down The Trendy Gloucester Avenue
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Gloucester Avenue is colloquially known as “Hip Street” by locals. You’ll find plenty of touristy shops, restaurants, and nightclubs down this avenue. The most popular (and touristy) place to visit on Gloucester Avenue is without a doubt Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville Montego Bay. Even if you just want to window shop, it’s nice to take a break from Doctor’s Cave Beach and browse around this trendy area of the city.
8. Let Your Troubles Slip Away In Martha Brae River
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Last on our list of the best things to do in Montego Bay is booking a river raft ride on the Martha Brae River. A raft ride on this incredible river is now number three on TripAdvisor’s top 10 list of things to do in Montego Bay.
Martha Brae River is about a 40-minute drive away from central MoBay, but it’s definitely worth the effort to get there. You can bring a few snacks with you to savor while your expert tour guide slowly guides you through lush Jamaican greenery. This is an incredibly romantic ride not to be missed by any couples touring MoBay.
Summing Up
Of course, there are many other things to do in Montego Bay we weren’t able to list in this article. There are literally hundreds of restaurants, resorts, and spas to check out if that’s what you’re into. You can also plan more daily excursions to cities like Falmouth, Ocho Rios, and even Negril.
No matter what you choose to do, however, you’re certain to have a great time in this piece of tropical paradise. Just be sure to pack plenty of sunscreen before hopping on your plane to Sangster International Airport.