Jamaica Tours, Guides and Vacations

Since I started offering vacation planning and tour guides servcies here in Jamaica I have been asked a zillion times how hard it is to rent a car in Jamaica and tour the island by yourself. I have different answers for different people.

For most people traveling to Jamaica I tell them right away that driving in Jamaica is a different thing than driving anywhere else you have been. It’s not the fact they drive on the other side of the road, its not even that so many drivers speed but the fact the road conditions in Jamaica are simply horrendous and individuals accustomed to driving in the developed world may find it harder to get around in a country with few street signs and roadside assistance available for inexperienced drivers or tourists.

I have witnessed a number of incidents that could have been avoided with the help of a qualified tour guide in Jamaica and the following story is the perfect example. A group of Canadian tourists came to Kingston Jamaica in a rented van and took a wrong turn and they ended up having shots fired at them for entering the wrong neighborhood.

Now you may say that this could have happened to anyone but I disagree. I personally have been to all parts of Jamaica including the worst ghettos in downtown Kingston and have never had an issue similar. There is a way to travel in Jamaica and there is away not to travel. If you are obviously not from Jamaica and having trouble finding your way in certain areas you become an instant mark and endanger yourself and your passengers in doing so.

if you plan on traveling around Jamaica and do not have any experience in dealing with Jamaicans outside of the resort towns then you should hire a tour guide or driver and listen to them. Jamaica is a beautiful place full of ugly things and taking the time and spending the money to hire a professional Jamaican tour guide will help ensure you have a great Jamaican vacation without the drama and excitement this group tour experienced.

Canadian tourists shot at on Jamaican vacation

The group, who were reportedly from Quebec, were on a self-planned excursion when they heard three shots, which also damaged the van’s windshield.