Orientation

Arriving By Plane

Most arrivals in Jamaica are at Donald Sangster International Airport, 2 miles (3km) east of the center of Montego Bay. Those booked into resorts at Ocho Rios and its satellite, Runaway Bay, or Negril also use the Mo Bay airport as a point of entry into Jamaica.

In winter, the busy season for tourism in Jamaica, lines move smoothly. Things move more slowly during the summer months, despite dwindling numbers of tourists-partly because many Jamaicans from Canada and the United States arrive during those months to visit family. They often bring suitcases packed with gifts and supplies; inspection of these items can cause endless delays. (Jamaica's Customs and Immigration officers are zealous.)

After clearing Customs, there is a currency exchange office. You can change money here into Jamaican dollars. Nearly all places on the island eagerly accept the "Yankee dollar"-in fact, most vendors will specifically request it-but if you plan to go to local dives, they might deal only in Jamaican dollars. Our advice? Pick up a little Jamaican cash here at the airport, where you'll get a far better exchange rate than at your hotel. Plus, it's safer here than at a late-night city ATM.

It's true that there are ATMs at the airport. But some travelers have complained bitterly when they discovered some of these machines to be chronically out of cash.

Warning: Once you retrieve your luggage at the airport, hang on to it. Luggage theft is fairly commonplace here, and in Kingston it becomes much more so.

Getting From the Airport into the City

Some of the major resorts, such as the Sandals properties, keep vans waiting at the airport to carry guests right to the hotel for free. Other properties do not, however, especially the less expensive ones. If you're staying at one of these, you must take a taxi (unless you're picking up a rental car at the airport); there is no public bus service from the airport into Montego Bay.

Use only special taxis or vans operated by JUTA, the Jamaica Union of Travelers Association. Do not get into a "pirate taxi," even though drivers will promise to cut the going rate in half; cheating tourists is disturbingly common. JUTA tariffs are controlled, and you'll recognize its vehicles by the union emblems. A list of official tariffs is posted at the airport-but it's still important to agree on the price before setting out, to avoid potential disagreements later.

Go on to Visitor Information

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