Montego Bay

Montego Bay, Jamaica

MoBay, the nickname Montego Bay goes by locally, rose to prominence once a certain Sir Herbert Barker deemed swimming in a particular spot along its coastline to have exceptional health benefits. And while the curative effects of Doctor’s Cave waters remain up for debate, its striking aesthetic and promise of frolic certainly do not – MoBay remains a potent crowd-pleaser, accepting incomers on the daily, by the shipload.

Population:

110,000

Currency:

Jamaican dollar

Emergency Numbers:

Ambulance & Firemen: 110
Police: 119

Opening Hours:

Business hours vary, but most stores operate from around 8.30 and 9am to 4.30 and 5pm Monday through Friday, with a shortened day on Saturday.

Newspapers:

Daily Star
Jamaica Gleaner
Jamaica Herald
Jamaica Observer

The City

To outsiders, Montego Bay presents a glitzy facade of Ironshore (the suburb containing the city's largest share of upscale resorts), expansive golfing grounds, white sand beaches and cerulean waters. There is, however, a much less glamorous side to the place, one that often escapes the touristic eye – downtown Montego Bay, with all the bustle and grit that comes along with a living city of over 100,000 residents.

Head to the Hip Strip, as Gloucester Ave is known to tourists, and you'll find MoBay's famous Margaritaville, frequented by international revelers, along with multiple souvenir shops and eateries serving up jerk meats straight off the grill, Jamaican style. Venture outside of upscale resorts and you'll have no trouble mingling with locals, who exude an enigmatic joie de vivre.

Do & See

White sand beaches and crystal-clear waters are an excellent attraction in and of themselves, but there are plenty of excursions available to those who wish to explore the surrounding areas.

Restaurants

Being a known destination for swanky resorts, Montego Bay has no shortage of restaurants, serving both elevated Jamaican fare and international specialties. The ackee plant prominently features as a dish ingredient, along with seafood offerings from local waters: saltfish (cod), snapper, and even lobster. Meat, naturally, rules them all, with the staples of chicken and pork complemented by goat and oxtail.

Cafes

Jerked meat is ubiquitous in Montego Bay as much as the rest of Jamaica, deliciously juicy chunks of chicken and pork (and on occasion, shrimp and fish) served up at street-side stands and at "jerk centres" - casual eateries with jerked meats as their speciality. Side orders often include deep-fried bammy (flatbread), festival fritters, rice and peas.