From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

City of Kingston, Jamaica
Downtown Kingston and the Port of Kingston
Motto: A city which hath foundations[1]
Location of Kingston shown within Jamaica
Coordinates: 17°59′N 76°48′W / 17.983°N 76.8°W / 17.983; -76.8
Country	Jamaica
County	Surrey
Parish	Kingston and St. Andrew
Established	1692
Area
- Total	480 km2 (185.3 sq mi)
Elevation	9 m (30 ft)
Population (2001)
- Total	651,880
- Density	1,358/km2 (3,517.2/sq mi)
- Kingston Parish	96,052
- St. Andrew Parish	555,828
Time zone	EST (UTC-5)

Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island. In the Americas, Kingston is the largest predominantly English-speaking city south of the United States. The local government bodies of the parishes of Kingston and St. Andrew were amalgamated by the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation Act of 1923, to form the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC). Greater Kingston, or the "Corporate Area" refers to those areas under the KSAC; however, it does not solely refer to Kingston Parish, which only consists of the old 'downtown' and Port Royal. Kingston Parish had a population of 96,052, and St. Andrew parish had a population of 555,828 in 2001.^[2] Kingston is only bordered by Saint Andrew to the east, west and north. The geographical border for the parish of Kingston ends at East Street, West Street and North Street.

The city proper is bounded by Six Miles to the west, Stony Hill to the north, Papine to the northeast and Harbour View to the east, communities in urban and suburban Saint Andrew. Communities in rural St. Andrew such as Gordon Town, Mavis Bank, Lawrence Tavern, Mt. Airy and Bull Bay would not be described as being in Kingston city.

Two parts make up the central area of Kingston: the historic but troubled Downtown, and New Kingston. Several reggae stars, including Buju Banton, Sean Paul, Bounty Killer, and Beenie Man, hail from Kingston(Saint Andew). Attractions include the nearby Hellshire located in Saint Catherine and Lime Cay beaches, the National Gallery of Jamaica, the ruins of Port Royal, and Devon House, a mansion with adjoining park that once belonged to Jamaica's first black millionaire. Several annual and well-visited festivals are held in Kingston.

Kingston is served by Norman Manley International Airport and also by the smaller and primarily domestic Tinson Pen Aerodrome.

History

Scenes in Kingston after the 1882 fire.

Map of Kingston 1897

Kingston was founded on 22 July 1692, as a place for refugees and survivors of the 1692 earthquake that destroyed Port Royal. Before the earthquake, Kingston’s functions were purely agricultural. The earthquake survivors set up a refugee camp on the sea front. Approximately two thousand people died due to mosquito-borne diseases. Initially the refugees lived in a tented camp on Colonel Barry's Hog Crawle. The town did not begin to grow until after the further destruction of Port Royal by the Nick Catania Pirate Fleet's fire in 1703. Surveyor John Goffe drew up a plan for the town based on a grid bounded by North, East, West and Harbour Streets. By 1716 it had become the largest town and the centre of trade for Jamaica. The government sold land to people with the regulation that they purchase no more than the amount of the land that they owned in Port Royal, and only land on the sea front. Gradually wealthy merchants began to move their residences from above their businesses to the farm lands north on the plains of Liguanea.

The first free school, Wolmer's, was founded in 1729^[3] and there was a theatre, first on Harbour Street and then moved in 1774 to North Parade. Both are still in existence. In 1755 the governor, Sir Charles Knowles, had decided to transfer the government offices from Spanish Town to Kingston. It was thought by some to be an unsuitable location for the Assembly in close proximity to the moral distractions of Kingston, and the next governor rescinded the Act. However, by 1780 the population of Kingston was 11,000, and the merchants began lobbying for the administrative capital to be transferred from Spanish Town, which was by then eclipsed by the commercial activity in Kingston.

By the end of the 18th century the city contained more than 3000 brick buildings. The harbour fostered trade, and played part in several naval wars of the 18th century. Kingston took over the functions of Spanish Town (the capital at the time). These functions included agriculture, commercial, processing, and a main transportation hub to and from Kingston and other sections of the island.

The government passed an act to transfer the government offices to Kingston from Spanish Town, which occurred in 1872. It kept this status when the island was granted independence in 1962.

Bird's eye view of Kingston after the 1907 earthquake

In 1907, 800 people died in another earthquake known as the 1907 Kingston earthquake, destroying nearly all the historical buildings south of Parade in the city. That was when a restriction of no more than 60 feet (18 m) was instituted on buildings in the central business district. These three story high buildings were built with reinforced concrete. Construction on King Street in the city was the first area to breach this building code.

During the 1930s, island-wide riots led to the development of trade unions and political parties to represent workers.

The city became home to the Mona campus of the University of the West Indies founded in 1948 with 24 medical students.

View of the Uptown New Kingston skyline (2007)

Not until the 1960s did major change occur in the development of Kingston’s central business district. The international attention of reggae music at that time coincided with the expansion and development of 95 acres (380,000 m²) of the Downtown Kingston waterfront area.

View of the Downtown Kingston waterfront showing the Bank of Nova Scotia and the Bank of Jamaica

These developments led to an influx of shops and offices, and the development of a new financial center: New Kingston, which replaced the Knutsford Racetrack. Multi-story buildings and boulevards were placed within that section.

In 1966 Kingston was the host city to the Commonwealth Games.

The western section of the city was not the focus of development, and that area proved to be politically tense. The 1970s saw deteriorating economic conditions that led to recurrent violence and a decline in tourism which later affected the island.

In the 1980 general elections, the democratic socialist People's National Party (PNP) government was voted out. Subsequent governments have been market-oriented since the 1980s. Within a global urban era, the 1990s saw that Kingston has made efforts to modernize and develop its city structure and functions. Various organizations such as The Kingston Restoration Company, the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) and the Port Authority of Jamaica, along with the Port Royal Development Company, among others sought to develop the urban structure of the city.

Demographics

Most of the population of Kingston is of African descent. Minority ethnic groups include East Indians and Chinese, who came to the country as indentured servants in the late 19th century. They now occupy important roles in Jamaica's economy especially in the retail markets in Downtown Kingston. Smaller numbers of Europeans, mostly descending from immigrants from Germany and Great Britain also reside in the city as well as number of Christian Syrians and Lebanese. People of mixed ancestry also form a sizable population group.

Religion

There are a wide variety of Christian churches in the city. Most are Protestant, a legacy of British colonization of the island. The chief denominations are Church of God, Baptist, Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Seventh-day Adventist, and Pentecostal. Afro-Christian syncretic religions such as the Rastafari movement also have a significant following.

The Shaare Shalom Synagogue serves Kingston's Jewish population. The city also has communities of Buddhists and Muslims. The Islamic Council of Jamaica and the Islamic Education and Dawah Center are both located in Kingston.

Economy

Air Jamaica headquarters

Kingston plays a central role in Jamaica's economy. The vast majority of economic activity takes place within Kingston, and as since most government ministries are located in the city, it is a key force in legislation in regards to Jamaica's finances. The high population density of the capital city means that the majority of monetary transactions occur in Kingston - stimulating much of Jamaica's local economy. Many banks are headquartered in Kingston as well.^{[citation needed]}

Air Jamaica is headquartered in Kingston.^[4]

Geography

Kingston skyline, circa 2003

Kingston is surrounded by the Blue Mountains, Red Hills, Long Mountain and the Kingston Harbour. The city is situated on the Liguanea Plain, an alluvial plain alongside the Hope River. Kingston experiences frequent earthquakes, including the 1907 earthquake.

Climate

Kingston has a tropical climate, specifically a tropical wet-and-dry climate, characterized by a wet season from May to November, which coincides with the hurricane season, and a dry season from December to April. During the dry season, there is not much rainfall, however, cold and stationary fronts occur at this time, and often bring heavy showers, especially in March. Kingston is located in the rain shadow of the Blue Mountains; therefore, little to none of the moisture carried by the Northeast Trade Winds falls over Kingston, causing Kingston to be very dry in comparison to Portland and Saint Mary on the windward side of the Blue Mountains. Kingston is on a coastal location, hence it comes under the influence of the sea, though dense urban development can negate this effect. In the 21st century, Kingston has experienced temperatures as high as 34°C (93.2°F) and temperatures as low as 25°C (77°F). Between 1895 and 1990, the total average rainfall was recorded at 909.7 mm (35.8 inches), the highest monthly average rainfall recorded in October at 181.1 mm (7.1 inches), and the lowest monthly average rainfall recorded in March at 22.7 mm (0.9 inches).^[5]

Neighbourhoods and districts

Transportation

Road

Transport centre in Half Way Tree.

The St William Grant Park (Parade) in the heart of downtown Kingston is the starting point for three of Jamaica's four A roads, namely the A1 (Kingston to Lucea), the A3 (Kingston to Saint Ann's Bay) and the A4 (Kingston to Annotto Bay), while the city itself is provided with a dense network of trunk, main, secondary and minor roads.

Kingston is well served by buses, mini buses and taxis, which operate throughout the city with major hubs at Parade, Cross Roads, Half Way Tree and elsewhere.^[7]

Private car ownership levels are high and like many major urban conurbations Kingston suffers from frequent traffic jams and pollution.

Rail

The now disused Kingston railway station served the Kingston to Montego Bay main line with branches from Spanish Town to Ewarton, Bog Walk to Port Antonio, Linstead to New Works and May pen to Frankfield.

The station opened in 1845 and closed in October 1992 when all passenger traffic on Jamaica's railways abruptly ceased.^[8]

Air

Kingston's international airport is Norman Manley International Airport while Tinson Pen Aerodrome provides domestic services.

Sea

Historically, the Kingston waterfront was Jamaica's main port with many finger piers at which freighters and passenger liners could dock. More recently, with the containerisation of freight, the port has moved to Newport West.

Law

The Jamaica Constabulary Force, Jamaica's police force, is based on Old Hope Road near Liguanea. Smaller police stations, such as Hunt's Bay, Matilda's Corner and Half-Way-Tree, are dispersed across the Corporate Area. The Supreme Court of Jamaica is also located in Kingston. Other courts, such as the Half-Way-Tree Resident Magistrate's Court, Gun Court, Traffic Court and Family Court, make Kingston their home. The Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) has its headquarters at Up Park Camp near New Kingston and Cross Roads. The JDF also operates a major naval base at Port Royal.

Media and telecommunications

The Gleaner Company, the Jamaica Observer and the Sunday Herald, three of Jamaica's large newspaper companies, make their home in Kingston. Several television and radio stations including Television Jamaica (TVJ), CVM TV, RJR 94 FM,TBC 88.5 FM, Hitz 92 FM, FAME 95 FM, LOVE TV, ZIP 103, Kool 97 FM and LOVE FM, are all based in Kingston. Kingston generally has an adequate telecommunications service, administered by either Cable and Wireless or Flow Jamaica. Cellular phone service is also very strong in Kingston, especially since Cable & Wireless, Digicel and Claro, Jamaica’s three cellular providers, are all based in the city.

Services

Kingston, as the capital, is the financial, cultural, economic and industrial centre of Jamaica. Many financial institutions are based in Kingston, and the city boasts the largest number of hospitals, schools, universities and cultural attractions of any urban area on the island. Notable Kingston landmarks include the University of the West Indies, Jamaica Defence Force Museum, and Bob Marley Museum.

Notable residents

Sister cities

Kingston has six sister cities:

• Miami, Florida, United States
• Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States
• Coventry, England, United Kingdom
• Guadalajara, Mexico
• Shenzhen, People's Republic of China
• Panevėžys, Lithuania

References

External links

Jamaica portal

• Jamaica Library Service: brief history of Kingston
• 2001 Census
• History
• Ministry of Health
• Jamaica National Heritage Trust
• The Tramways of Kingston, Jamaica
• FallingRain Map - elevation = 53m (Red dots are railways)

			Mona, Jamaica
	Spanish Town
		Kingston

Settlements in Jamaica For the definition of city, town, etc see Settlements in Jamaica. Cities Kingston · Montego Bay · Portmore · Spanish Town Towns Above Rocks · Albert Town · Alexandria, Jamaica · Alligator Pond · Anchovy · Anotto Bay · Balaclava · Bamboo · Bath · Bethel Town · Black River · Bluefields · Bog Walk · Brown's Town · Buff Bay · Bull Savanna · Cambridge · Cascade · Cave Valley · Chapelton · Christiana · Claremont · Clarendon Park · Clark's Town · Coleyville · Constant Spring · Croft's Hill · Dalvey · Darliston · Discovery Bay (Dry Harbour) · Duncans · Easington · Ewarton · Falmouth · Frankfield · Franklin Town · Frome · Gayle · Golden Grove · Gordon Town · Grange Hill · Green Island · Guy's Hill · Hagley Gap · Hayes · Highgate · Hope Bay · Hopewell, Hanover · Islington · Kellits · Lacovia · Linstead · Lionel Town · Little London · Lluidas Vale · Lucea · Lucky Hill · Maggotty · Malvern · Manchioneal · Mandeville · Maroon Town · Mavis Bank · May Pen · Moneague · Moore Town · Morant Bay · Nain · Negril · Newcastle · Ocho Rios · Old Harbour Bay · Old Harbour · Oracabessa · Osbourne Store · Petersfield · Point Hill · Port Antonio · Port Esquivel · Port Maria · Port Royal · Porus · Race Course · Richmond · Rio Bueno · Riversdale · Rocky Point · Runaway Bay · Saint Ann's Bay · Sandy Bay · Santa Cruz · Savanna-la-Mar · Seaforth · Siloah · Southfield · Stonehenge · Stony Hill · Trinity Ville · Ulster Spring · Vineyard Town · Wakefield · Whitehouse · Williamsfield · Yallahs Villages Accompong · Aeolus Valley · Airy Castle · Barking Lodge · Bog · Big Woods · Boscobel · Bull Bay · Carmel · Cattawood Springs · Cotterwood · Duckenfield · Haddersfield · Hodges · Hopewell Hall · Hopewell, Clarendon · Hopewell, Manchester · Hopewell, Saint Andrew · Hopewell, Saint Ann · Hopewell, Saint Elizabeth · Hopewell, Westmoreland · Hopeton · Long Wood · Mavis Banks · Nanny Town · New Holland · New Roads · Nine Mile · Old Pera · Paynes Town · Port Morant · Roxborough, Manchester · San San · White Hall · Wood Hall Neighbourhoods Kingston Allman Town · Barbican · Beverly Hills · Bournemouth Gardens · Camperdown · Cassava Piece · Cherry Gardens · Cockburn Gardens · Constant Spring · Cooreville Gardens · Cross Roads · Delacree Park · Denham Town · Duhaney Park · Eastwood Park · Fletcher's Land · Four Mile · Grants Pen · Greenwich Town · Half Way Tree · Hannah Town · Harbour View · Havendale · Hope Pastures · Hughenden · Jack's Hill · Jones Town · Kencot · Kingston Gardens · Liguanea · Manley Meadows · Mannings Hill · Maxfield · Meadowbrook · Meadowbrook Estate · Molynes Gardens · Mona · Mona Heights · Mountain View Gardens · Nannyville Gardens · New Haven · New Kingston · Newport West · Norbrook · Norman Gardens · Olympic Gardens · Papine · Patrick Gardens · Pembroke Hall · Perkins Estate · Queensborough · Queensbury · Rae Town · Red Hills · Richmond Park · Rockfort/Rennock lodge · Rollington Town · Seaview Gardens · Shooters Hill · Six Miles · St Mary · Stony Hill · Three Mile · Tivoli Garden · Trench Town · Vineyard Town · Washington Gardens · Whitfield Town · Woodford Park · Ziadie Gardens

From Wikitravel

Northern suburbs of Kingston.

Kingston is the capital of Jamaica.

Understand

Kingston, the capital of Jamaica, is located on the southeastern coast of the island. There are two major sections to this city: 'downtown' and 'uptown,' also referred to as 'New Kingston.' Kingston was for some time Jamaica's only city and is still the commercial and cultural capital. You will notice that the city is assigned the equivalent of zip codes, (Kingston 5, Kingston 10, etc.) which is a good representation of how truly large this city is, especially for an island such as Jamaica.

Get in

Public transit

Buses leave from Half-Way Tree (HWT) and the massive Parade country bus park to all of Jamaica. For Port_Antonio, there are buses leaving from HWT. For Negril/Montego Bay and Ocho Rios ("Ochi"), the Parade country bus park is the best bet. Only totally packed buses leave, so try to get on the fullest you can find, and keep a tight hold of your bags.

By plane

Norman Manley International Airport (IATA: KIN), Phone: 1-888-247-7678, [1]. Located in the southeastern part of the island, overlooking Kingston Harbour on the Palisadoes peninsula.

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

Kingston has an extensive bus system that is not too well documented. Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) runs the bus system for the government, while private contractors also run the same routes. Buses generally go through one or more of the 3 central transportation hubs 1 downtown, 2. Half-Way Tree or 3. Cross Roads. Maps of the bus system can be found on whagwan.org.

Street in Kingston

By bus

The bus service in Jamaica has now been ungraded with express buses cost ranging from $80 to $100, and another bus which is also air conditioned which can be found in yellow with the Jamaican flag at the front, costs regular fares $15 for children under 12 and $50 12+(prices are expected to raise for the new buses soon because of the increase of gas). The original unconditioned buses still functioning, but who know when will they last... Check out the interactive bus map [2] for some guidance.

By taxi

Route Taxis (a taxi that has a set route and picks up multiple people along it) are also common and often mirror bus routes. These are a bit more complicated to get used to, so ask for help.

Charter Taxis (normal taxis) - negotiate a price before getting in the car. Fares range from J$400 to J$5000 for long routes.

Rental cars

With some practice, bravery, and chutzpah you can rent a car (Island Rent a car allows for one-way car rental). Take a good map and be willing to ask (and keep asking to get a consensus) for directions along the way. It's not safe to drive in the countryside after dark. If you get in a wreck/hit someone, drive to the nearest police station.

• Bob Marley Museum, 56 Hope Road, ☎ 876-927-9152, [3]. Open Mon. to Sat. Tours last one hour long. The first tour begins at 9:30 AM and the last tour begins at 4:00 PM. Filled with tons of memorabilia and Bob Marley's personal belongings, the museum is a must for any fan. The museum itself is an attraction as it was once Bob Marley's home and recording studio. The house is a preserved historical site, so even the bullet holes from the attempted murder of Bob Marley remain. He lived here until his death in 1981. Every visitor will be added to a tour upon entry. Residents $500 (Jamaican dollar), Non-residents $20 (US dollar).  edit

• National Gallery of Jamaica, 12 Ocean Blvd, ☎ +1 876-922-1561, [4]. Tues. to Thurs. 10 AM to 4:30 PM, Fri. 10 AM to 4 PM, Sat. 10 AM to 3 PM. 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. J$100, students and senior citizens over 65 may enter for J$50.  edit

• Port Royal. Once known as the "Richest and wickedest city in the world", Port Royal is a notorious 17th century pirate haven. The most famous pirate who operated from Port Royal was Sir Henry Morgan who plundered Spanish vessels travelling in the Caribbean. The city prospered as the pirates gathered riches, but a strong earthquake struck the area on June 7, 1962 sinking the ships in the harbor and killing many people as the earthquake moved much of the city into the sea. It has been said that the earthquake was caused by God himself to punish the evildoers of Port Royal. This disaster helped to establish Kingston as the new capital, and many of the survivors of the earthquake 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 hayday.  edit

• Devon House, 26 Hope Road, ☎ +1 876-926-0815, [5]. The Mansion is open Mon. to Sat. from 9:30 AM to 5 PM, the courtyard from 10 AM to 6 PM, and the gardens are open daily from 9:30 AM to 10 PM,. One of the best example of Jamaican architecture, the Deveon 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. US$5 includes tour.  edit

• Hope Botanical Gardens. Open daily 8:30 AM to 6:30 PM. The Largest Botanical Garden in the Caribbean. 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. Free.  edit

• Hope Zoo, (Next to the Botanical Gardens). 10 AM to 5 PM. J$20.  edit

• Arawak Museum (Taino Museum). A small museum with artifacts and information about the original inhabitants of the island, the Arawak (or Taino) Indians.  edit

• People's Museum of Craft and Technology. A small museum with pottery, instruments, and farming tools used in Jamaica. J$100.  edit

• Lime Kay. 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 pre-arrange a next-day pickup time, but be careful, as you can't exactly swim to shore!  edit

• Emancipation Park. Offers free concert occasionally in the summer and during the Christmas.  edit

• Putt and Play. Offers miniature golf and pool tables for a nice round of pool.  edit

• Kingston Crafts Market

• Blue Mountain Coffee from the supermarket for cheap or get premium beans direct from the JABLUM manufacturers or craft/single estate roasters. Look into Rum Roast and Royals at Devon House for some better selections.

• Parade's Coronation Market on weekends, where you can buy fruit and vegetables from across the island.

• Jerk, curried, fricasseed or brown stew chicken, pork or fish
• Escoveitch fish -- Warning, spicy!
• Ackee and saltfish (codfish) -- the national dish of Jamaica
• Curried mutton (goat)
• Fruit: Mangoes, sugar cane, paw-paw (papaya), guava, june plum, jackfruit, star apples, guinep, naseberries...
• roasted corn
• bammy
• patties from a bakery (Devon House makes excellent curried chicken patties, and both Juicy and Tastee are "fast food" patty restaurants. In Liguanea there's a vegetarian/vegan patty restaurant, across the parking lot from the Wendy's
• ice cream from Devon House

• Tastee Patty, Juicy Patty, Mother's - fast food, mostly "patties", though Mother's also does hamburgers and fried foods (Various places around town)

• Island Grill - upscale slightly westernized Jamaica fast food and jerk, in New Kingston.

• Jerk pans - see them on the street smelling good - get Jerked Chicken, rice and peas!

• Akbar, 11 Holborn Rd., New Kingston 10 Jamaica, W.I., ☎ +876 926-3480. Indian food served in a wonderful calm atmosphere. Sister Thai restaurant next door with equally pleasing menu  edit

• Red Bones Blues Cafe, 21 Braemar Avenue, New Kingston 10 Jamaica, W.I., ☎ +(876) 978-6091, [6]. Southern/US and Jamaican fusion cuisine with Jazz, blues, and other arts events.  edit

Drink

Drink Red Stripe and Appleton Rum. If you've got the guts, try some Wray & Nephew overproof white rum (locals refer to it as "whites"): a drink that is usually around 180 proof.

There's also refreshing coconut water, cane juice, sorrel (only served around Christmas time), Irish Moss, and tamarind drink or genuine Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee (according to experts it is perhaps the best tasting, most expensive and most sought after coffee in the world). You can get premium beans from Rum, Roast and Royals in the Devon House complex.

Good bars include Red Bones Blues Cafe (also a good restaurant).

Kingston is the host of many great clubs. Found in New Kingston, there are many clubs that party until the early morning hours. The Quad, and Asylum are only a couple of the very popular clubs.

• QUAD Nightclub, 20-22 Trinidad Terrace (in the middle of New Kingston), ☎ 876-754-QUAD. the only multi level nightclub in Jamaica. jazz, reggae, dancehall, r & b, soca. 12 USD.  edit

• Chelsea Hotel US$40.

• Indie's and Mrs. J's Guest House on Holborn road.

• Hope Pastures Great House Bed and Breakfast, 40 Charlemont Avenue Kingston 6, (876) 632 2030

(876) 809 7510 US$75. Contact Lance Watson Manager. Wi fi Internet and cable. See review in Moons Guide to Jamaica.

• Altamont Court Hotel, 1-5 Altamont Terrace New Kingston Jamaica, W.I., ☎ +(876) 929-5931 (fax: +(876) 929-2118), [7]. US$110.  edit

• Christar Villas Hotel, 99a Hope Rd., Kingston 6, Jamaica, W.I., ☎ +876-978-3933, [8]. Fascinating mid-range Jamaican hotel with a wide range of facilities and Jamaican mojo. US$115.  edit

• Courtleigh Hotel & Suites, 85 Knutsford Boulevard, Kingston 5 (876)-929-9000, [9]. The charming Courtleigh Hotel is the select hotel for discerning visitors to Kingston. This boutique property features up-scale mahogany furnishings in a traditional Caribbean setting. This hotel offers luxurious deluxe rooms and suites with executive work desks and many other amenities. Perfect for business or leisure travelers alike you will find unparalleled personalized service. The property is home to the renowned Mingles Pub and the award-winning Alexander's restaurant. Don't miss Saturday Latin Mingle! Meeting and banqueting facilities available. Offers handicapped access.

• Hilton Kingston, 77 Knutsford Boulevard, Kingston, ☎ 1-876-926-5430, [10]. checkin: 3:00PM; checkout: 11:00AM. From $89/nt.  edit

• The Knutsford Court Hotel, 16 Chelsea Avenue, Kingston 5 (876)-929-1000, [11]. A great new addition to New Kingston. This 170 room, newly refurbished garden style property offers today's modern conveniences in a relaxed tropical setting catering to business and leisure travelers alike. Ideally located in the heart of the financial and shopping district of New Kingston and just two minutes walk from Knutsford Boulevard. Many embassies, attractions, restaurants and night clubs within walking distance. Just 25 minutes from Norman Manley International.

Stay safe

It should be noted, however, to exercise general safety precautions while in Kingston. Like any large city anywhere in the world, it is home to a higher number of crimes than the rest of the island. Kingston has been rated most dangerous city in the world in previous years when it comes to murder rate. Common sense and precaution should ensure a pleasant experience. If you find yourself in need of police, the emergency number is 119.

Cope

Tourists, especially white tourists, tend to stick out and garner lots of attention, not all of it positive. Hissing and cat calls at women (even accompanied ones) is common. Reply to overzealous touts with "No badda (bother) me" can help.

Homosexuality is not at all condoned and can elicit violent reactions.

• Canada, [12].  edit
• United States, ☎ (876) 702-6000, [13].  edit

• Organize an overnight climb of Blue Mountain. Many outfits will come and pick you up from in town for an additional fee.
• Visit Hellshire beach for a taste of the authentic Jamaican beach going experience
• Take a fisherman's boat from Port Royal (or a fancier boat from Morgan's Harbour Hotel) to Lime Cay for the day -- bring your snorkel!
• Visit the JABLUM Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee factory
• Relax and have a beer in Port Royal, visit the museum and learn about the piracy history[14]
• Visit Gap Cafe and Strawberry Hill in the Blue Mountains
• Cross the Blue Mountains into Portland (Jamaica)