Kingston

Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica with a population of 651,880! It is the corporate, commercial and economic activity center of the island. Surrounded by the beautiful Blue Mountains where the greatest coffee is well known, Kingston also faces a natural harbor where the commercial port is located. The long sand pitch (see photo) connects the city to the historic Port Royal town (famous in Pirates of the Caribbean) and the Norman Manley International Airport. Kingston has a specific tropical wet-and-dry climate influenced by the mountains, the sea and the dense urban development. Being in the tropics, Jamaica has to deal with the hurricane season from June to November that usually only brings a lot more rain than usual. The city also experiences frequent earthquakes (more than 200 tremors annually in Jamaica). The town suffers of a reputation of high crime rate, gang violence and shootings, although it has been very calm lately.  We are lucky enough to be located in New Kingston, a safe area. Almost all estates are gated with a security guard 24/7. Kingston's diversity is reflected in its dissimilar neighborhoods, from the well-off suburbs to the less prosperous downtown. When driving, you can see severe poverty as well as expensive cars and homes. Far from the resorts of the north coast, Kingston has a few beaches that are, unfortunately, polluted. There is one beautiful beach but it is located on a small island not so far from Port Royal called Lime Cay, I will tell you more about it in another post.  ;)

Visitors can discover the Bob Marley Museum, Devon House, famous for its ice cream, Emancipation Park, Hope Gardens and Zoo, and have a taste of Jamaica at Usain Bolt’s restaurant, Tracks and Records. You will find my evaluations about those attractions and many more restaurants in the reviews section of my blog.