Ocho Rios vs Montego Bay: Your Next Jamaican Holiday
Comparison Ocho Rios vs Montego Bay – When choosing your next Jamaican holiday, Ocho Rios and Montego can easily come to mind as these are some of the most popular points in Jamaica. Read here Negril vs Montego Bay
Montego Bay, the capital of Saint James Parish on Jamaica’s north coast, is a major cruise ship port with numerous beach resorts and golf courses outside its commercial core. Popular beaches include Doctor’s Cave Beach and Walter Fletcher Beach, home to an amusement park. There’s also snorkeling and diving at coral reefs in the protected waters of Montego Bay Marine Park
Ocho Rios is a port town on the north coast of Jamaica. A former fishing village, it’s now a resort with a cruise ship harbor and a busy bay beach that’s lined with hotels. The surrounding parish of Saint Ann is home to rainforests, rivers, and waterfalls. Dunn’s River Falls is a terraced, 180m mountain waterfall with lagoon pools, surrounded by trees.
Read here best restaurants in Ocho Rios, Jamaican vegetarian food, what to wear in Jamaica, the most instagrammable places in Jamaica, best restaurants in Negril and best restaurants in Montego Bay
SIM CARD AT MONTEGO BAY AIRPORT
I wouldn’t recommend you buy a sim card at Montego Bay airport. If you wish comfort you can buy eSim online and if you aren’t in a hurry just go around phone shops in the city and compare prices to buy the cheapest sim card in Montego Bay. Read here Jamaica sim card for tourist
BOOK YOUR TRAVEL INSURANCE
Two of our favorite travel insurance: Heymondo Vs Safetwing cheapest travel Insurance. You can get for $135 USD your Heymondo Travel Insurance with Heymondo discount code valid for 90 days. Read our full comparison of Genki vs Safetywing Travel Insurance Review and the comparison Heymondo vs Genki
Accommodation in Jamaica – Ocho Rios vs Montego Bay
There are dormitory rooms that you can rent the bed for as low as $20 USD a night if you want the cheapest option. AirBnb is also available, mostly for about $30-45 USD a night. Double-room hostels can cost up to $30-40 USD a night while mid-range hotels cost more or less $80 USD a night.
Click here if you want to find the best deals with Booking in Jamaica
OCHO RIOS – Ocho Rios vs Montego Bay
Ocho Rios vs Montego Bay – Let’s look at some of the top things to do when you’re staying in Ocho Rios, Jamaica.
Ocho Rios is a port city on Jamaica’s north coast. Ocho Rios is currently a resort with a cruise ship dock and a busy bay beach flanked with hotels, and it was formerly a fishing community. Ocho Rios can be a great place to take photos of Jamaica and at the same time relax in their luxury resorts.
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1. BLUE HOLE – Ocho Rios vs Montego Bay
One of the places you can see in Ocho Rios is Blue Hole. Blue Hole is situated in the hills just outside of Ocho Rios, and is one of Jamaica’s wonderful hidden jewels. Guests can swim, cliff jump, and swing off ropes into the Blue Hole‘s turquoise waters!
2. DUNN’S RIVER FALLS
Dunn’s River Falls is a living legend of Jamaica. Dunn’s River Falls, and its famous shimmering waters draw a large number of tourists and photographers. As a result, ascend the waterfal
3. Ocho Rios Bay – Ocho Rios vs Montego Bay
Ocho Rios Bay/Turtle Beach is one of the best beaches in the Caribbean, and definitely a place to visit if you’re staying in the Ocho Rios area.
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Where to Stay in Ocho Rios
Couples Sans Souchi
One of the best-rated hotels we could find. It looks lovely just from this image. Check here to see the current pricing options.
Turtle Beach Towers Condo
If you’re looking for a more affordable option, and can go by without an ocean front property, Turtle Beach towers condo is just around 200m walk to the beach, and can be a more affordable option stay in Ochos Rios with your family. Click here to see the current prices.
MONTEGO BAY – Ocho Rios vs Montego Bay
Montego Bay is the capital of Jamaica’s parish of St. James. By population, Montego Bay is the fourth-largest in the country. Doctor’s Cave Beach and Walter Fletcher Beach, which has an amusement park, are two popular beaches. Montego Bay is amazing to have Jamaica photography if you love blue waters and beaches.
Things to do in Montego Bay – Ocho Rios vs Montego Bay
Beaches to Visit in Montego Bay
1. Dead End Beach
the famous beach where airplanes land right over your head as the airport is right beside the beach! Located just a short walk from the more famous, Doctor’s Cave Beach, Dead End Beach is a more relaxed place to watch the sunset.
But be aware, there are some aggressive salespeople trying hard to sell you bracelets and necklaces. Just let them know you are here to enjoy the beach, not buy trinkets.
2. Doctor’s Cave Beach
Busy, paid-entry beach club with white sand, turquoise water for snorkeling & a restaurant/bar.
3. Montego Bay Beach in Jamaica
Montego Beach is located 1.4 miles north of downtown Montego Bay. Still a really good beach to visit especially with the blue waters it offers.
Other Things to do in Montego Bay
4. Hip Strip Avenue / Gloucester Avenue
For the party lover, the Hip Strip also known as Gloucester Avenue is the place to be. It’s where all the hot bars are in Montego Bay. There are several all-inclusive resorts in the area and there is a very busy tourist beach that costs $3 to enter. Shops line the street as visitors walk in their flip-flops from shops, bars, and nightclubs taking in the Jamaican Vibe.
5. Rose Hall – Montego Bay vs Ocho Rios
Learn of the White Witch as you tour the most famous Great House of the Island, Rose Hall. Rose Hall was a former plantation house run by the evil, Ann Palmer who killed three of her husbands and countless slaves during her reign of terror. She was killed by her slave lover and visitors can see her sealed tomb on the grounds.
You can take a haunted night tour to really get a sense of the property as it is said that Ann Palmer still walks the grounds after the slaves put a curse on her body.
6. Rick’s Cafe
Rick’s Cafe on the West End cliffs in Negril is one of the best places to watch a Jamaican sunset. Rick’s Cafe first opened in 1974, when Negril was still a small seafaring village, but it is now a major tourist destination visited by thousands of visitors every day.
Before heading back, you will pop over to Rick’s Cafe, one of the most popular bars on the island to watch the world-famous cliff divers. Tourists can jump from the cliffs if they like as well, but there have been several injuries over the years. We think it’s best to leave it to the professionals.
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Where to Stay in Montego Bay, Jamaica
All-Inclusive Option: S Hotel Jamaica Montego Bay
We’ve stayed in All-inclusive options and if what you’re looking for is a Caribbean experience without worrying about anything once you land on the island, you might want to check this property. Click here to see the updated prices.
Mid-Budget Option: Polkerris Bed & Breakfast
For a more affordable option (compared to 5 stars and all-inclusive properties), we found this hotel that might be good for you. Check the current prices here.
BEST TIME TO VISIT JAMAICA – Ocho Rios vs Montego Bay
In Jamaica their summer (December to April), there are fewer showers of rain than normal. In their winter (May to November), the rains are almost non-stop. For most tourists, the best time to visit Jamaica is from December to April because of easier transport.
Click here to know more about the weather in Jamaica!
FINAL THOUGHTS ON OCHO RIOS VS MONTEGO BAY
Jamaica is one of the most beautiful islands in the Caribbean and easily one of the best holidays you can have. In this post, we choose Ocho Rios.
If you’re a more adventure-type traveler and looking to do a lot more exploring in the area, time out of the hotels, and more activity-based trips, Ocho Rios might be for you. This is definitely the type of trip that we love to do.
If you’re traveling with family and want a resort-type experience, with activities you can enjoy there, Montego Bay might be for you.
Hope you loved our comparison guide of Montego Bay vs Ocho Rios in Jamaica, and til our next travel guide! Let us know what you chose.
About the Author: Ruben, co-founder of Gamintraveler.com since 2014, is a seasoned traveler from Spain who has explored over 100 countries since 2009. Known for his extensive travel adventures across South America, Europe, the US, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and Africa, Ruben combines his passion for adventurous yet sustainable living with his love for cycling, highlighted by his remarkable 5-month bicycle journey from Spain to Norway. He currently resides in Spain, where he continues to share his travel experiences alongside his partner, Rachel, and their son, Han.