The best time to go to Jamaica

19.12.2023 - 12:55 / lonelyplanet.com / Bob Marley

Ask any Jamaican when the best time to visit the island is and why, and they’ll probably give a list of reasons to visit all year round. 

But for travelers who aren’t afforded an indefinite stay on the island, there are certainly months and seasons more ideal for spending time in Jamaica. Major events and parties are usually held during summer and winter months, while hurricane season tends to slow things down.

Here’s our guide for the best times to visit Jamaica for the sun and cultural festivities.

The relatively warm weather of these winter months brings an abundance of visitors to enjoy the beaches and all the major events. However, it's also peak season in Jamaica, so expect to pay more for your flight and hotels, especially in December and January. 

Some of the island’s major cultural events happen between the months of January to March. For history enthusiasts, the Accompong Maroon Festival takes place on January 6 each year in Accompong, St Elizabeth, celebrating Maroon heritage and commemorating the signing of the Peace Treaty with the British in 1738. 

Maroons are descendants of enslaved Africans who escaped from plantations and built their own communities in or near the mountains during the 1700s.

Rebel Salute is the biggest Roots Reggae concert in Jamaica. This two-day event is held at Grizzly's Plantation Cove in St Ann around January 15, the birthday of Reggae musician Tony Rebel, who is also the festival’s founder. 

The theme continues in February, which is Reggae Month in Jamaica. It's an entire month of concerts, symposiums, lectures and more highlighting and celebrating the impact of Reggae on Jamaican culture and the world.

Expect a concert on Bob Marley’s birthday, February 6, at the Bob Marley Museum in Kingston. Another Marley tribute event usually happens at Emancipation Park, also in Kingston. 

In March, the Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Festival takes place in Kingston with live music, a marketplace and of course, lots of coffee.

Before peak temperature (during the summer) and way before the rainy season, the months of April and May present the perfect opportunity to explore the outdoors. The weather is usually dry and flora and fauna flourish during these months.

The natural attractions, including waterfalls, rivers, and beaches, are also usually a little less crowded (with the exception of the Easter holidays).

Go swimming and enjoy the scenery at Reach Falls in Portland or Reggae Falls in St Thomas. With drier trails and clearer skies during these months, it’s also the best time to go hiking or bird-watching at Jamaica’s highest mountain range, the Blue Mountains, on the eastern side of the island.

If there’s one thing that Jamaicans know how to do, it's party. From dancehall street