Go with a plan.
No major changes since yesterday.
Governments, one trip
What they're telling their own citizens about Jamaica
The real score
The breakdown
See it from your perspective
Go with a plan.
The general Sketch Score, unweighted for any specific traveler.
Don't do this
Laws that jail tourists
Camouflage clothing ban
It is illegal to wear clothing with a camouflage design or any attire that resembles a military uniform in Jamaica.
Staying healthy
What to watch out for, health-wise
Active notices
- • Global Measles
Vaccines
Required: Yellow Fever
Recommended: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Measles, Rabies, Typhoid
Source: CDC Travelers' Health →Getting in
What you'll need at the border
Visitors to Jamaica must obtain a visa from one of the Jamaican diplomatic missions or in certain cases from one of the United Kingdom diplomatic missions unless they are citizens of one of the visa-exempt countries or citizens who may obtain a visa on arrival.
Source: Wikipedia →Real, not invented
Terrorism
Although there’s no recent history of terrorism in Jamaica, attacks cannot be ruled out.
Source: UK FCDO →Real, not invented
Cultural & legal notes
LGBT+ travellers
Male same-sex sexual activity is illegal, but the law is not always strictly enforced. The attitude of many Jamaicans towards same-sex relationships is hostile. Be mindful of local attitudes and be aware that showing affection in public may receive unwanted attention. Take care when using dating apps in Jamaica, especially those used by the LGBT+ community. Criminals have used apps to lure victims to meet in a public place but later assault and rob them. Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers .
Source: UK FCDO →From people who've been there
Local know-how
Staying safe
- •Beware of rapists at resorts, as advised by travel advisories.
- •If in need of police, dial 119, just don't expect them to show up on the spot.
- •Drugs and alcohol are prevalent.
- •September, October, and November have fewer tourists as this is hurricane season.
- •Wearing clothing with a camouflage design or otherwise looking like a military uniform is illegal in Jamaica.
- •Crime: Jamaica has one of the highest rates of violent crime in the world. Reports of gang violence, sexual assault, robberies, homicide, and the like are not uncommon, especially in Kingston.
Staying healthy
- •Medical facilities on the island are not always up to par with European or American health care standards.
- •The tap water is generally good and safe to drink.
- •Be cautious of the water quality at public swimming beaches, such as "Walter Fletcher Beach" in Montego Bay, which some locals call "dump-up beach", situated near the north gully.
- •The country's adult HIV/AIDS prevalence is at nearly 1.6%.
- •A 2006 malaria outbreak in Kingston was identified and controlled and Jamaica has now returned to the malaria-free status it had for decades before this localised and isolated incident.
- •As in much of the Caribbean, dengue fever is an increasing risk.
Adapted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA — edited by travelers, not us.
Right now
In the news the last few days
Real talk
What travelers actually say
Travelers express significant anxiety regarding Jamaica due to high-level travel advisories and reports of crime. Many visitors choose to stay exclusively within the confines of all-inclusive resorts to mitigate risks, often utilizing private airport transfers to avoid exposure. While some travelers express a desire to explore beyond resort boundaries, others report concerns about the safety of Montego Bay specifically. Perspectives on the danger vary, with some attributing fears to xenophobia, while others cite warnings from both tourists and locals about the potential for violence even when staying at resorts. There is no consensus on the safety of independent travel, leading many to prioritize resort security over off-site exploration.
“I have heard from White folks as well as American people of Jamaican descent with family there, that Jamaica can be very dangerous for tourists. Even when staying on resorts.
— r/travel
“Going to Jamaica in mid Jan and my family is freaking out with the level 3 and 4 travel advisory from the US, saying that we should cancel. We're staying at Excellence Oyster Bay and have a private transfer organized through the hotel from the airport, with no intentions of leaving the resort.
— r/travel
“I looked on the US State Dept. website and it looks like all the areas they suggest to avoid in Montego Bay would be at least 30 minutes walk from where we would be staying, which should be easy enough to avoid.
— r/travel
Pack this, know this
The little things that trip people up
Plug & voltage
A / B · 110V
Driving side
left
Emergency
police: 119 / ambulance: 110 / fire: 110
SIM / Data
Jamaica has two mobile network operators, Digicel and Flow (formerly Lime). Jamaican numbers are based off the North American Numbering Plan and consist of an area code followed by 7 digits. The calling code is +1 (876) then follows the numbers, e.g +1 (876) ***-****.
Cash vs. Card
Credit/debit cards such as Visa, MasterCard and to a lesser extent American Express and Discover are accepted in many business establishments, such as supermarkets, pharmacies and restaurants in Kingston, Montego Bay, Portmore, Ocho Rios and Negril and most other major towns. A curious exception is petrol stations which mostly require cash. There are a few petrol stations in uptown Kingston that w
Zoom in
One Jamaica city on SKETCH.WORLD
Real, resident-submitted Numbeo crime data at the city level — the same national picture above, with crime swapped for what people who actually live there report.
Show the receipts (9 sources)
- us-state — observed 2026-09-09
- uk-fcdo — observed 2026-09-09
- ca-gac — observed 2026-09-09
- worldbank-political — observed 2026-09-09
- worldbank-policeTrust — observed 2026-09-09
- cdc-health — observed 2026-09-09
- wikivoyage — observed 2026-09-09
- reddit — observed 2026-09-09
- lgbtq-legal-wikipedia — observed 2026-09-09