Jamaica lies to the east of the Atlantic Ocean and is about 90 miles south of Cuba, and almost directly east of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.

Tourism is the largest segment in the Jamaican economy, but the rest of the economy is surprisingly diverse as well. There are many different types of light manufacturing, service industries, and locally popular consumer products that are made on the island, some of which include rum, paper; food etc

Jamaica is also the fifth largest producer of bauxite (where the aluminum material comes from).

The climate in Jamaica is (as most people expect) hot and humid, but the island is quite diverse and there are some parts of the country (inland regions and mountains) that are cooler than others.

One of Jamaica’s best known exports to the world is reggae music!!

This grew out of the musical contributions of reggae legend (since deceased) Bob Marley.

Although Bob Marley died many years ago, the music genre is as alive today as ever. Artists like Vybz Kartel, Movado, Ioctane, Tarus Riley (to name a few) still keep people listening, buying and dancing to reggae music until the wee hours of the morning all over the world.

Jamaica is an island that is made up of many different people. People from other cultures pass through or settle on the island, and this has had an undeniably positive effect on Jamaican cuisine.

Some popular Jamaican dishes include ackee and saltfish (the island’s national dish), jerk chicken, curried goat, curried lamb, Jamaican patties (made with beef, chicken, cheese, curry or vegetables), stewed chicken, oxtail, steamed fish, to name a few…

Delicious Jamaican cuisine is created using ingredients such as: allspice, black pepper, coconut, coconut milk, green plantains, ginger, pigeon peas, plantains, hot spices, yams, garlic, salt beef, thyme, oxtail, passion fruit, ketchup, onion, golden sauce, green plantain, beans, tamarind, acerola, lima beans, jackfruit, pineapple, cho cho, and scotch bonnet peppers. These are just a few of the ingredients used in Jamaican cooking…and most of these ingredients are locally grown.

For people visiting Jamaica, food is often the most enjoyable part of the trip, as locally grown produce tastes much fresher, is sweeter, and retains more nutrients.

Caribbean food is very colorful and Jamaican food is no exception. So it’s no surprise that wherever you find Jamaican communities (around the world), you also find Jamaican food shops. There are even Jamaican food sites online, selling Jamaican food, supplies, and spices.

So there you have it. Jamaica has it all: sun, luscious beaches, reggae, good food (rum) and great people, so when are you booking your Jamaican getaway?