How safe is Jamaica?

If you leave the resort on escorted tours, you should be fine. Leave the good stuff at home, or in the vault at Sandals. Jamaica is beautiful, and the falls in Ocho Rios are a must see. But crime is high, and poverty is commonplace there.

My FH has been to Jamaica before on a family vacation and they enjoyed it so much that they're taking us for Christmas. As Pezzy said, at the resort you'll be fine. If you go off-resort for an excursion, go with a tour and be aware of your surroundings. It would be a lovely honeymoon destination, I bet!

I went there in 2004 and guards were on my resort with ak 47s lol even in the airport i only went on one excursion and I went with the hotel tour while we were duty free shopping the locals really did bother you it was quiet annoying. Jamaica is beautiful but just don't leave the compound and IMO leaving America your not safe anywhere you go keep that in mind

Check out antiqua too that's where FH and I are going!

If you're staying at a Sandals you will be fine, just do the tours offered exclusively by them. We are going to Sandals Montego Bay next year, my parents have been to various parts of Jamaica and love it.

^^We went stayed at the Sandals Antigua for our honeymoon and it was amazing! But it's just like any other island, the actual cities and towns outside of the resort are very poor and run down, you're going to find that anywhere you travel in the Caribbean.

I just came back from Sandals Montego Bay last week. I would recommend not leaving the resort. I also left a colorful review of the place on TripAdvisor. Feel free to go look.

Edit: They throw rocks at tour buses, hassle your for money, people walk around freely with guns, but the water is pretty.

Omg really ECM? Ahhh

We might have to re-think that. We met a couple in Antigua that had been to 3 different Sandals in Jamaica and raved about it. We were gifted two free nights at any Sandals so we picked Jamaica because of what they said, might have to re-think that.

But you're going to MoBay and your experience could be completely different than mine. MoBay is literally right behind the airport (about 500 ft) so it's a short drive. Granted, you hear the airplanes take off and they are quite loud. Royal Caribbean is really nice. We did hop over there one day and the food seemed to be better. If you can splurge and still want to go to Jamaica I would go to RCarr.

Probably safer then most American cities.

False.

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1147.html#crime

If you stay at the resort you will be fine. I would not recommend leaving. We stopped in Ocho Rios on a cruise a few years ago and didn't schedule an excursion or anything. It was awful. People harassing you for money, taking advantage of you. It's gross and dirty and I never want to go back to Jamaica EVER.

Never leave the resort!! LOL Why would you want to anyway?

Hmm the main reason I want to visit Jamaica is to go cave jumping, now I'm terrified to leave the resort haha

I went to Jamaica in 2007 for my mom's wedding. We stayed at the RIU in Ocho Rios, it was a very long drive from the airport, but well worth it. It was a beautiful resort and beach (there were guards with guns here also), the workers were awesome and the environment of the resort itself was clean. The only annoying thing was the vendors on the beach, but we just ignored them. We mostly stayed on the resort, but did go on a toured excursion to Dunns River Falls and shopping. Nothing bad happened, yes the vendors try to convince you to buy their things and it gets annoying but we just said no thank you and walked away. My parents later went to a Harley Davidson store via taxi, and they returned just fine. Like someone else said, outside of the resort are poor and run down cities but you will find that in many other countries as well. I would definitely recommend the RIU and I've been debating on returning to Jamaica because I loved it that much.

I was so set on Jamaica. Not now!! I've never been out of the country and have anxiety issues as it is. I think guards with guns would just freak me out too much to enjoy it.

The nature of my job they brief us any travel we do. This included the safety issues. We went to Jamaica for our HM. From what I got from it don't go to Kingston that violent crimes were high there. All other places stay with your resort for security and don't rely on the police for security. While I was there, I didn't see these armed guards as others are reporting. One of the guys who worked there did say that when tourist leave the resort without an escort they have to go after them because it's not safe for tourist. I can think of one person who worked there who gave me this very uncomfortable feeling of this is not a man to be alone with. He was just looking at me like I was a piece of meat. I have never been that uncomfortable and worried about what someone was about to do in my life. I was just barely outside the resort doors alone when I saw this man. I had just been dropped off from a resort escorted excursion. After that I stayed with my husband at all times.

My co-workers GF lives in Jamaica and he goes there alot. His advice to me when I asked him about it was not to wear jewelry off the resort, because they wont threaten you to steel it, they'll just take the body part its attached to.

But that's not the reason why we didn't choose Jamaica for our honeymoon.

I just went on vacation to Montego Bay in August! The people were so friendly and the food was awesome! We stood at an all inclusive resort the food was good people were nice to us but the place needed some work. Still had a great time though. We actually left the resort numerous of times during the day and it was not scary. I did not see one person walking around with guns either! Nor did they bother us for money. If you are staying at a Sandals resort you will love it. I had friends honeymoon in Ocho Rios at the Sandals and they can not wait to go back.

I will never go to Jamaica!! So scared

We're going to a Sandals in Jamaica for our honeymoon. Almost everywhere has unsafe parts so just stay at the resort or do the excursions they set up (would be my advice). I've been to the Dominican Republic and nothing bad happened there, went to Mexico and had a bunch of money stolen.

I have been to Jamaica about 12 times...Its fine...

Kingston...Maybe not so much...

But where you will likely be vacationing: Montego Bay, Runaway Bay, Negril, Ocho Rios; it's very "touristy"...Even the supposedly non-tourist stuff is really tourist stuff.

Just don't be stupid. Be as smart as you would be if you were vacationing in NY, Miami, LA, or Chicago...Don't let people hold your luggage, don't flash cash, maybe leave the engagement ring at home and just wear the band, don't go wandering off the resort solo trying to buy weed (someone who works there will have anything you are looking for...haha...Tales of a "former life")...You know, vacation smart.