Jamaica offers a perfect getaway for one of 2019’s top travel trends, the “Appren-trip,” trips where travelers are looking to add more purpose to their vacations and impact the destinations where they travel.
Travelers are seeking, transformative getaways to learn a new skill through cultural exchanges and locally-inspired activities, as they merge leisure and education.
“The best way to understand and appreciate something is to experience it,” says Jamaica’s Director of Tourism Donovan White. “Traveling to Jamaica to experience the culture firsthand teaches travelers invaluable life skills whether that is bringing Caribbean pleasures back to your hometown or feeling inspired by the island’s move to a more sustainable future.”
Below are activities in Jamaica that allow you to have fun while learning for a most memorable holiday.
Jakes Hotel
Situated in Treasure Beach on Jamaica’s South Coast, Jakes Hotel is not only an eclectic designed boutique hotel, it is a sustainable property that gives back to the community. Jakes grows all produce offering farm tours to guests daily to see exactly where their food is coming from. If guests are curious about the secrets of jerk seasoning and spice, they can learn how to prepare a traditional Jamaican dish with Chef Shevan and Chef Kern. Guests can also learn about The Jake Manifesto which donates a dollar from every transfer from Jakes to Breds, the Treasure Beach Foundation. The donation funds many community projects including sport for social change as well as education and conservation projects.
Rastafari Indigenous Village
Rastafari Indigenous Village in Montego Bay is an eco-cultural experience that offers an array of activities including learning about Jamaican history, culinary classes and taking part in musical demonstrations, as well as an introduction to the Rastafari way of life. For an interactive experience, visitors can connect with drum makers who create traditional drums by hand, using techniques that have been passed down through generations. Whether travelers to the village choose a half or full-day tour, the activities concludes with a performance of traditional drumming and singing in the center of the village creating long-lasting memories of Jamaica.
Jamaica’s Blue Mountains
The Blue and John Crow Mountains are home to the world’s most sought-after coffee, Blue Mountain coffee. A popular destination on the island where locals and guests alike can go camping and hiking to immerse in the beauty of nature. Coffee estates offer guests tours around the coffee farm and historic great house to learn the history of coffee production, see first-hand how coffee beans are gathered and processed and of course, take in a hot, aromatic cup of the world-famous brew.
Surfing
Boston, near Port Antonio in eastern Jamaica, is not only known to be the original birthplace of Jerk cuisine – it is also known for Boston Beach that boasts some of the best waves in Jamaica. Surfing is limited to a handful of beaches in Jamaica, however those on the south eastern coast, like Boston Beach, are endowed with wicked waves due to the strong winds. The country’s first pro surf team including Ronald Hastings, Garren Pryce, Amani Green, Icah Wilmot and Shama Beckford will make its debut at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Take a surfing lesson at Bull Bay with Jamnesia, Jamaica’s longest running surf school with some of the most talented pros and instructors on the island to take your surfing skills to the next level.
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