Jamaica Is Seriously Your Jam for Every Kind of “Moon” There Is
It’s been well over 10 years since I’ve been in Jamaica, but the trip we took for my aunt and uncle’s destination wedding in Negril still haunts my dreams in the BEST WAY POSSIBLE. I was just out of college when we attended their wedding (then, with my boyfriend, who is now my husband of nearly eight years), and even then I knew that one day I’d want to return to that paradise to celebrate a special “moon” with my man. You see, while we were there for the wedding, we experienced all of the best things — adventure, relaxation, romance, adrenaline, and pure existence — as guests, so can’t you just imagine how much better it’d be to be mooners ourselves? We caught up with the Jamaica Tourism Board to see what kind of honey-mooning magic can be found on the island, and boy did they deliver. So, if you’re in the market for a moon, be it a delayed honeymoon, an impromptu trip to celebrate being engaged AF, a few days away to unplug before wedding planning gets underway, or a hiatus in hyperdrive to make up for all the hunkering down we’ve done over the last few years, you can’t overlook this gem in the Caribbean.
How synonymous with romance is this land of rainforests and reef-lined beaches?
I guess to answer the question, “Is love alive in Jamaica?,” we’d have to quote the great Bob Marley. “I wanna love you and treat you right, I wanna love you every day and every night. We'll be together, with a roof right over our heads. We'll share the shelter of my single bed…” He had to be musing about honeymoons in Jamaica when he spun those iconic lyrics, because that’s exactly what couples can expect when they plan their tryst in the West Indies.
Whether you’re dating, engaged, married, or getting ready to take your relationship to a whole new level, if you’re craving a getaway with passion underscoring your Passport, the sweetheart shores of Jamaica are ready and waiting. The accommodations are endless, too; you can wake up in paradise at a beachfront destination, at a mountainous scene way above sea level, or at a cosmopolitan resort nestled in a lively city. And as for what you’ll fill your days with? You can’t even begin to imagine all the activities, excursions, and hideaways at your disposal. From the epic adventures to the epicurean bliss that melts across the entire island, a moon in Jamrock will delight every single one of your senses. And that’s what time away with our soulmates is all about, right? Mmhmm, this is love, this is love, this is love, this is love that we’re feeling…
The many moons of Jamaica
Oh, and don’t worry, it’s not a one and done deal… If it’s an unplugged-moon or a tinymoon (a trip that simply takes the edge off) you not only want but need right now (because, coasting into pandemic year three is still provoking all of our anxieties) and a buddy moon with your baes and besties at another point later, then do it! That’s the thing about Jamaica: it’s about a friendly, welcome-back-anytime vibe, so your returns will always be looked forward to and appreciated.
Take it from the tourism team, they know their backyard better than anyone!
Adventuremoon
By that, we mean a trip that’s teeming with to-dos for the adrenaline junkie couple. Whether you want to chase waterfalls in Dunn’s River Falls, go river rafting on the Rio Grande, or explore the labyrinth of limestone in the Green Grotto Caves, your bucket list is destined to runneth over. P.S. add bobsledding to said list.
Beachmoon
By that, we mean a trip that begins and ends with the beach (in Jamaica, it’s white, silk-sand beaches for miles. Seven Miles exactly… if we’re talking about Negril #beacheswelove). Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Portland Parish, and more make Jamaica an idyllic scene for beach-bound pleasures.
Babymoon
By that, we mean a trip that simultaneously gives you the break you need before you welcome your new bundle and lets you dip your toes into that #AboutToBeAFamily pool. Quite literally, too. Jamaica is rife with family-friendly resorts, waterparks aplenty (our favorite might just be Sugar Mill Falls at the Hilton Rose Hall Resort in Montego Bay), and wild animal tours that’ll make you want to come back when the babes are old enough to monkey around.
Buddymoon
By that, we mean a trip that you can start counting down the days for along with your very best crew. Yoga in the Caribbean? BBQs on the beach? Drinks in hand by noon and dancing on the agenda every single night? Yes, yes, and yaaaas.
Elopementmoon
By that, we mean a trip that seamlessly blends intimate ‘I dos’ with big newlywed energy. Jamaica is a place full of premiere boutique hotels and inns and all-inclusive resorts, so you can consider it a one-stop-shop for planning a discreet and meaningful wedding (be it with just the two of you or a small sampling of your very best family members and friends in attendance), exchanging heartfelt vows, and then sharing in the most exhilarating and relaxing afterglow of the post-nuptials time period. Clink, clink, clink!
Engagementmoon
By that, we mean a trip that either immediately precedes or directly follows a well-awaited proposal. The range of beautiful places to propose in Jamaica makes it easy to feel the love almost anywhere! Alternatively, if you’re just coming down off of Cloud 9, following your engagement, the plethora of romance-headlined all-inclusive resorts is just perfect to catalyst your fiancéhood… Whatever happens behind closed doors is for you alone to know 🤫.
Whatever moon you’re in the midst of masterminding...
Jamaica needs to be a part of those [jewel-toned] blueprints. Learn more, plan your trip, and start stalking this special place on IG, because you’ll want to be able to scout out some musts before you go…