Travel advisory · JamaicaSome governments advise against travel to parts of Jamaica.The warnings cover only these areas: August Town, Canterbury, Central Village, Downtown Kingston, Flankers, Glendevon, Grants Pen, Mount Salem, Norwood, Paradise Heights, Rose Heights, Spanish Town, Steer Town, Swallowfield, Waterford.Advice depends on your passport. Read your own government's advice before you book.Official advice
- August Town · avoid non-essential travel · Spain, Italy, US
- Canterbury · avoid non-essential travel · Spain, France
- Central Village · avoid non-essential travel · Spain, US
- Downtown Kingston · avoid non-essential travel · Spain, France
- Flankers · avoid non-essential travel · Spain, France, US
- Glendevon · avoid non-essential travel · Spain, France
- Grants Pen · avoid non-essential travel · Spain, Italy
- Mount Salem · avoid non-essential travel · Spain, France, US
- Norwood · avoid non-essential travel · Spain, France, US
- Paradise Heights · avoid non-essential travel · Spain, France
- Rose Heights · avoid non-essential travel · Spain, France, US
- Spanish Town · avoid non-essential travel · Spain, France, Italy
- Steer Town · avoid non-essential travel · Spain, US
- Swallowfield · avoid non-essential travel · Spain, US
- Waterford · avoid non-essential travel · Spain, US
Also named by one government: Bethel Town (Spain), Brooke Valley (US), Buckfield (Spain), Cambridge (Spain), Cassava Piece (Spain), Crawford District (US), Denham Town (US), Duhaney Park (Spain), Elleston Flats (Spain), Grange Hill (US), Green Island Area (US), Greenwich Town (US), Gregory Park (Spain), Grey Ground (US), Hanover (Italy), Harbour View (Italy), Hart Street area (US), Johns Hall (Spain), Kings Valley (Spain), Kingston and Portmore (other neighbourhoods) (France), Middlesex (Italy), Montego Bay (Italy), Morgan Bay (Spain), Mountain View (US), Naggo Head (Spain), Nannyville Gardens (US), New Hall (US), New Haven (US), New Land (Spain), New Town (US), Old Braeton (Spain), Old England (US), Parade Gardens (US), Portmore Lane (Spain), Race Track district (Clarendon) (Spain), Red Ground (Spain), Russia community (Savanna-la-Mar) (Spain), Salt Spring (US), Sandpipe (Spain), Savanna-la-Mar (US), Seaforth area (US), Sherlock Crescent area (US), Springmount (Spain), St Andrew South (Italy), St James (Italy), Vineyard district (Spain), West Kingston (Italy), Westmoreland (Italy), Whiteball (Spain), Whitehall (Spain), York Town and Western Park (Clarendon Parish) (US)
| Government | Advice | Updated | Read the advice |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (FCDO) | No advice against travel to the whole country; general precautions only | – | Read the advice |
| United States (State Dept) | Exercise increased caution (regional advisories) | Jun 23, 2026 | Read the advice |
| Canada (Global Affairs) | Exercise a high degree of caution | – | Read the advice |
| Germany (Auswärtiges Amt) | Increased caution throughout the country due to high crime | Oct 13, 2026 | Read the advice |
| New Zealand (SafeTravel) | Exercise increased caution due to violent crime | – | Read the advice |
| France (Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs) | Vigilance renforcée (zone jaune) hors Spanish Town (regional advisories) | – | Read the advice |
Checked daily from the governments' published advice; last checked Nov 2, 2026. RoamLedger summarises official advice; it is not advice from any government.
Ocho Rios
Plan a north coast stay around Ocho Rios’s waterfalls, rocky gorge, beaches and water sports. The town also has a cruise terminal, duty-free shopping and resorts.
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Ocho Rios, known locally as Ochi, is a town on Jamaica’s north coast in Saint Ann parish. It grew from a fishing village into a resort town with beaches, duty-free shopping and a cruise-ship terminal. Dunn’s River Falls, about 3.2 km west of the town centre, is its best-known natural attraction. Fern Gully is a rocky gorge about 4.8 km long, with more than 540 varieties of ferns. Around town, you can go scuba diving and try other water sports, visit Mystic Mountain for a bobsled ride, or swim with dolphins at Dolphin Cove.
Ocho Rios stretches about 6.4 km from Dunn’s River Falls in the west to the White River in the east, with most newer development to the east. Your choice of area affects how far you are from the sights. Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay is about 97 km west; the drive along the North Coast Highway takes around 1 hour 45 minutes. Ian Fleming International Airport is about 17 km east of town, a shorter trip for many visitors. The North-South Highway 2000 cuts the drive to Kingston to under an hour and reduces traffic through Ocho Rios.
Ocho Rios in five
- Climb Dunn's River Falls on a quiet dayThe falls get very busy when cruise ships are in port. Check the port schedule and go early on a day without ships.
- Wear water shoes on the fallsThe climb is wet and slippery, and groups hold hands in a chain with a guide. Water shoes are sold or rented at the entrance.
- Use licensed guides at the Blue HoleThe pools and jumps in the hills above town are best visited with a licensed guide who knows the safe entry points.
- Use licensed taxisLicensed taxis carry red PP plates. Agree the fare before you set off.
Things to do in Ocho Rios
See all attractions in Ocho Rios
Need to know
- Airport
- Sangster International (MBJ), about 1.5 hours by road
- Getting there
- About 1.5 hours from Montego Bay or Kingston by road
- Getting around
- Licensed taxis, hired drivers and tours
- Best base
- Resorts east or west of town for beaches
- Time needed
- 2–4 days
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Days with storms
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryRain19 rainy daysHigh27°Low23°Dry, breezyJanuaryRain
Best
- High
- 27°
- Low
- 23°
- Precipitation
- 155 mm
- Rainy days
- 19
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Dry, breezy
- FebruaryRain18 rainy daysHigh27°Low23°Dry, busyFebruaryRain
Best
- High
- 27°
- Low
- 23°
- Precipitation
- 90 mm
- Rainy days
- 18
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Dry, busy
- MarchRain18 rainy daysHigh28°Low23°Dry, warmMarchRain
Best
- High
- 28°
- Low
- 23°
- Precipitation
- 101 mm
- Rainy days
- 18
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Dry, warm
- AprilRain20 rainy daysHigh28°Low24°Warm, drierAprilRain
Best
- High
- 28°
- Low
- 24°
- Precipitation
- 129 mm
- Rainy days
- 20
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, drier
- MayRain19 rainy daysHigh29°Low25°Hot, showersMayRain
Good
- High
- 29°
- Low
- 25°
- Precipitation
- 143 mm
- Rainy days
- 19
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, showers
- JuneRain15 rainy days1 day with stormsHigh30°Low25°Hurricane seasonJuneRain
Best
- High
- 30°
- Low
- 25°
- Precipitation
- 79 mm
- Rainy days
- 15
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 1
Hurricane season
- JulyRain14 rainy days1 day with stormsHigh30°Low26°Hot, humidJulyRain
Best
- High
- 30°
- Low
- 26°
- Precipitation
- 91 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 1
Hot, humid
- AugustRain20 rainy days1 day with stormsHigh31°Low26°Hurricane riskAugustRain
Mixed
- High
- 31°
- Low
- 26°
- Precipitation
- 129 mm
- Rainy days
- 20
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 1
Hurricane risk
- SeptemberRain22 rainy days2 days with stormsHigh31°Low26°Peak hurricanesSeptemberRain
Mixed
- High
- 31°
- Low
- 26°
- Precipitation
- 151 mm
- Rainy days
- 22
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 2
Peak hurricanes
- OctoberRain27 rainy days1 day with stormsHigh30°Low25°Hurricane riskOctoberRain
Poor
- High
- 30°
- Low
- 25°
- Precipitation
- 431 mm
- Rainy days
- 27
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 1
Hurricane risk
- NovemberRain23 rainy daysHigh28°Low24°Rain easingNovemberRain
Mixed
- High
- 28°
- Low
- 24°
- Precipitation
- 252 mm
- Rainy days
- 23
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Rain easing
- DecemberRain21 rainy daysHigh27°Low24°Dry, holidaysDecemberRain
Good
- High
- 27°
- Low
- 24°
- Precipitation
- 170 mm
- Rainy days
- 21
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Dry, holidays
Average daily high and low in Ocho Rios, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in Ocho Rios
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
28
- Feels like
- 33°
- Humidity
- 76%
- Wind
- 6 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 94%
Ocho Rios
03:07 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today31°24°94%Monday: Thunderstorms. High 31°, Low 24°. Chance of rain 94%.
- Tue30°23°94%Tuesday: Rain. High 30°, Low 23°. Chance of rain 94%.
- Wed30°24°94%Wednesday: Thunderstorms. High 30°, Low 24°. Chance of rain 94%.
- Thu30°24°99%Thursday: Thunderstorms. High 30°, Low 24°. Chance of rain 99%.
- Fri29°23°90%Friday: Drizzle. High 29°, Low 23°. Chance of rain 90%.
- Sat30°22°85%Saturday: Drizzle. High 30°, Low 22°. Chance of rain 85%.
- Sun30°24°78%Sunday: Drizzle. High 30°, Low 24°. Chance of rain 78%.
Updated 01:13 PM local time · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Money
Mid-market rate1 USD = 159 JMD
Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API
Day trips by train
- Dunn’s River Fallsabout 3.2 km from townThe falls are about 3.2 km west of Ocho Rios.
- Kingstonunder an hour by carThe North-South Highway 2000 cuts the drive from Ocho Rios to under an hour.
- Montego Bayabout 1 hour 45 minutes by carSangster International Airport is about 97 km west of Ocho Rios, along the North Coast Highway.
Before you go to Ocho Rios
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Rules for Ocho Rios, checked
- Check Jamaica’s entry requirements for your passport with Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency before you travel.Source
- Drive on the left in Jamaica. If you plan to rent a car, check that your licence and insurance cover you to drive there.
Plan around Ocho Rios
Regions, safety, entry and hurricane season
Read the guideMontego BayThe main airport, 1.5 hours west
Read the guideNegrilBeach and cliffs, a longer drive west
Read the guideGetting around JamaicaHighways, drivers and tours
Read the guideConnectivity in JamaicaSIM or eSIM for drivers and maps
Read the guideOcho Rios FAQ
How long does it take to climb Dunn's River Falls?
Allow about 1–1.5 hours for the climb itself, more on cruise days when the lines move slowly.
Ocho Rios or Montego Bay?
Ocho Rios is better for waterfalls and rainforest trips; Montego Bay for flights, resorts and the Hip Strip. The drive between them is about 1.5 hours.
Can I reach Ocho Rios from Kingston?
Yes, the highway through the mountains takes about 1.5 hours, which makes Ocho Rios a good north coast base for a Kingston visit.
Is Ocho Rios worth visiting?
Yes for waterfalls, rainforest adventure and river gorges, especially on days without cruise ships. The town itself is a service hub, so many visitors stay in resorts outside it and visit by car.
Can you visit Ocho Rios from a cruise ship?
Yes. Plan the day before landing: Dunn's River Falls and the Blue Hole are the standard stops, and ship tours or a licensed taxi guarantee you can return before the gangway closes.