4 Reason To Visit Jamaica in January (or anytime)

The reasons to visit Jamaica are varied and vast, so to boil it down to 4 isn't as easy as eating ackee fruit. But narrow we will, and to do so I look to the Jamaican flag. The things the 3 colors represent are a good start to the list.

Green - The Land

It sits in the midst of a beautiful sea, and plenty flows from it like few places on the Earth. Fruit is literally falling from the trees. The resort we visited had trees all over its grounds that were literally bursting with coconuts. They served us coconut milk right in the coconut. There were trees in the courtyards of our hotel buildings that had bananas and coconuts growing on them.

We visited the house of a friend we met there, and she lives in the jungle. A greener place I may never see. Fruit trees are everywhere, like a paradise. And the people know they live in paradise. The standards of living between here and there are different, and the Jamaican land provides as much plenty as anyplace on Earth. For dinner we had roasted breadfruit, yams, and boiled ackee fruit.

Water seeps from the ground and becomes a rivers that leads directly to the open sea. When the rain falls, it falls hard and in buckets. It is cleansing, the refreshing, and gives the living things that are bursting already with life more life with which to grow.

Yellow - The Sun

If you've seen what Jamaican storms can look like, you might think that blue should get a votes for a fitting color, but the yellow is another agent in the arsenal of Jamaica's great abundance. Heat itself causes life to spring forth .The glare of the sun singes white northern visitors red. It starts mating dances of life across species and class. It inspires us to take a dip in clear blue water. Shade becomes a commodity quickly.

Black - The People

I've been to a few all-inclusives other countries, and the people at the Jamaican resort have been very unique. There seems to be an openness, even an eagerness to make a connection, Whether I have a question about my room, or if I want a cup of coffee, it isn't surprising to have someone learn my name, and I theirs, in the process. This trip has reminded me to slow down, take a moment to look the other person in the eye and acknowledged them for what they are in my life.

Blue - The Water

As I said, this color is not on the flag, but if they added one, blue would have to be it. It rained a good deal when we were there. It was winter after all. We had seven days of sun, the sun was just behind the clouds. I loved it, because without a lot of rain, it's a different place, so if we are there for that time, then we get to enjoy the other side of the sun cycle. The lushness and life that thrives in Jamaica can't do it with just a little bit of water, it has to be a lot. And we saw a lot of rain. It's amazing how well thatched roofing works.

Beyond the rain, natural springs send fresh water from the inside the Earth into the jungle, creating Jamaica's incredible rivers, and popular attractions like Dunn's River Falls.

Then there is the crystal blue ocean water. So much life can be seen under it's surface it is absolutely incredible. I have never seen anything like it, and it alone is a great reason to visit Jamaica.

Why in January?

The price is the best in January, and if the sun is out, it's still really, really hot. Even when the sun wasn't out it was still shorts and tank top weather.