Have you recently booked the ultimate Caribbean Vacation in Jamaica? If so, you are definitely in luck. A lot of Jamaican tourists have really enjoyed their Jamaican vacation and would like to plan immediate trips back. A typical Jamaica travel guide would probably tell you what to bring and what not to bring on the vacation as well as some cost saving Jamaica travel tips. While those Jamaican vacation travel tips will help you make the most out of your stay there, you also need to ensure that you have all your essentials for your trip. This is why we are giving you the top 5 most important items to bring on your next international outing to Jamaica:

1. Mosquito spray. This would probably be one of the most important Jamaica travel tips on this list. Remember, Jamaica is a tropical paradise, but one thing that comes along with the tropics are mosquitoes. You have to remember to bring your bug spray. When shopping for the right one, I suggested getting the Unscented OFF spray; you want to make sure you are protected but not smelling like repellant.

If you are planning to stay at one of the Jamaican resorts, you will more than likely not get attacked, but if you go off of the resort on one of the tours, like to Black River Safari, local craft markets, local night life, even a local soccer match, spray yourself before you walk out the door!

2. Comfortable clothes and shoes. Remember, once again that you are traveling to a tropical destination. That means you should bring light, comfortable clothes. I’ve actually seen a tourist visit wearing leather pants, that is NOT a tropical outfit! For men, some khaki shorts and a cool shirt, women summer dresses are very popular. Don’t forget comfortable shoes. If you are staying at a resort you should bring a pair of dress shoes for evening meals, but don’t forget your trusty flip flops for everyday wear.

This is especially important when you are taking a tour off of the resort. If you plan on walking around the local areas, most locals just wear flip flops or comfortable sandals. Not only for the comfort level, but the ground is actually very uneven with potholes, rocks and such, so you don’t want to be walking in heels in a pothole and dirt! (Trust me, we’ve seen it)

3. Sun protection. As with any kind of beach destination, Jamaica travel is no exception to the strong sun rays. It is a great place to get a beautiful tropical tan, but you should make sure you have sunscreen to protect your skin, especially if you are fair skinned.

The locals are generally use to the heat and don’t wear any kind of sunscreen, but if they are working outside, they almost always have a handkerchief. When it’s really hot, they wet the handkerchief and tie it around their neck or put it on their head to cool them down from the hot sun rays.

Handkerchiefs have actually become a fashion statement. You will see young Jamaican men that match their outfits with the handkerchief as a type of matching “accessory” but with a purpose. For example, if they have a yellow shirt on, you will see them with a yellow handkerchief hanging out their back pocket.

4. Camera or video camera. Read any kind of Jamaica travel guide and it will tell you that a camera will be one of your most important accessories. Make the long travel worth it by taking pictures and videos of the finest scenery and a taste of their local scene. Your friends and family will be excited to see what Jamaica travel looks like so it’s good to take as many photos and videos that you can!

Local Jamaicans love to take pictures with tourists – especially the children. One of the best pictures you can get is you with a bunch of school children in their uniforms, a great Kodak moment!

5. Shampoo/Conditioner. This is something that I’ve been told by the guest that I pick up. For the amount of times they go into the beach or pool, they need more shampoo/conditioner than what is provided in the little bottles in the hotel room.
So, if you need to wash your hair frequently from swimming in the ocean, I would bring some larger bottles from home along with some bath soap and lotion. But I was also told most women travel with that stuff anyway…

Visiting Jamaican is an amazing experience, but you want to make sure that you come prepared. The more prepared you are the more fun you can have!