Go Roadside

With over 17000 kilometers of road linking Jamaica's towns and cities, our colourful highways and byways are destinations unto themselves. Winding down mountains, zigzagging through woodlands, and circling the coastline, a road trip through Jamaica reveals many faces of our rich culture.

If driving from Port Antonio to Ocho Rios, visit Portland's Boston Jerk Centre or Buff Bay's Blueberry Hill Jerk Stop. The fumes of spicy jerk delights will greet you from their roadside stands. First invented by Maroon soldiers in the 1600s, jerked meat has become a staple of the Jamaican diet. Seasoned with pimento, cinnamon, nutmeg and hot peppers, jerk chicken or pork is grilled to perfection over an aromatic fire of pimento wood.

Along the same route, you'll notice a silvery glow peeking out of the lush greenery framing the roadside. These dutchie stalls house local craftsmen selling handmade cast iron pots and pans. Dutchies are used to cook a variety of traditional Jamaican dishes.

If you're a seafood lover, eat a meal in one of the fishing villages en route from Negril to the South Coast. On the border of Westmoreland and St Elizabeth is Scott's Cove, where roadside vendors serve fried fish and bammy. Made from Cassava flour, bammy is a scrumptious complement to any fried or steamed fish dish. For unique beachfront dining, visit Alligator Pond's Little Ochie, where you'll eat on a boat on stilts under a thatched roof overlooking the sea! Blackie, the owner, will encourage you to pick out your own fish, shrimp, lobster, crab or sea puss from right off the boat before he works his magic on the grill.

Heading northeast from the Black River to Mandeville, you'll spot an intersection where a group of women vendors sell a South Coast favourite, peppered shrimp. This is the famous Middle Quarters. If you want a real flavour of the South Coast, these are pivotal pit stops to make.

Lining every roadside in Jamaica are farmers markets selling fresh produce. Adorning the front-side of these stands are exotic jackfruits, sour sops, and familiar mangos and coconuts, all of which make a perfect snack to go. Wet your whistle with an ice-cold jelly (the magical result of taking a machete to a coconut). Or, if it's enhanced "stamina" you desire, sip on roots wine - a pungent potion made of various indigenous herbs and roots boiled in molasses or honey.

Also, lining most roadsides are craft markets offering a wide range of authentic Jamaican souvenirs, from hand-painted woodcarvings and bamboo shakers to quirky t-shirts and live Dancehall compilation tapes. If you happen to travel through the capital, a local favourite is Kingston's Craft Market.

So no matter what city or resort town you end up in, go roadside awhile, and experience the many unique flavours, sounds and spectacles of Jamaica.