Port Day in Falmouth Jamaica (safety tips & best things to do)

If you're planning your Port Day in Falmouth, one of the questions at the top of your list might be centered around safety. After our visit just last week, we're sharing our best safety tips and top recommendations for things to do during your visit (mainly, we do not recommend walking around outside the port on your own). From visiting the historic port, trying local foods, or making your way to some of the nearby beaches -you have quite a few options when visiting this area of Jamaica!

Other posts you might be interested in :

• 10 Free Things to Do in CocoCay, Bahamas
• Port Day in Hiroshima, Japan
• Day Trip to Nusa Penida, Bali

Our Essential Travel Resources :
​There are a lot of travel companies out there, but some are better than others. These are our favorite websites and resources to help you plan an incredible trip.

For flights, we recommend using WayAway or Hopper to compare the cheapest dates to travel to your destination.

Car rentals comparisons are best through Discover Cars - just make sure to bring your international driver's permit with you if you're heading somewhere international!

We always use AGODA for hotels. They have an easy-to-use platform where you can compare the best rates.

To keep cell phone service if you're traveling internationally, we always use Airalo’s easy to purchase eSIM’s (no installation required).

For fun things to do, we always recommend Viator to find the best tours in the area, otherwise Klook also does the trick, especially for tours in Asia.

Just in case, Safetywing is the insurance I always use for travel insurance.

Lastly, my packing list for your international or domestic travels.

Safety Tips & Things To Know

Contrary to what some people may think, Falmouth is actually not the capital of Jamaica. With about 8,000 people, this coastal city pales in comparison to Kingston - the real capital of this island country located on the opposite side of the island with over 1.2 million people. Although small, Falmouth offers quite a bit to see and explore, but to be quite honest I wouldn't realistically call it one of the safest cities to visit. Below, we've gathered our best tips on visiting the area - in addition to our best tips to stay safe.
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• Currency - the official currency of Jamaica is the Jamaican Dollar, however we used USD everywhere we went and it was accepted with no issues

 

• Kidnappings - currently, one of the major concerns of the US government is kidnappings of tourists, although we didn't have or see any issues related to this, we recommend only getting is cars with official taxi drivers (they will have a state issued badge)

• Hospitals/Police - according to the US State's website, medical facilities are severely understaffed, and if you get injured there is a low chance you will be properly treated - similarly, if you do get assaulted or robbed the website says that local police often do not respond, so it's important to keep these in mind

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• Book a Tour - rather than walking around on your own, we recommend booking a tour so that you're with a group as well as a local, we recommend the Pedicab Tour that can be booked at the port but any tour will do

9 Best Things to Do in Falmouth

1. Explore the Historic Cruise Port
​The cruise port of Falmouth is considered one of the more historic areas of Jamaica. At one point, it was one of the wealthiest areas that also happened to be one of the busiest trading ports of sugar and rum. Although that sounds like a different world compared to what it is now a days, the Cruise Port is still considered historically significant in the Trelawny Parish. Inside the port gates you can find plenty of shopping, restaurants, and entertainment for cruise visitors.

2. Head to the Falmouth Court House
Just a few blocks outside the gated port, you can find the bright yellow Falmouth Court House. Built in 1815-1817, then destroyed by a fire and rebuilt in 1926,  this is one of the nicest buildings in town. Although you're shown this building on the Pedicab Tour (see below), you can also walk to this building - just be aware of anyone following you.

​3. Enjoy a Pedicab Tour
Although we can't find this tour online, if you walk around the port towards the exit gate you'll find a group of Pedicab drivers offering tours. We paid $25 for every 2 people, and our tour lasted about 45 minutes. Honestly, the tour was an excellent way to experience the city in a way that made us feel safe - we were shown local churches, taught bits of local culture, and they even picked some local fruits and flowers to teach us about!

4. Visit Water Square
Just one block from the Falmouth Courthouse, you'll find the famous Water Square. Although it was under construction when we visited (they're currently adding a statue of Usain Bolt), this was the first town in all of Jamaica to have running water. In previous years this is also where the local market was held, however due to safety reasons for tourists it was moved elsewhere. *this is NOT the photo pictured above, the photo above is a water fountain located in the port*

5. Enjoy the Limbo Party
Depending what time you're at port, you might be lucky enough to enjoy the Limbo Party at the center of port! During our port day here the party started around 10 am, and here you can find dance competitions, limbo competitions, and generally just different fun games to enjoy!

​6. Go Souvenir Shopping
The port is filled with plenty of shops to go souvenir shopping at. From Rum Cakes to Rum, jewelry to small trinkets, you really can find anything you want! If you're hoping to get some souvenirs to bring home with you, then this is the place!

7. Try a Red Stripe Beer
A local pale ale brewed in Jamaica, Red Stripe Beer can be found just about anywhere. Inside the port you can find Red Stripes at just about any food stand, but if you're looking to try even more local brews then we recommend heading to the Clubhouse Brewery - which serves multiple different Jamaican craft beers.

8. Or Other Local Foods
In addition to Red Strip Beer there's plenty of other options for local foods to try! Whether you venture outside the port or choose to spend the day comfortably inside the gates of the port, you can find jerk chicken, beef pattys, fresh fruit, and more. We would highly recommend trying the jerk chicken and a beef patty while you're in Jamaica! We thought both were delicious!

​9. Join a Tour
Like we mentioned above, rather than walking around on your own we highly recommend booking a tour that includes transportation if you're planning to head outside the port gates. Although we can't link the Pedicab Tour because it can only be booked in person at the port, we've linked a few of the other most recommend tours below :

• Good Hope Estates - this plantation sits on an eco-adventure outpost, and is a stunning nature retreat that also offers yoga and spa amenities in addition to rafting, tubing, and kayaking adventures

 

• Green Grotto Caves - this adventure brings you to hidden underground lakes and limestone caves, the caves are said to have excellent stalactite and rock formations and be one of the cleanest areas to explore in Falmouth

 

• Blue Hole & Dunns River Falls - the Blue Hole of Jamaica is a stunning swimming hole where visitors can enjoy hiking, cliff jumping, swimming, and even some rope swings while cooling down in the hot sun - many tours here also combine your visit with a stop at Dunns River Falls, considered one of Jamaica's national treasures, where you can hike up to the top of the waterfall and enjoy the views!

Watch our Adventures in Falmouth!

Other Caribbean Blog Posts :

• ​10 Free Things to Do in CocoCay, Bahamas
• ​Port Day in Falmouth, Jamaica
• Port Day in George Town, Grand Cayman

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