Season guide · Montego Bay · Jamaica
Montego Bay in the high season
December–April: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Van Atrecht, CC0
Quick answer
Dry, sunny and breezy, with full resorts and the highest prices around Christmas and spring break. Expect highs up to 31°C (88°F) and lows around 22°C (72°F), with about 27 rainy days across December–April. December–April are among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- December–April
- Temperatures
- 22°C (72°F) to 31°C (88°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 27
- Sea
- 27°C (81°F) to 27°C (81°F)
- Crowds
- Very busy
- Hotel prices
- Highest
Weather in the high season
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 30°C (86°F) | 22°C (72°F) | 6 | 11.1 h | 5/5 |
| February | 30°C (86°F) | 22°C (72°F) | 5 | 11.5 h | 5/5 |
| March | 30°C (86°F) | 22°C (72°F) | 4 | 12 h | 5/5 |
| April | 31°C (88°F) | 23°C (73°F) | 5 | 12.5 h | 4/5 |
| December | 30°C (86°F) | 23°C (73°F) | 7 | 11 h | 4/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 30°C (86°F) against a yearly 31°C (88°F), and 27 of the year's roughly 93 rainy days fall in these 5 months. Crowds rate 5/5 and hotel prices 5/5 on average.
What's on in the high season
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- February: Reggae Month events across Jamaica (February)
- March: Spring break (usually March)
- April: Easter weekend events and carnival season in Kingston (usually April)
- December: Grand Market — Christmas Eve street markets in Jamaican towns (24 December)
Make the most of the weather
Beach · Hip Strip (Gloucester Avenue)
Doctor's Cave Beach
Montego Bay's best-known beach is a private beach club on the Hip Strip with soft white sand and calm, clear water inside the marine park.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Couples
Historic site · Rose Hall
Greenwood Great House
Ask the guide to demonstrate the old music boxes and polyphon.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Off the beaten path
- Rainy day
- Views
Nature · Hip Strip (Gloucester Avenue)
Montego Bay Marine Park
A protected area covering the bay's reefs, seagrass beds and mangroves from the airport to the Great River.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Nature
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Active
Beach · Hip Strip (Gloucester Avenue)
Dead End Beach (Buccaneer Beach)
Come at sunset with a drink and watch arrivals; there are few facilities, so bring what you need.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Couples
- Views
- Off the beaten path
Experience · Falmouth and Trelawny coast
Martha Brae River rafting
Raft captains pole long bamboo rafts for two down a gentle stretch of the Martha Brae River through tropical forest near Falmouth, a calm trip of about an hour and a half.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours with transfers
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Couples
- Nature
- Kids
- Outdoors
Day trips in the high season
- Negril (About 1 hour 30 minutes by car) — Jamaica's westernmost resort town has Seven Mile Beach, a long, calm stretch of sand, and the West End cliffs, where people jump into the sea and watch the sunset at cliffside bars.
- Ocho Rios and Dunn's River Falls (About 1 hour 30 minutes by car) — At Dunn's River Falls, visitors climb the terraced cascades in a human chain with a guide, from the beach upwards.
What to pack
- Light, breathable clothes, a sun hat and high-factor sunscreen
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is the high season a good time to visit Montego Bay?
Yes: December–April are among the best months. Dry, sunny and breezy, with full resorts and the highest prices around Christmas and spring break.
+What is the weather like in Montego Bay in the high season?
Highs of up to 31°C (88°F) and lows around 22°C (72°F), with about 27 rainy days over the season.