First time to jamaica...

In Kingston the most popular budget option i know of is Mikuzi http://www.mikuzijamaica.com/kingston.html

Great neighborhood, easy access to a lot of popular kingston things to do.

I am assuming you are flying into Kingston. There is alot to see in Kingston, including Bob Marley Museum @ 56 Hope Road, plenty of museums and the National Gallery etc. in town. Port Royal is also pretty neat place to spend a few hours.

The Blue Mountains is a must do if you love nature. Passing through is nice if you don't want to do the peak hike. On the way from Kingston to the North Coast if you take the "junction road" you will pass Castleton Gardens a great place for lunch along the river.

Port Antonio has alot especially nature wise and a great town to walk through, historic building, nice market. Further east Boston Beach is famous for jerk, scenery along the coast is pretty amazing, surfers can be seen sometimes at Long Bay.

To the west of Porty one of my favorite places is Robins Bay (aka Strawberry Fields) which still has a property by the same name. Real Jamaica here, larger population of Rastas here (not Jamaicans with dreadlocks, but real Rastas). Wonderful nature, great options for nature excursions/bush hikes/waterfalls/adventures on sea with fishermen.

Treasure Beach deserves a few days for sure if you want to see real JA. Less rain in Treasure Beach than ANYWHERE else in Jamaica. Aside from five distinct fishing beaches that boast more fisherman than tourists, gorgeous scenery and less chance of rain there are quiet streets, cute little shops and places to eat and alot of nice nearby daytrips. The local must do's include YS Falls, Black River (crocodile safari) and Floyd's Pelican Bar. Cheap rooms can be found including Ms.Judy's in Great Bay and the new Hostel Treasure Tree House they even have a posh treehouse in a Mango Tree where you can stay.

For real Jamaica, it can be found but is much harder when you spend anytime in Negril, Montego Bay and Ocho Rios. These places are all Jamaica yes, but the initial hussle/hastle factor often clouds/slows down the process of finding the "real" Jamaica.

Amen to all vijonjamaica said....I only visited Strawberry Fields for the first time this year and I will definitely be back.

Treasure Beach and Portland were already favorites :)

On the money thing- take your ATM card (called ABM in Jamaica)

Try to pay in J$, and best to change at cambios, not at the airport. US$ also work but when in Rome...

I had a funny situation a few months ago by circumstance was caught in Kingston with only US$ travellers checks and couldn't get then cashed ANYWHERE (it was a Sunday). Finding that travellers checks are more and more difficult to get cashed so I'd steer clear of them and try using your card...

Hail Ohliz, thanks. When in Robins Bay, I advise staying at John Crow's aka Steve's Wakkle Lawn or Charlie's. Nice vibes, ocean view bedroom, ocean view shower, ocean view toilet, ocean view kitchen sink. Breakfast at John Crow's- breadfruit roasting on fire, just picked off tree one minute before, fish from sea, scaled and in the pot within about 10 minutes flat! It doesn't get any more fresh or ital.

Hmm. I don't know the place, but only been to Robins Bay twice

Checked out River Lodge when I was there, also have a friend there who offers accommodations but they are almost like camping, there's indoor shower/bathroom and the "camping" is huts. It's just about next door to Strawberry Fields.

Where is Charlie's or John Crows, in RB itself?

As mentioned in a post some months ago, traveller's cheques can be scammed so small guest houses are becoming leery of them. As #13 recommends, use JAD whenever possible and change at local cambios, NOT the airport.

You were right about there, River Lodge is on the left just after John Crow's.

As you pass Bobby's Shop, going down the hill you come upon a bamboo wattled fence/blue shop. That is Steve's ask John Crows. Cute cottages, sounds like you saw the place.

For Charlies, it's further up the road on the right, best to ask at John Crows for a guide, no sign. Charlies is the thatch hut in the opening scene of the movie One Love. Stunning location!

Sounds like exactly where I was, my friend's place is behind the first shop past Strawberry Fields, we walked down a path behind the shop to a cliff by the sea, that is where his cottages are. They are all round. I've hard him call the place Club Dread but I never saw a sign or anything.

I met a fisherman named Charlie...I suppose there's more than one Charlie in the area.

I took some photos and wrote about my time there this past April when we took a boat to a beach and hiked in to Kwame falls.

http://ohliza.blogspot.com/p/musings-from-april-2010s-soloish.html