Unique Things to Do in Montego Bay, Jamaica

Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler

Courtesy of S Hotel Montego Bay in Jamaica, an all-inclusive resort located on pristine Doctor’s Cave beach, offers a medley of activities and tours to explore outside of the resort and encourages visitors to do so as much as possible! If you are not staying with the hotel, there are a variety of ways to take a tour including the old fuck around and find out where you just wander the Hip Strip streets nearby and a ton of people will offer you everything from weed to private tours. For solo female travelers, you are good to go doing most anything by daytime with trustworthy souls. If you are a little concerned about the nightlife, just find yourself a male guide who will keep the many men at bay. They instantly respect another guy’s turf. If I wasn’t on an itinerary schedule, I probably would have went out next door and danced the night away and been perfectly fine. Just watch your alcohol intake, don’t smoke anything that you didn’t buy yourself and stick to beer cracked open in front of your face. Alternatively, you can book many excursions online before you even arrive if you like a packed plan. I’ll go in the order of exploring we did with the hotel and by we I mean driver Errol and I on our many adventures around the island!

Rockland Bird Sanctuary

Have you ever held and fed a hummingbird? Me neither until my experience with Rockland Bird Sanctuary located in the hills of Anchovy, St. James. Founded in the 1950s by Lisa Salmon, it is a tranquil, family-run haven famous for its hands-on hummingbird feeding. Visitors must sit quietly to have wild hummingbirds, including the national Doctor Bird, perch on their fingers to drink nectar out of a small booze bottle filled with sugar water. Jamaica’s national bird is the red-billed Streamertail, most known as the Doctor Bird. Not found anywhere else in the world, this breathtaking, iridescent emerald hummingbird gets its name from the mature male’s long, streaming tail feathers and velvety black crest, which resemble the top hat and coattails worn by doctors in the past. Visitors can feed thousands of Jamaican and migratory birds in the tranquil garden of a cozy cottage. In October 2025, Hurricane Melissa caused damage to the sanctuary and they are currently in the rebuilding process which has spooked some of the native birds. But from what I saw, visitors can still feed thousands of Jamaican and migratory birds in the tranquil garden of a cozy cottage and roam the grounds mindfully.

Luminous Lagoon Night Tour

Luminous Lagoon in Jamaica is one of the rare places where bioluminescence occurs! Located in the marshland of Falmouth, bioluminescence is the production and emission of light by a living organism, generated through a chemical reaction with the mushiest mud under your feet where the Caribbean Sea meets fresh water. It is called a “cold light,” meaning it produces almost no heat and raking your hands through it feels like you’ve become a ghost leaving a glowing trail in your wake. Two main chemicals produce the glow up: luciferin (a light-emitting molecule) and luciferase (an enzyme that acts as a catalyst). When luciferin reacts with oxygen in the presence of luciferase, it creates an excited chemical state that releases energy as visible blue and green light especially in the ocean as these wavelengths travel furthest through water. This natural phenomenon offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness its magic. After a short boat ride with captain Larry, you’ll have about an hour to swim and experience the glistening, glowing waters up close. If you really want to deep dive into this shining world, you can stay at Glistening Waters Hotel centrally located in the historic town of Falmouth on the North coast. Other countries showcasing nature’s light show includes Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico and Greece.

Snorkeling Montego Bay

If you really wanted to DIY (do it yourself), you could swim way far beyond the buoys of S Hotel Montego Bay and snorkel your heart out in the coral reefs, but I wouldn’t recommend it. There are lifeguards during the day to yell at you as well and you better be a professional swimmer if you go that far. Instead, you can get a ride just 5 minutes from the hotel or take about a 20 minute walk to experience a guided snorkeling experience with Kelly’s Watersports. Located at Harmony Beach Park, Montego Bay, Jamaica, it is one of the nearby free beaches to explore. Unless you are staying at S Hotel, Doctor’s Cave beach has a fee with a beach club attached on the other side. Even with my solid swimming and lifeguard background and a calm Caribbean Sea day with no fins because they slow me down, an hour out there with the sun will leave you tired but refreshed by Vitamin Sea. This boat-led excursion by local guides Marlin and Duran takes you to some of Montego Bay’s most vibrant reef sites, where you’ll swim among colorful tropical fish and coral formations. The experience is beginner-friendly, with knowledgeable guides who I think are actually fish themselves providing equipment and instruction, making it easy to explore Jamaica’s marine life up close. We saw an array of species including a sea snake blending into the sea floor in shades of brown, a conch shell, a sea biscuit which I later accidentally smashed, sergeant majors with yellow stripes, huge brain coral, blue fish, purple, pink… all colors, shapes and sizes. They also offer those amazing glass bottom boat photography for your modeling dreams as well as more intensive scuba diving if you really want to explore the sea floor!

Lounge 2727 Jamaica

Taking a walkabout after snorkeling, I came across Lounge 2727 Jamaica which during the day is chill but heats up at nighttime. I heard a couple other locals drop this name too so it must have some clout! The night comes alive with a full-blown party vibe that’s all about defining yourself. Located on the hip strip, it’s the go-to spot for urban nightlife, with live DJs spinning the hottest tracks, top-shelf liquor, and bottle service. Whether you’re sipping premium drinks, puffing on your favorite hookah, or hitting the dance floor, they bring the energy, vibes and beats. Sip, puff and party where the night is yours to own. If I wasn’t on an itinerary with S Hotel Montego Bay, I would have gone and danced until the wee hours of the morning, slept in and lived my sloth life the next day. Perhaps swimming in the Caribbean Sea is not your jam, but you can catch waves another way with Lounge2727 on their exclusive 3-hour charter yacht experience. Cruise the Caribbean in luxury, with drinks and finger foods included and soak in those ocean views while you party in style. Where the sea meets sophistication, catch waves and define yourself on the open water. Right next door is a marijuana dispensary Island Strains and from what I learned, you can easily sign up for a medical marijuana card for $10, use your drivers or bring your own from home. But honestly about two people asked me if I wanted to buy some weed as I was just walking around window shopping. And I learned from some Bermuda gals at the hotel about exploring D Boss Farms that also has animal interactions. While it’s not legal per say, nobody really cares… just watch those energizing sativa strains! There’s also Margaritaville up the street if you want the cookie cutter island experience but yawn, ya’ll.

Rose Hall Night Tour

Last but certainly not least, learn all about the White Witch of Rose Hall on the haunted night tour! Petite Annee Palmer is known to have killed three husbands and taken on numerous slave lovers, only to die by the hands of the one she loved the most. Hear the spine-chilling historic tale of the notorious murders and feel the house come alive through an interactive tour set in the 19th century. This is the Montego Bay Jamaican mansion to visit, a restored 18th-century architectural masterpiece offering both day and night guided tours for 1.5 to 2 hours in over 10 languages. We were fascinated at the crazy stories and what better way to learn than at night when the sun goes down and the spooky stories start – and spine-tingling experiences.

Built in 1770 by John Palmer and his wife, it eventually became the residence of their grandnephew, John Rose Palmer. In 1820, Palmer married Annee, a tiny, beautiful but feisty English girl. Little did John know that his young wife possessed “black magic” powers that would eventually lead to his demise. During her reign as mistress of the plantation, Annee did away with two more husbands and countless lovers. The White Witch of Rose Hall has fascinated generations, and even today, there are those who claim to see Annee passing through the Great House. A candle-lit evening tour of the former home of Jamaica’s White Witch includes captivating and chilling stories of love, murder and mystery skillfully told by knowledgeable guides. You’re sure to feel goosebumps as these eerie tales come to life in this grand estate, where ghost sightings have been reported over the years. Tours also give historic insight into this grandest of Jamaican great houses, now beautifully restored with 18th-century decor and antiques. To end your spooky session, you can visit the dungeon, transformed into a tavern called Annee’s Pub. The potent rum cocktail, known as “Witches Brew” helps banish the spirits of ghosts or black magic they sense still lingering in the mansion.