1. Are you staying at Sandals resort? Or where? If you are on the resort, they will bring everything to you including shopping, but prices will be high, so if you want to do "local shopping" and get some good Jamaican BBQ (jerk pork) get a cab and go into town.
2. When shopping, bargain bargain bargain. The exchange rate about two weeks ago was $52 Jamaican to $1 American, so you can make out like a bandit. If they have it marked at $30, offer them $15 and work your way from there. Don't be embarrassed about it, they expect you to bargain. When offered a price, make sure to ask if they are offering it to you in American dollars or Jamaican dollars. Go from there.
3. If you want the best coffee in the world, buy Blue Mountain coffee. Don't pay more than $14/lb. for it, and make sure the label says JABLUM brand, or it's not true Blue Mountain coffee.
4. Duty free - you can bring back two liters of liquor total before you have to pay tax. Don't buy "overproof" rum, you won't be allowed to bring it back, the proof is too high for America.
5. Drink Red Stripe beer.
6. Jamaicans are a fairly poor country, so they will try and sell you EVERYTHING and they are fairly persistent. If you choose to buy local handmade items, especially those that are handcarved, make sure the wood is not green. If it is, the item will dry out about a month after you get it home and it will crack.
7. If you choose to go off of any resort to do shopping, etc., be careful. Crime can be high in certain areas. Don't wear good jewelry, etc. If you have a guide with you, stay where they tell you to stay, shop where they tell you to stop.
8. Yes, Ganga (ganja?) is the Jamaican National Flower :lol: and they will try and sell it to you everywhere. Don't buy it, it could land you in jail if the guy is undercover cop.
9. Relax and have a great time. The beaches are beautiful, the people are wonderful, the food is great and the alcohol is plenty. Dunns River is a must see, try horseback riding on the beach, river rafting the Martha Brae, snorkeling, a booze cruise. I wouldn't recommend anything like parasailing because it's risky and you have no idea how trained the person taking you on that might be.
10. If you are staying at Sandals, try playing "stump the bartender" at the bar on the beach. I swear, the man knows every song in the world LOL.