The ultimate guide to Jamaica for every budget

Go large: What beats succulent chunks of Scotch bonnet pepper-spiked lobster served over linguini dressed in a bacon and cream reduction? The opportunity to enjoy this sumptuous dish at The HouseBoat Grill, the classic Montego Bay restaurant moored in the marine park. Once owned by actor Timothy Moxon (006 in Dr. No, which was shot on the island), it’s a decades-old local favourite.

Spend less: The patty is to Jamaicans what chips are to Brits: a portable, inexpensive and filling snack, beloved whether you’re living high on the hog or close to the bone. Tastee and Juici are the established brands, each with shops island-wide and fiercely loyal fans. Try both (there are veggie and seafood options, as well as the original beef) and taste for yourself which is best.

Go large: Twice a week Christopher and Lisa Binns invite guests (strictly by reservation only) to their acreage in the hills of St Ann for ‘earth walks’ through their organic farm, followed by lavish farm-to-table feasts of seasonal vegetarian fare. Dubbed Stush In The Bush (‘stush’ is a colloquial term that means ‘fancy’), each gathering is a rustic yet elegant affair. Dress accordingly.

Spend less: If you’re curious about Rastafarianism, a visit to Rastafari Indigenous Village near Montego Bay will answer all your questions. On a half- or full-day tour guided by followers of the religion founded in Jamaica in the 1930s, you’ll learn about its history and spiritual and culinary traditions, touring an organic farm and participating in an African drumming circle along the way.

Go large: Housed in a cut-stone cottage perched on the edge of a lagoon, FieldSpa at the Oracabessa boutique resort GoldenEye inspires relaxation at first sight. But it’s the treatments – purifying ‘bush baths’ drawn with local herbs; exfoliating rum, brown sugar and Blue Mountain coffee scrubs; massages with pimento and ginger oil – that slow you from 60 to zero in no time flat.

Spend less: The tranquil white-sand swathe at Frenchman’s Cove in the parish of Portland is Kingstonians’ go-to escape from the capital. A river runs through its lush beachfront gardens, bracing waters emptying into warm shallows where a rope swing sees plenty of action. When hunger strikes, enjoy a jerk chicken feast from the nearby town of Boston, where the spicy barbecue originated.

Go large: Whether you’re a serious art collector or simply an enthusiastic shopper, you’ll be enchanted by ceramicist Victoria Silvera’s sea urchin-themed collection of handmade crockery, teapots and decorative pieces. Delicate, eye-catching and seamlessly combining function and form, anything from the line would make an elegant memento of your visit. Find Silvera’s work in select shops island-wide and online.

Spend less: Cultivated in a microclimate ranging from 2,000 to 5,000ft high, Blue Mountain coffee is widely considered the best in the world, fetching up to £40 a pound internationally. But it costs less when you get it locally (and even less if you get it in a supermarket), so while you’re here seize the opportunity to take home a pound – or three.

Go large: Driving here isn’t for the faint of heart. But if you’re game, consider Island Routes’ private tour, which puts you behind the wheel of a Mini Cooper to explore the north coast between Ocho Rios and Falmouth. You’ll follow your guide’s lead into the hilly countryside, where you’ll board a bamboo raft and continue your adventure on the Martha Brae River.

Spend less: Journeying through tropical forest on a handmade bamboo raft gliding along Portland’s Rio Grande is a uniquely Jamaican experience, popularised in the 1950s by actor (and part-time resident) Errol Flynn. A reasonably priced two-hour trip through the river valley, bordered by mountains cloaked in a tangle of wild orchids and heliconia, offers an opportunity to see the island at its unspoiled best.

Go large: On the island’s south coast, near the bohemian beach town of Negril, YS Falls comprises seven waterfalls on the grounds of a former sugar cane plantation. Join Chukka Caribbean Adventures’ tour to the cascades and kids little and large can not only swim in the natural freshwater pools the cascades create but also zipline through the forest high above them.

Spend less: You really can’t say you’ve visited Jamaica if you haven’t climbed the falls at Dunn’s River in Ocho Rios. Meet your sure-footed guide at the beach, from where you’ll clamber hand-in-hand 600 feet up the cascades, pausing for ’gram-worthy photo ops along the way. Once you’ve reached the top, exit through the craft market, where vendors’ wood carvings make classic souvenirs.