My Rasta father showed me the real Jamaica. After he died, I wanted to share it with my kids
I had no idea where I was heading when we set sail from Jamaica in the 70s, but I’m glad I’ve returned with my children to remember their grandfather this way
July 2022
Sunday with Sean Paul: ‘I hitch a ride or pay a canoe guy to take me to Lime Cay’
The rapper tells Rich Pelley about lovely lazy Sundays in Jamaica on the beach eating fried fish
January 2020
Cool running: Jamaica's Kingston marathon
A race around the capital lures Adharanand Finn to Jamaica, but it’s the friendly island that is the real winner
November 2018
A local's guide
A local’s guide to Jamaica: 10 top tips
The Caribbean’s third-largest island is rich in history and natural highs, from Noël Coward’s clifftop hideaway to ganja (now legal), coffee and vegan Rasta food
January 2018
Running away
Cool runnings in Jamaica: the world's happiest marathon
The world’s best pasta party, reggae beats and fresh coconuts – why wouldn’t you want to do the most fun race around?
November 2017
Treasure Beach, Jamaica: life beyond Jakes
Jamaica’s coolest hotel was once the only stay in the village, but its success has led to Treasure Beach becoming a destination, with new stylish cottages popping up, says Decca Aitkenhead
October 2017
Ocho Rios: a Caribbean hideaway on Jamaica's north coast
On the opposite coast to the island’s busy capital, Kingston, ‘Ochi’ is a tranquil but thriving haven with plenty to do, see and eat – and some characterful places to stay
June 2017
Why I love …
‘The rhythm of Jamaica has always had an influence on my music’
Growing up, saxophonist YolanDa Brown’s Jamaican parents always told her their homeland was like paradise – and the food, beaches, culture and music were everything she’d dreamed of
September 2015
Trelawny, Jamaica: ‘as if the clock has stopped’
Trelawany Parish is home to the fastest man on Earth but, as Richard Moore finds, the pace of life is more leisurely
April 2015
A great little place I know
Polkerris B&B, Montego Bay, Jamaica
This relaxed B&B with views over the Caribbean is a world away from the all-inclusive mega-resorts for which Montego Bay is famous
March 2015
City guide playlists
Rockers International Records on Orange Street, Kingston: reggae playlist
Instagram snapshots
Instagram snapshots: Gavin McOwan on Orange Street, Kingston, Jamaica
December 2014
Jamaica's hippest hotel opens a hostel
One of the coolest hotels in the Caribbean has just opened a hostel next door for those who want style and comfort on a budget, writes Amanda Statham
August 2014
Goldeneye: Where Bond Was Born review – a persuasive account of Ian Fleming's Jamaica
Why I love …
Levi Roots on Jamaica
February 2014
Pass the dutchie: farm-to-table dining in Jamaica
At full moon on a Saturday night, Gavin McOwan heads to Pedro Plains, the "breadbasket of Jamaica", to feast al fresco on top-notch organic fare produced by local farmers
September 2013
Jamaica's ganja tours draw the tourists
Cannabis connoisseurs can enjoy trips to hidden plantations and sample strains of the drug that inspired Bob Marley
March 2013
The world's best beach hotels and accommodation on a budget
Jamaica's best beach hotels and accommodation on a budget
Decca Aitkenhead picks Jamaica's best hotels, cottages and guesthouses offering fabulous beach-front locations, a laid-back Jamaican welcome and prices starting at £20 per night
August 2012
Usain's bolthole: life in the slow lane in Trelawny, Jamaica
Laidback Trelawny Parish in Jamaica has been the birthplace of many Olympic sprinters, including Usain Bolt, the fastest man on earth. Joshua Surtees goes on a pilgrimage
May 2012
Ronnie Gordon: the voice of London
Ronnie Gordon arrived in the capital in 1957 as one of the Windrush generation. He tells Ed Vulliamy how he built his new life in the city's clubs, playing soul, ska and reggae with the best musicians Britain had to offer
