The Unknown Ahead

When you think of Jamaica, it’s often the beaches of Negril or Montego Bay that comes to mind. Although these places are lovely, we’re going off the beaten path for a totally unique Jamaican experience. Be warned – this is some rustic stuff! But if your family is up for a true Jamaican adventure, this post is for you.

We’ve been to Jamaica several times and usually stay at the Rose Hall Hilton all-inclusive in Montego Bay. It’s a great resort with a nice beach, several pools, a lazy river, and good food. If you find yourself in Montego Bay, I’d also recommend checking out the Luminous Lagoon. It’s a really unique experience where you can swim with millions of dinoflagellates. At night, the lagoon glows when disturbed so it looks like you have underwater super powers. There are only four spots in the world where you can take advantage of this experience. Personally, I’d skip the Dunn’s River Falls as it’s crazy crowded. 

I love a good island resort, but for this post, we’re heading into Jamaica’s mountainous jungles and staying at Zimbali. It’s about an hour and a half drive from the airport according to Google Maps, but in Jamaica, sometimes the roads are pretty rough, so it takes some additional time. We set up a driver to pick us up from the airport, and I’m glad that we did! After a winding drive through the jungle on a dirt road, Zimbali greets you with massive wooden doors and many wagging tails. One of the owners, Mark, makes you feel right at home as you tour the property. Although it’s a retreat, Zimbali is also Mark’s home with his wife, Chef Alicia, and their multiple children. We visited in January over winter break, so my kids were thrilled to have some playmates running around.     

I struggle to describe Zimbali…it’s like an eclectic tree house in the jungle. All of the spaces are outdoors, but roofed, so you feel like you’re really part of the lush jungle surroundings. There are only six rooms, so this place is quite intimate. The rooms are pretty rustic, but comfortable. Our room didn’t have air conditioning, but it was equipped with a fan and large windows. The balcony overlooked the jungle and fruit trees where you can enjoy the sounds of birds. There is also a large community space where you can listen to live drummers in the evening and enjoy a Red Stripe or two.  

Zimbali has its own farm on the property with over 1200 fruit trees. The biggest draw for Zimbali is the food. Chef Alicia is a master in the kitchen. In addition to being a hotel, Zimbali is well known in the area for it’s “cooking show” where Alicia cooks a multi-course meal while describing the ingredients and regaling diners with Jamaican stories. The pumpkin soup was out-of-this-world. If you stay at Zimbali, your meals are included and you can join the cooking show on one night of your stay. I also want to mention an amazing traditional Jamaican breakfast – ackee! This dish looks like scrambled eggs, but is made from the ackee fruit and usually incorporates salt fish as well. I thought it was amazing, but my kids disagreed. Zimbali was very accommodating with my kid’s American palates, and made them some simple toast instead.    

Zimbali offers several cultural and foodie excursions that are included in your stay. Our driver, Trees, was a highlight of our trip. He was so funny, full of stories, and knowledgeable about every inch of the island. Some of the drives are long, but Trees made it lively and enjoyable. My kids still talk about him all of the time. 

One thing to note before we dive into the various activities – bring a lot of cash to Zimbali. We were under the impression that all of these activities were included in our stay, which they kind of were…but we had to front all of the money for the activities ourselves, and then Zimbali “paid us back” at the end of our stay. Although there are ATMs in Jamaica, there are often long lines and they are generally unreliable.

Trip 1: Meet Fiyah

Zimbali calls this “exploring the culture of Rastafari”. I’d call it hiking way up in the jungle to hang out with Rasta Fiyah. This was one of the most unique experiences in all of my travels. The hike itself is beautiful and guided by a knowledgeable local. Since it was winter break when we visited, we were also accompanied by a local 10-year old kid with nothing better to do than chill with some tourists. The hike was moderate in difficulty, although it was a little humid. Our 10-year old friend did the whole thing barefoot!

After about 45 minutes of hiking, we came upon Fiyah’s camp. He’s been living there totally off the grid for over 30 years. He welcomes you to his home, is eager to chat, and makes you an amazing vegetarian meal all sourced from his jungle backyard. If you’re thinking “wow, that’s a great way to get horribly sick and spend the rest of your trip vomiting”, I would agree that it’s a leap of faith. This meal was awesome though (and there was no vomiting from any member of the family). It was full of vegetables and lentils, and Fiyah even shows you where ginger is naturally growing near his home. Everything is cooked over a wood fire to perfection.

As a mom, it was really cool to see my kids running around the jungle with local kids and making up games. It really makes you realize that although we all come from different backgrounds and beliefs, kids are truly just kids no matter where you go. If you do nothing else at Zimbali, do this trip.    

Trip 2: Half Moon Bay & Pirate Island

This is the Jamaican isolated beach that you’ve been yearning. This is a private beach area with a small entry fee. Once there, the beach and ocean are totally yours for the day. Keep the Red Stripe and rum punch flowing! There’s also a great restaurant on site for some jerk chicken or seafood. 

When you’ve had your fill of the beach, hop on a boat and head to Pirate Island. This is a cool spot made of old coral that has been turned into a low-key bar. Have a drink, snorkel the area, and play with the zillions of hermit crabs that dot the island. Definitely wear water shoes here though as the coral is sharp. There’s a deck, but of course the kids wanted to explore the spots full of crabs. 

You could really spend all day here playing in the docile bay.

Trip 3: Snorkeling and Lobster at Booby Cay Island

There is nothing that makes me happier than a fresh lobster with a little jerk seasoning thrown on a grill. Today, you pop on a glass-bottom boat for a little snorkeling and make your way to Booby Cay. The snorkeling is beautiful, and all of the equipment is provided for you. Our guide was really fun and funny, and engaged well with the kids. After snorkeling, we pull up to our beach lunch spot where you’re greeted by “Scooby Doo” with some drinks. They pull up a large lobster trap, and you pick the lobster you want popped on the grill. 

Be aware that there is some circle-of-life stuff about to happen. My son was really excited to name his lobster…and then they macheted that lobster in half. After ten minutes of crying and deciding to be a vegetarian (which lasted about four minutes), we were all eating some delicious fresh lobster.

Booby Cay doesn’t have the cleanest beach and there were quite a few urchins, so make sure to wear those water shoes again today. This place had an awesome vibe though, and those lobsters will forever be some of the best I’ve ever eaten.

Trip 4: Pelican Bar

Alright, this is another trip from Zimbali that will have you a little nervous at first. Our driver, Trees, drove us about an hour and a half south to a local’s house. I’m not going to lie when I say that we were a little confused about where we were being dropped off. A local teenager met us at the car and walked us through their backyard to board a little power boat. Just go with it.

After getting in a boat with a total stranger, you’ll go about a half mile out into the ocean before you see the Pelican Bar. I have to admit that it’s a super cool structure, and I was immediately excited to hang out and have some drinks here. I would again advise you to have some water shoes and also a waterproof bag to keep some towels, sunscreen, and cash. 

You can order food and drinks, jump into the water and hang out in the sun. The water was about mid-waist on me (I’m a sad 5’4″ though) so the kids couldn’t stand. However, there really was no current, so they could swim around and look at the fish hanging out under the structure. There were plenty of drinks for adults, but they also had some great smoothies for the kids. Enjoy the fresh ocean breeze, the salt in your hair, and the cup of rum in your hand.

Trip 5: Negril Beach, Cliff Jumping at Rick’s Cafe, and 3 Dives Bar

Negril’s 7-Mile Beach is close to Zimbali and gorgeous. Think soft, white sand with gentle waves and a plethora of bars, restaurants, shopping, and hotels. Zimbali has a “sister” property on the beach where you can hang out free of charge. We also hit up Margaritaville which had a ton of water trampolines and toys for the kids to enjoy. Grabbing a lounger at Margaritaville is totally free, although you’ll definitely want a margarita at some point.

After you’re done drinking margaritas, head to Rick’s Cafe for some cliff jumping into the ocean. There are a few different height options, all thrilling and fun for various ages. We didn’t hang out here too long, as it seemed to have a “spring break” vibe that wasn’t exactly what we wanted for our family.

Nearby is 3 Dives Restaurant though, which is more isolated and the perfect place to watch the sun set into the ocean. This is another great lobster spot, but they also had plenty of other options.  

Some Final Thoughts…

I would highly encourage you to stay a few nights at Zimbali. It’s off the beaten path, a genuinely unique experience, and something that my family will remember forever. 

It’s also a place where chickens and dogs will have you up by 6AM every day. Were there very large bugs in our room sometimes? Yes. Once squished, were those very large bugs immediately eaten by local lizards? Also yes. It’s not for the faint of heart. It is the jungle after all…

My advice is to stay at Zimbali for three or four nights and then transfer to a resort on Negril or Montego Bay. You absolutely have to attend Chef Alicia’s cooking show, check out the Rasta lifestyle, and experience the Pelican Bar via a local’s random boat. It’s these adventures that get you out of your comfort zone that you remember the most. We all remember Zimbali fondly…but also remember when that lizard ate a cockroach that was found in my luggage.