Must See Jamaica - Kingston

Jamaica's teeming capital city suffers from a negative image that, though partly deserved, belies its charms. At first neither welcoming nor beautiful, the city is diminished by squalor, and its culture can be darned right intimidating. Seething tensions simmer below the surface and often boil over.

But although there are places visitors are advised to steer well clear of, Kingston is the vibrant heartbeat of Jamaica and its centre of commerce and culture. It hustles, it bustles, and it merits a visit, especially during one of the annual festivals.

The view from the mountains reveals leafy foothill suburbs overlooking a magnificent natural harbour. Just north of the waterfront is the historic downtown area, with its high-rise hotels and offices and its urban underclass: hustlers, street vendors, and beggars. New Kingston is uptown, north of the old centre.