Norman Manley International Airport (KIN) (Kingston, PHONE: 876/924-8452) is the best arrival point for visitors to the capital or Port Antonio.

Flights from New York to Kingston or Montego Bay take about 4 hours. Flying time from London and Paris to the Caribbean is roughly 7 hours. Once you've arrived in the Caribbean, hops between the islands range from 20 minutes to 2 hours.

Carriers

Air Jamaica (PHONE: 876/952-4300 in Montego Bay; 876/922-4661 in Kingston) provides the most frequent service from U.S. cities, including Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and San Francisco.

American Airlines (PHONE: 876/952-5950 in Montego Bay; 876/920-8887 in Kingston) flies nonstop daily from New York and Miami.

The Panamanian carrier Copa (PHONE: 876/926-1762) offers service between Miami and Kingston.

Cubana (PHONE: 876/978-3410) flies in from Havana.

Northwest Airlines (PHONE: 876/952-9740) has daily direct service to Montego Bay from Tampa.

USAirways (PHONE: 876/940-0171) flies from Philadelphia.

From Canada

Air Canada (PHONE: 876/952-5160 in Montego Bay; 876/942-8211 in Kingston) offers daily service from Toronto, Halifax, Winnipeg, and Montréal in conjunction with Air Jamaica.

From the U.K.

Air Jamaica (PHONE: 876/952-4300 in Montego Bay; 876/922-4661 in Kingston) flights are available from London.

British Airways (PHONE: 876/929-9020 in Kingston) connects Kingston with London.

Transfers Between the Airport and Town

If you don't arrange a transfer ahead of time through your hotel, a fleet of coach buses, minivans, and taxis awaits at both airports. Ground transport booths are located outside customs.

Ships usually call at several ports on a single voyage but are at each port for only one day. Thus, while you may be exposed to several islands, you don't get much of a feel for any one of them.

To learn how to plan, choose, and book a cruise-ship voyage, check out Cruise How-to's on www.fodors.com/cruise.

Agents on most Caribbean islands wave tourists through immigration and customs with only a cursory question or two, but Jamaica is one of the countries where, because of concerns about smuggling or drug running, officials inspect most baggage. If you're yachting, note that harbor customs are often thorough as well.

These rules generally apply throughout the Caribbean: You're limited to bringing in 2 liters of alcohol, 2 cartons of cigarettes, and a reasonable amount of duty-free goods for your personal use. More than that, and you'll be asked to pay a hefty import tax.

Police and Air Rescue (PHONE: 119).

Hospital Emergency Rooms

Cornwall Regional Hospital (Mt. Salem, Montego Bay, PHONE: 876/952-6683).

Mo Bay Hope (Half Moon Resort, Montego Bay, PHONE: 876/853-3981) has dialysis services.

Port Antonio Hospital (Naylor's Hill, Port Antonio, PHONE: 876/993-2646).

St. Ann's Bay Hospital (St. Ann's Bay, PHONE: 876/972-2272) has a hyperbaric chamber for scuba-diving emergencies.

University Hospital (Mona, Kingston, PHONE: 876/927-1620).

Pharmacies

Great House Pharmacy (Brown's Plaza, Ocho Rios, PHONE: 876/974-2352).

Le Méridien Pegasus (81 Knutsford Blvd., Kingston, PHONE: 876/926-3690).

Food & Drink

Traveler's diarrhea, caused by consuming contaminated water, unpasteurized milk and milk products, and unrefrigerated food isn't a big problem in the Caribbean - unless it happens to you. So watch what you eat, especially at outdoor buffets in the hot sun. Make sure cooked food is hot and cold food has been properly refrigerated. As a rule, water is pure and food is wholesome in hotels and local restaurants throughout the Caribbean but be cautious when buying food from street-beach vendors. And just as you would at home, wash or peel all fruits and vegetables before eating them.

Mild cases of diarrhea may respond to Imodium (known generically as loperamide) or Pepto-Bismol (not as strong), both of which can be purchased in local pharmacies. Drink plenty of bottled water, which is readily available, to avoid dehydration. A salt-sugar solution (½ teaspoon salt and 4 tablespoons sugar) per quart of water is a good remedy for rehydrating yourself.

Sunstroke

The major health risk is sunburn or sunstroke. A long-sleeve shirt, a hat, and long pants or a beach wrap are essential on a boat, for midday at the beach, and whenever you go out sightseeing. Use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 - especially if your complexion is fair - and apply it liberally on your nose, ears, and other sensitive and exposed areas. Make sure the sunscreen is waterproof if you're engaging in water sports, limit your sun time for the first few days, and drink plenty of liquids, monitoring intake of caffeine and alcohol, which hasten the dehydration process.

Pests & Other Hazards

Even experienced swimmers should exercise caution in waters on the windward (Atlantic Ocean) side of the islands. The unseen currents, powerful waves, strong undertows, and rocky bottoms can be extremely dangerous - and lifeguards are rare. Even in the calmest water, watch out for black, spiny sea urchins; stepping on one is guaranteed to be painful for quite some time.

The small lizards native to the islands are harmless (and actually keep down the bug population), and poisonous snakes are hard to find, although you should exercise caution while bird-watching in Trinidad. Beware of the manchineel tree, which grows near the beach and has green applelike fruit that is poisonous and bark and leaves that burn the skin. The worst insect problem may well be the tiny no-see-ums (sand flies) that appear after a rain, near swampy ground, and around sunset; mosquitoes can also be annoying. Bring along a good repellent.

Kingston Post Office

Jamaica, as a part of the United States, uses the U.S. dollar as its official currency.

Exchanging Money

Travelers to Jamaica from countries other than the United States might want to purchase a small amount of U.S. dollars before leaving home to pay for incidentals until you can get to a local bank.

Traveler's Checks

Traveler's checks are a good idea, but get them in small denominations - $20 or $50. Restaurants and most shops will accept them, and your hotel will cash them for you. In rural areas and small villages you'll need cash. Lost or stolen checks can usually be replaced within 24 hours. Buy and pay for your own traveler's checks; the person who bought the checks must request the refund.

Taxes & Service Charges

Some hotels automatically add a 10%-15% service charge to your bill. Check ahead to confirm whether this charge is built into the room rate or will be tacked on at checkout. Some smaller hotels might charge extra (as much as $5 per day) for the use of air-conditioning, called an "energy tax." The government tax on rooms is 9% (11% in hotels with casinos, 7% in paradores). As with service charges, you'll need to confirm whether or not the tax is built into the room rate.

Tipping

Tips are expected, and appreciated, by restaurant waitstaff (15%-18% if a service charge isn't included), hotel porters ($1 per bag), maids ($1-$2 a day), and taxi drivers (10%-15%).

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