Kingston travel guide

Fast, furious and fascinating, KINGSTON is unlike anywhere else in the Caribbean.

Given its troubled reputation, it's hardly surprising that few tourists visit, and though the scare stories are absurdly exaggerated, Jamaica's capital is not a place for the faint-hearted.

With a population fast approaching one million, the city seethes with life, noise and activity; it's a side of Jamaica that couldn't be more different from the resorts.

The live-for-today vitality of the place is tempered by a cool elegance and a strong sense of national history.

In addition to being the seat of government and the island's administrative centre, Kingston is Jamaica's cultural heart, the city that spawned Bob Marley, Buju Banton, Beenie Man and countless other reggae stars, and it's the place to experience the best of local art, theatre and dance.

Though undeniable, the crime and violence in Kingston is largely confined to the ghettos, and as these are positively not places for casual sightseeing, you're actually no more at risk here than in any other big city.

Take the usual precautions - don't walk the downtown streets alone, take cabs after dark, keep jewellery and valuables out of sight - and you're unlikely to run into any problems.

If you do decide to visit, you'll find that not only is it easy to steer clear of the troubled areas, but that there's little of the persistent harassment that bedevils parts of the north coast.

A handful of interesting museums, galleries and churches can easily fill a couple of days of sightseeing; the island's best clubs, theatres and some great restaurants will take care of the evenings. In addition to the lovely Blue Mountains, plenty of other attractions surround the city.

The area is littered with historic sites, such as the forts of the English buccaneers in atmospheric Port Royal , while white-sand Hellshire and Lime Cay beaches are the perfect places for a dip in the ocean.

Kingston's main sights are divided between the area known as "downtown", which stretches north from the waterfront to the busy traffic junction of Cross Roads, and "uptown", spreading up into the ritzy suburbs at the base of the mountains. Downtown is the industrial centre, its factories and all-important port providing most of Kingston's blue-collar employment.

You may be surprised at how attractive and easy-going Uptown feels. Most of Kingston's hotels, restaurants, clubs and shopping centres are here, and it's where you'll spend most of your time. Some of the residential districts are simply beautiful, while the central high-rises suggest a modern city anywhere in North America.