Jamaican Holiday Trivia Quiz

Answer: Caribbean

Jamaica is an island nation in the Caribbean near Cuba, Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Once known as Santiago, it was under Spanish rule until 1655 when it became a British colony with its current name of Jamaica. It gained independence from the U.K. in 1962.

Answer: Kingston

Kingston is not only the largest city in Jamaica; it is also the largest English-speaking city in the Caribbean. It is situated on a harbour on the southeastern coast of the island, protected from the ocean by a long spit of land called the Palisadoes.

Answer: Treasure Beach

Treasure Beach is a popular tourist attraction in the parish of Saint Elizabeth in southwest Jamaica, while (the capital) Kingston is situated in the south on the harbour.

The Palisadoes spit is a tombolo of sand that forms a safe harbour for Kingston. Port Royal is close to Kingston on the Palisadoes along with the Norman Manley Airport. Devon House was built in 1881 by one of Jamaica's first non-white millionaires, George Stiebel.

Answer: Reggae

The house where Robert Nesta (Bob) Marley lived and recorded his famous music is Jamaica's most visited tourist attraction. The house contains memorabilia and artifacts from Bob Marley's life.

It's uncertain where the term "Reggae" originated, with different versions claiming it came from the words for "Rocksteady", a "raggedy looking girl" and even from the word for "a Kings music". Reggae is loosely based on the earlier styles of "Ska" and "Rocksteady".

Jamaica has produced many famous international artists over the years, including Jimmy Cliff, Shaggy and Grace Jones. Harry Belafonte, known for his rendition of the "Banana Boat Song" was born in New York, but spent his formative years in Jamaica.

Answer: Montego Bay

Montego Bay, Jamaica's second largest city, sits on a picturesque bay with coral reefs and clear, turquoise waters. Resort hotels and villas dominate the tourist area of the city along the beach, called the Hip Strip, while the business part of the city, Downtown, is vastly different. Bobby Bloom released "Montego Bay" in 1970, and other artists, including Jon Stevens, have since covered the song.

Answer: Reggae Sumfest

The annual Reggae Sumfest is usually held mid-July in Montego Bay and features local reggae stars. International artists such as 50 Cent and Rihanna have sung at the concert, and Bob Marley's son Stephen has been a regular performer there.

Answer: Haile Gebrselassie

Haile Gebrselassie is a well-known Ethiopian long distance runner who won back-to-back Olympic gold medals for the 10,000 metres in the 1996 and 2000 Olympic games.

Asafa Powell and Usain "Lightning" Bolt are both Jamaican sprinters who have helped their country win an Olympic relay gold for the 4 x 100m relay. Bolt is the more celebrated of the pair, winning two individual Olympic gold medals and several World Championships. Courtney Walsh played in the West Indies cricket team from 1984 to 2001. And did you notice, not a mention of Bobsledders...

Answer: Ackee and Saltfish

While Ackee and Saltfish is the national dish, neither ingredient is native to Jamaica! Inhabitants of the Island Newfoundland introduced Saltfish (dried, salted cod) to Jamaica when it traded the fish for Jamaican Rum. Ackee is the national fruit of Jamaica and it was originally introduced from West Africa.

Jamaica rum isn't really a dish for eating, but for savouring under palm trees along the beach while the world goes on around you.

Answer: Runaway Cave

The Green Grotto Caves are so named for the green algae covering the walls of the grotto. Over the years, the caves have gone by different names such as Runaway Caves, Runaway Bay Caves, Hopewell Caves and more. During the time when the British settlers were running the Spanish out of Jamaica, the Spaniards hid safely in the caves.

The caves have also been used by escaped slaves, hence the name Runaway Cave. Arawak Indians first used the caves and pieces of their pottery have been found there.

Answer: Dunn's River Falls

The Dunn's River Falls are some 600 feet high and are terraced like a giant staircase. They were formed by deposits of calcium carbonate and sodium, and are constantly changing due to the actions of the water rushing over them. The site attracts thousands of tourists every year who climb to the summit of the falls.
James Bond (Sean Connery) and Honey Rider (Ursula Andress) swam together in the falls during the 1962 "Dr No".