When the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited the Caribbean island in March, they were met with anticolonialism protests and demands for slavery reparations as the Jamaican people took a stand against the British monarchy’s problematic legacy. This year is the 60th anniversary of Jamaica’s independence from the U.K., and the country is marking the occasion with a year of cultural events, highlighting its history, food, music, and community. A mammoth weeklong celebration will bring the Independence Day festivities to their peak in August, including a parade, emancipation vigils, and the World Reggae Dance finals. Shenseea, who recently collaborated on the track “Lick” with Megan Thee Stallion, headlines the Reggae Sumfest.
[video id=by8VqGWH autostart="viewable"]The adults-only holiday resort giant Sandals Resorts International will be adding three new outposts to the island for 2022 partyers. Two couples-only Ocho Rios resorts, Sandals Dunn’s River and Sandals Royal Dunn’s River, are designed to highlight the local landscape while introducing new luxury features like the island’s Beachfront SkyPool Suites. Beaches Runaway Bay, located between Ocho Rios and Montego Bay, caters to sporty guests with golf, skateboarding, and a climbable tree house.