Quick Trip Report

We just returned from our second trip to Negril over the weekend. Last time, I started a detailed trip report, and never got finished. This time, I'll just do something brief.

We spent 8 days in Negril this time. We decided to rebook with Idle Awhile this year, but were unable to do so due to a wedding scheduled on the property. So, the first 6 days were spent at Idle Awhile, and the final two were spent at Xtabi on the cliffs. Everything was great at Idle Awhile. I don't want to brag too much on them because reservations are becoming increasingly difficult to obtain there. We moved up to Xtabi on Thursday, sad to leave our new friends on the beach, but determined to experience staying on the West End. Xtabi was kind of a weird vibe. I don't want to go too much into it here, since some of it may be perceived as negative. I may put something up on tripadvisor. If some of you are interested in knowing my specific experience at Xtabi, just private message me. We won't stay on the cliffs again. It is just too quiet and secluded for us. We are beach people. We like to spend a day up on the cliffs snorkeling, and we liked to go up there for dinner a few nights, but we like staying on the beach.

We started out the week eating breakfast, but decided to start skipping breakfast the second day in so that we could try some lunch places. Places that we ate this time:

Breakfast
Marley's by the Sean @ CocoLaPalm
Chill Awhile

Lunch
Niah's
Chances
Wild Parrot
Rockhouse

Dinner
Chill Awhile
Cosmo's
Country Country (restaurant is Country Peppa's, or something, I think)
3 Dives
Pushcart
Kuyaba
Xtabi
Canoe

Canoe and Country Country were the best meals of the week. Kuyaba was pretty good, as well.

One quick story... The night that we ate at 3 Dives (Tues.), we met a couple that we overheard talking about heading back down to the beach. I asked about splitting a ride back down, and they said, "yeah", they had a guy they used. I made sure I wasn't going to pay an arm and a leg to get back to the beach, and agreed. The driver mentioned on the way down to the beach that he had been playing pool at Palm Court (I guess he plays there a lot). I asked him about it, and he asked if I played. I said I did, but was out of practice, and he said I should come by one night and shoot. Wary about the place being off the main road, I asked our server on a different night about the place. She said working class guys hung out there, and that it was a safe place. Nothing to worry about. On Thursday, it rained all evening, so I decided to give this guy a call and give it a shot. He came and picked us up, and we headed over. Everything was fine there. Nobody begged us for money or was disrepectful to me or my wife. I don't know how it would be without the guy we were with, because he was one of the bigger Jamaicans that I have ever seen in town, but I assume it would be fine. When we were ready to go, our new friend drove us home. I had brought an iPhone3G with me to pass along on this trip. I was looking for the opportunity, and now seemed a good one. I asked our new friend what kind of phone he had. He pulled out the equivalent of a "burn phone" with a busted screen. I told him that was no good, and I had a phone for him if he wanted it. I brought it out to him after he dropped us off, and I think he was very appreciative. The local guys have tournaments every Friday at Palm Court. They asked me to play, but I was way too tired and hungover Friday, so that may be something for next time. Just wanted to pass this along. Pretty much broke all of my Jamaica rules that night, but ended up fine, thankfully.

That sounds like a wonderful experience playing pool. Glad you enjoyed yourself. I am a beach bum and have wondered if I would ever want to stay on the cliffs. I do enjoy going to the cliffs for dinner though. And I would like to walk the west end road sometime and pop into those fun places everyone goes to

---

cool stuff

Looks like you had a nice time, RyanP. Yes, the cliffs can be a little "quiet and secluded" but that is exactly what I like. I especially loved staying at SeaStar and using the free daily shuttle to get to the beach for a fun day and enjoy the quiet of the cliffs at night.

Just a small comment on your evening out with the locals.

You did a wise thing in asking someone about the place you were going to get a feel for how locals felt about the place. No sense going anywhere without an idea of what to expect. I think that over 95% of the places you could go that are "local" would probably be an experience close to what you had but it is the other 5% you need to avoid.

That being said, it is the going out and experiencing local Jamaican life that makes for a great vacation. After all, if you avoid the locals you just as well could vacation at home as to go to a foreign country. I think you see where a good number of the posters here have made a lot of local friends and that is why they keep returning time after time.

Perhaps you have just met your first really good local Jamaican friend. Sometimes you just need to take a chance and not a risk.

Peace and Guidance

I shoot at Palm Court almost daily when I am in Jamaica. Great group of guys there. Some really good players and the owner is always on site. He shoots a good game too.

I liked dining at Kuyaba as well! Everything was great! My favorite drink was the Tropical Punch.

Where is Palm Court located? Sounds like a good place to visit.

Where is the palms court?

Oh looks like I got beat too the punch;)

Palm Court is about 100 yards off the main road (One Love Drive, I guess) up Hermitage Road. It's not far past town as you are going up into the West End.