What should we expect to pay for 2 going from Bloody Bay(SATP) to Xtapi & back?
Thank you all so much for the invaluable info! We hit the sand Friday!
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What should we expect to pay for 2 going from Bloody Bay(SATP) to Xtapi & back?
Thank you all so much for the invaluable info! We hit the sand Friday!
I would plan on $30+ US dollars for a private taxi round trip. Depending on traffic it's a little bit of a drive from Bloody Bay to Xtabi and your driver will make the trip twice. You probably already know this but you won't pay until they come back for you and take you home. Great sunsets at Xtabi and the caves are always fun.
Just grab a route taxi. Less than $12 round trip.
Thanks Rumlover & Tah!
Tah, route taxis are the red plates, right? Catch one on the way over, and a different one on the way back I assume? We plan to stay for a couple of hours or so. Do we tip also? How much?
Rumlover, if we hired a private taxi how do we do so? $30+ for 2, right? I assume we can ask them to make an extra stop at the Hi Lo or Cambio. If so, how much extra would we expect to pay? Do we tip also? How much?
Sorry for the 20 questions!
All licensed taxi's have red plates. If it's your first time, maybe just grab a regular taxi until you get used to the route system. I would never even consider paying $30 though, that's a lot of money for a short ride.
Thanks Tah! What would you suggest I offer?
For a juta or regular red plate taxi, no more than $20 round trip (I still wouldn't even pay that, but I'm cheap).
I know it's been a while since I was in Ja...
But, I'm glad that others think & feel that $30.00 US is way too steep ...
I paid $100.00 US to go to Kingston & back!!!
My first time in Negril. Should I offer $20?
All legal Taxis have red plates.
Route Taxis will charge the flat route taxi fare for pickup\drop off anywhere along that taxi's route. They will pick up other passengers along the way so it is not a private ride and they will not deviate from their route. If they reach the end of their route then you will need to get out and find a taxi that drives the next route in the direction you are going. The route of the taxi should be marked on the side of the car. You can think of route taxis like buses.
A private taxi is any taxi that you hire to give you a ride based upon the terms you both agree upon. The ride is typically private and you can negotiate a ride to\from anywhere on the island. You can even negotiate a ride with a route taxi. Anytime you negotiate with a route taxi driver you are actually hiring them as a private driver for the time you need them. There is no need to negotiate with a route taxi driver if you just want a ride along their route and pay route taxi fare.
In my experience route taxi drivers have smaller older cars but you can typically negotiate a private ride for a little more than standard route fares would be for the same trip if its local. Taxis drivers that don;t drive a route usually have nicer bigger cars\vans but may not be as negotiable. If you're walking or standing waiting for a ride it is most likely a route taxi that will stop and ask you if you need a ride.
To be safe you should pass on any taxis that drives a route outside of the area you are traveling in (i.e. make sure the taxi drives a Negril route if in Negril).
Hope that helps
Probably for your first time, yes, just make sure that's round trip (don't expect the driver to wait around, set a pick up time). Once you have some comfort level with how things are, then maybe move on to route taxi's (we only take route taxi's, generally).
Oh, and it's Xtabi, not Xtapi.
Got it! I really appreciate you taking the time to educate me. Spelling & all! (LOL)
Of course. Also, if you're not staying at an AI (and really, even if you are) I'd recommend buying a cheap Jamaican cell phone when you get to Jamaica. You can pick up a phone with enough credit for a few weeks for under $40, that way you can get phone numbers from any drivers you like and just call them when you need a ride. Also great for calling back home, and it's almost always cheaper than what you'd pay using your US phone.
OK I'm bracing myself for everyone telling me it's too short...... I know, I know. Rather too short than none at all, right?!
We'll only be there for 5 days at an AI. Still get a phone? Don't plan to "travel" a lot. A couple of short day trips XtaBi, One Love pub crawl, maybe a trip to the market. Otherwise see if beach gravity will take over the rest.
You probably don't need one for this trip but if you plan on returning you might want to think about it. I keep my Jamaican SIM active buy adding a small amount credits avery couple of months. The minutes and the phone are there for me to use when I return. Even When I'm home I make any calls to Jamaica on that phone. This way I have no need to give out my personal number and can keep phone books separate. I actually have 3 sims\numbers....personal, work and Jamaican.
Got it! So do I just have the hotel call the driver you mentioned? Not sure if they have "arrangements" with preferred drivers? Same on the other end at Xtabi?
Do not have the hotel call a driver for you, they will gouge you. Go to the road and flag down a taxi. Negotiate.
Not sure what you're doing for a driver from the airport, but many of them will give you a phone to use while in JA, as long as you use them for your airport transfers. Check the list of drivers on this site.
Understood. Screwed up and bought the transfers in the "package" before I realized that a private driver would have been preferred. Probably a bus if I'm guessing right. Live & learn... next reach...
Quote:
Originally Posted by needsomebeach
I would make sure you have a working cell phone even if you don't want to buy a ja sim.
No worries. We did the same thing on our first trip. You'll likely be riding in a 20 seat mini-bus with other passengers. You trip from the airport to your hotel will take longer, but at least you are saving some money. There are many boardies who actually prefer to take a JUTA bus from the airport to Negril. Just sit back and enjoy the ride.Quote:
Originally Posted by needsomebeach
Although you won't be able to stop wherever you want, the driver will take a vote among the passengers and ask if you want stop for a Red Stripe and bathroom break. (Unfortunately, in my experience we had a bunch of cranky passengers who wanted to go directly to their hotel without making any stops.)
I didn't have a JA cell phone on my first trip. In my experience, hotels and restaurants will let you use their phones if you give them the number to dial. (I guess they just want to make sure that it is a local number and you are not calling overseas.) Or, if you are happy with a driver and want him to pick you up after dinner, etc. he may go to the restaurant manager, give them his number and have the restaurant call him when you are finished with your meal. Doesn't get more convenient than that. You'll find that most Jamaicans in the tourism industry are very accommodating as they want to keep your business.Quote:
Originally Posted by needsomebeach
But yeah, a couple times I did suck it up and call a driver from my US cell phone (with an international plan), when I was stuck somewhere without a taxi nearby. I have since acquires a Jamaican cell phone now that we visit the island on a regular basis.
Thanks again everyone for all of the "inside" info!!
Many restaurants will come pick you up for free, and you pay for the return trip. Always tip both ways.