As the name says....1st timers coming in April

Hello Everybody,

My wife and I are making our first trip to Jamaica, staying at the Negril Beach Club Condos in April (7th-14th). We have graduated over the years from the Cancun/Riviera Maya all-inclusive thing and have done quite a bit of travelling. We've seen Spain, Portugal, Germany, China and more. Our last "beach vacation" was two years ago in Eleuthera, which was beautiful, but definitely the furthest thing from an all inclusive you could find! Almost "roughing-it". We've also done a villa rental and jeep for a week on St. John, USVI, which I highly recommend.

We wanted something new and chose Negril after lurking on Tripadvisor and here. We needed a place that had great beaches and was walkable for most things, but not too "touristy". We like to get out and be with the locals and eat and drink as the locals do. Negril sounded like that kind of place. We have booked our room, have airfare and are just counting down the days.

We very rarely go to the same place twice (although the tug of STJ is strong...), so I'd like to know from all of you repeat Negril lovers - if you had only 7 days, one time - what is your "must"? Eat, drink, bar, restaurant, beach, day trip etc.

I'll promise a full trip report in return for your comments!

Well..... let's start off by saying welcome to the Negriloholics! And "Once ya go then ya know" In 7 days you can cover a lot of ground and beach. :) Now our questions. Have you lined out transportation? A MUST is web cast with Rob and Lisa. I'm a person that dosent like the "touristy" places as well!!! I would suggest Mayfield Falls. Ask away! We are here for ya!

I have one suggestion for round trip from Montego Bay - for around "$120" (would be cheaper if I enlisted the drivers services when needed for the week) I was also told that Jean at NBCC can arrange this transportation, but have yet to get a cost.

I'm really looking to just chill on this vacation. We'll do some exploring for sure - that's why we got a room with a kitchen and didn't go the AI route! Our last two trips were a 5 day motorcycle trip in Arizona and southern Cali that covered almost 2000mi, and a 9 day trip to Spain and Portugal that had me begging for new feet! Now - it's beach time!

What is this "Web Cast" you speak of??

Rob, who operate this web site Negril.com has web cast on Sunday Café Goa on Sunday from 11am-1pm. Tuesday at 3 Dives from 5pm-7pm and Thursday at Canoe from 5pm-7pm. It's a great way to meet fellow boardies and have a grand of a time with Rob and Lisa. Also you can have your friends back home tune in and see you live in Jamaica during the webcast

Webcast and chat:

www.realnegril.com

First trip to Negril was in 1992. Had been to about a dozen countries and islands before Jamaica. Since 1992, have been to at least two dozen more countries, but have returned to Negril, Jamaica over two dozen times!

Why do I keep going back??? As Vince says, "Once you go, you know"!

Enjoy,

VVHT

Very cool! I'll check it out!

Ok I'll throw in my two cents.... Whoever you use, get a driver or company with Red Plates (approved and licensed for use as a taxi). Rob couldn't stress this enough.

I enjoyed Mayfield Falls, a friend that went to Mayfield with me, and later went to Dunn's river and YS Falls said he liked YS best. It is a bit farther, but you can tie it in with a trip to Appleton Estates.

Lots of great places around for food, some of my favorites:
Breakfast: PeeWee's and Canoe, peewee's being cheaper and Canoe having a nice spot on the deck right at the water's edge. Good food at both.
Lunch: Keney's Chinese food had a great lunch. Ahhbee's burgers deep West End.
Dinner: Quality's Sea Breeze (see separate thread for 20% off), Chicken Lavish (delicious tender chicken), also Canoe good lobster dinner there. Pizza at Italian Café. Pushcart had a great Nyammings platter with curried chicken, bushman stew, curried goat and oxtail if you'd like to sample some local dishes. I liked the jerk chicken at 3 dives, but got a sparse amount of chicken on my plate. Maybe just a bad cut, I'd def go back there another time though.

~Moose

Live Negril.com LIVE webcast is on now www.realnegril.com

We were in Negril for our first trip to Jamaica last month. There were a ton of highlights during our week in Negril, but off the top of my head, let's see... things I'm glad we did and things I'd definitely do again in a heartbeat if given the chance (and I think we will have that chance come October, when we're headed back for our 2nd trip- we love it that much!) Find a place to hear some live reggae music. We lucked out and had dinner at 3 Dives one night when a band was playing, went to AhhBee's one night to hear their live reggae band, plus special appearance by some African Drummers and a blues singer from Chicago. Another night we went to Canoe for dinner and listened to a really great mento band- The Overtakers. Visit some of the little bars along the cliffs- one with a most amazing view is Sir D's. Try the patties at Out of Town Pastry, far end of the cliffs. Check out the caves at Xtabi- pretty cool! Looking for a delicious dinner with an amazing view? Ivan's at Catcha Falling Star, on the cliffs- just before Rick's Cafe. Walk the length of 7 mile beach- or most of it, anyway... checking out all the bars, vendors, etc... If you happen to get up to Montego Bay area, the Croydon Plantation tour is worth the trip for the view alone... gives you a completely different view of Jamaica in the hills.

I have a feeling someone negrilnoobie will be extending there trip. like maybe missing there flight and "have to stay 3 more days" LOL

I agree with all the above and am surprised no mention yet of Seastar Inn for their Saturday night buffet and drummers. Great show and super chill. Its not on the water but still fun nonetheless. The owners are very sweet and accommodating.
Be sure to hit up a webcast. We did that last time and had our friends and family tune in, was fun and Rob and Lisa are a hoot as well. Go to Canoe for their 2 for 1 drinks.

7 days, one time. MMMh, I don't know if that's possible.

Lots of great ideas have been mentioned but here's a few more.

For afternoon music on the beach check out Drifters and the Boat Bar. Both have music certain days.

Although many will disagree if I was going for 7 days, just one time I would go to Rick's Cafe for sunset cocktails and watch the cliff divers. It's pretty tourist oriented but is listed as one of the top ten bars in the world Another fun place that is a little more laid back is PeeWee's Bar on the cliffs where you can also sometimes catch a few divers and have a drink with some locals.

If you wanted to do a day trip from Negril, then I would look into the Pelican Bar. It is very unique as it is built on stilts out in the ocean and you will need to take a boat ride to get to it. There are lots of pics available on the internet.

Drink fresh OJ with vodka and pet the goats at Whoopie's Bar on the deep west end.

For great Dirty Banana's on the beach go to Yellowbird, watch for the 2for1 days. And I always like the rum punch at Canoe.

Being that you are only going to be there one time you really need to try the barrel jerk chicken which is cooked and sold from barrels all along the beach road. I have a personal preference for Original Bigg's Jerk stand. He is located in front of Hidden Paradise.

Patties are a big food item in Jamaica. There will be vendors on the beach selling patties. For some of the best and the largest patties go to Miss Sonia's on the beach road.

I like the fried chicken at Chicken Lavish restaurant and brown stewed chicken at 3Dives.

Several bars on the beach, Bourbon Beach, Alfreds and Roots Bamboo have live music on rotating nites. Late at night in front of any of those places there will be many vendors on the beach road to quench your hunger or your thirst.

There is plenty in Negril to keep one occupied for a week, but watch for the sand gravity as it tends to make you just want to relax and enjoy your visit. And remember, what ever happens in Negril didn't really happen!

I would eat at Caio Jamaica sitting up on the second floor. I would finish dinner, have a drink or two and wait until I hear the whistling peanut cart coming and grab a few bags of boiled peanuts for desert!

JustChuck- I'm adding some of your ideas to my *to do* list for October. I wish I were there right now!

Thanks all - this is some great info. I'll be printing all of this out and sticking it in my carry on!

I would walk the beach and get a feel for it then rent a scooter or a driver to hit all the cliff resorts for a drink or swim all the way to Westender or beyond. If no the types to just chill on the beach all day then short trips to Little Bay, Blue hole and Mayfield falls will give you a different view of Jamaican life.

I've been riding a motorcycle for my entire life and I love the idea - but I've been reading quite a bit about how reckless the driving and riding in Jamaica has become of late. Apparently motorcycles have really gained popularity and the riders are passing in scary situations, nearly hitting pedestrians on sidewalks etc. Does this ring true, or is it overblown?

negrilnoob......do not....I repeat...do not rent motorcycle or scooter in Negril ! Under any circumstance....no..no..no..no..no..no..and in case you didn't get it....no !!! ")

It's not overblown, it is a real concern.

Seastar is great on saturday nights, Drifters Bar Friday and Sunday. Best of the West and Step aside jerk chicken. The canoe bar is awesome. and you cant beat the prices and the food at Corner Bar.

No one has mentioned the red dragon for lunch. The jerk pork is amazing. A must for me.

everything he said.....i would add the one love pub crawl as a must do for a first timer....
I also agree about rick's...touristy, yes, but top ten bar...yes....gotta do it once, even if you dont eat, just to people watch

the webcasts that have been mentioned have live bands usually

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by justchuck

7 days, one time. MMMh, I don't know if that's possible.

Lots of great ideas have been mentioned but here's a few more.

For afternoon music on the beach check out Drifters and the Boat Bar. Both have music certain days.

Although many will disagree if I was going for 7 days, just one time I would go to Rick's Cafe for sunset cocktails and watch the cliff divers. It's pretty tourist oriented but is listed as one of the top ten bars in the world Another fun place that is a little more laid back is PeeWee's Bar on the cliffs where you can also sometimes catch a few divers and have a drink with some locals.

If you wanted to do a day trip from Negril, then I would look into the Pelican Bar. It is very unique as it is built on stilts out in the ocean and you will need to take a boat ride to get to it. There are lots of pics available on the internet.

Drink fresh OJ with vodka and pet the goats at Whoopie's Bar on the deep west end.

For great Dirty Banana's on the beach go to Yellowbird, watch for the 2for1 days. And I always like the rum punch at Canoe.

Being that you are only going to be there one time you really need to try the barrel jerk chicken which is cooked and sold from barrels all along the beach road. I have a personal preference for Original Bigg's Jerk stand. He is located in front of Hidden Paradise.

Patties are a big food item in Jamaica. There will be vendors on the beach selling patties. For some of the best and the largest patties go to Miss Sonia's on the beach road.

I like the fried chicken at Chicken Lavish restaurant and brown stewed chicken at 3Dives.

Several bars on the beach, Bourbon Beach, Alfreds and Roots Bamboo have live music on rotating nites. Late at night in front of any of those places there will be many vendors on the beach road to quench your hunger or your thirst.

There is plenty in Negril to keep one occupied for a week, but watch for the sand gravity as it tends to make you just want to relax and enjoy your visit. And remember, what ever happens in Negril didn't really happen!

---

Been to negril more times than I can even keep track of now, in 4 short years. I love Rick's Cafe. I don't care what anyone says.

now let me tell you my favorites, walking from your hotel....leave the condos on the beach, to the left is (in order as u come to them) errols, nice cozy little bar, open late night...my gang hits errols several times a trip...next is travelors...nice pool, kayoke some nights...next is shields...swim upbar and happy hour 2for 1 evryday 4-6...about a mile or so farther u will come to town....

back at nbcc, go the opposite direction, and you have about 4 miles of white sand and beach bars and resturants to explore.....

your first several are local huts and bars, some call this the shady area...some dont recommend hanging in this area after dark...i stayed at travellors last trip and walked by this area every night, and Culture has been in this area for years, one of the first guys i met on my very first trip in 2009...
anyway, nice little bars for a meal or drink are coconut international, mom's place, bar b barn, bourbon beach, on down to yellowbird (favorite...2for1 all day until 6) there are so many past there, just keep walking....i have a trip report i just finished, u can checkout some pics of some of these places

me too brother

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Flipadelphia26

Been to negril more times than I can even keep track of now, in 4 short years. I love Rick's Cafe. I don't care what anyone says.

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by groove16

me too brother

---

Me three !!!!!

Man, this stuff is great - I really appreciate all the info. I have not run across such an enthusiastic group on a forum since our trip to STJ in '09! Turns out, we "got it" and loved the place too. I hope we come away from this trip feeling the same way - you're all certainly building the anticipation for us.......33 days!

I'm a part-time musician (if drummers are allowed to say that?) as well - so thanks for all the Live Music tips - I will definitely be checking it out. No participating though.....I'm a rocker - not a Reggae player!

I see you on your trip playing drums! No Problem Mon! come join in mon!

Why were my comments deleted?

I was notified by one of staff that they had to remove several posts that were discussing a different island destination. Your comments must have been included in those removals.

That's a little off putting for me. It's your site, you can obviously run it as you see fit. I'm a somewhat regular poster here, I like to think I contribute a little to this board (which is a community) regarding info for newbies. The comments were totally innocuous, there was no need to delete them. Someone asked about an airport code, I answered and said I was going there (I'm sure you've seen it by now) and asked a small question of my own that I've had trouble finding an answer to. It really bothers me that I can't even do that here, merely because it mentions another island. I'm not promoting another island, it was a passing conversation. I don't like it one bit, and I feel like you should reconsider your stance on this issue.

TAH,

I am not sure why you would be a little off put, and we appreciate everyones contribution to the Board. But being Negril.com, the focus of the Negril Message Board is Negril and Jamaica not other destinations. This guideline has been in existence since the Board was started in 1997. An unsuccessful attempt to allow more general postings was tried years ago, but that quickly deteriorated into people advertising cars they wanted to sell, posting sunsets taken in California and other such unrelated postings.

In the FAQ section under Guidelines you will see that #1 reads as follows:

1) Since this is the Negril Message Board, we would like the topics to try and reflect Negril and Jamaica tourism. This is meant to be a rather common sense guideline.

Although we appreciate all the visitors to the Board, if we allow people to post discussions about Cancun, where to dine in San Francisco, pictures of sunsets in New Jersey or their car for sale in Denver, the Negril Message Board would quickly lose its focus.

This guideline is just that, a guide to help you determine if a post is proper for the Board. There are of course exceptions either way.

Since the Negril Message Board readers, known as Boardies, come together as a large family on here, as always we allow posts wishing others well during their times of need. The power of these good vibes can make a difference in people's lives and are encouraged.

Also, we love to hear about Boardies gatherings around the world, so keep those fun posts coming!

In addition, major news events (Michael Jackson's death) or international situations (the tsunami at Christmas) do warrant discussion. This does not mean every event is eligible to be discussed, but that the extraordinary ones are welcome as people do need to express themselves at times.

A little communication goes a long way to help people understand why their post was altered or deleted. This is the only board that I participate in where nothing is communicated when changes are made. Whether a generic notice like TA uses, or a MOD taking a moment to state why a post was altered. My guess is the transparency would eliminate the "off putting" feeling from those impacted.

Just a suggestion.

Booger,

That is already being done. We take a much more personal, detailed approach than the generic canned response.

Each of our staff moderators uses their own discretion in removing the posts based on the guidelines as they have been explained to them. The moderator called me today after removing the 7 posts and we discussed the issue. When the deletions are as obvious as the ones the moderator told me about or when name calling or foul language is used, there really is no need for an explanation as the deletion or altering is self explanatory.

When an explanation is required, for example when an illegal drivers contact information is posted, I am sure many of you remember seeing the "(driver contact info removed as driver is not a legal taxi)" that I post in place of the info. When the situation is more private, I generally PM the person so they know directly why the action was taken and we can discuss the matter further.

Here are just a few of examples of a little communication to help people understand why their post was altered or deleted.

http://negril.com/forum/showthread.p...ved#post142830

http://negril.com/forum/showthread.p...ved#post163099

http://negril.com/forum/showthread.p...ved#post156080