What is the cheapest and most convenient way to go to the Pelican Bar? Any information about it would be great!
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What is the cheapest and most convenient way to go to the Pelican Bar? Any information about it would be great!
Most convenient - taxi to Black River or Parrottee, boat to Pelican.
Most FUN way to go (IMO of course), taxi to Treasure Beach, have breakfast there, meet Dennis' boat and see if you can spot some dolphins on the fast, usually bouncy 45 minute boat ride. Meet your ride after in Parottee or Black River or better yet, return to TB with Dennis and spend the night there. (You can go up Black River in the boat for a couple of hours - swim up at Rudy's, get some stuffed crab from Sister Lou's then stop at Pelican on the way back to TB for sunset!)
Hang out a bit the next day in TB and/or hit up YS Falls on your way back.
Cheapest: take route taxi to Sav, then to Black River, walk to bridge and find a boat to take you to PB. You might get that done for $20pp total, maybe less. But Pelican is a business, so buy some drinks or food there....
one of our favorite places to visit, soon come
"Cheapest: take route taxi to Sav, then to Black River, walk to bridge and find a boat to take you to PB."
So would you just ask a route taxi for rate directly to Black river? Is there a need to go to Sav? Would you have the driver wait for you to return back to Negril? We have limited time in Jamaica so I don't really want to go to YS, but would love to check out Pelican Bar...
Your looking at 2 routes. The first to Sav and the next from Sav to Black River. Technically you take "separate" route taxis. Your driver may be willing to take you all the way for the same price though (that's between you and hime). If your wanting him to wait for you then it becomes a charter taxi and the rates will reflect that. As always negotiate first and make sure all parties understand the terms.
If you take a route taxi, which has a set fare per person, per route, you have to go to Sav and change taxis and that driver will not wait. If you charter a taxi, you can make whatever arrangements you like, just agree on the price before you go. That would be the first option i suggested. Easy, not cheapest.
The Route Taxi way is the cheapest to get to Black River and could make quite the adventure - and take up the better part of your day. I'd hire a driver to take you there - around $35US per person. Have them take you to a place called "Gateway to Pelican" at Parottee Beach - you can catch one of their boats for $10US per person.
We did that yesterday - what a great day. I learned that the way I'll do PB from now on is just that way - JUST Pelican Bar - no mixing it up with a Black River cruise or a ride to Treasure Beach (the boat ride back from Pelican Bar to Treasure Beach hits head water and can be pretty rough).
I'd guess the "gateway" is Basil's bar on the beach in Parrottee. You might ask for that.
What time of day did you do this and how long did it take from start to finish?
If we are flagging down a taxi do we ask them if they are a route taxi?
Usually route taxis have a route printed on the side door saying what the route is. So you'd need one from your hotel to the roundabout/taxi park (or walk, if you are close), one to Sav and one to Black River. I am not sure where the taxi park in Black River is but since the bridge over the river is right downtown and that's where the boats are, I'm thinking it's not likely far.
A charter taxi is about 2 hours to Black River so I'd add some time for route taxis, since you have to change (and wait for one to fill). Although they do tend to drive faster so you might make up the time ;)
Maybe take a route taxi around Negril once or twice first, if you can, to get a feel for how they work.
Small Jamaican $ is advised.
Thanks everyone for the info! 2 hours each way plus boat time is a lot to just do the Pelican Bar. With our limited time in JA, sand gravity may win out. Guess we'll have to play it by ear!
We left Negril at 11:00am and got back at 7:00pm. Well...we were hungry and stopped at Cloggy's for a bite to eat and it took an hour for our food to come out (but when it did it was AWESOME - the BEST brown stew fish I've ever eaten anywhere ever.
BUT...I WILL NOT RETURN for this reason: I noted the posted menu prices but hub didn't and neither did my friend's hub and they placed and paid for the order. The folks at Cloggy's saw a couple of "white" faces and charged DOUBLE what was on the posted menu. I didn't know this until we were back home.
NOT OK.
Personally, I'd rent a car from www.islandcruiserjamaica.com and load it up with 5 people, go to your hotel and ask for a recommendation of a good guide, and head out on a fun and enjoyable journey. The journey is as fun as the destination, you get to stop whenever you like,to enjoy the local scenery and food (Gluttons Corner, just after Whitehouse) for awesome soup.
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If you want a recommendation for an excellent Guide that won't shaft you, go to JB and ask them to send a message to Chris of Roaring River, he's an excellent guide.
The picture below was taken just outside of the place where you take the boat to Pelican Bar in Perotee bay. Chris is on the right holding the lobster..
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I second grabbing an Island Cruiser. Those things are a blast!
nice lobster!
That little restaurant cooked it over an open fire too, and garnished it with fresh herbs and garlic.. Wow awesome... BTW, the place where we got the lobster is just 2 minutes down the road, they buy up the lobster from all the fishermen and distribute it out. That lobster (HUGE) cost us only 20 bucks, and fed 6 people, it was tender and juicy. The restaurant that cooked it up charged us 8 bucks for rice and peas and that included cooking the lobster!! Amazingly, unlike Atlantic lobsters, this HUGE lobster was tender, very tender... My kids loved it.. (so did I).
Dat's da biggest Ja lobster I've seen since the good old days of $6 per pound at Pickled Parrot .. Me still misses that place/vibe/food/view ..