Going TO Jamaica Solo Again!

Hello Boardies,
Just wanted your lightbulds about this topic! I'm going to Jamaica again alone. I did not think that this was going to happen, but New Boyfriend didn't turn out to be what I thought he was! Decided to break up with him, but still need to have my yearly fix of Jamaica.
I love going in May it's beautiful! Realize this trip that I am thinking about splitting my trip in between MoBay and Negril.
Going solo again, but went last year and stayed in Negril, and at times felt a little lonely at times.
I don't want friendly men to get the wrong impression if you know what I mean so I spent some times with a couple of female friends I meet on my trip while staying in Negril. I've stayed at Seastar which was a wonderful experience going solo. I want to explore a little more tours this year when I go.
I like to explre and be busy, but relax when I want to. I am a people person, but loner at the same time. I need that balance.lol I'm a 40yr old single female that likes to eplore, love adventure, meeting people and having fun.
Any suggestions on where to stay in Mobay for a person that likes to have fun, but going solo? Also, staying at Seastar again for certain when I go, but i'm feeling a little sidetrack about going alone again even though I've been going to Jamaica for years solo and with others. Any suggestions or comments o topic? Thanks Copper

I love going Solo..My own time with my own agenda. Better to go alone than with company that turns out to be a real drag-and some people I dont know well enough or have traveled with them to want to risks my precious travel time to find out I should have just went alone..

Why the split??? Do have to stay in Mobay ???? if not I wouldn't....

i had the same thoughts about Mobay, there is nothing that would draw me there--solo or not. I have stayed in Mobay twice, once at Toby's and once at Gloriana's when I had flight issues and had to unexpectedly extend. Both times I was so wishing I could just hop back to Negril.

I have traveled solo to Negril many times and love it. I have stayed both beach and cliffs and found that the beach is a better fit for me as there is plenty of opportunity to get social if I want to, and the west end is a short cab ride away.

stay at Toby's if you are going to MoBay solo.........but it's a lot more expensive overall than say Negril...........
mi have stayed in MoBay probably half a dozen times for various reasons but Negril is really the ticket.........
heading to SeaStar Inn myself in 5 days.......for the second time........guess mi have 5 sleeps......yah mon

Cool Runnings, Marko

Your right guys maybe i'll slpit my stay on the beach for half on the cliffs at Seastar. Thanks i'kll be checkin on the beach maybe at the treehouse again for the first half and seastar at the sscond half. Where is there a good bar to hang at on the beach going solo without all the hassel?

I'm going to play devils advocate... I have stayed at The Royal Decameron in Mobay a number of time and always have a blast.. its easy to travel as a single female (I'm 45) and have never had any problems..Pier One is a lot of fun, as are some of the great tours based out of MoBay (eg, zipling was awesome). I think the perfect vacation is seeing lots of Jamaica... Negril, MoBay, and all of the other beautiful spots. Mobay does have pros and cons just like Negril.. I think my perfect vacation with be one week at royal decameron and 2 weeks in Negril. Just my 2 cents. Good Luck

copper - JA is a great place to heal. Sorry it didn't work out w/your Mr.

[my usual disclaimer....these are just my two cents and only one persons perspecitve]
I have mostly traveled solo and in my experience you do have be in defense mode (male or female) but soon learn to be gracious but tough regarding constant proposals (lol) although it can be exhausting. Its gonna happen though especially at the beach in my experience. I prefer to stay on the cliffs to be away from the "hustle" and bustle but it sounds like you want to be where the action is and I think that is mostly the beach. I swim at the beach, have a few cocktails and head to the cliffs for shower, chill, sunset, sleep (repeat lol). Many good places with good security on the beach but as you know from past trips you have to remain alert and make good choices solor or not. I would always mix in some RealNegril webcasts to find fun boardies to hang with and maybe take a tour with. And then if you are at a property w/good security you should be able to relax without much hassle but in the water or public bars the charming fellows will be round. Pick a larger place if you think you will get lonely. Time alone can be such a gift. I wish you a fun and inspiring trip Copper. Bless

My first trip was solo and I was there a week and did about 4 excursions and had a ball!!!!! Since it was my first trip I wasn't all that keen on going out by myself at night but I don't really do clubs here at home so I wasn't missing much. My last trip I did part in negril and part in Kingston. It gave me a chance to see a whole lot more of the island. I would love to do a Negril/Treasure Beach split.

I like staying at El Greco esp on a Friday night in MoBay. Breakfast is included along with admission to the beach. Enjoy wherever you decide to stay!!

I've gone solo and enjoy it. Stayed at Toby's in Montego Bay once for a few days and then off to Negril. If I had to do it over again, I'd probably not have spent that much time in Mo Bay, but maybe instead would have went to Treasure Beach or Jamaica Jewel in Duncan's Bay for a few days and then onto Negril.

Solo is the way to go. You may want to bring a stick; lol....you'll need it to beat off the men wanting to spend time with you.

Solo first time for me really looking forward to it!!!!! Wouldn't choose anywhere else!!!

In Negril, I love to stay across the road from the beach.

Alot quieter, no crowds and you have alot of privacy.

The Coral Seas Garden has a very nice swimming pool too.

They have 2 queen beds in every room and the grounds are full of tropical plants and bamboo trees.

Sometimes, a person just wants to get away from the beach crowd, so just cross the road and voila, you are there.

You can sit on the veranda and not have to watch a million folks walk past your room.

It is located across the street from Bar B Barn and next door to Sunrise Cafe.

They take real good care of you and have the best housekeepers in Negril.

AC, A safe in the room,phone in the room,cable TV, swimming pool.

You can't beat the place.

There is a nice little grocery store across the road from Coral Seas Garden and plenty of eating spots 5 minutes away.

Tell them Markospoon sent you.

You will have a blast staying there.

Well, Guys I've been thinking.................. I am still a little in between on making a final decision though. I'm thinking of spending maybe 3 days at Royal decameron, it seems to be for the couples or the solo adult crowd. I'm staying 9days /8nights in May.
Then I was thinking of staying the rest of my time at Seastar because I liked the privacy on the cliffs when I don"t feel like being bothered. I liked not being on the beach because it's so busy and I am at a place that I like to chill and lay back, but want action when I want to be bothered.So that canceled the Treehouse out. I also loked at Rondell Village on the garden side it looked appealing, but I have to have a place that serves great food and the Seatar fixs that bill, I love the food there!
I was thinking of doing alot more tour this trip then the last trip in May of last year. I've stayed at a couples places in Mobay over the years such as Sunset beach, but don't care to be around alot of familys going solo and all. Also I stayed at Holiday Inn sunspree, but that was with my son and nephew.
I love to dance and see thgs that I've never seen before, but get bored very easily. I just don't know what to do?
Everythg got so expensive over the years in jamaica. It's definetly isn't the way it used to be as far as getting around, tours,food, etc unless you guys know somethg that I don't. I know about inflation, but my goodness!
Beachgirl, how was the food at Royal Decameron? It's all inclusive right?
I still need more info guys, sorry for being so uncertain I really want to make this vacation count this year.
Copper

Copper350, The Coral Seas Garden does not have their kitchen open.

Everything else you are looking for, you can definately have at the Coral Seas Garden.

Privacy, but still close enough to the action, just cross the street.

Your local friends are welcome to visit you withoput a hassle.

It feels like staying on the cliffs.

Nice view of the Morass behind the swimming pool.

Check out the pictures on the internet and you will see what i'm talking about.

So, good luck, i wish you well.

May should be low season, so the price should be around $62 bucks a night for the best little family run hotel in Negril.

Tell them Mark sent you!

P.S. Free local phone calls from your room too.

What does anyone know about the Banana Shout Resort on the west end looks wonderful. If reveiws come back and they have availablity I think I will give up Seastar to stay there for the entire week and just eat a couple of meals at the seastar, and I love the sat night parties at the seastar so I can still go.
Markospoon,I will check out the coral sea gardens and see what it is your talking about.
This Banana resort appears to be very relaxing though and I can just go to action when I want to and come back to peace and quiet!

Ok Marko spoon, I think that you are on to somethg here!
I love the price and what you seem to get for it. I know from traveling to Negril for many years now that it's about the culture, food , atmosphere,fun,peace of mind on vacation without spendimg loads of money on a room that you really don't spend alot of time in for me anyways.
I like the freedom of moving about to places I want to visit and eat if I choose to. I love the central location,being near the beach if I want,price, and privacy.
Again I will visit Seastar to eat I love their food!lol I think that I have made a decision guys! Thanks Markospoon

Copper, the Royal Decameron has a good selection of food... and a nice combination of local food (which I love) and North American type food (that lots of other people enjoy). Yes it is all inclusive. All the water stuff is included, even a guy that will take you out on a small sailboat to cruise the bay. The hammocks are to die for when you need to put your feet up and of course the entertainment can be great (the decameron dancers) or mediocre (tourist participation). They have a disco on site which depending on the crowd that is there can be a ton of fun. Additionally Margaritaville (more tourist though) and Pier One are great for late night parties ( my personal fave is Pier One). I like walking down past the hip strip, there are lovely gardens and of course the famous pork pit with delicious food, doctors cave if you want a different scene.... I like shopping at some of the local 'malls' and bigger stores in MoBay. You don't have to leave the resort if you dont want... but I like going into MoBay to look around even the movies once (long story how I got there, but glad I went..lol)! The staff really make it great. I love that it is 5 minutes from the airport too.
Seastars food is sooooo good. Best quesadilla I've ever tasted was from there.
good luck!

Been a long time, 15 years maybe, since I stayed at Coral Seas Garden but if it's still the same Markospoon is right, very nice - good price. I am, however, a fan of the cliffs :) Xtabi is gorgeous and has cheap rooms across the road. It's been a few years but I thought there kitchen was very good. Blue Cave castle doesn't have a ton of amenities but the rooms are sweet and your staying in a castle RIGHT on the FREAKING EDGE of the cliff. I'm staying at Home Sweet Home this trip, a little pricier - $110 US high season - but not too bad for a room with a private verandah and seaview directly on the cliffs.

Sorry to hear about the shake-up in your plans, Copper! Something very similar happened to me this year (I reported it on this forum back in Nov.)....... it sucks when you think you've established a relationship that's gonna work, and you've put all that energy into it .... and then your "prince charming" lets his true side through, and it isn't so "charming" after all. But the good news is, you figured it out before it was too late, and YOU'RE GOING TO JAMAICA!!!!! Even if Jamaica IS for lovers, it's more fun going solo .... no one to tell you what to do or get impatient with you, and your schedule is yours and yours alone!! Consider doing a May Roll call on the forum and see who else is going to be in JA ... you might find some other travelers that want to do some exploring with you and share some costs ..... not that you'd hookup in the 'biblical' sense (I'd be wary of some of the behavior that some of the boardies boast about .... STDs are rampant in Caribbean), but could share a driver or gas, etc. And if I were going to spend time on the north coast .... it wouldn't be MoBay for an extended time..... but maybe something between MoBay and Ochie. Duncans has a nice little retreat call Silver Sands, and from there you could take in the Glistening Waters in Falmouth, the Green Grotto caves in Discovery Bay, maybe go for an excursion through Fern Gully near Ochie, and hit Nine Mile to pay respect to Bobby, eat breadfruit and roast yam at Scotchies ..... Then of course, there's Negril...home base .... and any of the south coast excursions that others have mentioned. You're gonna have a blast!!!

Thank you so much Kritter! We really need to hear that when we"re going through and we can always use encouragement! I will keep that in mind, the places you recommend and put a awesome vacation together for myself!

Hello boardies, ok I made a sound decision on upcoming vacation in May. I have been all over the place with this and now i've decided.
I'm going to do somethg that I've been wanting to do for a while now and split my trip in ocho and stay at the Hibiscus Lodge Hotel and spend 4days there exploring and doing tours. Then spend the next 5 days at the Seastar Inn. Thank Markospoo the Coral Seas look great, but home for me in negril is the seastar I love it there i have to stick to why I fell in love in the first place.
I am really looking frwd in trying somethg different this year ad I hope I really enjoy ocho. Thanks to all that help, and encourage and if any one has any info about ocho meaning must sees, foods, tours please let me know. I was going to do Mystic Mountain bobsled, river tubing, dunn river, atv tour, and I would love a blue mountain tour or just to see other parts of that side of the island. Trying somethg different in 2012, but must finish my trip in Negril my home. Thanks again Copper

Copper, good choice!
We did something similar in October, we stayed in Ochi for 3 days and then Negril for a week and we had a great time
While in Ochi we did: A day tour to Port Antionio which included a stop at Somerset Falls, the Blue Lagoon, Frenchman's cove (we had lunch here) and then a rafting tour down the Rio Grande
We also visited Luminous Lagoon / Glistening Waters in Falmouth one evening which was awesome
and we spent a day at Mystic Mountain which was really cool (Highly recommend this place) we did the "Tranopy" which included all 3 attractions of the Sky Explorer, the Jamaican Bobsled and the zipline. They also have a really nice bar and restaurant and an infinity pool with a slide....you can spend the whole day there....so much fun

Have fun!

Sounds wonderful! Let us know how it goes!

Get a Pink Hummingbird at the cliff bar at Hibiscus. It's a grotto halfway down the cliff and the seats are swings - beautiful and fun. Haven't had anybody duplicate it anywhere else, ridiculously good tropical fufu drink. Great choice for a foodie as well, The Almond Tree was excellent when I was there. One of the best meals I've ever had for the whole picture - quality food, great location - get a table by the rail on the overhang and you're dining OVER the ocean, wonderful ambiance, great service, the company wasn't too bad :) A table-side Caesar in the Caribbean :) Hibiscus also has one of the best gardens I've seen in Jamaica. Just an excellent choice I think - Have fun.