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I just got back from my seventh trip to nigril . met some people staying at allinclusive,they were suprized that I would eat at local shops and drink the water.They were told it is not safe to leave the resort ,eat the food or drink the water. So untrue . We need to spread the welth, so the little guys can make it also.
And of course, if you do leave the resort, only use their transportation or you'll be putting your life at risk. Never talk to locals. Amazing what they brainwash people with.
Have never stayed at "allinclusive", but it really bugs me when I hear this kind of thing! Hubby and I have eaten locally for going on 14 years! And always drink the water!
Yes, we've heard the same thing having stayed at an all inclusive on the other side of the island..."it is not safe to leave the resort"...ummmm, wrong people to try and say that to...
BUT...there's a place for everyone in Jamaica & some love the all inclusive aspect...nothing wrong with that...please remember those all inclusives employ many Jamaicans also!!!
Sorry,and another thing...where do the allinclusives get their food,and who prepares it? And where does the water at their resort come from?
I dont know.
Where?
Treefrog,I don't know for sure,but at the end of the day if we are all in Negril....and we all live to to tell of the the great food and beverages we consumed,water included and used local transportation too! I say long live the idea we have a choice in where we spend our time! As for me and mine we choose to be with the people we love so dearly. For us that is "noninclusive" Y'all have a wonderful day!
When ?
Treefrog,when???
There is a Strong spring in the west end that is the source of water for Negril.
Nick, do you know if that is all of negril or the beach areas? Asking because I know very little about it, just know I've never gotten sick :)
how do you keep a #&*! in suspence?
I've stayed in 3 different Negril allinclusives a total of 9 times. Never once been discouraged from getting out and seeing Negril day or night. Also always been told the water is safe and encouraged to drink from tap instead of bottles.
Blueallah, good to hear. Would like to hear which ones. :)
I have stayed in many AIs. I was never told to not leave property. I was just told to have fun!! It's all good!!!
csa, cn, bgnQuote:
Originally Posted by dconkle
We've been to Negril 11 times over the years and have stayed at all inclusive resorts 4 of those visits. We have never been told anything like what was mentioned above and have never felt that we could not or should not leave the resort whenever and however we chose. We always have thoroughly enjoyed both experiences (all inclusive and not). We love going to Negril and find it interesting how some feel that the all inclusive experience is somehow bad. In my opinion both experiences have advantages and benefits If you don't like it; don't go. Just my opinion. Respect
Respect to all
Having been to Jamaica 4 times (going on 5) - and my second trip to Negril - I know what they're talking about. Some people are just plain paranoid. "I heard from a friend that when their friends went there that they heard from another couple that....etc...etc...etc..."
AI or non - (we're doing AI this trip) - the MOST fun is getting off the resort. I've never had a bad experience, always drank the water - and no, I don't pump myself full of dukarol or twinrex.
BTW: did you know that a main side-effect of dukarol IS diahrea? LOL Its on their website! LOL
Be smart, be nice, have fun.
In my experience, if you go to the tour rep "meeting" it's the tour reps that try to discourage you from leaving the property on your own. They only do that because they want to sell you their overpriced tours. That's pretty much the case in any country (Mex, DR, Cuba, Jamaica) that we've been to an AI. It's not the hotel itself or the hotel staff in my experience but the travel company reps...
We've stayed at CSA twice, and were never discouraged to leave the resort. When we were leaving by taxi, they did ask if we had a trustworthy ride. The one all inclusive we did experience that with was Beaches. The tour rep actually told me it was unsafe to leave the resort on our own. I laughed and asked him how did he manage to get to work. I told him that we had a driver we used for a few years, it was all good. I did get a bit of the cold shoulder after that. At Beaches, many of the people believed that staying on the property was the way to go. At CSA it was a mix. We usually stay at the non allinclusives, but thats just our choice.
I think AIs are an excellent way for the cautious traveler to slowly ease their way into the Negril experience. The first stay, they might "dip their toe into Negril" by taking a walk down the beach or having dinner at a cliffside restaurant. If they enjoy those experiences, they may leave the resort more and more in the future and some may decide to go Non-AI for their next trip.
Same here...Quote:
Originally Posted by mommacat
This will be my second "full" AI (others were the old brekkie / dinner no booze thing) - always encouraged to go "out and explore".
I was never discouraged from leaving the compound of the AI's by the employees,,,they just said to make sure you have a spear to fight off the fire breathing dragons who lurk in the caves on the West End.
I love the AIs in Negril, too. That's how I started, and I've never had a bad trip at the RIUs, Sandals Negril, Couples ..... I kind of bring the gerryg123 lifestyle to the AIs, so I still have my scooter and appetite for all things good .... The AIs are EXCELLENT if you have kids, especially when they used to be free with a paying adult at the RIU Club.
I was the visiting tennis pro at 3 different AI's in early 2000's after my 2 hours of work was up my long time friend would come in his truck to pick us and tell the guards "jail break" as we would leave with him.
We've never been scared off by CSA to venture out and about-actually peeps at home in New York are more paranoid when I tell them we go off resort - they think Jamaica is scary-maybe Jamaica, Queens in New York where JFK airport is!
Last year we did trading places from CN to CSA...After about an hour we were ready to go back to CN so we went out front to grab a route cab.
The guard asked if we needed him to call us a cab and we said we would just flag down a route cab.
He asked us to come over to him to discuss this and he told my husband to put on his shirt and then with one whistle, a packed route cab was there for us.
Double decked for my husband and I but not a problem for us.
The guard just smiled and waved us on...
I was told at one of the local beach hotels to never go to an all inclusive. THEY HAVE DRESS CODES!!! I'm not sure if it's true but I was sufficiently frightened to never go to one.
At Couples, the dress codes are only for the fancy restaurants....but that's it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mort
Oh yeah, they said the they have fancy restaurants also. I'm scared just thinking about it.
No reason to be afraid of fine dining...just close your eyes and take a bite!!!
You might like it ;)
I don't mind fine dining, I get that all the time in Negril. It's the fancy part that's scary.
It's fun to dress up when eating out at a fine dining establishment. Playing dress up and looking good isn't a bad thing now is it? To each their own I guess:cool:
Seems like every time in Negril I wear a tux.
Dress as well as you want.
In reality Jamaica is a very formal society.
We have been to Negril 6 years in a row and are going again this July. We always stay at CN because we don't want to have to think very hard about our next meal or carrying any cash on us. Money-wise we figured that it works out pretty even. That being said - we do go off resort and have never been discouraged to do so (other guests at CN kind of look at us funny though!). We went to the tour desk wanting to just go out and about in Negril to various places and have a driver at our disposal. The young lady at the tour desk didn't try to convince us to do any of the packages they offer. She contacted a local legit driver on her phone and set things up for us. We will be out and about this July!!!
This has been my experience, as well. On my first trip to Jamaica, I stayed at the Sunset Jamaica in Ochi. This was about 10 years ago. I remember the meeting with the Apple Vacations reps, where they tried to warn us about the dangers that lurk outside the resort walls. We did do a few tours with Apple, but after a couple days we decided to just walk off the resort, as there was a craft market and restaurants right across the street. I remember passing the funky roadside craft stalls while on the tour bus thinking, "This looks cool. why can't I just walk over and here and check it out?"Quote:
Originally Posted by 2nutz4travel
Ridiculous! the water in Negril is pure and delicious! I drank tons of it when we were there in January. And ate at all the local places too.
The last time I left the walls of the AI compound I had to fight off a rabid Bengal tiger with my sandal.True story.