No AI will ever provide the experience you get from staying at a non-AI property. Get out and know your neighborhood! In 28 years in Negril, I've never stayed at an AI and I've never had a bad experience. Plenty of adventures and fond memories though! April is end of peak season and even more laid back. --Marblehead
We're all in this together and none of us is getting out alive.
My first two trips were AI, and now I like to try different places each time. We realized that we were out and about more than we stayed at the hotel. I have
never had a problem, but I do use caution. I would never walk the beach at night. You will be surprised with all the little spots you can find.
Anywhere in the world, you only need to run into that one person who happens to want to take something from you. Doesnt matter where you are, what time of day it is, or who you are with. I make a point of remembering this at home and on vacation. Maybe I won't take that late night walk down the beach on my own, instead I will stay at the bar where there are lots of folks around. Common sense, and to be honest, there has been more crime in my neighborhood here in Canada lately then ever, so its a daily thing for me.....lock the doors, do a check of the area before I get in the car....sad, but necessary.
We've never stayed AI and have been going to Negril for almost 30 years. Everything you've read is true to a greater or lesser degree, just be sensible when you are out. We are staying both on the cliffs and the beach this coming April and will treat both areas with the same amount of 'respect'. As for hotel safety, chose a hotel that has good reviews or ask here. Most beach hotels have security of some type, some more effective than others. We will not be worrying about 'safety' when we get back to Negril, we will stay sensible. By the way, it's a great time of the season you are thinking about. The weather is still great, but the Easter crowds have calmed down a wee bit. And of course, BOARDIE BASH.
Rise early, treat everyday as though it's your last and your last day as it's your first.
Did this one year with all of our leftover food, snacks, packs of gum, brownies, etc. It was our last night and we loaded up a backpack with everything we weren't taking home and started walking up the beach toward Alfred's. I found that I got the biggest surprised reaction from the people who were trying to get "money for food" when I would pull a hand full of snacks/food out of my bag and offer it to them.Originally Posted by Eco
And not to hijack the thread, Negril is as safe as you make it. As long as you listen to all the good advise here and use common sense you should be just fine. Have a great trip!
I can relate our experiences from our first trip to Negril, We to are 40s couple staying on the beach for 3 weeks. Be smart, you are your own liqour control board, late at night you will be offered an escort through any dark areas by someone when you approach these areas, a fee or toll is implied. If you are a shrinking violet avoid those situations. Because I was responsible for my wifes saftey, i kept my consumption to the point of liquid courage, and kept my bearings about me until i reached my hotel. i would then sit on the beach for a few night caps and watch the show, with the knowledge of my security gaurd sitting in the shadows. My wife was scared a few nights, but i always told her to listen to her gut feelings. We will be returning. As far as all the vendors on the beach, we met some very nice people who supplied us with fresh fruit, and other goodies, but when we weren't buying, it was all irie! Cheers
Don't get me wrong. If I'm dealing with a vendor, I will almost always be "Canadian polite". Engage them with some conversation and with a polite smile with a "no thank you" or "no thank mon, .....respect". That goes for beach vendors like Sandy near Rooms or Rasta Herb, who BTW, I hear no longer has his building next to Rooms
The a-hole guy that I've dealt with in the past and misrepresents a certain product in a effort to rip me off (feed his family) gets a blunt "NO" end of story. For that I don't appologize.
"There's no reason not to be polite....Jamaica in under the British Commonwealth & the Queen's English is taught in schools...Jamaican's know manners.
Just for interest sake...you'll often hear the phrase.... "where's my manners" and correct themselves. A "no, thank you" is completely understood by Jamaicans."
And to add...the Jamaicans wanting to make a sale deal with tourists every day of every year they've been a higgler...to suggest that they don't know what "no, thanks" means after literally hearing it hundreds of thousands of times is completely absurd. Jamaicans may not always respond with "no, thanks" when declining an offer, but to insinuate they don't understand is insulting and this how my Jamaican friends felt. "
If any of you knew me, you would know that I am not a rude or impolite person by any stretch of the imagination, nor am I in the habit of dis-respecting folks. I simply stated, that it has been MY observation from living here & watching how locals behave & speak, that this culture does not expect a "thanks" after the "no", because "thanks" is not used in that way in Ja. culture.
I would also NEVER insult someones intelligence....what I said was that it can be confusing, because adding the "thanks" after the "no" may give a local someone, the idea (however subliminal it may be), that there is still a chance that the tourist may be interested or "convinced" to buy, after hearing the "thanks".
I do not live in Negril but I do live in Jamaica & deal with all levels of Jamaicans on a daily basis. I am not rude to any of them & try to treat everyone with kindness, because I know first hand how difficult it is to make a living here, but I will sometimes just say NO.
What he said (and very well I might add). Northcoast for Prime Minister!! LOL
Lmao.....
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