In what ways has Negril changed over the past 10 years?

[gerryg123]

Thinking back, I think some of the changes I've noticed:

1, Now it is less crowded in indy hotels/more crowded at the AIs

2, Now there are more beggars/hustlers

3, Now there is much more public ganja smoke

4, Now there is a much bigger emphasis on the Net

5, Now the prices have gone DOWN considering inflation

6, Now the airport is much more modernized (I miss the smell of Negril on the tarmac instead of a tunnel)

[dave]

da Vibe

re: #5 I question that one-seems like prices are way up

[suzengrace]

1.more progress-(ie more built up-)starting to look to clutterd on that beautiful stretch of beach..Thank goodness thay still have the two public beach areas-more pristine and natural-I encourage everyone to hang there-next door to cosmos is #1 and you pay a few Jam dollars (help upkeep) there is bathroom, shower..primitive but nice..
2.the vibes- more apathy towards visitors as well as increased aggressiveness(people trying to sell you stuff)
3.more interesting and unique places to eat
4. The music scene and venues to see bands/dj music has gone down-use be quite a few places you could party on late in the eve-now sadly, just a few..Now the scene ends early-and just over-all boring compared to other places on the island
5.lots more "open" ganga smoking..

[Van]

Began going to Negril in 1980 less ganja smoking on beach now. More aggressive higglers. most of them not from Negril. Locals use to keep low lives away. South end of beach much less busy.

[Bnewb]

Began going to Negril in 1980 less ganja smoking on beach now.

-Yup...even in the last few years...NO WAY is it more public.
AND...
-Current/electricity is much better....keeps your beers nice & frosty in those steadily running refrigerators.
-Food service/quickness has greatly improved.
-Water supply is so much better than it ever has been.

[MissBlue]

yes suzengrace, i hear ALLA that except for your #5, lol. Van, glad to see i'm not the only one who thinks just the opposite of "Now there is much more public ganja smoke".

IME it's just the opposite - used to be you could set out on the beach and chill right out in the open... and so did everyone else, and nobaddy bothered nobaddy. It was generally more open & friendly vibes, way more mellow on the beach, no cops - and less need for cops everywhere, cause it was a more 'share and share alike' atmosphere, overall. Nowadays those who partake must be ultra-discreet. At that time it was a less popular vacation destination in general, so less hotels, less crowded overall, and more chill than it is now.

also not sure how you figure prices are down - again, IME just the opposite. It's not nearly as inexpensive to go there as it was.

not saying the old days were 'good' and now is 'bad' - just noting the difference. which is of course, the normal progression of things. but nonetheless, one of the reasons i loved it so much was cause it was rustic and quiet. I'm not a fan of the jetways and bigbox stores and corporate resorts and nail salons and party-til-ya-drop-barhopping. Again not saying it's 'bad' - of course that is 'progress'. It's just not my preference, and i painfully miss those vibes that I loved with my whole soul. That which is now gone, is where my heart was. that was what i loved best about the place.

[Yvonne]

Agree w/ Dave re: # 5 Prices are NOT down... much, much higher.

Yep... more folks in AIs, for sure.

Many more cars & fast ones, too. Much more traffic on the beach road.

[marley9808]

The ROADS!!!!!!!!!!

The roads are so much better!
Oh my gosh I remember driving up the west end in 1999 and 2000 and how horrible the roads were. I remember so many potholes and bad areas you would have to bring your car to a stop almost to get through it all. We rent scooters now but back then there is no way I would have ridden a scooter on those roads!

Also the Spring Break has definitely died down quite a bit....I remember how it used to be pre-9/11 and also when MTV used to be there....they would bring in special trucks and tents and vans, I think even like Taco Bell and what not up and down the beach so much craziness....I avoided that time of year like the plague!

[Rambo]

cell phones, some have two!....the service for anything is much-much faster.......

[Yvonne]

Cell phones have been around more than 10 years . Had my first JA cellie since Jan. 2010. Many more people have cell phones now but not new in the last 10 years. Just more people w/ one or two cell phones now. What's different is that it no longer costs an arm an a leg to call from one provider to another or to call the US. I remember when calling from CW Jamiaica to Digicell cost as much as calling to the US. I eventually ditched CW Jamaica & went w/ Digicell.