Another Route Taxi Question

[Melody]

Thanks Marko! So both cliff & beach route taxis park on the street in front of ValueMaster....you wrote earlier regarding going to Xtabi, so I thought maybe just cliff taxis park there. Last time (also the first time) I got to stop at Megamart on way from airport, so didn't need to go to one of the bigger stores in Negril. I'll also want to purchase a phone this time - digicel or maybe Lime...have to look into that further.

Anyway did fine with the route taxis, just bypassed the downtown area last time - as Ryan, didn't end up transfering when going to/from the cliffs.

[Marko]

ValueMaster and the NCB ATM beside it for J's......



Cool Runnings, Marko

[Sweetness]

Maybe someone could link to the Rob post that set out the taxi information.

bj - the taxis outside the front door of HiLo are not "route" taxis they are charter and the price varies and is agreed upon by driver and passenger. You can go out the front of HiLo plaza to the street and hail a taxi (make sure the route is listed on the side of the vehicle as these are insured licensed rides w/red plates) There is a taxi park next to Scotia where you can change to a West End cliffs route taxi (you may have to wait a few minutes for more people to join the ride before taking off). Cliffs to town $100J out to Out of Town pastry approx. - Town to beach $100J per person out to the big hotels apprx....(out to Half Moon Beach is 50-80J more). Rob and others can explain better the licensed charter scenario - I don't ever use them besides day tours - I am just a bit nervous on liability and usually have to budget because I stay longer and often use taxis daily. For a group, etc. maybe a charter ride makes more sense but....coming from cliffs many taxis will be going thru town to the BUS park by the police station but will drop you by Burger King and you can catch a beach taxi by hailing one there. I ask my driver if he is going to the park or can he take me on to the beach.

Melody I never heard of China mon store in the Burger King parking lot exchanging traveller's cheques & cash at a good rate but many here on the board know WAY more than me. There is a Cambio next to Scotia Bank with many services. Have always just called it the China Man store (lol).

Rock had a good suggestion - most hotels have a driver recommended by the property and you can make friends and agree on a fare price for your needs. Usually the answer is NO PROBLEM......

Getting around is easy peezy just make sure you are in licensed insured vehicles. [I hope I said all that right - don't want to give mis-information]

[booger]

Last time I exchanged at the China mon store it was either $83J-$1us or $84J-$1us. Not bad, but not as good as you get at a Cambio. I prefer Banmarc up on the West End as I have yet to have much of a wait. Usually in and out.

[Melody]

Thanks Booger, good to know. When you exchanged at the China mon store, did you purchase something, or only exchange money? While on the Digicel lot, I'd like to get at least enough cash to purchase the phone, but as I plan to cross the street to Value Master right after, I would skip purchasing at China mon, unless I'd need to (to get the cash). I'll have to look into how much my bank at home will ding me for getting a small amount of JMD before leaving, for the phone & incidentals until hitting the cambio. I've read that I'd get a poor exchange rate for JMD at home (Canada). On say, only $100, either way shouldn't be too much of a hit, but I'd still like to determine which is the best way to go.

[bjritz]

Melody, have your driver stop along the way to the hotel. Are you staying beach or cliffs? There is a cambio in front of Coral Seas Plaza. I used that one and the one next to the HiLo. Our driver was able to walk us past everyone in line at the HiLo one to a side room and we were quickly fixed up.

[Sam I Am]

I have used the China Man store strictly for exchange when the cambios were closed.

[Yvonne]

Exchange at the cambio in Coral Seas Plaza was $86.50J = $1US Saturday, up from $86.20 when I first arrived. I like using that cambio... nice staff, good location to other places I go in town, etc.

[canuk cpl]

Melody, we have a scotia account just for JA, we use the atm inside scotia bank and there are no fees. Cheers! As far as taxi's go, we have our regular driver Tallman, if i wanted a charter or to stock up at chinaman store. For a trip to west end or beach from our hotel, we split our trip between cliffs and beach, I use a hotel suggested driver, and always determine a price first. Mostly we just grab a route taxi, from west end to town and walk the rest through town across the bridge and down the beach. Or walk the beach, across the bridge and through town, grab more J's Scotia bank, and grab a route taxi, No prob mon. Those walks are what brings us back to Negril, Time with the one you love, in a place that we love, and the people we meet along the way !!! Cheers!

[Melody]

RyanP - sorry for taking your thread off on a bit of a tangent, but thanks to all who have posted to my questions - it has been very informative!!!

Britz - my airport transfer is included with my hotel deal and I won't know until arriving if it will be shared or not - if not shared, it should be no problem, but I want to be prepared for quick action once delivered to the hotel, if I am not able to make my stops along the way. Even if shared, I would hope that the other passengers would also want to stop at a Cambio and for supplies, but they may not want to stop at a Digicel. My biggest concern is getting to a Digicel before it closes on Saturday afternoon (we're scheduled to arrive at MBJ at 1:45 p.m., so won't have much time) - too bad there isn't a Digicel at the airport any more. That first afternoon is what I'm concerned about having everything down pat. After getting my first bit of money, phone & supplies, I have no problems with getting around for additional money & supplies throughout the week.

Thanks Sam I Am for clarifying that Kone (China Mon) will exchange $ without purchase, good to know if ATM is empty/not working and I need $ after cambios are closed. Kone is open evenings and Sundays?

canuk cpl - Thanks for the reassurance about no fee Scotabank withdrawals - I've seen that many times, but when asking at my local Scotiabank, was not given a positive/conclusive answer - was told that there are fees internationally and when I pointed out what I've read here, was told to expect to pay fees, and if there end up not being any, that will be a bonus. (??? I'm not too impressed with my Scotiabank experience so far, hope it improves!). Do you have one of their savings accounts? I've been getting the runaround from them with something as simple as opening a savings account, even though I got one of their credit cards a few months ago (they wouldn't allow me to open an account at that time) - when I stopped in a couple of days ago, they set up an appointment for me to open an account later this week. Like you, I will use the account strictly for Jamaica, so I'm interested to find out what account you have.

Thanks & cheers!