Negril Basics:

Negril is located on the west end of Jamaica. The airport is located in Montego Bay, about an hour and a half drive away. The airport is very nice, owned and operated by a Canadian company, and is usually fairly easy to get in and out of. We've never really had any problems with delays at customs or immigration, and we have always arranged transportation in advance, so as soon as you leave the airport there is someone with a sign to take you quickly away to Negril, usually accompanied by a free welcome drink.

The town of Negril is divided into two parts, the beach and the cliffs, divided by a roundabout in the middle of town. The beach is fantastic, recently rated as #4 in the world by tripadvisor. Calm water and white sands, with no seaweed to or rocks to make things uncomfortable. The cliffs are gorgeous. Great views, as well as decent snorkling directly offshore. Many of the best restaurants are on the cliffs. Where you stay is up to you, there are pros and cons to both the beach and the cliffs. I have always stayed on the beach. I like to have a good "home base" where you can wake up, and within minutes be in a lounge chair on the beach to relax the day away. With the cliffs, it is usually a bit quieter, although even at the beach most places are pretty quiet, especially at non-peak times of the year, such as when we plan to go. Either way, most people will certainly spend time at both sides, and it is a short cab ride to get from one side to the other.

Negril is basically a laid back beach town, and that is the primary activity for most. Simply relaxing on the beach. There are the usual activities, such as horseback riding or jetskiing. You can get a massage right on the beach for about $40 an hour. We keep talking about getting a banana boat ride, and with enough people this trip we hope to finally do it. Glass bottom boats will take you out to the reef for snorkling for $20 per person, including equipment. Maybe not the best snorkling I have ever seen, but decent, and plenty of things to see. If you have your own equipment, you can also snorkle directly off of the cliffs, if the sea is calm enough. But again, the primary activity will be relaxing. Swimming at the beach, eating great food, and enjoying the company of friends, new and old. If you are looking for non-stop excitement, go to Vegas. If you are looking for a relaxing vacation, there are not many better places in the world than Negril.



Before you arrive:

Flights:

Be sure to fly into Montego Bay, NOT Kingston. The big decision is when to book, which is always a crapshoot. I am never sure about whether to wait for a sale or book now. For those coming from the DC area, there is one daily non-stop flight, leaving BWI at 8:41 am. Prices are constantly changing, and on certain days seem to be going up a bit. Rates are slightly lower with a connection, but a much longer trip that would probably not be worth the savings. I would not be surprised to see a sale at some point, but I would doubt it will go much below $400, so it may be best to simply book now, in case rates go up or sell out. We are still confirming the exact dates of our trip or I would probably go ahead and book.


Hotel:

We will be staying at White Sands, and I definately recommend it. http://www.whitesandsjamaica.com/ The Summer Specials, available until December, are a great deal, with standard rooms at $55. We are on the beach side this coming trip, but in the past have always been on the garden side, on the opposite side of the street. The street has never been an issue, not too much traffic, and everything is very close to the beach. As far as the hotel goes, we love the place. Clean, simple rooms, and a great location right in the middle of 7 Mile Beach. There are no TV's in the rooms, but all have air conditioning and a fridge, which is all that I need. I bring my Ipod so I have some music to listen to, and bring my laptop to take advantage of the free wifi. The beach is wonderful, and a great place to relax. Plenty of shade, and have never had a problem getting a lounge chair. If you decide to stay elsewhere, they are fine with non guests using the facilities during the day, provided that you support the bar or restaurant. The bar has 2 for 1 specials every day before 4 pm. Nothing better than sitting in the shade beachside with a cheap fruity drink! In addition, there is a Villa on the property, 4 bedrooms, TV, and a private pool. We have reserved this for the trip, and may have rooms available, so let us know if you may be interested.

There are several other places nearby that are nice and close enough to White Sands to easily meet up with everyone. Coco La Palm http://www.cocolapalm.com/ seems very nice and reasonably priced. If not having a TV is an issue, this would definately be my recommendation as a good alternative to White Sands. Charela Inn http://www.charela.com/ ,Nirvana http://www.nirvananegril.com/ , or Idle Awhile http://www.idleawhile.com/ are also close and very nice, although more expensive than the other choices.

The other alternative is staying on the cliffs. This is a nice idea for anyone who is not as much of a "beach person." Great views and a bit more quiet than the beach, while still a short taxi ride away. We've thought about staying at least part of the trip on the cliffs, but have always decided that I like to be able to get up in the morning and stumble to an awaiting beach lounger. Xtabi http://www.xtabi-negril.com/ is beautiful, and seems like a nice choice on the cliffs, very reasonably priced. Blue Cave Castle http://www.bluecavecastle.com/ always intrigues us, simply because its a freaking castle! Plenty of other choices, ranging from reasonably priced to ultra luxery. Search tripadvisor, and see what strikes your fancy.

There are several all-inclusive resorts around town, and yes, this is an option if you would like. However, I would not recommend this option. There is just not the variety and freedom that you will get being off the resort. I would feel guilty leaving the resort when everything is already paid for, and that is the beauty of Negril. The food almost certainly will not be nearly as good at a resort buffet than sampling several restaurants. And even the most hardcore alcoholic will have a hard time justifying the extra price for an all inclusive vs. paying by the drink while bar hopping local places.