A Guide to Negril

[Kiknback]

OK, we have invited just about everyone we know out to Negril for my wife's birthday. To help all of these Negril newbies, I have written a guide for everything they will need to know for the trip. Hopefully it will keep me from having to play tour guide the entire trip and enjoy myself. We are staying at White Sands, so this guide will reflect that.

I figure some other people may get some value out of this, so I have gone ahead and posted it here. Any additional info/tips/things I got wrong would be appreciated! Let me know if there is anything I need to add that might be helpful. Any other suggestions to recommend would certainly be helpful!

Everything you need to know about Negril!

The Trip:

Well, as I am sure most of you are aware, we plan on celebrating My Wife's 40th Birthday in Negril. We would like to have a nice fun crowd, some close friends and family as well as random hangers on that we may not see as much, to come and join us to help celebrate and generally have a good time on a tropical beach. Friends of friends as well, if you are a fun person looking to have a great time, we would love to see you. We will have a few general plans, which I will detail, but a lot of simply going with the flow and seeing what turns up. Aside from the set plans, most everyone will be on their own as to what to do. Service in Jamaica is notoriously slow ("soon come" is the standard refrain, with "soon" meaning anything from a few minutes to a few hours) so traveling as a group for all meals and such will simply not be practical. Break out into small groups and explore on your own, and meet up later at the beach will usually be the plan.

I would recommend for most people a 5 night trip, arriving Wednesday and leaving Monday. Enough for the basics and enough time to relax a bit. Of course, you are more than welcome to stay longer, if you would like, or make it a shorter trip if that is all that is available. Three nights, either Thursday-Sunday or Friday-Monday would probably be the minimum stay to make it be worth the effort. We are lucky and have much more leave than most, so we will be in Negril for close to 2 weeks, it is looking like. We are planning group dinners/activities from Thursday through Sunday, with Friday being the day of the party.

Thursday - Wife's actual birthday. We plan going out to have a nice dinner on the cliffs at The Rockhouse, a nice restaurant located on the cliffs. It has a beautiful view overlooking the cliffs, as well as very good food at a reasonable price. Sunset at this time of year is very early, around 5:30 PM, so we will want to start the evening fairly early to take advantage of the wonderful view. We plan to arrange a ride to pick up people at about 4:45 in order to get there and settled in time to enjoy the sunset views.

Friday - The Party. This is the big event that I hope everyone will be able to attend. We plan to essentially take over our favorite beach bar/restaurant (Sun Beach) for the evening. It is a short walk away from White Sands located directly on the beach. Again, it will start early, about 5:00 PM, with cocktails on the beach at sunset. Followed by dinner, with good food served at tables set up directly on the beach. There will certainly be some live music, we will either hire a full band or a few beach musicians. Generally a fun night of good food, drink, and music, as well as great company.

Saturday - We plan on spending the afternoon at Rick's Cafe. This is the big "Must see/Tourist Trap" in Negril. It gets completely packed and crazy at Sunset. However, I found that is is much more enjoyable in the afternoon before the crowds arrive. There is cliff diving, which you can try for yourself or simply watch the professionals (tips are encouraged). There are several levels of cliffs to try. I enjoyed the lower/mid level jumps last trip, and may get up the courage to try the higher jump this trip. Most likely it will depend on my sobriety - a few beers to give me courage, but not too drunk to do anything stupid. There is also a small pool, great views, and generally a nice way to spend an afternoon. You can have lunch there - it is expensive for Negril, but decent - or stop and eat somewhere on the way or before you arrive. We plan to get there early afternoon, around 1:00. The crowds arrive later, getting crowded late afternoon and packed by sunset, and I probably plan on leaving once the masses start to arrive, although you are more than welcome to stay as long as you would like. If you are still in the area at sunset, the LTU pub next door has the same beautiful sunset without the crowds.

Later that evening, we plan on heading to Seastar, located on the Cliffs road. They offer a pretty good deal, and we had a nice time last trip. For $18 they offer an all-you-can-eat buffet dinner, live entertainment with a reggae band as well as traditional drummers, as well as free transportation to and from the show. Though there was not a huge selection, the food was good, as was the show. Lasting from 7 PM - midnight, simply give them a call (876-957-0553) and let them know what time you would like to be picked up. At any time you can let them know and they will give you a free ride back to the hotel.

Sunday - Excursion Day. This will be the day to see a bit of the country. We plan to arrange a trip out to see YS Falls and the Pelican Bar. It is about 2 hours away, so be prepared for a bit of a drive, but the falls are absolutely beautiful. Actually a series of several connecting falls, with a small path next to it with stairs to make your way to the top. At the top, you can go for a swim under the largest falls. Great scenery, and fun to be able to swim directly under the falls. A bit downstream, there is another swimming area with a rope swing if you are interested. Still further downstream, there is more places to explore and a calm natural swimming pool area. Or you can simply enjoy the view. For an additional charge, $30 I believe, there is also a zipline that you can ride if interested and brave. From there, we will have lunch, most likely at the small local roadside restaurant that we loved on our last trip. From there, it is off to the Pelican Bar. This is a small bar, located about a mile out to sea. You take a small fishing boat out, and it is a wonderful place to have a few drinks and relax. It is built on a sandbar, so the water is only 2-3 feet deep. Local fisherman built it primarily out of driftwood. You can call in advance if you would like any food, although we most likely will eat before we arrive. Primarily just a place to relax with a few beers, wade in the water, and chat with the owner and tourists in a very unique bar. Most likely we will divide into two groups for the trip. We will stay together through YS Falls and lunch, and then one group can head back to Negril, while the other can continue on to the Pelican Bar. While everyone can enjoy YS Falls, with some steps being the only obsticle, Pelican Bar will be more difficult for some. It will involve climbing in and out of the small boat, and climbing the rickity steps up to the bar can be difficult. In addition, hanging out on a pile of driftwood in the middle of the sea drinking beer may have more of an appeal for some people than others. It is a unique place and experience, but may not be the most exciting place for some.

Aside from these scheduled events, people will mostly be on their own. In this guide there should be everything you will need to get around. In general, the beach and bar area of White Sands will be the primary meeting and hanging out place, particularly during the day. This will also be the default meeting area, as well as the White Sands Villa across the street.

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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.

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Airport Transfers:

I would definately recommend that you book airport transfers in advance. It is definately nice to clear customs and head out of the airport and see someone waiting with a sign to take you on your way. If not, there will be plenty of people willing to take you, but you will most likely be swarmed by drivers wanting your business, and would need to bargain with them to get a decent rate. There are several choices for airport transfers, I will list a few good choices.

Clives Transport Service : http://www.clivestransportservicejamaica.com/ This should be your choice if there is less than 3 people in your party. They charge $20 each way per person. There is a possibility that you will be sharing a ride, although when we have used them in the past we have had our own private taxi. Either way, I have heard nothing but good things and have never heard of anyone having to wait before heading to Negril. Includes a welcome drink.

If you have more than 2 people, it would be better to arrange a private taxi.

The cheapest would be with Alfred. http://alfredstaxi.dpi-hq.com/ Alfredstaxi@aol.com - For $50 each way, he offers transportation for up to 3 people, and includes a free cell phone for the duration of the trip. This really comes in handy, as calls from your home phone is ridiculously expensive. You may have to add minutes to the phone, but this can be done easily for about $5, the front desk at White Sands can easily add minutes for you. It is really nice to have a cell phone in order to call restaurants for free pick ups and the like. For more than 3 people, it may be a bit more, you will have to ask about this. We have not used Alfred, but have heard good things.

Our last trip we arranged transfers with Kenny. kennyjamaica@gmail.com Quick response, good service, we were very happy with him. Same deal as Alfred, with a free cell phone and welcome drink, although slightly more expensive at $60 each way. We became friends last trip with Chucky, who regularly parked outside of White Sands. conroymyers@yahoo.com I am not sure if he will offer the same deal or not, with a free cell phone, but I plan on sending him an email and will use him if he can match the offers of the other drivers.


After you arrive:

Getting around:

Taxis are everywhere, and fairly reasonably priced. As with everything in Jamaica, prices are negotiable. In general, however, for a private taxi it will be $5 dollars to take you anywhere along the beach, and $10 to take you to the cliffs. I would not pay any more than that. You can bargain and get better deals, but not by much, and usually not worth the trouble. They may quote you a higher price if you ask. I really don't like to bargain, so I have found that it is easiest to simply tell the driver the price you plan to pay. Simply ask "$10 to take us to the cliffs?" and most likely the driver will agree and you will be on your way. For trips such as going to the grocery store in town, the driver will usually wait for you. It has generally been about $10 to go into town, do some shopping, and take you back to the hotel. Be sure to look for the red license plates. White plates are for private vehicles, and while they may offer you a ride, it is better to avoid this, as they are not insured to take passengers.

The cheaper alternative, especially with small groups, is the route taxi. These are the equilivent of the local bus system, a very easy way to get around. They look like regular taxis, and you will see them constantly driving by. When they see someone waiting by the side of the road, they will give a quick honk of their horn. If interested, signal them, and they will stop. Be sure to tell them you want a route taxi, or they may assume you want a private taxi and try to charge you extra. For 100 Jamaican dollars, just over $1, a route taxi will take you anywhere along the beach. If you are going to the cliffs, the driver will either stop at the roundabout in the center of town, where you can easily find another route taxi up the cliffs road, or he will take you all the way for another 100J. Tipping is not necessary, although always appreciated, especially if the driver takes you both legs of the trip.

The nicer restaurants in town will offer free transportation if you plan on eating there. Give them a call, and they will send a driver for you. You will have to get a taxi or route taxi to get home, however.


Food:

I absolutely love the food in Negril, although, as someone who could live off of Jerk Chicken and Beef Patties, I may be a bit biased. However, most others seem to agree with me, that the food is fantastic, with much more to eat than jerk chicken(or pork).

For breakfast, the traditional Jamaican dish is Ackee and Saltfish. Ackee is a a fruit that, when cooked, resembles in looks and taste to scrambled eggs. I am not a very adventurous eater, so we have never ordered it, but have been curious. Hopefully this trip I can at least get a taste. Aside from that there are the usual breakfast choices. If you are staying at White Sands, they have a decent breakfast, although slow and a bit expensive compared to other choices. If you are willing to walk a bit up or down the beach, you may have better luck. We have usually slept in past breakfast but I'm sure a short walk down the beach in either direction you can find a good choice. I've heard good things about Firefly and Alfred's, both reasonable walks down the beach in either direction. Just Natural or Choices have been recommended as nice breakfast's on the cliffs. We usually go to Xtabi for brunch at least once during the trip. Good food - The Lobster Benedict was what caught our eyes, although I think we prefered the bacon eggs benedict. The nice thing here was that they are fine with non-guests hanging out and using the facilities, and we spend a nice day on the cliffs. Assuming the sea is relatively calm, it is a great place to hang out and do some snorkling offshore. Beautiful, as well, with some really neat caves throughout the property. Call them for a free taxi ride there with a meal.

Lunch is more of the same. Most of the time, it seems, we get by with the vendors walking the beach. In the morning, there are the vendors selling fresh juice and fruits, banana bread, and the like. As it approaches lunchtime, the patty guys come around. These are small pastries filled with beef, chicken, or veggies. I prefer the beef, although the veggie were surprisingly good, especially for someone who does not like veggies. Look for the guy with a large cardboard box on a bicycle. A good snack/small meal for just about a dollar each. Someone will come around selling fresh Lobster - caught and cooked up that morning. I was a little nervous with vendor seafood, but have never heard of anyone who had any issues with health or taste. $7 each, or 2 for $12, Georgia was happy with it. Cooked in butter, although Georgia thought that without the drawn butter to dip in, Lobster is just not the same. The holy grail for me, however, is the Jerk Pork guy. He didn't seem to come around every day, or we just missed him often, but look for a guy carrying a large aluminum box. $6 for a small portion, $10 for a large, and quite possible the most delicious food on earth, as far as I am concerned. Highly recommended.

There are also plenty of restaurants all over the beach and cliffs. Just take a short walk and see what you will find. White Sands is ok... I wasn't impressed with the burger I had, but other choices seem better. Again, you can probably find better choices a short walk away. Best in the West, a small Jerk Chicken stand nearby, is a great choice. Aside from that, wander around and I'm sure you can find a good lunch.

Many people seem to love the patty's at Niah's, just south of White Sands hidden away near the woodcarvers market. These are different from the smaller patty's sold on the beach and in most shops around town. They are much larger, easily a full meal, and are cooked to order. They usually have Chicken, Veggie, or Italian. Lobster occasionally, but you may have to let them know a day in advance if you want that. I ordered the chicken, which is a curry chicken, which I did not like so much. Still, many people love these, and its a filling meal for about $4. For standard patty's, there is also a small stand just up the road, next to Best in the West, which was my favorite of the trip. The beef and cheese patty was delicious!

Jerk Pork is obviously a favorite of mine, and for that, I would recommend a visit to Red Dragon for lunch. Definately a locals kind of place, it is located in town away from the beach or cliffs. Take a taxi for about $5 to get there. The pork is ready about 12:30 in the afternoon, and is usually gone by about 3:30. Fantastic! A little different than the beach guy, I'm still not sure which I prefer, but both are wonderful! Red Dragon is very spicy, so if you don't like that, you may want to pass. Avoid the peppers! I mistakenly ate one, and was out of commission for 20 minutes until my mouth cooled down! Aside from a few pastries, this is the only food they serve there. This is also a great place to hang out and have a beer or two, and chat with the locals. They talk about having the coldest Red Stripe in town, and I would back that up. Every beer we had had icicles on it!

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For dinner, there are countless choices ranging from small Jerk Chicken stands to luxery meals. The nicer places you can call up and they will send a taxi for a free pick up. I have a few recommendations for restaurants, but again, feel free to explore the many places we have not had a chance to try!

Rockhouse - http://www.rockhousehotel.com/eat/ro...restaurant.php (1-876-957-4373) a very nice restaurant on the cliffs, beautiful sunset views and good food. We plan on going here on Thursday for a nice meal to celebrate Georgia's Birthday.

Pushcart - http://www.rockhousehotel.com/eat/pushcart.php (1-876-957-4373) owned by the same people as Rockhouse, anothe good choice in a similar location. Their food is considered an upscale version of Jamaican street food, and I very much enjoyed it.

Ciao Jamaica - http://www.ciaojamaica.com/ (1-876-957-4395) Jamaican/Italian fusion. Have not eaten there personally, but heard great things. On the cliffs.

Xtabi - http://www.xtabi-negril.com/welcome.htm (1-876-957-0121) Have had brunch there, which was very good. The lunch/dinner menu looks good as well.

Lingah By The Sea - http://lingahbythesea.com/ (1-876-957-3830) Another one I have not tried, but I hear good things. A very nice place on the beach, reasonably priced.

Kuyaba - http://www.kuyaba.com/dining.htm (1-876-957-4318) Again, haven't tried, but hear great things. On the beach, more expensive.

Norma's - http://www.seasplash.com/norma.htm (1-876-957-4041) Good food, nice location on the beach

Margaritaville - http://www.margaritavillecaribbean.c...me_negril.html - Overpriced tourist trap. However, they do have satellite TV, so the Redskins game will be on, and I suppose they would have a decent Cheeseburger.

Rick's Cafe - http://www.rickscafejamaica.com/ The big tourist trap in Jamaica. Gets packed around sunset. Overpriced food and drinks, but a good place to watch cliff divers and maybe make a jump yourself. I enjoyed it much better early afternoon before the crowds arrived.

Plenty more choices, those are the first few that come to mind for a luxury meal. All of the above will probably provide free transportation there with your meal. There are also many smaller places, more reasonable priced but still delicious.

Sun Beach - This is our local hangout, great bar with very good food. A short walk from White Sands, this is where we plan to have the birthday party at. Nice tables set up directly on the beach.

Canoe - http://www.realnegril.com/canoe/index.htm - Good American style food, reasonable priced. Nice place to go if you tire of Jamaican food. Friendly with a nice rum punch happy hour, as well/

De Bar - We had drinks there, but saw the food and menu and plan on returning for dinner one day. Jerk Chicken, Lobster, and very reasonable prices. On the roadside of the cliffs.

3 Dives - http://www.maherconsulting.com/3dives/ Very good, reasonably priced food overlooking the cliffs.

Mi Yard - Good food, locals kind of place. Open 24/7. Original locatation on the cliffs, apparently they just opened up another location on the beach.

Best in the West - Great chicken, close to White Sands.

Bourbon Beach - Haven't tried it, but heard great things about the Jerk Chicken. One of the only places that still cooks it the traditional way over pimento wood, as opposed to the oil drum grills all over town.

Ossies - Good Jerk Chicken and Pork, just past Margaritaville on the beach road

Just Natural - Great reviews. Purely Vegitarian and Seafood, which eliminates me, but if you enjoy that I would definately recommend it. On the cliffs road.

Ras Rody's Organics - http://www.rasrodyorganics.com/ More of a roadside stand than a full restartant, but seems to be the place to go to try Ital food, which is the vegitarian, natural foods eaten by the rastafarians.

Late at night there are the Jerk Chicken vendors all over the place. Look for the big oil drum grills set up on the side of the road. Our first trip there was one always set up right next to White Sands, which was really convienient, but if he is not there you still will not have to go to far. Last trip, when hungry late at night, I went to the road, found a route taxi, and was able to have them drive to the nearest vendor, pick up half a chicken, and drive me back to the hotel for about $10. In less than 5 minutes I was back at the hotel eating and I didn't even have to get out of the taxi. Delicious!

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Shopping:

As you probably know from all of the souvineers we bring back (As in, absolutely none, usually) we are not big shoppers. Just not our thing. If you would like to purchase something in Negril, however, there are options. Keep in mind, with just about any purchase, is that everything is negotiable. The ability to bargain is key. You can usually get people to lower the price by as much as 3/4ths with good bargaining skills. Never accept the first offer, and be prepared to walk away, particularly if something is available elsewhere.

You can find many souvineers on the beach. There will be some wandering vendors. Just give good eye contact, and they will most likely come to you and show you what they have to offer. If you like it, make an offer, if not, just say no and they will move on. There are also several small stands set up in various locations on the beach selling clothes, jewelery, and more. Just wander up and down the beach and you will find plenty. Near the center of town, there is a decent size craft market. Lots for sale here, although many of the various stands seem to have similar things, and you will most likely experience a very hard sell. Expect every vendor to try to get you in their shop. More hassle than elsewhere, but if you can manage, you can find some great deals if you bargain right. If you aren't the bargaining type, Times Square shopping center, located about mid way down the beach road, is your best bet. Standard souvineers, and as far as I know, set pricing and a much more relaxed shopping experience.

Be wary of counterfeits. I would be nervous buying any "name brand" things there, aside from at the nicest stores. Cuban Cigars and Blue Mountain Coffee are two common purchases that are frequently not authentic. Friends of ours got great deals on Blue Mountain Coffee from a beach vendor, and although it was apparently delicious, I would seriously doubt it was the real deal, among the most expensive coffee in the world.

For general shopping, there is a small gift shop near White Sands, with drinks, snacks, and souvineers. More expensive than the grocery store but easy , be sure to bargain on the souveneers! There is a large grocery store in the middle of town, the Hi-Lo. Decent selection and prices. We bought some Jerk sauces there, which seemed like a nice idea for a cheap souvineer to bring back, as well as drinks and snacks at decent prices. You can probably get a taxi to take you there, wait while you pick up what you need, and take you back for around $10.



Nightlife:

Negril is probably not as wild as you may be expecting, but there are several nice places to hang out and have a few drinks. There are many nice beach bars nearby, starting with White Sands, where Paul and Tony, the bartenders, will hook you up nicely. Great during the day with the 2 for 1 daily specials. Mud Slide's on Thursday, Dirty Banana's on Friday, and Pina Colada's on Sunday are some of the highlights. Sun Beach is our usual evening hang out, a very nice beach just north of White Sands. Decent prices, great atmosphere. For Real, next door to Sun Beach, used to be the place to go for the cheapest drinks on the beach. However, I just heard that it had closed, and not sure the new owners will open something similar by November. In the other direction there is the Boat Bar, a nice little hangout that we took over one night, and Tony's bar, another nice place with games and things to keep you occupied. These places all usually close around 9 or 10 pm, although will happily stay up as long as customers are there, and we have kept several open until very late in the night at times. We should have a nice enough crowd this trip to take over a bar for as late as we want. Another nice place to get a drink is the C&D Bar on the cliff road, known as "10 Sq. Feet of Texas." This is a small shack, when you enter you will be surrounded by Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson memoribilia and listening to country music. The owner, Dawn, is very friendly and it is a nice place to hang out for a few. Lastly, and this is more of a weekday afternoon place for a drink, is the Police Station. Yes, the actual Negril Police station. There is a small bar inside. Not the nicest bar in the world or anything, but a good place to have a drink and be able to say I got drunk at the police station!

After about 10pm, there is always one place in town to see live music until late at night. Rotating between Alfreds, Roots Bamboo, and Bourbon Beach, there is always a live band on the beach and a great time. The show gets started around 10PM. Cover charge is about $5 for the standard house band to $10-15 for more established artists. We saw Yellowman last year, a great show on the beach for $12. Every Tuesday Negril Escape, on the cliffs, is the One Love Concert Series. http://www.oneloveconcerts.com/new/ This is the best chance to see the bigger artists perform. Last year we were hoping to see Maxi Priest perform, although he canceled several weeks beforehand and a more C-list performer, Tony Rebel, took his place. Great time, though, although a bit expensive ($25). Top names such as Shaggy or one of Bob Marley's kids will cost up to $45, very expensive for Jamaica. If you are into dance clubs (I am not), The Jungle is the place to go, particularly on Thursday Night, ladies night. Never been, but if you are into that sort of thing, I have heard great things. Lastly, and I'm not sure I should mention this or not, is the Scrub-a-Dub. Um, interesting place, it is a car wash by day and a strip club by night. After hearing about it, we finally had to check it out last trip. It gets going very late - we were there around 10 pm, and were WAY too early - but is actually much nicer, classier, and tamer than I had expected. Its actually more of a dance club than a strip club. Again, not much into dance clubs, but if you are into it and up late, may be worth checking out.

[Kiknback]

Safety and Hassles:

This is by far the biggest issue people have with Jamaica. The reputation certainly is not good. For example, I have heard of not one person who has been to Jamaica on a cruise ship that has anything remotely good to say about the country. Negril, however, is much more peaceful and calm then the cruise ship madness. While there are issues, as with any tourist destination, I believe people will be pleasantly surprised.

I certainly consider Negril a safe place. It has no where near the violence in the bigger cities like Kingston or even Montego Bay. Crimes against tourists are extremely rare. That said, take the usual precautions. Be careful on the beach at night, and stay with large groups. I believe our part of the beach is safe, with hotels everywhere, all with security staff. Walking to the nearby bars you should be totally fine. There are a few stretches that get very dark, however, and should probably be avoided at night. If walking to the nightclubs such as Alfred's or Bourbon Beach, it is best to stay on the road, where safety will not be an issue.

The other main concern is the constant hassles. Again, much more of a problem for the cruise ship crowd than in Negril. I have said before that I love the vendors in Negril. Friendly, and usually selling things you actually want. Many other places it is the constant hassle with vendors all selling the same crap. On the beach, at least, there is usually one, at most two, vendors selling each type of item, and I look forward to, say, the Patty Man or some of the musicians coming by every day. Rarely, if ever, is anything more than a polite "no thank you" ever necessary. In fact, it is rare there is any real interaction at all. They will simply walk the beach, only stopping if you appear interested. They are, however, trying to make a living, so it is possible there will be more of a high pressure sales job than you will like. Again, just say no. Do not say "maybe later" or "tomorrow" - they WILL remember you. When a local asks questions such as "First time in Jamaica?", "Just getting into town?", or "Where are you staying?", they are not just making polite small talk. If you reply "Just getting into town, first trip, and staying at the super fancy resort", this is a really bad answer. They will see you as a walking dollar sign, and proceed accordingly. MUCH more likely to get hassled and overcharged. Always a good idea to act like you have been before, and come regularly, whether this is true or not. This is not just a Jamaica tip, but any tourist destination worldwide.

The water in Jamaica is completely safe to drink. We usually buy some bottled water when we get there, but this is primarily for convienience, not safety. By the end of the trip we usually re-fill the bottles from the tap in our room, and it has always been just fine. A quick tip with bottled water, we usually put a bottle of water in the freezer at night. When you wake up, it will be totally frozen, and you will have ice-cold water for hours as it melts. Much better than a standard bottle that becomes warm after 5 minutes in the Jamaican sun!

Lastly, there is the issue with drugs in Jamaica. Marijuana is illegal in Jamaice, but highly tolerated. You may see it used openly, particularly in the clubs at night. Do not be surprised if you are offered drugs at some point. Simply say no, and move on.


What to Pack:

The Usuals - Shorts, Tee Shirts, Bathing Suit, Hat, sunglasses, things like that

Formal clothes - Just kidding! Negril is about as casual of town as you will ever come across. Even the nicest restaurants in town will probably be fine with you showing up in shorts and a tee shirt. I may have one collered shirt, but I don't think I have ever even put on a pair of khakis for dinner.

Munchies - Not too much around in the evenings, so I like to have a few things to eat around the room. I'll usually pack things like a can of Pringles, peanuts, granola bars, things like that. You can, of course, buy all these in Jamaica, but if you have room, just as well to bring them from home.

Ipod/Speakers - For the White Sands people. I have no problem with no TV, but don't like it quiet all of the time. Music is nice to have.

Laptop - Not totally necessary, but nice to have, with free wi-fi at many places, including the hotel

Beach Towels - White Sands, if you are staying here, will not provide them! Bring your own from home. Can purchase there as well.

Shampoo/Conditioner - Again, White Sands will not provide, so don't forget!

Sunscreen - Self explanitory

Bugspray - Never had any problem during the day, but around sundown the mosquitos and sand fleas arrive.

Reef/Water Shoes - Not needed in Negril, but if you do the excursion to YS Falls, you will probably want these



Money:

The debate here is how much to take with, and in what currency. The "official" currency here is the Jamaican Dollar(J), currently about 85 J to the US Dollar. However, everywhere you go will readily take US dollars. It seems about half of the restaurants/shops/vendors have prices in Dollars, the other half have prices in J. The optimum situation would probably be to have both, and pay with whatever currency is offered. Any place will take either, but you will lose out a bit in the conversion, either way it is converted. However, for a few day trip it may not be worth the trouble, and simply using US dollars will be much easier and convienient.

We have come to decide that bringing US cash, and stopping at the ATM for J, seems to work well for us. It may not be the smartest move, but we usually bring a fairly large amount of cash with us for the trip. With no stops, and transportation arranged, I feel safe enough to travel this way. When we get to the hotel, we put the money in the hotel safe, and use the safe as an ATM every few days to replenish the money supply. Travelers checks are an option, but seem like a bit of a pain. The hotel will cash them, but at a very bad rate. To get a decent rate you will need to take a taxi into town, which is also where the ATM is located. Not to far or anything, just a hassle that we prefer to not deal with. The ATM in town dispenses both US and Jamaican dollars.

I would recommend bringing plenty of small bills with you. We usually stop by the bank and get $100 in ones, and I would definately recommend doing the same. Change is notoriously difficult at times, and it is nice for tips and things like that. The musicians on the beach seem to be about a dollar per person per song, more I suppose if you are generous.




Other sites to check out:

http://www.negril.com/ - Nice Message board with current events, trip reports, and the like



http://chibbqking.blogspot.com/2009/...egril-mon.html - A very nice Negril Guide, lots of pictures

[Tonyboombatz]

Great stuff...really well done.

YS Falls $15.00 admission and $42.00 to Zip Line (adult) 20.00 (children)

http://www.ysfalls.com/

[Islander]

WOW such an informatiive travel notes!! Your family & friends should be very thankful for all you information and work!! I hope you all have a wonderful time!! I will be there for my birthday as well in January!!

Peace,
Islander - Brynn

[Bnewb]

What a great guide for your friends...what a great friends you are to do that for everyone & to post it here!

[Highlander]

Man !! That tell,s it all there. Well Done...