Help For A Non-AI Newbie? Many Questions, Please Help

[tahrheel]

Oops 10-15 min walk

[beachpearl]

Good advice above. You can buy rum at the Quality Traders. The juice guys walk down the beach and will have fresh orange, pineapple, mango, papaya, soursop for $5 US for 750ml. Mix with rum for a delicious drink. Go South (left) on the beach to Rainbow Arch for good food. Stop at Firefly during the day and visit with the crazy naked people and all of the Jamaicans that hang out there. On the road roughly across from Coco La Palm is Best in the West jerk chicken. All of these are a 10-55 min. walk from Treehouse. The jerk pork man on the beach has good pork. We had a god supper last week at Country Country which is next door to you.

What is soursop juice and what does it taste like or taste similar to?

[tahrheel]

What is soursop juice and what does it taste like or taste similar to?

There are no good words for flavors and smells! I suggest that you buy one from a fruit vendor to try, They are heart shaped (romantic) and not too sweet. Don't eat the seeds. Dear wife took a half of a soursop to Maxine at FF and had her put in the blender with some Appleton and ice. Yummy beach smoothie

[captaind]

beachpearl,

As this is your first time outside the AI you would be well served to get acquainted with a private driver/guide to help you get acquainted with Negril.

I will unabashedly recommend my son Linston. He has a licensed and insured PPV (taxi) and has spent 16 years in the States. He is my adopted son and I can promise you he will treat you fairly and show you an enjoyable time outside the AI.

Here's his web site www.redplate-negril.com

I've lived in Jamaica off and on for 40 years and most of the folks on this board know me.

Regards,

Captain Dave

PS. When you go to the web site I'm the fat white guy in the pictures

[beachpearl]

beachpearl,

As this is your first time outside the AI you would be well served to get acquainted with a private driver/guide to help you get acquainted with Negril.

I will unabashedly recommend my son Linston. He has a licensed and insured PPV (taxi) and has spent 16 years in the States. He is my adopted son and I can promise you he will treat you fairly and show you an enjoyable time outside the AI.

Here's his web site www.redplate-negril.com

I've lived in Jamaica off and on for 40 years and most of the folks on this board know me.

Regards,

Captain Dave

PS. When you go to the web site I'm the fat white guy in the pictures

Lol - I've added this to my favorites bar - thanks!

[Jaherring]

Kuyaba is well worth the price for dinner.
As for a driver ask for shayne at kuyaba. best in Negril. He will take good care of you.

[beachpearl]

Kuyaba is well worth the price for dinner.
As for a driver ask for shayne at kuyaba. best in Negril. He will take good care of you.

I will have to remember that.
Thanks

[Melody]

I stayed at Country Country twice in 2012. It's right next door to Treehouse (left when facing the sea). I compiled notes before my first trip and have added to it since. It was mostly copied from "Marko's List" originally and have addd other's comments along the way. Hope it helps and isn't too confusing. Sorry, it's not very "well done", and I notice some repeats. If anyone spots changes required, please do so, maybe we can get it as up-to-date as possible.

***
Bars (there are 100's and this is just a sample - mi favorites):

Legends (beach) and SamSara (cliffs) Happy Hour 4 - 7PM
YellowBird Happy Hour 9:00 – 6:00 on da beach – 2 dirty bananas for $5
Rockhouse 6-7pm (cliffs)
SeaStar Inn Happy Hour 4-6pm (cliffs)
Canoe Happy Hour 2-6pm - 2 for 1 cocktails, 5 or 6 varieties (cliffs, close to roundabout)
Coco LaPalm 2 for one Happy Hour from 5 to 7 every night but Monday
Boat Bar for 200J Red Stripes on da beach
Sunnyside Bar (Yellow and Green with bench seating - next to ROOMS) 150J Red Stripe Beers, small little place,
SunBeach for 170J Red Stripes on da beach – “it's mi hangout on da beach”
Firefly for 170J Red Stripes on da beach (the small, clothing optional hotel)
White Sands Mondays $170J Red Stripe Beers – daily drink specials 1-4
Wild Parrot – great drinks and food, Excellent. Coconut shrimp. sunset happy hour 5-after sunset

2012 Negril Nightlife & Party Schedule
Clubs (these are the most popular but there are more)

Alfreds for Live Music on Sunday on da beach 10PM - 2PM $500J's Admission - Drinks & Beers $200J's
Cafe Goa on Sunday for Brunch on da beach road with live music - Best Coffee in Negril
Palms has Jazz on Sunday Evenings with no admission cost
White Sands on the beach, During the day on Mondays has $170J Red Stripe Beers; daily drink specials
Bourbon Beach Ladies Night on Monday at with Live Music 8:30PM to 2AM
MiYard for live DJ's on da West End Rd Late Tuesday nights till sunrise at – Open 24 Hours
Alfreds on da beach for Live Music on Tuesday nights 10PM - 2PM $500J Admission
Roots Bamboo on Wednesday nights for Live Reggae Concert on da beach 10PM till 2AM
Love Bus Pub Crawl on the Cliffs every Wednesday afternoon, usually Fridays, and sometimes adds extra nights if there’s enough people (pickup begins at 2:30, return after sunset) with free pickup and drop off; email Lenbert (best to do before leaving home, has been getting booked up, very popular) at bananaznegril@hotmail.com; Call: 874 6631 - great guy, I tipped him $20 for 2 people
Bourbon Beach Live Music on Wednesday Nights 8:30PM till 2AM and no coverage charge usually; Live Concert 9PM - 2AM on Saturday Nights
Jungle on Thursday nights for Ladies Night (no cover for women) on da beach road 10PM till everyone leaves (late party place, usually till 4 a.m.) young locals and mix of tourists. DJ, dance club place; Sat is open bar or "all inclusive" they call it there all night...and ladies get in free from 9-10pm only...
Sunset's on the Beach on Thursday nights for 2-4-1 redstripes & rum & free live music.
Charela Inn blues on Thursday nights on da beach, Jamaican folk dancers/entertainment on Sat. nights (early crowd, 7-9pm ish)
SeaWind on Thursday nights has a dinner buffet with live music and show
Canoe Bar and Grill - Thursday afternoons at da for Live Steel Drum Music (6-9pm); 2-6PM is Happy Hour everyday, 2 for one on 5 or 6 drinks – also have Caesars (Canadian influence) – good food, pineapple chill dessert. Just past the cliff side of the roundabout.
Alfreds on da beach for Live Music on Friday nights 10PM - 2PM $500J Admission
Idle Awhile restaurant (Chill Awhile) Friday night buffet (can order from menu) and live music show
LTU on the Cliffs DJ on Friday nights
Margaritaville. Upstairs Fridays from 10PM until 2AM $1000J's all you can drink DJ's
SeaStar Inn on da Cliffs on Saturday nights for $18 for the buffet and entertainment - free pickup and dropoff too!
Jungle Disco is happening on Saturday nights 10PM till 4AM - Ladies drink free from 9PM - 10PM


Groceries and booze:

Mega Mart, Montego Bay – beer in with the groceries; hard liquor, separate area after the tills (pay separately), accept VISA, has a LIME cell phone counter in the store (to the right and towards the back wall when you come in the store, also has a Scotiabank ATM that you pass by when going to LIME counter), may have to ask an employee to call someone to the LIME desk (it’s just a small counter) – paid $999 JMD ($10.50 CAD) for cheapest cell phone incl SIM and $100 JMD in minutes. Can call Can. for $2.99 JMD per minute (3 cents per minute), don’t need an “international plan”. Local LIME to LIME calling is the same cost, LIME to Digicel or local landlines is $8.99 JMD per minute (9 cents per minute)
Negril:
ValueMaster (right by roundabout, closer to beach road, if taking route taxi, you can ask to be dropped off in front). LIME cell store is above this store
HiLo (close to roundabout, but on the cliff route, better for cliff stays) HiLo: 9-7 M-Thur, 9-8 Fri & Sat; 9-3 Sunday
Shamrock (about a mile along the beach road towards the roundabout). Small shop (like a convenience store) on the beach road. Good Prices, well stocked small store
K One (in burger king mall by roundabout), often called, Chinamon’s. Good prices, grocery items and booze, open longer hours, than Valuemaster or HiLO, will also cash travellers cheques, and exchange money for a good rate. Digicel cell phone store is in this strip mall


Mikey's is expensive and very small (close to CC, North, across the road) – mix or small selection of booze in a pinch. There is a better one a bit further North, but I haven’t been. Shamrock works well after going to ATM at Time Square (shopping centre) or to the Cambio (to exchange cash or travelers cheques, in front of Bourbon Beach)

live local entertainment:
beach bars usually have live reggae bands doing cover material of familiar reggae tunes -*Alfreds (Sun, Tue, Fri) cover charge $500JMD $6CDN,
*Roots Bamboo (Wed)
*Canoe Bar (Thurs)
Boat Bar for some free live reggae featuring Otis gayle.....ice cold redstripes and food that is delicious!!! ??? Red Stripe catamaran

One Love Bus bar crawl, Lenbert @ bananaznegril@hotmail.com; Call: 874 6631

[beachpearl]

WOOOOOW - Melody! Thank you sooo much for posting all of that info - this is great stuff.
I am going to be sure to print it

[nutz4travel]

There's a grocery store (Mini Mart I think?) just up the beach road from Treehouse, they have a pretty good selection. We stayed next door at Country Country and it was an easy walk.




Parasailing - there are only 1 or 2 actual boat operators, so who you "buy" it from doesn't make much of a difference.

Exchange - you can exchange before you go (have your bank order it for you) or use an ATM in Negril to get cash out. Depending on where you bank there may be fees attached to that... They will take USD, but it usually ends up costing more.

Enjoy your 1st non-AI experience, I'm sure you'll love it - we're hooked!