Should I go to Negril?

[backpacker]

After some thorough research through this forum and guide books, I (think) I want to go to Jamaica and in particular Negril. I travel solo every year to different destinations and always find good company in hostels. It appears that Negril lacks hostels save for Judys House Cottage, which for whatever reason, doesn't appeal to me. How easy is it to find company - other travellers/backpackers around Negril?. The last thing I want is to spend New Years Eve and most nights alone in a room wishing I didn't go. After a recent trip to Sri Lanka, which also lacks hostels, I realised how much I hate being alone even though I prefer to travel solo. (I don't even know if that makes sense).

Also, at that time of the year is it difficult to find a room if I just rocked up to Negril without a booking? I will be spending a couple of nights in a hostel in Montego Bay and am hoping that if I hooked up with someone there who was also going to Negril I could possibly share a room.

Thanks in advance

[poolguywindsor]

I travel to Negril, few times a year, solo, and never seem to be alone. There are tonnes of little bars and places to hang out and talk to other tourists and travellor,s

[Smokin Kevan]

No stress, backpacker... Negril is full of people you can talk to and vibe with!

Happy Travels

Skb

[stormy49]

you won't feel alone, plenty of people to meet and talk to and enough bars to last you a month or more, we love it.

[Lulu and Al]

Keep checking the board! You can get a room for CHEAP, $35. . you only sleep there, cross over the road to the beach and you're in on of the TOP beaches in the world! You don't need to share a room, you can even tent it but why? It's a 7 mole beach, walk, drink. eat, sit on the beach for music anywhere!

[debitdog]

While I cant speak about backpackin and roughin it in hostels, I can confirm that Negril is incredibly welcoming for solo travelers.
Next week will be my second solo trip (out of my 6 trips in 2 decades). Very easy to meet tourists, and locals at either the beach or the cliffs. Boardie get-togethers are common, and this group will become old friends by the time you visit.

[Maryann]

Yes, you should go to Negril! At one time I thought Firefly on the beach had some hostel (like) accommodations (Secrets Cabins?), and also thought at one time there was a place to camp near Bourbon Beach, but maybe that doesn't exist anymore.

[garysteph1018]

No one here is going to tell you NOT to go to Negril!

[northerncaligurl]

I travel most times to Negril solo, have a partner in crime for a bit of a few also but I am mostly alone while I am there....alone or with a bestie, don't matter, tons to do and see, or not, in Negril depending on what you are wanting...you defo won't be alone for long....many bars and restaurants that aren't attached to specific hotels/resorts dot all along the beach road and into the cliffs...all great places to hang and chill or even the hotels and resorts for that matter....as for backpacking, Judy's is great, Sue the owner is a lovely Brit who has been around for a bit, but she is up a road off the main road at the beginning of the cliff area so some find it a bit too far off the beach....Firefly has cottages, no bath or kitchen, just a bed right on the beach,...but more expensive then some other places but a nice locally owned place...and then there is Greenleaf....love the place, across the beach from Sunbeach Bar which you can hang at anyday all day. Greenleaf has all kinds of options for accommodations....including backpacker type rooms for cheap. Good place....you have many options and you will not be alone...you might eventually wish you were, lol....

[BCBud]

Some of the cheaper accommodations that have websites are:

Secrets Cabins (on the beach) http://www.jamaicalink.com/secrets/index-2.html
Jah B’s (on morass side of beach) http://www.negril.com/jahbs/rooms.htm
Roots Bamboo (on the beach) http://rootsbamboobeach.com
Eddies Tigress (west end) http://www.realnegril.com/tigress2/index.htm
Negril Yoga Centre (on morass side of beach) http://negrilyoga.com
Primrose Inn (west end) http://www.negril.com/hotels/primrose.htm
GreenLeaf Cabins (on morass side of beach) http://greenleafcabins.com
Bourbon Beach (on beach, live music) http://www.bbnegril.com/
Alfreds (on beach, live music: http://alfreds.com/rooms.html


There are many more possibilities including places that do not have websites. If you plan on staying for several months, suggest you rent a place for a few days and then have a look around to see what is available.