Best Spot for a Day on the Beach?

[nicole.edith]

Hey all - let me say first how much I'm thoroughly enjoying reading all the trip reports, dipping into the webcasts for a few minutes at a time, and seeing the amazing photos! Thanks so much - the info I'm seeing here will undoubtedly be of the greatest importance on our trip!

My best friend and I are heading down for a long weekend Sept 5th-9th. It's both of our first trips to JA! We are staying at the cliffs but will likely spend one good chunk of a day at the beach. So here's my question - where's the best place for us to have as a 'base' from which to enjoy the beach? Somewhere with good, reasonably priced drinks, maybe a pool we could enjoy, restrooms, and hopefully, a spot that will afford us some nice beach-sitting time.

So - what say you? In all of your vast fields of experiences, what's our best bet? Since we're not there long, we won't have the chance to do a lot of trial and error - we want the most bang for our buck, per say. TIA!

[Melody]

I think Sunbeach is the best place. Good location, beach area, loungers, nice vibe. I can't think of a place with a pool and I don't think you'd need one with the calm, warm, gorgeous sea steps away. Just enjoy the sand and sea.

I suggest stopping at Yellow Bird for a bit too. 2 for 1 cocktails (a handful to choose from) for $400 JMD. They are small drinks, but yummy. Best dirty banana on the beach. It has a nice beach area and you can enjoy your drinks on one of their loungers or sitting at their cute little bar. Don't know about their public washroom facilities. When I was there in April, it was quiet around their beach. Sunbeach is more centrally located where you'll likely see more strolling entertainers and vendors. Freshly squeezed juices (mango, papaya, pineapple, orange), jerk pork, fruit, sugar cane, coconut and of course, Jamaican patties (beef, chicken, veggie, and if your lucky, shrimp and lobster).

[sigh] wish I had a trip in the works. Won't be long now for you, enjoy!

[Ras Walleye]

I second Melody's suggestions. If you want the beach but with more peace and quiet, a short drive to Half Moon beach near Green Island is ideal. Another option would be Cosmos up at the north end of the beach. Good food and they have showers and other beach amenities for a small fee.

[Weathermon & Mi Lady]

CoCoLaPalm has the best beach - shade if you want it, lots of sun if you need it. Beers are $ 3.60 US; but Sun Beach is a short walk away - 200 J

[browser59]

I don't think one day would allow you to experience 7 mile beach fully. Get dropped at Yellow Bird about 8:30 , chat with the bartender, get 2 for Dirty Bannanas , walk to the beach, turn right. Walk ,drink, and eat till you can go no further---go 1 1/2 hours more ,then get your driver/taxi to get you back! Next year 10 DAYS AT THE BEACH!!! good luck dave

[groove16]

fun holiday and seasplash and shields has let me use the pool if I buy a drink....all on different areas of the beach...i have taken my beach pub crawl and hit all those pools with my drinks

[poolguywindsor]

I would go with Sunbeach although I never miss a day without them dirty bananas at Yellowbird.

[Melody]

lol Browser - you have a point. The big thing for one day is to walk the beach and take in as much as you can. Lots to look at and experience for sure. I wouldn't spend too much time in one spot either, so as to see the rest . Like you say, maybe starting at Yellow Bird and then making your way to perhaps Seasplash would give you a good view of Long Bay. There are a few stops along the way with loungers, Alfred's is another, then of course Margaritaville (they may have lockers/showers to use, but I wouldn't be concerned about showering until the day is done). Again, once you see that gorgeous sand/sea, I think any thought of a pool will go out the window.

Nicole.Edith, did you see the happy hour list? Take a copy of that along as well as a beach map, and you can plot some of your stops for the day. Best laid plans can go awash, but it's good to have an idea for a base. Just each take a lightweight beach bag with a few necessities like sunscreen and bug spray, the sand fleas along the beach come out a bit before sunset, so be sure to spray your feet/legs especially. I'd wear a hat, bathing suit and just a sarong overtop as a skirt (that can come off and on again easily as you wish) and put a lightweight towel in my beach bag. Take an inexpensive camera. If you both go out to swim at the same time, probably a bartender won't mind if you ask to tuck your bags behind the bar, or will otherwise keep an eye on them for you....or other guests beside you on lounge chairs.

[Melody]

Or, start out on the north end, get dropped off at Margaritaville, walk through, turn right when looking at the sea, 2 doors down is Country Country (yellow beach umbrellas). Have breakfast at the beach restaurant there (opens at 7:30) - the BEST banana pancakes, juice and carafe of coffee for about $10 - enjoyed while just a few feet from the sea. The juice man walks by in the a.m., you can call him over from your table...delicious and cool to sip on in between bars! Treehouse is to your right (again when looking at the sea) and just past there a bit is Seasplash. You could check them out if you like, before heading back towards town along the beach...for the rest of your adventure! Just plan to get to Yellow Bird before 6 p.m. for dirty bananas!

[nicole.edith]

Thanks all - great suggestions. Yellow Bird was for sure on the list, but there's some new suggestions as well. I don't think Margaritaville is our style, but we'll probably walk through. I was thinking of a pool with a bar where you sit in the pool - but maybe that's not a deal in Negril?

I only wish we had 10 days - we couldn't afford it money or time off wise (we're both teachers and this trip is basically a budget-buster as it is!) - but maybe in the future we'll bring our husbands back (during the off season, of course!). Haha. I have been itching for a little getaway, but we couldn't afford both my husband and I to go, hence the birth of the BFF trip. We've been friends since high school (over 20 years, wow!) and we went to college together too, but somehow we've never managed anything more than road trips together - so we're looking forward to some girl time in JA!

I will be adding all of this info to my list, which will probably get thrown out the window like someone said, but it'll be good to have references and good info. Once we slip on our 'green sweaters' as we say, I'm sure we'll just allow this so-called sand gravity to take full effect.

Thanks again - I hope there are a few good shows to hit up while we're down there - and we'll keep an eye on the board so we can make a webcast!