For our yearly trek to the sun, Husbandito and I are headed to Jamaica. I could happily sit on the beach and read all week, but he gets bored after a couple of days and wants to be able to do stuff. We both enjoy snorkeling, animal viewing, cultural sites, and the like. We aren’t partiers or heavy drinkers, though we do enjoy good food and one or two well-made cocktails.
We’re flying into MoBay, so I’m looking at the area between Ocho Rios and Negril for base(s) of operation. If we move, it’ll only be once.
My questions to you: Where to stay and what to do? What’s a not-to-be-missed? What isn’t worth the price of admission?
Find a nice all-inclusive resort like Sandals or Hedonism and stay put.
The touristy things like Dunn’s River falls are OK, but between the crime, and the locals trying (hard) to sell you anything from weed to hair braiding, it’s best to just stay at your resort and have fun. Everything you need or want is there.
See Duns River falls, drive up to the Blue Mountains, take the river rafting trip. Hire a good driver, and explain to him that you will tip him well-but that you DON’T want to be steering into junk shops to purchase the typical tourist dreck. Most of the time, he will understand and avoid this…so many of them make many as touts. And…be careful at night. Avoid Kingston…there is NOTHING there, and it is extremely dangerous.
I only stayed in Negril. Talking to the locals was wonderful. They know where to get the best conch soup, etc. Very friendly, after they have a minute to size you up. I got the impression they were tired of bad treatment from tourists.
We took a boat trip with a fish dinner, went snorkeling (it wasn’t great where I was), rented bikes, hung out drinking Blue Mountain coffee. Reggae on the beach. It’s all good.
Anyway, whatever you do, do NOT stay in an all-inclusive resort. Might as well stay home for what you get out of it.
There are a bunch of historical sites along the North Shore, and visit-able Great Houses. The official Jamaican tourism agencies (national and local) will be glad to send you literature.
There’s an underwater national park at Montego Bay for snorkelers and divers.
There is tons of interesting stuff in Kingston (the capital), but it’s at the other end of Jamaica from where you are headed.
InsomniaMama, what hotel did you stay in? The hotel reviews are all over the place, with no clear guidance. i’m thinking more West Negril rather than 7 Mile Beach, as it seems quieter, but we definitely want to be ocean-front.
We aren’t really all-inclusive people; we tend to enjoy going into town and experiencing the local atmosphere.
I’m sure it is not your intent, but many West Indians/Caribbean locals are put off by attempts to mimic their accent.
Most will not comment on it if they overhear it in a conversation, and will often times continue the friendly conversational tone of the convo as to avoid conflict, but I will say it sets my teeth on edge every time. I can’t speak for all islanders of course, but I know many others who politely overlook these behaviors while shuddering on the inside.
Not a big fan of murdering lgbt but my best friend is getting married there in January. I guess I’ll just stick to the resort and golf course as my protest.
Nothing to add about Jamaica as I’m from elsewhere, but wanted to cosign this. Tourists think the mimicry is a lot cuter than we do. Just be a person talking to another person.
Many people unconsciously try to mimic accents when speaking to others with an accent, in a place where everyone talks that way. So many are not trying to be cute, they’re instinctively trying to fit in.
Weird. I was just listening to this song about an hour ago, for the first time in several years. Stay close to the swimming pool and don’t venture too far from the hotel.
I was a little put off Dunns River Falls, looked like a bit of a tourist trap. We visited Reach Falls, went to the top then decided to walk down the falls, there were some guides there who were a bit hesitant as the usual thing is to walk up, but eventually one of them came with us. It was really beautiful.
