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Negril, Jamaica (via Montego Bay): Why Go

Recommendations & Suggestions

BEFORE YOU GO: Montego Bay
Jamaica

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS:
-Starting January 23, 2007, all U.S., Canadian, Mexican, and Bermudian citizens must carry a valid passport to enter or re-enter the United States.
-Non-U.S. citizens, please contact the nearest consulate or embassy of the country to which you are traveling to determine your entry/visa requirements.
-Additional U.S. State Department passport, visa and travel advisory information may be found at www.state.gov/www/services.html

LANGUAGE:
-English is spoken, but your trip will not be complete without exposing yourself to the pleasant local patois, a smooth variation on English best learned not from a book or tape, but by interacting with the people of this beautiful country.

CURRRENCY:
-Currency is the Jamaican Dollar (JMD or J$), but US Dollars are widely accepted (though usually at lower exchange rate. Recent exchange rates have hovered around US$1 = J$61 but the exchange rate may vary, so check a newspaper or website like www.oanda.com for current rates before you go. When changing money at the airport, retain your receipt so you can convert back to dollars at the end of your stay.
-ATMs cards work at most of the major banks.
-Banks usually pay slightly better rates for traveler's cheques than for cash.

LOCAL TRANSPORTATION:
-Car rental counters are located outside customs at Montego Bay and Kingston Airports. Reservations may be made through many hotels. Remember, driving is on the left-hand side of the road.
-Licensed taxis are indicated by red license plates. Some taxis have meters, some don't. It's always a good idea to agree on a fare before you get in.
-JUTA is another reputable transport company.

DEPARTURE TAX:
-The airport departure tax is included in the cost of your airline ticket.(Departure fees and policies can change at any time, so confirm when checking in for your flight from the US).

ELECTRICITY:
-Jamaica runs 110 volt AC,like the US, BUT they use 50 Hz (motors run slower, hotter; US is 60 Hz.) A converter or adapter may be needed.


HEALTH & SAFETY:
-Just as you would when traveling to an unfamiliar area, consult any major guidebook or check with your hotel about any areas to avoid or precautions to take, and use common sense.
-Most crime in Jamaica occurs around West Kingston, where recent localized violence prompted the US State Department to issue a travel advisory for that urban area. The remote Beach resort areas of Negril, Montego Bay, Runaway Bay and Port Antonio were not included in this advisory.
-Overall, Jamaicans are extremely friendly and helpful but if a stranger makes unwanted advances, simply avoid contact or respond with a firm but polite "no thanks."
-Most hotels offer a safe for your valuables, but the safest option is always to leave any treasured valuables like expensive jewelry at home.
-Despite popular lore and multiple references in reggae music, marijuana or "ganja" is in fact illegal in Jamaica. Keep this in mind because it will most likely be offered to you, often in startling or humorous variations like ganja tea, or cake.
-Bring sunblock and drink lots of water in the strong Caribbean sun.

CALLING CUSTOMER SERVICE:
When calling Customer Service from Jamaica, dial 872, or 1800-USA-ATT1 prior to the toll-free number printed in your confirmation e-mail.

Alfred's Ocean Palace
Norman Manley Boulevard
Phone: 876.957.4669

Alfred's Ocean Palace is the busiest bar on Seven Mile Beach in Negril. Live reggae performances create a packed open-air dancefloor on the sand and revelers know this is where all the action is. More than 20 years old, Alfred's has become a Negril beach tradition and is a legendary entertainment spot.

Alfred's restaurant specializes in locally caught seafood such as lobster, conch, mahi mahi, blue marlin, tuna, kingfish and calamari. The bartenders at Alfred's whip up tropical fruit cocktails and their own mysterious, "secret recipe" specialty drinks made with fresh Caribbean fruits and juices. The bar offers live music including jazz, country, parrot head and reggae, of course.

Seven Mile Beach and Bloody Bay
Norman Manley Boulevard

Negril is home to the longest beach in Jamaica, seven miles of snowy white sand coastline stretching into the Caribbean Sea. The beach is dotted with resorts, watersports facilities and places to eat, drink and dance in the open-air. It's usually packed with tourists and locals who mingle with vendors hustling crafts, hair braiding and aloe massages.

If you prefer more privacy and solitude, head for the far end of crescent-shaped Bloody Bay, beyond Long Beach Park. The bay was until recently the least developed stretch of sand in Negril, but despite new resorts in the area, nude bathers can often slip into the translucent water unnoticed at Bloody Bay's northernmost end.

The Pickled Parrot
West End Road
Phone: 876.957.4864

The Pickled Parrot is a restaurant, bar and playground set atop cliffs overlooking the Caribbean Sea. Play all day long on the giant water slide, try the rope swing, jump off the cliff, or put on a mask and explore one of the caves under the restaurant. The Parrot is a great place to spend the day relaxing in the sun on a lounge chair sipping exotic tropical treats. In the evening, it is one of the best spots in Jamaica for a spectacular sunset, joyous happy hour, or traditional Jamaican dinner in a private gazebo.

If the scene at The Pickled Parrot is too hedonistic for you, ramble over to Rick's Cafe, also located on West End Road. Rick's is another traditional sunset spot that offers live music, lively cocktails and even livlier cliff diving.