Jamaica on the cheap
Discussion
So, with return flights for £350 it seemed silly not to. Now Ive got to work out the rest of it - anyone been there and done it? Will be staying in hostels, not doing a lot! Going mainly for the music, culture, museums, a bit of snorkeling and diving, but generally just to relax for a week. Booked for the middle of May if that makes a difference.
I was there a couple weeks ago. Wasn't blown away to be honest and felt pretty vulnerable as I was obviously a tourist.
Me and the Mrs decided that we'd only return if we went to a resort (sandals type thing).
Sorry my comment isn't much help. But just be sensible when you go and stay somewhere which is on the map. Stick Jamaica into tripadvisor or something.
Me and the Mrs decided that we'd only return if we went to a resort (sandals type thing).
Sorry my comment isn't much help. But just be sensible when you go and stay somewhere which is on the map. Stick Jamaica into tripadvisor or something.
swerni said:
There's a reason for cheap flights.
I've only been once, but would never go back again.
I've been once and loved it, but TBH we didn't leave the hotel grounds. The people at the hotel basically warned us off leaving as it's rough out there.I've only been once, but would never go back again.
The hotel didn't even allow local newspapers in due to what would be printed in them!
I've been a couple times. The missus is Kingston born and bred. We stay at her aunt's house as it's empty most of the year. I didn't have too much trouble apart from the expected see a tourist double the price type thing. Getting taxis involved me hiding in a shop door the missus hailing a taxi and then as shes confirmed the price I hop in next to her. 
That being said it does have it's moments. Election time is a bit ropey but nowhere near as bad as it used to be when she was growing up. A bit of common sense and you should be fine. I got bored of being chaperoned by her cousins all the time and would sneak out on my own just to have a walk about.
If you're in Kingston try and visit Bob Marley's (2nd home) in New Kingston. The tour is pretty good. The one in Trench Town was good but a bit different as you can imagine.
Music? Jamaicans party at funerals. I seriuosly don't know how they do it but there are parties every night so you should be alright on that front.
I've yet to do any decent water activity its the one thing I've promised myself I'm going to do next time I go.
That being said it does have it's moments. Election time is a bit ropey but nowhere near as bad as it used to be when she was growing up. A bit of common sense and you should be fine. I got bored of being chaperoned by her cousins all the time and would sneak out on my own just to have a walk about.
If you're in Kingston try and visit Bob Marley's (2nd home) in New Kingston. The tour is pretty good. The one in Trench Town was good but a bit different as you can imagine.
Music? Jamaicans party at funerals. I seriuosly don't know how they do it but there are parties every night so you should be alright on that front.
I've yet to do any decent water activity its the one thing I've promised myself I'm going to do next time I go.
Lol. I just remembered. I got "chased" down the road by some old lady in downtown Kingston. I wanted a bag juice (bag of juice frozen). Costs like 5p or did when I was there. The old lady in the shop said 10p or something. Now I don't if it was because I was tired or because I'd had enough of being given tourist prices but I told her keep it I'll buy one when I get back to [insert rough area] at half the price.
Next thing you know she's come from round her little cooler box and is threatening me with her walking stick telling me to come out of her shop and to f
k off back to [insert rough area].
The missus refused to talk to me for the rest of the day as she knew the old lady. The cousins thought it was hilarious.
Next thing you know she's come from round her little cooler box and is threatening me with her walking stick telling me to come out of her shop and to f
k off back to [insert rough area]. The missus refused to talk to me for the rest of the day as she knew the old lady. The cousins thought it was hilarious.
We stayed at Negril & the hotel was great, but as said above it's not really seeing the country, we had a wonderful day out at the YS falls & Appleton rum distillery but going to Riks was not that nice, especially trying to avoid eye contact with the local divers & there was a stabbing there that night too.
Go to Antigua , it's much nicer & pretty friendly, we hired a car foe 3 days without any hassle & the locals seem hell bent on helping out with directions & the like, something you just wouldn't do in Jamaica.
I remember the wife & i were the only white faces in the busy bank in Negril & it was pretty intimidating but i do have a rather unusual tattoo that the locals seem to like.
Go to Antigua , it's much nicer & pretty friendly, we hired a car foe 3 days without any hassle & the locals seem hell bent on helping out with directions & the like, something you just wouldn't do in Jamaica.
I remember the wife & i were the only white faces in the busy bank in Negril & it was pretty intimidating but i do have a rather unusual tattoo that the locals seem to like.
swerni said:
Butter Face said:
swerni said:
There's a reason for cheap flights.
I've only been once, but would never go back again.
I've been once and loved it, but TBH we didn't leave the hotel grounds. The people at the hotel basically warned us off leaving as it's rough out there.I've only been once, but would never go back again.
The hotel didn't even allow local newspapers in due to what would be printed in them!
I also fibbed, we did go to Ricks Cafe a few times, which was ace, and the water park 5 minutes down the road. It was 5 years ago, my brain is a bit fuzzy.
Hummm, not a great set of reviews then! A little disappointing, but Im quite used to travelling by myself. I would like to see the country a bit, hotel resorts dont interest me.
So, aside from it being crap, has anyone got anywhere nice to visit on the island? Bob Marley museum is on the list, as is going to the mountain, but the rest of it is pretty open to ideas at the moment. Would like to do some snorkeling on a reef or 2, possibly a bit of diving. Wouldnt mind checking out some of the clubs/reggae bars.
Any suggestions?
So, aside from it being crap, has anyone got anywhere nice to visit on the island? Bob Marley museum is on the list, as is going to the mountain, but the rest of it is pretty open to ideas at the moment. Would like to do some snorkeling on a reef or 2, possibly a bit of diving. Wouldnt mind checking out some of the clubs/reggae bars.
Any suggestions?
I suppose it depends on how street wise you are. I've been fine there but then although I've been in some ropey areas people have seen me as visiting family member and not a tourist. Tourists don't go to Trench Town. I didn't see as much as I'd like as I was visiting her family but from memory the places I visited.
Night Life
Passa Passa - Street party in Tivoli. Very bad area but it was fine the night I went. Lots of reggae djs (singers) pass through. But there are street parties everywhere in Jamaica and I mean every where.
Asylum - Night club in New Kingston (think it might be called something else now). I liked it.
Quad - Night club in New Kingston. Hated it. Reminded me of a Liquid club here in the UK. Other people love it though. The clientelle was "safer" than Asylum.
Sport
Stadium - The school races are a big thing. We went and got to see Usain Bolt run a friendly.
Films
Carib - Cinema in Halfway Tree. Cinema in the West Indies is a completely different affair then here. They even have intermission breaks halfway through the film.
Food
Cuddy's - Sports Bar in New Kingston.
Devon House - Ice Cream place in New Kingston. Nice grounds from memory
Beach
Hellshire - Portmore. Not really a tourist beach but it was a nice family vibe. The fried fish was the best I've ever tasted.
Hotel
Hotel Gloriana - Montego Bay - We went there after seeing a budget film on the owner. A woman who has been through a lot. It's not Sandals, think motel with a pool but after seeing her story we wanted to go see what it was like.
Speaking of Sandals. We went to Sandals beach and I didn't particuarly feel comfortable. You could see people preying on tourists belongings. Something that didn't happen at the non tourist places like Hellshire.
The rest was just local stuff. Like I said next time I'd like to do the tourist thing.
Night Life
Passa Passa - Street party in Tivoli. Very bad area but it was fine the night I went. Lots of reggae djs (singers) pass through. But there are street parties everywhere in Jamaica and I mean every where.
Asylum - Night club in New Kingston (think it might be called something else now). I liked it.
Quad - Night club in New Kingston. Hated it. Reminded me of a Liquid club here in the UK. Other people love it though. The clientelle was "safer" than Asylum.
Sport
Stadium - The school races are a big thing. We went and got to see Usain Bolt run a friendly.
Films
Carib - Cinema in Halfway Tree. Cinema in the West Indies is a completely different affair then here. They even have intermission breaks halfway through the film.
Food
Cuddy's - Sports Bar in New Kingston.
Devon House - Ice Cream place in New Kingston. Nice grounds from memory
Beach
Hellshire - Portmore. Not really a tourist beach but it was a nice family vibe. The fried fish was the best I've ever tasted.
Hotel
Hotel Gloriana - Montego Bay - We went there after seeing a budget film on the owner. A woman who has been through a lot. It's not Sandals, think motel with a pool but after seeing her story we wanted to go see what it was like.
Speaking of Sandals. We went to Sandals beach and I didn't particuarly feel comfortable. You could see people preying on tourists belongings. Something that didn't happen at the non tourist places like Hellshire.
The rest was just local stuff. Like I said next time I'd like to do the tourist thing.
Butter Face said:
Dunns River Falls is supposedly awesome.
Just don't smoke weed, it's still illegal and you'll get in a stload of trouble if the police get ta.
Dunns Falls was spectacular, but marred by locals trying to sell you all sorts of stuff, including drugs!!Just don't smoke weed, it's still illegal and you'll get in a s
tload of trouble if the police get ta.We were on a cruise and it was the only island were it felt unsafe in places and the constant pestering was a pain.
forest07 said:
Butter Face said:
Dunns River Falls is supposedly awesome.
Just don't smoke weed, it's still illegal and you'll get in a stload of trouble if the police get ta.
Dunns Falls was spectacular, but marred by locals trying to sell you all sorts of stuff, including drugs!!Just don't smoke weed, it's still illegal and you'll get in a s
tload of trouble if the police get ta.We were on a cruise and it was the only island were it felt unsafe in places and the constant pestering was a pain.
Jamaica was a bit less breezy but I'd probably head to the DR again over it.
We went all inclusive in Falmouth but did all the excursions we could, Dunns River Falls, Bob Marleys birth house, Blue Lagoon, Dolphin Cove etc etc. While they do try and sell you anything you can I never met anyone aggressive and can see why they do push it as tourism is there only export as such. That and iron ore to Russia.
I loved it and we often look at the packages available to go back, just both running our own businesses has stopped us so far.
We stayed at Starfish Trelanwy which has now been taken over, was nice, not mega flash but rooms were nice, good air con and as it was all inclusive the fridge was always full of cold Stripe or Carib.
I loved it and we often look at the packages available to go back, just both running our own businesses has stopped us so far.
We stayed at Starfish Trelanwy which has now been taken over, was nice, not mega flash but rooms were nice, good air con and as it was all inclusive the fridge was always full of cold Stripe or Carib.
Miguel said:
Food
Cuddy's - Sports Bar in New Kingston.
I ended up visiting a couple of times on a container ship; we ate at Cuddy's and then decanted to the nearest gentleman's club, the Royale I think. Difficult to see the entertainment through the miasma of weed smoke.Cuddy's - Sports Bar in New Kingston.
Edited by hidetheelephants on Friday 3rd April 04:24
I've been once. No plans to return. The beach was good. Except for 24 hours after the cruise ships went out and kicked up all the sand and jellyfish. (fking hate those slimy s).
Kingston was just fking scary generally, the local town was a hole and full of scammers and people offering 'security'.
Dunns River Falls was good and the Scuba diving was epic. As were the jet skis. Oh and the weather was nice!
king hate those slimy s). Kingston was just f
king scary generally, the local town was a hole and full of scammers and people offering 'security'. Dunns River Falls was good and the Scuba diving was epic. As were the jet skis. Oh and the weather was nice!
i also stayed in Trelawny when i visited many years ago. i have been to most of the islands through the years, have lived and worked in TnT and still keep a property and run a business on Tobago.
I suspect i was in the wrong area but JA is the only island i wouldn't return to, mainly for reasons already posted.
paul
I suspect i was in the wrong area but JA is the only island i wouldn't return to, mainly for reasons already posted.
paul
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