The RIU Club Hotel Negril is an all-inclusive resort on a private beach in Negril. The first question that almost everyone has about an all-inclusive is "How’s the food?" So here’s the skinny on the RIU. The RIU Club Hotel has a buffet (Green Island) for…Read More

The RIU Club Hotel Negril is an all-inclusive resort on a private beach in Negril. The first question that almost everyone has about an all-inclusive is "How’s the food?" So here’s the skinny on the RIU.

The RIU Club Hotel has a buffet (Green Island) for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. In addition, there are three "restaurants" on the property–-the Steakhouse, Sir Andrew, and Ridiccio. The Steakhouse is just that, a steak dinner. Sir Andrew’s menu features a lot of seafood, with standard chicken and beef choices, and Ridiccio is a Brazilian menu.

The process of getting reservations for these restaurants was a new concept to me. At 8am every morning, a table is set up outside the Green Island buffet, and people stand in line to make reservations. This is cutthroat business, as people start lining up as early as 6:30am (though I think you could get by with 7:15 or 7:30). There are two seating times for each–-7pm and 9pm. The 7pm times go first, and Sir Andrew is the most popular restaurant, usually running out of seating early on.

We only had the opportunity to eat at the Steakhouse, so that’s the only first-hand knowledge I have. However, in conversations with my fellow line-standers, Sir Andrew’s food is the best of the three restaurants. As for me, I thought the Steakhouse was very good, so if Sir Andrew is better, then it must be REALLY good.

At the Steakhouse, you are given a menu of several different courses. You assume you’re going to have to pick one item from each course, but in fact, you get EVERYTHING that’s on the menu. Starters are a salad, fried "delicacies" (cheese, onion rings, eggrolls), and soup. The main course consists of a steak cooked to order, corn on the cob, a baked potato, and some veggies. Dessert is Alaskan cake.

Outside the realm of these restaurants exists the standard buffet. I am a very picky eater, and I was always able to find several things I liked. The breakfast buffet is your standard breakfast buffet–-hashbrowns, eggs (you can order them to your liking, get an omelets, or eat the pre-cooked scrambled eggs), bacon, sausage, cereal, and milk (about six different choices), fruit, cheese, waffles, pancakes, donuts, muffins, etc.

For lunch, the Steakhouse restaurant turns into a snack bar and features hamburgers, hot dogs, fruit, cheese, salad, french fries, etc.

Dinner is pretty standard, although they did have Mediterranean night one night during our stay. There was chicken, beef, pork, potatoes (mashed, scalloped, etc.), seafood, fruit, salads, etc. There was a huge selection.

Be on your toes; people can get pretty snarky when it comes to that last waffle or that last bit of cheese. It’s more like a full-contact sport than dinner. However, the staff is wonderful. They keep your old plates clear, serve you water or wine, and make sure you can find everything. Our favorite waiter was Andre, and he looked for us each morning at breakfast to find out our activities the previous day. My only caution is if you sit outside--those tables come at a premium. We had just been served coffee one morning for breakfast, we got up for round two at the buffet, and we came back to find our table cleared and someone else sitting there!

I’d rate the food at the RIU a strong 8 out of 10.

Our plane landed in Montego Bay on Thursday October 20th, just as the sun broke through the clouds for the first time in a few days. Hurricane Wilma formed off the west coast of Jamaica earlier that week, then slowly moved across the Caribbean to…Read More

Our plane landed in Montego Bay on Thursday October 20th, just as the sun broke through the clouds for the first time in a few days. Hurricane Wilma formed off the west coast of Jamaica earlier that week, then slowly moved across the Caribbean to wreak havoc on the tourist destinations on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. Fortunately for Jamaica, they were only touched by the outer edges of the storm. Most of the damage came from the huge waves created by the giant category 4 storm that continued to break along the coast days after the skies had cleared. We were there for a friend’s wedding, and everyone was relieved that the weather was improving; what we didn’t count on was the impact the storm would continue to have on the island for the next few days.

As the intensity of the storm increased, so did the size of the waves crashing into the rocky Negril coastline, even though there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. Thursday night guests staying in some of the resorts along the western edge of Negril were awakened by waves crashing directly into their bungalows. Windows were blown out, and some roofs collapsed under the ocean's assault. By Friday, the waves were nearly 20 feet, and many restaurants and cliff-top hotels had been forced to close. Popular spots to watch cliff-diving, like Rick’s, had been turned into sea-spray soaked venues where tourists gazed at monster waves breaking where the waters are normally clear and calm. Beachside bars like Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville and local favorite Alfred’s were flooded by waves reaching far into the establishments. The damage along the pristine white sand beach was typically fallen palm trees, collapsed decks, and some erosion.

All things considered, the damage we saw was minimal. Unlike where I live in Costa Rica, the Jamaicans were eager to repair and clean up. There were two primary things that caught my eye. The first was a group of locals repairing potholes on a back road for driver donations. In Costa Rica, the roads have been in a continual state of disrepair for years, and nobody except the municipality will lift a finger, even though the entire beach town where I live depends on tourism. The other surprise was the hotel workers cleaning the beach. All along Negril’s beaches, workers were raking and burying huge piles of seaweed, and by Sunday, things looked the way the tourism brochures depicted. This is something you will never see in Costa Rica, even at the most expensive resort. I was very impressed.

The surf had calmed down by Sunday morning, and we decided to take a taxi tour of the Negril before we departed. I was surprised by the limited amount of damage overall. Most of the real damage I noticed was from Hurricane Ivan the year before. Even without the hurricane-force winds, Jamaica had still experienced torrential rains for a number of days prior to our arrival, and having lived in Central America for the last four years, I was expecting to see washed out roads, at least. What we found was a country busily cleaning up and moving on. Count on Jamaica to be ready for your next trip.

Marketing Marley

Once you leave the airport in Montego Bay, you see numerous pictures of Bob Marley, from T-shirts to murals and every kind of souvenir imaginable. He is undoubtedly Jamaica’s favorite son and one of the most heavily marketed aspects of the island nation due to his worldwide popularity. But when you get past the tour of his birthplace in a tiny town called Nine Mile and the occasional song you hear in some random tourist hangout, there is little left of his legacy to be seen. Bob Marley passed away nearly 25 years ago, but his worldwide popularity and legacy live on. His life and music brought Jamaica and reggae music into the limelight in the 1970s, and to this day, he is undoubtedly the most famous Jamaican. The island is a mecca for would-be Rastas and Marley fans alike, even though the culture made famous by him seems to be slowly fading from Jamaican society. It seems that the younger Jamaicans of today are more influenced by hip-hop and rap than reggae and the Rastafarian life. Jamaica may truly be losing one of the very things that make it so unique.

The Darker Side

Since my income is tourist-dependent, I have to restrict my pleasure travel to the off-season. This has some benefits, including discount prices and hotel availability and no crowds. One of my favorite benefits of low-season travel is getting to see a place (beach or town) in more of its ‘natural’ state, without the throngs of other tourists. I’ve never really considered myself your typical tourist. But beware: when you travel this way, you may see more than you want. Wherever you find tourists with money, you will invariably find people willing to supply travelers with whatever vice they desire. I was shocked to find the number of prostitutes, drug dealers, and street hustlers on the streets and in the clubs of Negril.

My research on Jamaica did not prepare me for what we found. Negril has a solid reputation as a tropical island beach paradise, with noted resorts like Hedonism 2 and Riu, but few places I read mentioned the dangerous conditions on the streets after dark. I would recommend that anyone traveling to this beautiful beach town use taxis at night and only go to the bars and clubs in groups. I’ve been told that in high season, this side of Jamaica would not be as apparent.

My first encounter with Negril, Jamaica, was in 2000, when I stayed at Grande Lido Resort for my honeymoon. This resort is quite lovely and located near Bloody Bay, sort of apart from the rest of the 7 Mile Beach area. My stay…Read More

My first encounter with Negril, Jamaica, was in 2000, when I stayed at Grande Lido Resort for my honeymoon. This resort is quite lovely and located near Bloody Bay, sort of apart from the rest of the 7 Mile Beach area. My stay was wonderful.

Due to all the bad press I had come upon about Jamaica, we decided it would be best to stay put at the resort. In other words we were afraid to leave, afraid of the unknown.

Well, six trips later, I am no longer afraid or confined to staying at a resort, as we found all of the stories, rumors, and fears untrue.

As with any new place, the obvious issues with safety, etc., must be observed, just as you would in your own home city. I am here to say that Jamaica and its people are wonderful.

I have met so many new friends there that I am able to stay for over a week and feel most safe and comfortable walking freely.

Of sightseeing interest to me: A must-see for dinner and a sunset is 3 Dives restaurant on the cliffs. The view can't be beat and the lobster dinner or jerk chicken is the best I have had.

Another great place to visit on the cliffs in the West End is Joseph's Cave Bar, a small family-owned bar that sits in the front yard. Buy a drink from Mae (or pay the entrance fee) and you'll be allowed to enter the cave in her front yard. This cave goes under the ground, and views of the water and sunset can be seen. If one is brave enough, you can jump in, swim to the other side of the street, and come up in Pirate's Cave, another restaurant-bar on the cliffs with another perfect view of the sunset. Seeing is believing, and words just really can't explain this place fully.

As the story goes, Mae purchased the property knowing of the big hole in the front yard. She wasn't exactly thrilled that the hole was there. But upon further discovery and expense, Joseph's Cave Bar was founded. This is a must-see.

Many places in and around Negril that are absolutely unsurpassed in beauty and wonder aren't even advertised. In fact, many locals aren't aware of just how wonderful these places are, as they have been around this beauty and wonder all of their lives and consider these places just part of the scenery.

Another place of interest, just outside of Montego Bay, is Glistening Waters. It’s another must-see, a lagoon where saltwater and freshwater combine. At night, especially on a dark night, the less moon, the better. You will take a boat ride out in to the lagoon, where you will be amazed at the glowing microorganisms called dinoflagellates. These amazing microscopic creatures are located in only seven places in the entire world, and in Jamaica they have a high concentration. As you ride out, the water behind the boat begins to glow bright neon green. The guide stops the boat, scoops up some of the water in a pail, and swishes his hand around—his hand glows. It’s quite amazing, a wonder of the world. At first one is skeptical, and you think that maybe lights are being used to create such a display. However, this is the real thing. You can even see fish swimming by under the water, as movement is what causes the organisms to light up. We even jumped in the water and splashed around, all of us glowing and laughing. It felt surreal and magical at the same time.

I must comment again on the people of Jamaica, because this is truly what brings me back time again. These people are kind, happy, and appreciative. They are guides and storytellers. They are proud of their country and its beauty. Yes, there are many poor Jamaicans and some scam artists wanting to sell you any and everything. A simple NO is all that is needed to send them on their way. Remember, they are only trying to make a living. The unemployment rate there is unreal, along with the wages. I think their minimum wage is around US$2.50. Could you live on that? And they don't complain a lot about this.

I have so many more wonderful stories and places to tell of in and around Negril. I will provide more on this wonderful place I call my home away from home again soon.

This was a day trip that we booked from our hotel reception and included a boat tour of the Black River--lunch at a beach bar and a trip to the Y.S. Falls. We heard these were less touristy than the Dunn’s River Falls--and with other events,…Read More

This was a day trip that we booked from our hotel reception and included a boat tour of the Black River--lunch at a beach bar and a trip to the Y.S. Falls. We heard these were less touristy than the Dunn’s River Falls--and with other events, this was certainly the better value for our money. The whole day was planned in tour group fashion. The mini-bus picked us up from our hotel and drove along the south coast to the Black River, where we all got off and piled into a "Safari Empress" boat and began our river tour. The local guide was funny and full of amusing little stories, but the tour was like many similar ones where they take you looking for crocodiles and seem to know exactly where to look, yet pretend it’s a surprise when they find one.

It was fun though, and the guide had lots of knowledge of the local wildlife and surrounding areas. The river itself had a tropical feel, with trees and mangrove roots forming tunnels for the boats to go through.

After this, we all got back on the bus and traveled on to YS falls. The bus took us through Bamboo Avenue and past all the market stalls where locals sell fresh fish and the famous "hot pepper" seafood. These are made with very spicy scotch bonnet peppers bashed into the shrimp or crayfish. Our bus driver was very open to stop and let us buy stuff or take photos.

At YS Falls, we had plenty of time to walk around the area, which was really pretty, or walk the trails to the top of the Falls and swim in them. They were very cold, but it had to be done. There were signs saying "Swim at your own risk," but I never figured what the dangers could be, other than hypothermia! A few rope swings were strategically placed for kids to swing across and into the waterfalls. They were actually really pretty and not too full of tourists, as they had promised.

Finally, we stopped at a beach bar on the route back. The food was just so-so, but the beach it was on was deserted and had a wild, unkempt feeling to it, with loads of stray dogs wandering around. Doesn’t sound idyllic, but it was really beautiful and wild.

I think they really packed a lot of things into our day and made it great value for the $50. I am not a fan of organized tours, but they were more than willing to go off course and take diversions when you wanted.

--> For the most part, the debauchery that is associated with this island was brought by MTV, and his cohorts, the greeks. It is without a doubt that after getting liquored up, girls looking for their small screen debut will stare down from the…Read More

--> For the most part, the debauchery that is associated with this island was brought by MTV, and his cohorts, the greeks. It is without a doubt that after getting liquored up, girls looking for their small screen debut will stare down from the stage at a handheld video camera. Jostling their way to the front, the video cameras aim to get the best angle, and the most skin. Various establishments will draw a line as how disgusting the action can get, but some just don't seem to care. If you want to stay away from these parties, or consequently, seek them out, you should be aware that Risky Business, Margaritaville, and Kuyaba can all get a little risque, but Coral Seas is by far the most. --> Stay away from the Jungle which is the only indoor club, and plays the most techno-ish. There are very few chances for live reggae, but DeBuss offers weekly concerts. --> As a nightlife partaker in several large cities around the world, I would have to say that Negril's overall scene was fairly disappointing. If you're not into half-naked, gyrating, post-teens, nor a fan of various Top 40 hits, nor rum (as a result of my trip, even the smell of rum makes me sick), then a night by the bonfire, and some Red Stripe will be as exciting as it gets.Close

--> As mentioned in the overview, the laid back attitude of Jamaica was my biggest difficulty. Writing a travel journal on Jamaica is extremely challenging because a lot of opportunities are based on chance. For example, the proprietors of a day trip service…Read More

--> As mentioned in the overview, the laid back attitude of Jamaica was my biggest difficulty. Writing a travel journal on Jamaica is extremely challenging because a lot of opportunities are based on chance. For example, the proprietors of a day trip service (snorkelling, diving, parasailing, trips in land) don't have a specified location in which they do business. Instead, they will approach you on the beach, and offer their services. Don't pay more than US$35 for snorkeling and cliff jumping trips, and US$10 for parasailing.

--> This is exactly how my friend and I booked our parasailing and snorkelling trip. It couldn't be more ideal: not having to move an inch to find out about activities. We took a chance and booked a snorkeling and cliff jumping trip with an older white hippie dude and his Jamaican assistant. As usual, there were promises of free flowing rum drinks, and Red Stripe, with lunch. Lola and I certainly weren't up for drinking at 10am. As we hopped on the boat, we realized that space was going to be extremely limited. To top it all off, the frat boys and frat girls had already staked their claim.

--> The reefs by Booby Cay were possibly the first reefs that I will consciously remember. Having snorkelled recreationally in Thailand and Hawai'i, I never fully appreciated what exactly I was looking at until now. The various schools of fish, and the amazing plant forms were all overwhelming. Not very deep, but just deep enough to be out of reach, the reefs were a popular spot as there were several other boats bobbing around.

--> Heading over to the West End, to Rick's Cafe, more Red Stripe was downed, and the Greeks were picking up volume. Anchoring in the tiny bay, we swam up to the cliffs, and through a cave opening, we climbed up to the top of a 40 foot cliff. I'm glad to know I wasn't the only timid one around. From 40 feet up, the water was glistening and inviting, but the thought of stepping off the cliff into nothing was just a little intimidating. But I did it!! And I'm still in one piece!!

--> It was in true Jamaican fashion that for a picnic lunch, we had jerk chicken and rice. It was perhaps the best jerk chicken during our entire trip, but that may be because we played so hard during the morning! There was no better feeling than having a full tummy, being a little bit tired, turning my face towards the sun, letting the wind blow through my hair and having another Red Stripe in hand.

Once you get home with your jerk seasoning, use the following recipe to create your own unique barbecues: 2 heaping T. jerk paste 2 T. soy sauce 4 T. lime juice 1 T. rice vinegar 1 T. honey Place in large ziplock bag with cut up chicken or country-style pork ribs.…Read More

Once you get home with your jerk seasoning, use the following recipe to create your own unique barbecues:

2 heaping T. jerk paste

2 T. soy sauce

4 T. lime juice

1 T. rice vinegar

1 T. honey

Place in large ziplock bag with cut up chicken or country-style pork ribs. Marinate in the refrigerator 1-2 days, turning a few times a day. Bar-be-cue over hot coals. Marinade recipe can be doubled or tripled.

Enjoy!

Everything in Jamaica moves at a different pace than the rest of the world. “Jamaica mon, no problem” is what any Jamaican will tell you if you start to revert back to your impatient ways. It’s pretty hard to get into this state of mind…Read More

Everything in Jamaica moves at a different pace than the rest of the world. “Jamaica mon, no problem” is what any Jamaican will tell you if you start to revert back to your impatient ways. It’s pretty hard to get into this state of mind when you come into the country, and it’s pretty hard to get out of this state of mind when you leave.

First, let me give you fair warning if you ever decide to fly Air Jamaica. The whole airline has the “no problem” attitude. A five-hour delay? No problem, mon. No gate assignment? No problem, mon. Our flight to Jamaica was delayed because the plan arrived late the night before, and the pilots needed their mandatory rest period. (Delay not due to weather.) Our flight home was delayed because our plane was delayed leaving Nassau, Bahamas due to “customs” reasons. Flights leaving Montego Bay were delayed due to final, final, final, final boarding calls (apparently, they’ve adopted a “no man left behind” policy). Just expect your flight to be delayed. I will try to avoid them in the future, because we lost a good day in delays.

Next, there’s customs. Talk about needing patience. We stood in line for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Please, a note to all: you’re handed your customs forms on the plane at the beginning of your flight for a reason. Fill them out before you get in line! Even so, the customs officers were in absolutely no hurry to move the lines along. The airport even has musicians come and play to entertain passengers because it takes so long.

If Montego Bay airport isn’t your final destination in Jamaica, you’ll need even more of that patience to both get to your transfer, to get your transfer to leave, and to get to your destination in a timely manner. It’s a 50-or-so-mile trip from Montego Bay to Negril. While the roads are modern in that they’re paved, there are only two lanes, and at times, even one (a one-lane bridge.) These roads take you right through the center of several smaller towns, and these roads are quite busy.

Our final destination was Negril–-a much less urban area than Montego Bay. I just felt that Negril’s atmosphere was much more private and less urban than Montego Bay. However, I’ve also outgrown my “spring breaker” stage. So if you’re wondering about where to stay in Jamaica, here’s my two cents. Negril is more private, has nicer beaches, and is less “developed”. Montego Bay is more of your party town, with lots of shops along the “Hip Strip” and very close to the airport.

If you follow this advice, you’ll have “no problem, mon” in Jamaica. Close

We were introduced to Daddy Coo by people at the hotel who knew of him. However, as I came to find out, EVERYONE in Negril knows Daddy Coo, who is something of a local celebrity, so it should be easy for you to track him…Read More

We were introduced to Daddy Coo by people at the hotel who knew of him. However, as I came to find out, EVERYONE in Negril knows Daddy Coo, who is something of a local celebrity, so it should be easy for you to track him down too. Daddy Coo and his wife actually own and run some cottages/hostels in Negril. Hes a full Rasta and wears his hair in dreads and the long, flowing clothes. More than this physical appearance, though, Daddy Coo had the laid-back, intelligent, nature-loving personality that is the true Rasta lifestyle. They are a very educated and peace-loving people. Daddy Coo took us on a very small personal tour of his favourite areas of Negril. This tour ended up visiting his friends' homes, walking around their gardens and sampling any goodies they had on offer (his friend Hash made great cookies!) whilst learning all about the local wildfife and fauna. It was far from the normal vacation tours, and he would go pretty much where you asked. However, we found it best just to follow him in and out of his friends' houses and meet some of the people he knew, just to listen to his wisdom and their stories. And if you wanted to do just that, then that's okay with him. If you want to see the touristy Ricks cafe? Thats okay with him. If there was anything you wanted to know or see, he would do his damn best to show you. It was all just, "Okay, Mon!" Close

Before going to Jamaica, I had this picture in my head of this perfect little beach that I would see photos of as a kid. It turns out this beach was the Dr. Caves beach in Montego Bay. On booking this holiday, we had been…Read More

Before going to Jamaica, I had this picture in my head of this perfect little beach that I would see photos of as a kid. It turns out this beach was the Dr. Caves beach in Montego Bay. On booking this holiday, we had been torn between staying in Negril and Montego Bay, and in the end picked Negril, which turned out to be a great experience. By the time our holiday came to an end, we had been all over the island, but not yet to Montego Bay. Our return transfer got us to the airport with three hours to spare so, on a whim, we decided to stroll into Montego Bay and see it finally.

It would have been quicker to have taken a taxi, but at this point we didn’t have any money left and weren’t going to bother getting more cash out for just a cab. We walked the mile into town (with our backpacks). It was actually quite pleasant until we reached the outskirts, and here the locals looked oddly at us, sneered, and approached us constantly for money or to sell us drugs. This had happened in Negril, but there was a lighthearted feel, and no one seemed offended when we said "no." Here, though, the guys were very aggressive, and we did not feel comfortable at all. Whereas Negril was full of hippies and Rastas, here the locals had a gangster feel, with low trousers and gold teeth. We made it to the Dr Caves beach, which was all I really wanted to see anyway. You had to pay to go on this beach, but the bloke let me just wander on to take a few photos, and then we high tailed it back to the airport as quickly as we could. The beach was not as special as I remember from the photos I saw as a kid. The town was more condensed than Negril and looked to have some pretty good bars and clubs, but there was a definite seedy, threatening feel to this place. It was July, and yet the streets were deserted. Not sure if the town got better or worse after dark, if the tourists came out and if the feeling of threat went away, but we didn’t stay around long enough to find out. Perhaps during Spring Break, when the hordes of teenagers come to town, I would feel safer!