Negril Side Trips
Day Trip to YS Falls
YS is the shortest location name in Jamaica. YS was originally a cane farm, with a factory and opened as a swimming hole in 1990. It is a nature-based attraction offering the opportunity to experience the beauty of the waterfalls surrounded by flora and fauna, many indigenous to the area (eg. Bromeliads).
There are seven waterfalls, several of which cascade into natural pools. Some areas are fairly rocky and do not allow swimming. Lifeguards are on site and will indicate which areas are for swimming. There is a natural pool fed by underground springs which is more suitable for children and others unable to swim.
There are bathrooms at the ticket office where you can purchase tickets in order to board the tractor and jitney for the 10 minute journey to the waterfall compound. Here at the ticket office, there is an eatery (grill-style) and a bar and gift shop (stocked with local crafts).
At the waterfalls, there are changing rooms and an environmentally friendly toilet (compost). There are many underground springs feeding local water supplies, so all efforts are made to protect these underground water supplies.
You can book this trip at the front desk of your hotel for about per person with a lunch stop.
Mrs. Brown's House
This is a non-traditional / not politically correct side trip or activity where you can find the reasons why most people go to Jamaica for spring break. Ask any cab driver to take you there. The cake or the tea, but not both at the same time, are spectacular.
Dunn's River Falls and Park
Dunn's River Falls is one of Jamaica´s national treasures. Globally, it is as well known as reggae and equally stimulating. There are few places where the Arawak name "Xayamaca" - land of rivers and springs - is more apt. The Spaniards called the area "Las Chorreras", the waterfalls or springs, and it is truly one of the most beautiful spots on the island.
A stone's throw from Ocho Rios, one of Jamaica's fastest growing resorts, Dunn's River Falls is unique. Described as a living and growing phenomenon, it continuously regenerates itself from deposits of travertine rock, the result of precipitation of calcium carbonate from the river, as it flows over the falls. The small dome-shaped cataracts are usually associated with thermal spring activity found in limestone caves. This, combined with its location near to the sea, gives Dunn's River the distinction of being the only one of its kind in the Caribbean, if not the world.
Montego Bay
Jamaica's second largest city, Montego Bay nestles between the gently sloping Bogue, Kempshot and Salem hills, and extends some ten miles from the haunts of the suburban rich in Reading at its western edge to the plush villa developments and resort hotels of Ironshore and Rose Hall to the east. It's made up of two distinct parts: the main tourist strip Gloucester Avenue (rechristened by the marketing men as the "Hip Strip"), and the city proper, universally referred to as "downtown" - a split so sharp that most tourists never venture further than the dividing roundabout. Montego Bay is also where the airport is on your way to Negril for spring break.
The "Hip Strip" wouldn't exist were it not for Montego Bay's prize asset: a dazzling bay with miles of coral reef (now designated a marine park) and some beautiful beaches. Much of the coastline has been snapped up by the hotels, but there are three main public beaches along the length of Gloucester Avenue, all with showers, changing rooms, snack outlets and watersports concessions and a minimal entrance fee. If you fancy a quieter day by the sea, you can head east of town to Ironshore, where the Caribbean Beach Park has a pretty swathe of white sand that's usually more or less deserted. There are changing facilities and showers, and a restaurant and bar; the huge grassy space out front is often used for stageshows. Shared taxis run here from Gloucester Avenue.
The price of a cab is about USD each way.
Negril Activities
Cliff Jumping
Located on the cliffs in Negril is the world famous Rick's Cafe which for over thirty years has proven an enduring icon on the lanscape of Negril. From meager beginnings back in 1974, Rick's Cafe was a small upstart cliffside haunt offering an alternative to Negril's majestic seven-mile beach. For tourists and locals alike, a reality and vibe was soon set in stone.
The cliffs boast a magnificently unrivaled view of the Caribbean's most spectacular sunset. Rick's grew into Negril's premier gathering spot and has remained such for over a quarter of a century. Like moths to a flame, from Rastas to Rolexes, literally millions of our friends have joined us over the years in this most raucously public yet uniquely spiritual and personal tradition called Rick's Cafe.
Scuba Diving
Jamaica has several designated dive marine parks around the island. Diving in Jamaica you will find the water temperature year-round at 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit. Jamaica's underwater world is rimmed with coral reefs, etched with canyons and grottos, and sheered with vertical walls. Marine life is a kaleidoscope of living color. And, it's all close at hand. From coast to coast, the dive sites are only a few minutes from shore.
Visibility is usually excellent, averaging 100 feet. Close-at-hand dive sites and a host of professional operators contribute to the island's advantage as a preferred dive destination. And, with the establishment of marine parks, fish populations are growing. Divers seeking a great dive vacation couldn't choose a better destination, especially if traveling with non divers. The diversity of topography and natural attractions is second to none.
Walking the Seven Mile beach at sunset
The Seven Mile Beach is a reason that many people go to Negril again & again. White sand and with a gentle drop off that makes it ideal for swimming, the Seven Mile Beach also serves as the "sidewalk" of sorts in Negril. It's how you get from one end to the other, even at night.
Snorkeling
See Scuba information. The snorkeling is about USD per person with gear, and you don't have to be an expert swimmer to go, a big advantage over Scuba diving.
Golfing in Montego Bay or Ocho Rios
The best golf courses in Jamaica are:
- White Witch of Rose Hall Golf Course, Montego Bay. This is the newest Jamaican golf course and one of the most spectacular, and covers 200 acres.
- Wyndham Rose Hall Golf & Beach Resort, Montego Bay. This has been called one of the top courses in the world. It's a challenging seaside and mountainous course. The 14th hole passes a waterfall, and hotel guests at the Wynham of course get first dibs on tee times.
- Tryall Club Jamaica, Montego Bay. Jamaica's finest course, this is the site of the annual Johnnie Walker World Championship. Wind direction can change suddenly, making the course even harder than it appears. If you are only going to golf once, this is the place.
- Half Moon Golf, Tennis & Beach Club, Montego Bay. A top island course, Half Moon features well-manicured and interestingly shaped greens. It's not as challenging as the one at Tryall but it's still beautiful.
- Sandals Golf & Country Club, Ocho Rios. The only course in Ocho Rios to make our list, this course is known for panoramic vistas, rolling terrain, and lush vegetation. Sandals guests play for free at this course.
Deep Sea Fishing
Lured to sport fishing? Negril hooks more than your attention. Deep and productive waters only 15 minutes from shore, well-equipped sport fishing boats and scenic views add up to a quality fishing experience in Jamaica. And guess what? you catch fish, too...
Visiting anglers have a chance at landing blue and white marlin, wahoo, tuna and dolphin in deep water and drops to thousands of feet beyond the reefs. Blue marlin is the most-prized big game fish. Catching your first marlin is well within reach. Fishing grounds encircle the island and larger blues are usually caught between summer and fall. Although they diminish in size, blues are present year-round.
Excellent charter boats can be booked. When chartering a fishing boat, discuss specifics with the captain, as times and rates vary. Reserve a charter at least 24 hours in advance. You must supply food and drinks; boats may supply ice.
Eating jerk chicken from a local stand
On the way to my hotel from the Montego Bay Airport I made my driver a proposition: I'd buy lunch if he took me to a real-deal jerk chicken shack, sans tourists. He was game, and deftly navigated a 20-seat minibus - with me the only passenger - into the tight parking lot of Jerky's.
I ordered the chicken combo with "festival," a lightly sweet deep-fried cruller the size, shape and color of a Hostess Twinkie, stuffed with chicken meat. We proceeded to a long open counter to pick up our order. On the other side a cook in a red tee-shirt and dark sunglasses, and heavy beads of sweat glistening on every exposed square centimeter of his skin, worked a wood-fired grill. Chicken quarters spiced with ginger, thyme, nutmeg, allspice, and fiery Scotch Bonnet peppers sizzled, covered with a sheet of corrugated metal. The tenderest pieces rested on branches perpendicular to the grill, to prop them away from the flames. A sign explained that jerk chicken was good for your health -- and "peppers were the right food for people seeking a nutritional diet." That may be, but as I bit into the spicy, red-colored meat that delicately fell off the bone, we were hooked.
Shopping at the Jamaican Flea Market
Jamaican shops across the island are filled with items that can't be bought anywhere else on earth. For unique Jamaican handicrafts, try searching through one of several Jamaica shopping markets that showcase the local artistic talent. It is advisable to arrange your visits to craft markets so as not to coincide with cruise ships being in port, otherwise you will be competing with huge crowds, which could ruin your Jamaica shopping experience. Craft markets dot the landscape throughout Ocho Rios, Montego Bay (head for Market Street), and Negril (especially Rutland Point).
Higher-end and specialty goods can be procured throughout Jamaica; with a little bit of shopping around, most visitors can find very good deals on duty-free items such as watches, perfumes, designer clothing, and jewelry. For more basic needs such as groceries and toiletries, do as the locals do and check out Jamaica shopping malls and pharmacies in whatever region you are in.
