What to Expect -- Negril Lovely, Slow Moving, Quiet, But not what everyone is looking for . . .
A first time visitor to Jamaica will want to callibrate their expectations before arriving in this sleepy little seaside town. Expecting a level of development or infrastructure similar to the small fishing towns of Hawaii, or the clean stuccoed shopping centers of the Bahamas will result in severe dissappointment. This area, although beautiful, has sprung up in spite of itself, surrounded by third-world conditions.
Travelers to Negril should be prepared for-- unavoidable poverty, absolutely NO environmental controls: garbage piled up along the sides of the roads, raw sewage pumped directly into the ocean, and enormous resorts that have been built as a hindrance too the long term ability of this area to self-sustain. Venture just a few steps off the main roads and away from the Four Star Resorts in Negril and you will see homes with no running water or electricity; thirteen year old girls with two kids, and children that in spite of it all have a beauty and happiness that turns the travel weary into the heart warmed.
Take a drive into the country side to visit the Royal Palm Reserve, Lost Beach, or Mayfield Falls and you will get a truer sense of the lure of the islands charms. Lush green foliage, friendly locals sitting on porches, and the seemingly endless Jerk shacks and Red Stripe bars.
What Negril Is --
Negril is a sleepy little town on the western coast of Jamaica with calm warm waters, luxury hotels, and a slow caribbean beat. Great for bobbing in bath tub warm waters, sipping Red Stripe while watching the sunset, affordable, and simple to get around.
What Negril is not --
A quaint little tourist town with good shopping and five star restaraunts. The "Town Center" is essentially a couple two story cinderblock third world versions of a strip mall, a Burger King, and a Bank. It is loud, smelly, unappealing, and full of characters willing to sell anything you might be willing to buy. There are two Crafts Markets along seven mile beach. One is next to the PetCom gas station and one just before the round about in the town center. Before visiting either you should know that these places do not carry anything unique and that you will pay twice as much in these shops as you would at the airport or hotel lobby. It is a great excercise in viewing the least attractive elements of stereotypical Jamaican culture.
The Negril Town Center is useful for three things:
1 - Changing from one Route Taxi to another
2- Scoring all things recreational (drugs, human companionship, tour guides)
3 - Getting US Dollars from the Scotia Bank ATM
Although Seven Mile Beach is dotted with dozens of "restaraunts" visitors should again know what to expect. These are not places with indoor seating, air conditioning, and well trained service. Just as often as not, they are someone's home, and home kitchen, that they have opened to visitors and then expanded as business was good.
Enjoy the culture, expect little in the way of luxury, know your level of tolerance for the conditions outside of the controlled resort environment and you will find your vacation goes smoothly and you leave with the calm of the islands. If you want adventure you will find it here, if you want drugs - sure thing. If you want a great resort with good food that is truly "All Inclusive" Negril will give it to you.
If you want a charming little sea side village where you can stroll from one shop to another stopping for coffee and ice cream free from pressure and harassment - visit Maui.
Good Luck - everything be Irie!!
