The family wants to take a trip to Jamaica before our oldest heads off to college next year and we're trying to decide between Negril and Ocho Rios. Has anyone been to either of these places recently? Probably stay at a Beaches resort. Any suggestions?

G23

Round Hill is where you want to stay in Jamaica. Round Hill Hotel and Villas, to be specific.

Spent some time in Ocho Rios about 30 years back. Pretty place. Would have been nice to have concealed carry when I walked the beach.

Planet of the Apes. The island would profit immensely if it submerged for 48 hours and started over, or so I thought back then.

Yup, do yourself a favor and book a Royal Caribbean cruise. We went on a couple, then went to Jamaica to an all inclusive....the toilet in our RC stateroom was cleaner than our entire Jamaica room. The locals could have given two [bleep] and the drinks sucked.....

Jamaica sucks.

Jamaca Sucks. Been there, got the t-shirt and the cap. Still sucks in the extreme.

Way better would be a Canal Cruise. Start out at Acapulco, do the Canal (spectacular), do the Netherland Antilles (Aruba is fabulous), maybe Saint Thomas and Puerto Rica (the rum tour is excellent) and fly to Miami or Atlanta.

What ever you do, do not go ashore in Cartegena, Columbia. That can get you whacked.

kd

try saint lucia
son just come back from jamacia and its not all that good

Try St. Barts, or so I have heard.

Or Costa Rica. At least I've been there and can vouch for it.

One of the gated resorts at Cancun might be nice. Been there too, but not gated. It was a few years ago.

Booking a bit up-scale or up-accommodaton (better room etc.) from what you might be comfortable with is never a bad idea in these places.

Been to Sandals Negril a few times.

Kids stayed at Beaches, down the road.

We visited em, very nice resort. I think there's a waterpark there too.

The Ocho Rios Sandals/Beaches is newer. Haven't been there.

The actual Ocho Rios float isn't that interesting, if that was a selling point for you.

Scuba diving is more developed around Negril. Included in Sandals package, don't know about Beaches. Good location to do our Advanced, or Rescue if you want to work that hard.

Can't go wrong either way.

I was there about 25 years ago. The resort was fine. Step out of Disneyland, though, and it wasn't so nice.

St John, USVI. It is beautiful and 3/4 is US National Park land.

there are a lot more civilized places to go in the Caribbean than Jamaica

it is little Somalia surrounded by salt water

The wife and I stayed at Sandals Negril for our honeymoon, but that was 21 years ago. It was great then. We took a family vacation to Ocho Rios a few years ago. We liked Negril much better.

Went to Grand Cayman and spent most days driving around the island going "Look! Lets snorkel there!" and some awesome snorkeling we did. Went out on some snorkeling tour boats too. Very nice. Great food too.

25 years ago I was advised not to go anywhere on the island alone.

The success rate in prosecuting the thieves, rapists, and killers of American tourists indicates you were and are pretty much spot on DD, as usual.

Wife and I went to a Couples resort at Negril 4 years ago. Resort was great. Food was good. Workers were good. Made new friends we still correspond with.

Off the resort was a total [bleep]. Beggars everywhere, in your face beggars, don't take no for an answer beggars.

The ride from airport was better than any ride at disneyworld. Who needs general traffic rules. Our driver sure didn't.

Went scuba diving at night. That was fun.

Went fishing and had a couple marlin surface chasing our lure but never hooked up , still fun.

G23: Personally I did not enjoy Jamaica at all - pick any other country/island in the Caribbean and relax/enjoy!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Thanks to everyone for your comments. I've never been to the Caribbean so I'm happy to hear from those who have. Looks like we may need to rethink our destination. Since this is our first trip, we're thinking of an "all inclusive" resort. What's your opinion on those?

G23

Only been to the one referenced above. It was good.

If you were hungry, you went to one of the many resturants and ate. They had 'fancier' restaurants served on china down to quick food such as burgers and sandwiches and fries. If you were hungry, you went and ate, no matter the time. They had various 'specials' through the day, a one time event only offered for an hour or so in the afternoon, ice cream bar, or some such.

All the alcohol was free, I don't drink, so that was a loss for me I guess. Wife and her new found friends took advantage of it though.

They had a ski boat where they'd take you skiing around the bay for free. Scuba diving off their boat daily and nightly. Various kayaks, and paddleboats there as well.

A lot of other activities there I have forgot about and didn't partake in.

The workers were great, no begging like out on the island. If they asked for a tip you were supposed to report them immediately. Evidently they valued their job, because they never hinted at a tip.

If Cancun is a possibility, I can certainly recommend this place.


http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Re...ve-Cancun_Yucatan_Peninsula.html#REVIEWS

Don't give up on Jamaica based solely on negative reports from those here or anywhere. We did the same for a long time, always wanting to go but always changing our minds off of reports. One year, about 10 years ago, we said [bleep] it and went and had a great time. We stayed at Couples in Ocho Rios, ventured off of the property a few times, and really enjoyed ourselves. Will you walk the streets of Kingston at night? Hell no! Can you enjoy the people, the food, the beaches, the music, and some adventure? Hell ya! Would we go back? Yes, and when we do, we will try Negril just for a change.

And oh, if you do decide to go elsewhere our two other favorite trips have been to Costa Rica (amazing) and Aruba (great beaches and very relaxing).

I've been to a number of places in the Caribbean over the years, stayed at various levels of hotels, all-inclusives, etc. Any more, my Caribbean vacation of choice is, as a previous poster mentioned, Royal Caribbean cruises. Clean, great food, economical, can't beat it.

I have been to Jamaica 18 times in the last few years and Stayed 90% of the time at Grand Lido Braco Negril and married to my wife in Ocho Rios at Grand Lido Sans Souci Resort. If going again i would stay at Grand Lido Sans Souci .

Went to Ocho Rios and stayed at the classic Jamaica Inn. Dunns River Falls is near Ocho as well, and that is a great day trip. Beach was amazing.

Been to Negril 10 years in a row, with 11 coming at the end of this month. Love it. Stay at Couples SweptAway every year.

We avoided Jamaica for YEARS because of all the negative things heard about crime and poverty. Tried St. Lucia and the Rastas macheted a bunch of folks in a Catholic church on New Years Day.

Had a college buddy of mine, former heavy weight wrestler attacked in St. Martin a few year back while doing day time tourist things with wife and kids. Been to Martinique, been insulted in the Bahamas.

IT'S THE PHOOKING 3RD WORLD FOLKS!

Negril is laid back as safe as anywhere in the 3rd world AS LONG AS YOU USE YOUR HEAD! You want to go someplace, hire a driver from the resort. They will keep you out of trouble. Don't go drinking with the locals at 1 am in the nasty part of town (or any other place off the resort at 1 am).

Don't go exploring by yourself. Don't walk around looking like a tourist that has money and needs to be mugged.

Now, follow those rules, you'll have a great time. By all accounts, Ocho has more problem with crime an assault and people hassling you to buy weed. Almost none of that in Negril.

Once you get in tune with Jamaicans, you will find them happy, friendly, and a good lot. It is the 3rd world, and if it's ain't nailed down, it will get stolen. Resorts have very good security, and the locals all know tourism is the goose that lays jobs. They are grateful for it.

Hells bells, I've been to Cameroon, Tanzania, Zambia, ZIm, RSA, Mexico, Argentina, and a whole load of other more civilized (supposedly) places. The above rules apply to anywhere.

We have never stayed at Beaches, Negril, but it is directly ajoining SweptaAway. We have toured it and it is nice. Beach is great, water wonderful, and plenty of day trips to keep things fun is you need to get out and about.

I play golf 2-3 every trip at the local course. Nothing special but inexpensive and the caddies are great! Know the rules of the game, read greens like pros, and will remember us year to year.

There are Falls similar to Dunn's River near Negril. Catamaran sunset cruises along the cliffs of the west end is cool. Food is excellent at Swept Away as is the entertainment each night, Been there so often that we know the owners (Lee Issa) and others there and dine out at local spots with them on occasion.

They have customs and transfers down to science in Montego Bay. Word of caution - if you are reading this, don't even think about Kingston! Jamaicans bitch about the horrid crime there and only go to visit relatives is needed. Nothing for tourists in Kingston but trouble and tourists don't go there.

I avoided Jamaica, but enjoy it now. Give it a try.