Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Jamaica - Negril or Ocho Rios, which is better?

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.