Negril

Introduction to Negril

In the early 1970's, Negril was a two-lane paved road that ran approximately 100 yards inland from two white coral sand beaches. There was a small village at the south end of this road, with little encampments of hippies enjoying the modest hospitality of the locals - and the endless supply of "herb". Others liked to lolligag about in an alcoholic fog since the rum was excellent quality, and very cheap. The swimming was fabulous. The only concern was the sea urchins which were like nasty underwater porcupines. They don't move, and they're easy to see. There were endless buffet-style meals for only a few dollars, curry goat, lobster (cray fish), and jerk pork. The long paved road from the village ran north to Green Island, home to the most of the Jamaican workers in Negril. The road was straight enough to land an airplane on, which was why there were lengths of railroad track standing on end along the side of the road - to discourage drug smugglers from landing on the road to pick up cheap cargos of "herb".

After the local water supply was up-sized in the early 1970's, and an small airport built near Rutland Point, several small hotels appeared mostly catering to the North American winter tourists who liked to spend a week or two getting gently juiced or stoned.

There's always the mild Caribbean for swimming, some tennis, reading, nude sun-bathing. There's no surf here. And it's too hot for touch football or baseball.

Vistors to Negril are often amazed at the vast wetlands on the inland side of the main road. The wetlands are protected since they provide the nourishment for the coral formations off-shore. As the coral grows and decays, it provides the coral sand for the beaches. If the wetlands are filled, the coral beaches will wash away.

Jamaican people try to be hospitable to the tourists, but it's not really in their bones. They try, but they're not great hosts. They don't know how to make a good cup of coffee, even though they grow some of the world's finest. Some of the street "higglers" are too persistent in trying to get you to buy their trinkets. Some of the youth are too rude (they like being rude). On the other hand, the local cops really like slapping rude boys. And Jamaicans sure know how to drink. So it all seems to find a seedy equilibrium that sort of works.

You can rent a car in Montego Bay (right-hand drive) and do the two-hour journey yourself. The road signs are all in English (Jamaicans say "Hinglish"), but the local cows also use the same road. Or you can take the scheduled airplane service (about 15 minutes) from Montego Bay.

Negril is pretty primitive when compared to uptown Jamaica. You'll need to go the other way, east of Montego Bay, to find championship golf courses, for instance, or horse-back riding. For horse-racing, cricket test matches, football, or car races, you'll need to bite the bullet and go to Kingston. But Negril is just fine for two weeks of mucking about on the beach, with drinks at noon, watching the sunsets, reading, and watching stuff on the barbeque. Especially if it's snowing back home!

Jamaica's western edge is a laid-back haven where there is little to do other than sit back, relax and enjoy the renowned gorgeous sunsets, in between beach bathing and partying. Centre of this hedonistic haven is Negril, dubbed the 'capital of casual', a sunny resort town that despite its popularity and proliferation of tourist accommodation has managed to retain the sleepy tropical charm that first seduced seekers of sun and solitude when it was 'discovered' in the 1960s.

It was the hippies and flower children who first found Negril, a part of Jamaica appreciated for being different from the over-developed package tour market of Montego Bay. Negril still attracts a young crowd, and the beachfront bars and cafes are abuzz each night with reggae music and wild partying. Along with the party people, however, Negril is favoured also by those just wanting to get away from it all. It sports its famous seven-mile (11km) stretch of pristine beach, encircling Bloody Bay, and five miles (8km) of cliffs, where locals and visitors alike dare each other to indulge in some extreme cliff-diving, sometimes from ropes. The coral reefs and caves along the coast make it a scuba diver's and snorkeller's dream come true, and for active visitors there is the chance to take part in just about any watersport imaginable. Adventure seekers can venture by kayak into the mysterious Great Morass (a protected area full of palm trees, exotic birds and crocodiles).

Attractions

Mayfield Falls
The 22 mini-cascades and numerous swimming holes that make up the Mayfield Falls site in the low-lying Dolphin Head Mountains make a memorable day trip from Negril. The falls are reached through an intriguing maze of country roads, and are difficult to find independently, so an organised tour is advised. Tours offer guided walks through bamboo-shaded cool water holes and splashing falls. It is essential to wear a swimsuit and to bring mosquito repellent. Some parts of the walk through the area involve natural whirlpools; in others blasts of water hit you from the rocks. There is an underwater cave to swim through, smooth rockslide areas and mini cliffs to dive from. This natural water park is edged and overhung with bamboo, flowers, vines, trees and shrubbery. Jamaican dishes are available at the eatery at the entry point.

Negril Lighthouse
The lighthouse on West End Road, built in 1894, is open to visitors every day. The climb to the top (100 feet) is arduous, up steep iron steps, but worth it for the breathtaking views of the coast afforded at the summit.

Rhodes Hall Plantation
Visitors who tire of the beach can head for the countryside to a small estate, Rhodes Hall Plantation, a short distance east of Negril. Here guided horseback excursions give a glimpse of the magic and mystery of the Jamaican countryside, and you don't have to be an experienced rider to participate. Guides give some basic horsemanship tips and then take tourists off through the foothills, pointing out botanical wonders and regaling riders with stories and legends about local landmarks. The tours include riding through forests of banana and coconut palms and along a beach to Crocodile River (which really has crocodiles in residence). The riding tours last from half an hour to two hours, and are inclusive in the round-trip transportation from any hotel in the Negril area.

Seven Mile Beach
The reason for Negril's recent boom as a tourist Mecca is centred on this seven-mile stretch of beautiful shoreline around Bloody Bay (so-called because of the fierce battle here between Columbus and the Arawak Amerindians) dotted with palm trees and carpeted with pristine white sand. Development has been restricted to palm-tree height, and despite the proliferation of guesthouses and hotels along the strip the natural beauty of the beach has not been compromised. It is now a beach renowned for showing off the world's smallest bikinis; in fact clothing is optional and generally the option is little or nothing! Expect to be hounded by hundreds of vendors, offering everything from hair braiding to illegal ‘ganja' (marijuana).

Negril Hotels and Resorts