Locals Dish Negril’s Best

No matter where you go, people always say, if you want to know the best stuff, ask a local. Since Jamaica isn’t exactly the kind of place where you can ask a taxi driver to take you to his favorite dive bar, we did something even better for you and asked two locals ourselves.

Tour guide Mark Hylton, owner of Real Jamaica Adventures, says many of his Negril visitors want nothing more than a day on Seven Mile Beach and a few sunset cocktails at Rick’s Café. However, if you want something more active, he opines that Negril is “really the leader on the island when it comes to water-based adventures.” Jet skis, catamaran rides, river fishing, and kayaking are just a few ways to explore the waters around Negril.

Local entrepreneur and promoter Graham Rowe recommends the spa at Grand Palladium for a day of relaxation, or the bridge at Tensing Pen for 15 seconds of sheer adrenaline (achieved when you jump off it into the sea below). If you’re traveling with young children, visit Dolphin Cove at Treasure Reef and Kool Runnings Water Park.

Negril’s Best Unique Hotels

While Negril has plenty of big, busy, all-inclusive hotels, one of the things that makes it different from other Jamaican towns is its unique boutiques. They range in price from inexpensive to super-luxe, and each offers its own charming version of Jamaican flavor.

Rockhouse
Set on the dramatic sea cliffs, with an ocean-fed freshwater pool accessible by a slightly scary path cut into the rock, Rockhouse has million-dollar views for a hundred-dollar price tag. The rest of the property lives up to first glance, too. Drinks are cheap and cold and yummy; the food is spicy and local and delicious; the expat owners become friends at first sight; and the sunny but comfortable shaded patio bar is the kind of place you can easily while away many afternoons.

Nirvana on the Beach
With Nirvana in the name, you know you’re in for a true Negril experience. This “un-hotel” has only eight guest cottages. It’s the kind of place where your neighbors might become your new BFFs, or where you might not ever talk to a neighbor—all depending what your mood is. What you’d pay for a room in a normal hotel gets you a cozy three-bedroom cottage here. No onsite restaurant, but each unit is equipped with a full kitchen, and if you don’t want to go out, the room rate includes a cook for one meal per day. (BYOG—that’s “Bring Your Own Groceries.”)