Negril On a Budget
Negril, Jamaica
Sights
Be entertained by the professional cliff jumpers at Rick's Cafe. The pros put on regular shows as they plummet themselves off platforms on the edge of these cliffs into the Caribbean Sea below. Unfortunately, the original building was destroyed during Hurricane Ivan and has since been rebuilt. If you have experience with cliff diving, you can even give it a go!Jamaicans love their rum, and you will definitely want to visit the Appleton Rum Estate. You can tour the factory and witness how the rum is made. Of course, you can have a taste test at the end of the tour, which is usually the best part.
The Martha Brae River is a lovely place for a walk or relaxing raft ride near Negril. You will be surrounded by exquisite landscapes and wildlife. This experience is very serene and perfect for a sightseeing adventure with your family, partner, or even on your own.
Neighborhoods
The two main areas in Negril are Seven Mile Beach and West End. Seven Mile Beach is a strip of white sand beaches with beautiful resorts, restaurants, and views. This area is more for an adult crowd, as you will find several nude and topless areas of the beach.The West End is a great place to immerse yourself in Jamaican culture; you will find many little communities and locals around this area. There are gorgeous cliff faces in this area that are worth checking out. The West End is going to be quieter and laid back compared to Seven Mile Beach, however, you can still find many great restaurants and shops in this area.
Activities
Snorkeling is a great activity in Negril! There are glass bottom boats that can take you out to snorkeling spots where you can see various tropical fish, coral, and maybe some other creatures that happen to be passing by.Go explore the Mayfield Falls! There are two main waterfalls, several natural pools and many types of plants and wildlife all around. The falls are about an hour outside of Negril.
Food and Dining
Negril is known for sugar cane, coconut jelly, and of course, jerk chicken. It is easy to find these things while staying in Negril, so make sure you try them! For local Jamaican food have a meal at Guinep Corner. They offer fish, chicken, curry, and the traditional Ackee & Saltfish Jamaican dish. Guinep Corner is truly a Jamaican experience. LTU Restaurant is near Ricks Cafe where you can be entertained by the brave cliff jumpers while you eat. There are vegetarian and fresh fish options.You will see a lot of people drinking coconut water; literally just cutting open a coconut straight from the tree and drinking it. It is a healthy drink and definitely worth trying while in Negril, especially after a long night out!
Transportation
If you want to visit Negril, it is best to fly into Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay. From there it is about an hour shuttle ride into town. There are several companies that offer shuttle services like, Amstardmc, Travel Around Jamaica Tours, PPJTours, and Jamaica Airport Transfers.Once you are in Negril, the most affordable way to get around is by route taxi. The red plated taxis are official taxis and you can usually bargain with the drivers but make sure you establish a price before entering the taxi. It should be around 100 Jamaican Dollars to get you from the beach into the town of Negril. Prices go up at night. Taxis without a red plate are non-official. These taxis are much more expensive and will try to tell you that route taxis are not safe, which is their way of getting your money. The route taxis with red plates are official and are generally safe.
If you want to walk, it is great to walk from one end of the beach into the town and only takes about an hour. You will run into a few markets with some fresh coconut water and sugar cane for sale.
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Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.