Rantipole

Hello! I will staying at the Wyndham which, like the Half Moon and the Ritz (and also Tryall?) is east of the airport so a bit of a drive from &quot;downtown&quot; Montego Bay.<BR><BR>I'm curious about taxi fares from this area into MoBay. Around how much is it? Is it better to pay in US dollars or Jamaican? If I stay late at a club, will I be able to find a safe ride back, or should I arrange for a ride beforehand?<BR><BR>Speaking of cash, I have read that the cash machines at the airport run out of cash recently. Does anyone have any new information about this? Have the banks improved their service?<BR><BR>Finally, if I want to go to Mayfield falls, do you think I should arrange this through the Wyndham, or would it be worth it (i.e., huge cost savings) to arrange it through a service in town?<BR><BR>Thanks for putting up with my so many questions!

tivertonhouse

The Gemini shop on Gloucester Ave,the hip strip as it's called, in MoBay, offers one of the best currency exchange rates around -- without waiting in line at a bank. Have your airport meeting driver make a quick en route stop before heading out to Wyndham.ATMs are still often dicey so don't depend on them for cashflow.<BR>Better to arrange in advance for reliable driver pick-ups for late nights than grabbing any taximan. Great touring, including Mayfield Falls, is offered by Carolyn Barrett -- e-mail info@barrettadventures --for an extensive list of her half,full and more day privately-guided explorations and excursions. US dollars accepted most places in MoBay tho it's easier to use JA dollars, especially outside the city.

gdpark

Just a quick note- Tivertonhouse usually has good advice- But beware of Carolyn Barrett- We had arranged a trip with her before leaving the states. Not only did she not show up, her follow up call to rectify the situation gave us an unworking number so we could not reschedule. BTW, we were staying at Ritz and didn,t find the taxi fees to be too bad.

liza

We used the Barretts last year (actually Carolyn's husband Errol as she was in the US at the time) and he was on time, very nice, knowledgeable etc., I'd recommend him anytime.<BR><BR>We have booked a trip with Carolyn for 2 weeks from now...I'll post when we get back as to whether or not she shows up

tivertonhouse

Carolyn just taken to woodshed on both your behalfs above;meanwhile,Errol is smirking and thanks you Liz once again.<BR>

Kristi

We just used Barrett Adventures for a daytrip from Negril and enjoyed the trip. Carolyn's husband Errol picked us up right on time, took us to YS Falls and Black River and gave us a very enjoyable tour. Carolyn called our hotel the night before and confirmed our tour.<BR><BR>It was nicer having a private tour as we didn't waste time picking up other people and we got to the falls before the other tour groups. We encountered tour groups in both places and also the restaurant we stopped at so the tour wasn't anything out of the ordinary just private.<BR><BR>It wasn't less expensive, I think it was actually $17 more per person than the Grand Lido offered tour (which required 4 people and we only had two so that may explain the price difference).<BR><BR>I liked YS Falls better than Dunn's River Falls which was overrun by tourists and I've heard Mayfield Falls is even better.

liza

I can just imagine Errol's smirk <BR><BR>He really did go above and beyond...did I mention that my (then) 3 year old got carsick in his van on the way back from our manatee trip? He didn't even blink....pulled over, helped us get cleaned up and her comfortable, and drove on. <BR><BR>By the way, does Carolyn know she mentioned is all over the new (3rd edition) Lonely Planet guidebook and has a whole interview printed in the Adventure Guide to Jamaica?

liza

Re Rantipole's questions:<BR><BR>Not sure on cab fares but I think fairly high for a charter (your own cab), much less if you feel like squeezing into a shared route cab with the locals. Some restaurants, like Margartiaville, offer free shuttles. <BR><BR>Re: cash, we bring travelers checks for our main spending money. We use them directly for some things but mostly we cash them at cambios for JA$ as needed. Your hotel will do it though the rate won't be great. The airport will but again the rate isn't great. Banks have good rates but long lines...your best bet is probably a cambio or money-changing place. I know many in Negril but can't think of any offhand in MoBay.<BR><BR>A cool evening trip is to Glistening Waters...you take a boat out at dark and the water glows, you can swim if you want. Only two places like this I'm told, one in PR and this one. Only 1/2 hour or so from your hotel.<BR><BR>I personally would hire a private driver over a package tour for any trip but I hate buses, and waiting for others, and being on a schedule other than my own. Cost is probably about the same but I think the experience is much better with a private driver.

tivertonhouse

Yup on both PR,LIZ,The LP guy was down last early fall.

superdan

My wife &amp; I have stayed at the Wyndham twice &amp; are returning again in May; your best bet would be to hire your own driver as I have done a couple of times before. You can agree on a price &amp; have a prearranged time for pickup later. Ask any of the bartenders, they usually have a friend or two with cars. I would also recommend your own driver for your trip to Mayfield Falls; go at your own pace, stop when you want, &amp; get a real education from a local. Make sure you agree on a price beforehand &amp; hone those haggling skills.

Rantipole

Thanks for all the tips. I actually got a couple new ideas!<BR><BR>At the risk of sounding picky, I've got a follow-up. A few people have said &quot;the taxi fare isn't bad&quot; or whatever. Can we put an actual amount (US or Jamaican) on that? The reason I ask is just so I know what is fair when I get there. I may hire a cab, and the driver will say &quot;US$20 to go back to the Wyndham&quot; and think that's OK. But, maybe everyone else is paying $5! Any ideas?

superdan

If I remember correctly you can expect to pay around $20-25 US for a trip to MoBay from the Wyndham, the going rate. I doubt if it has come down since our last visit. I paid $25 four years ago with a private driver, but, we stopped at 4 or 5 different places; he hung around with me, &amp; we had a great time.