superdan

Returned from our 4th visit last week & no I never reconsidered going because of crime rate statistics. I have visited homes of people I consider good friends, & never felt threatened at all. Planning to return again. I think I will research the crime statistics around my place of employment; it may deter going to work anymore.........Dan

faithie

I just wanted to add that we actually did try to cancel our flights with air canada last year , all the negativity had me that scared ...... I am so glad I took the time (to calm down ) and figure things out and put it into perspective . While we were there I actually became angry , thinking , " I would have missed all of this , an amazing expeirence , beautiful people , culture , countryside "......

Robert

We visited Jamica in 1974 and stayed at the Ricmond Hill Inn outside Montego Bay. There were riots in town, and the U.S. Marines were called in a week later after we left to quell the riots and get diplomats out, or whatever. My bride and I strolled through downtown Montego Bay, with rioters all around us. Some paused and stared at us, not in an angry fashion, but just wondering why on earth we were amongst them. They climbed up on cyclone fences, and shook them down, raided the downtown movie theatre, smashed storefront windows, except the ones where the owners stood out front with 12 gauge shotguns, etc. We knocked on a restaurant door, a place operating in an old, converted barn. The owner opened the locked door, let us in, and served us dinner (jerk chicken and goat). While we were eating, beer bottles were thrown against the door from the outside. He placed a 4x4 across the door to secure it. Call us young and fearless, but we finished eating and walked back to the Richmond Inn. The next day, we were getting ready for our flight out, and the proprieter, who had middle east features and who was obviously not Jamaican, overheard me mention to the bartender that I had $28.63 left in my wallet. We called a cab and while waiting, the proprietor called me into his office and said that there is a departure tax I must pay to leave the island...the tax was $28.63. He had just charged a departing Japanese couple a departure tax as well, just before he got to me. I later found out it was obviously a con. There is graft from the top-on-down, and the populace is growing poorer each year, due to zero focus on population control and family planning. We walked past the Health Ministry, a beautiful mansion, and the Jamaican rocking on a chair on the porch, was yelling to us if we wanted any good stuff. In all of this, I had no problem befriending fellow Jamaicans, although I was offered pot and coke about every 40 feet while shopping downtown. I was most upset by the Richmond Hill Inn proprietor's con job on all the tourists. Robert

jacketwatch

This was 31 yrs. ago and I must say if you were "strolling" down the street in a riot zone then stopped to eat while beer bottles were thrown against the door what on earth were you smoking and is that why you went there?

christiegr

faith-I have to agree with you on your previous post.I am glad that I found this site..to hear from people who go to Jamaica often.I probably would have been skeptical..like my husband is and would not have known about Negril,Treasure Beach and Port Antonio.

I am so glad that I did some research and now know where to go for what I am looking for in Jamaica.I probably would have gone to MB or Ochios Rios and not have liked it.

I think that if everyone does some reseach on whatever the destination..they have a better chance of having a better vacation.

Thank you fodorites for the good advice on places to go and avoid.

Robert

Jacketwatch; Smoking nothing at all. My wife and I ventured into town for the night and the riot erupted during a 15 minute period all around us. Actually, we weren't accosted, yelled at, or assaulted in any way. It appeared the populace had a beef with their government, not tourists, which we obviously appeared to be. When bottles were thrown at the restaurant door, I don't believe any one knew that we were inside. I certainly wouldn't have walked out of the Richmond Inn into town during a riot, or even if I had an inkling one was going to commence. Robert

jacketwatch

Robert: Read what you wrote. "My bride and I strode through downtown Mo Bay WITH rioters all around us" . Thanks for the clarification.

Robert

Jacketwatch; I didn't bother clarifying the time line regarding whether or not we strolled downtown before or after the riots started, because I didn't think any one really cared beyond the main point, which is Jamaica has always had potential for rioting, besides just in Kingston. And, back in 1974 the rioting was a bit less dangerous than today, for it wasn't spawned by drug turf battles and didn't involve gun battles. So, like other tourists back then, we didn't have our antennae up like people should today if they venture outside their resorts at night. When a cop is shot and then burned to death in his patrol car, that tells you something. My gad, with several dozen people killed, lying in the streets for days without being buried, and with armored personnel carriers called out by the Prime Minister unable to quell the armed gangs, me thinks my wife and I wouldn't even think of going to Jamaica. Of course, the vast ghettos and filthy living conditions of today's Jamaica were much less of a problem in 1974. But, lack of adequate family planning, birth control and population control efforts have their dire consequences. Personally, if I hear in the news of another Jamaican police crackdown on the dope dealers and their armed gangs in the squalors of Jamaica...I'll head somewhere else. A major source of sustenance for Jamaica's uncontrolled and burgeoning poor is drug money, and they will fight to the end to uphold their only means of income. Unfortunately, one drug gang will rat on another to the authorities in Jamaica, and after the resultant raid, the victimized gang will resort to guns for repraisal. Inter-gang warfare is dangerous, but believe it or not, a tourist could still "stroll" through the streets, for they won't be intentional victims. Of course, with the air full of flying lead, who cares? Of course, the police higher-ups could be paid off, too, to stifle the competition...it goes on and on. Yes, it was actually safe strolling through the riots of 1974 in downtown Montego Bay. We never heard a gunshot and were never harrassed during it. Even in today's incredibly violent gang battles with other gangs and local authorities, they don't harbor a grudge against tourists. In fact, some tourists comprise a ready market for their drugs. Times have changed, indeed. Robert

jacketwatch

Robert:For someone who has been there once in 31 yrs. you sure are well versed on the inside scoop. Yah mon.

CaribbeanSoul

This is an entertaining thread to say the least....ttt

Robert

jacketwatch; My scuba divin' buds go there all the time to check out the reefs. We talk a lot about the culture and people. Plus, I read the caribbean island newspapers, including caribbean papers from many islands. I'm currently writing a spy novel about the drug trade between Bahamas, Haiti, Jamaica, Cuba and Columbia. I've done mounds of research, including interviews and hardcore library research. I've also found Caribbean newspapers for each island online for daily "going-ons". Tis an exciting place...de Caribbean...Mon! Robert

superdan

Sure glad we dont have any bullets flying in the air over drug turf in the US, whoops, sorry, must be for some other reason. Robert, your veiled inuendos (sp?) intrigue me. Perhaps your spy novel inspirations has overcome your subconscious & your recollections have become a bit hazy. I am glad the local newspapers provide you the inside scoop on drug trafficing in the Carribean. Your post is obvious a bait for bashing Jamaica, perhaps that $28.63 you had to pay years ago is the reason. Anyway, I took the bait & hope this can bring some satisfation to you.

faithie

Serious question , there are reefs to explore off Jamacia that scuba enthusiasts return to ???

jacketwatch

Robert: You certainly have the imagination for fiction mon . Now if you were writing a sociological thesis it would be different but your cards are on the table now. Jamaica is #2 as best overall destination per the above readers poll. Gotta be a reason. Good call Dan. Evry ting be irie mon. Actually I think I'll order Jamaican for lunch today. Cool.

Robert

My gad; the interpretations show how faulty human communication is via internet. No fiction whatsoever; everything I said was true about Jamaica. Everyone knows its not safe to traverse at night outside the resorts, especially in Kingston and Montego Bay, due to the highly-organized drug-running gangs which every one knows exists in Jamaica, more so than elsewhere (Nassau, Bahamas, however, is beginning to see and increase in gang activity and the use of firearms among its youth). Still, Jamaica is still a nice place to visit, as my many scuba and reef surveying friends could testify. As for the sociological thesis, it's obvious that the poor are increasing rapidly in Jamaica, as is the squalor and ghetto areas. It's not Jamaica bashing, just fact. No. 2 destination, why not? Five-Star resorts can exist alongside squalor. Yes, nice resorts and a nice place to visit, providing you watch where you go at night. Faithie; one of the business ventures which helps the economy is scuba and snorkeling among Jamaica's reef systems. Montego Bay has dive sites such as Airport Wall, Caverns, Chub Reef, The Pit, etc. Negril also has nice reefs to explore. Reef Relief and other organizations are helping to make the reefs healthy. Reef Environmental Education Foundation has logged tallies of reef life on a database for dozens of reef sites around Jamaica. If you like, give me a dive site and I can place the count of reef fish, from most common to least common at each site. I plan on diving at some of these sites next summer. Robert

christiegr

jacketwatch-ease up now.I believe that you told me that when I was talking about Aruba

I think that if my visit to Jamaica is like Roberts..(I hope not) I probably would not go back either.

I personally will go to Jamaica oneday so I can see for my self what its like.

We all have places that we have had unpleasant experiences at..or some of us have.Mine being Aruba.

starrsville

Yes.

I did visit for 24 hours due to a problem booking Frequent Flyer miles to another island. I enjoyed the stay at the new Ritz, but did not enjoy being on the island. I had concerns before, but when the taxi driver offered to get us drugs it confirmed that this is not the island for me.

jacketwatch

Christie darling I also said to not forget the and the . Yah mon.

faithie

Thanx Robert , good info. to know ..... ( hubby's a diver ) I know of the more typical dive destinations ( Belize , Roatan , Saba .... ) Thanx ! Faith .

Tracy216

Hubby and I have been 10 times (9 times to Negril and once to Runaway Bay) in the last 6 years and will be going back again August, this time with our kids. We would not be taking our kids if we thought it was unsafe. Yes there is crime in Jamaica but most of it is in the Kingston area and it's Jamaicans killing other Jamaicans. I can't imagine anyone would vacation in Jamaica if even a tiny percent of the yearly murders were tourists killed while walking the beach or dancing in a club. You must use common sense and don't put yourself in any situations you would not put yourself in in any large U.S. city. Jamaicans are some of the warmest people we've ever met and they treat us like gold when we are there. There are alot of other places in the carribean that we want to visit but Jamaica is one place we will continue to visit often.