Danger in MoBay ??
 

How dangerous is it in Montego Bay . . Are we restricted to hotel complex ???? <BR>Please advise . .

This is a matter of opinion, but here's mine: <BR>MoBay is a large city and tourists should not stray from the main tourist "strip," which is Gloucester Ave., roughly from Walter Fletcher Beach NE to Sandals Inn or so. <BR>If you are staying at a hotel outside MoBay (e.g. Ritz, Wyndham, Holiday Inn, etc.), take excursions during the daytime and stay at your hotel complex at night. <BR>Exception: you may be able to take a van to a specific restaurant in MoBay, to a sunset cruise, etc., then back to your hotel. <BR>If you are staying in town, along Gloucester, you may want to walk a block or two at night to a club or restaurant. Exercise normal urban caution (pretend you're in pre-Giuliani Manhattan) and politely but firmly decline all offers. <BR>Personally, I would not rent a car in Jamaica. There are lots of escorted trips you can take during the day - rafting, plantation tours, Dunns River Falls, etc. <BR>My two favorite places in MoBay were Doctor's Cave Beach (calm, protected, with snorkelling from shore) and the Pork Pit (great jerk). <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>

Stayed in MoBay last summer and we didnt leave the hotel unless on a day trip w. a tour group, or in a taxi to a specific restaurant (the hotel called the cab to make sure it was a safe one!). The restaurant then called us another cab back. When we pointed out to the hostess that there were cabs parked outside the restaurant, she said oh no i wouldnt feel comfy putting you in one of those. So,make sure a reputable business arranges all your transport, whether taxi or tour.

Also as a resident of NY I beg to differ; the dangers of pre-Giuliani Manhattan are NO comparison to the dangers of Jamaica. They are different worlds entirely.

One of the best ways to discover Jamaica for the less-than-intrepid traveller is with a professional private excursion guide (not a taximan). <BR>In the MoBay area, Carolyn Barrett of Barrett Adventures is one of the best,able to show you the highlights,behind the scenes -- virtually anything and anywhere you fancy.Chris Houghton, Aussie film director of the first 'Babe' movie who's about to shoot a film of Russell Banks' novels 'The Rule of The Bone' and 'The Book of Jamaica' used Carolyn on a faily basis while he was staying at Drambuie Estate,which will be one of the locations for the film.E-mail us for more info. <BR>