Help me navigate around Jamaica
 

Okay ...here it is. Looking for a nice vacation in which a young couple can relax and have romance, YET have fun, night-life, and adventure when we want.

Very confused ...which area do you recommend the most...

....Ochios Rio, Negril, or Montego Bay?

Trying to decide which area to focus on and go from there in regard to making plans.

You might want to expand your search and refocus.Check out a good alternative to 'The Big 3' tourist areas. Explore the Treasure Beach area and the South Coast
on their community Web site at www.treasurebeach.net
You'll find a full spectrum of accomodations, great explorations, romantic villas, cottages, boutique hotels and more...

Negril would be a nice option.

Swept Away is unique, relaxing and romantic and is a few steps down the beach from night-life on the beach etc.

The catamaran cruise, fitness complex, watersports and a number of offsite options is more than enough to do.

Hi: We have been to Montego Bay and Ocho Rios both a couple of times. We have also taken an excursion to the South Coast and it was very beautiful. We did a river tour to see the crocodiles, visited tiny villages and beaches it was very lovely. I think it would fill most of your requirements except the nightlife one. Karen

If you have choose between the 3 you listed, I would say Negril, because it has the prettiest beach and it's not as built up as Ochi or MoBay. The South Coast/Treasure Beach is much mellower and will give you a completely different perspective (in a good way) of Jamaica, but as Karen mentioned there is not much there in terms of nightlife. If you decide on Negril you can take excursions to the South Coast too - TB is about a 1 1/2 hour drive away.

I would suggest Negril but I wouldn't go for All Inclusive (if you do AI, I also recommend Swept Away) I would suggest something closer to the action - Idle Awhile, Charela, Coco Lapalm - junior suite, or perhaps look at the cliff area - Xtabi, Rockhouse. Then you can explore the beach and cliff area and try different restaurants and bars. Look at www.negril.com and click on "Where to Stay" and explore both beach and cliff accomodations.

I'd add to tivertonhouse's recommendationof going beyond the "big 3" and look at Port Antonio/Portland area, in my opinion the most stunning part of Jamaica.

It's lush and the water is clear and blue, some beaches have waves and some don't, there's Blue Lagoon, Reich Falls, the Blue Mountains right there, and a lot of hotel and villa options in the area.

It is a good ride from the airport in MoBay, 6 hours, but only 2 from Kingston and you can hire a private guide/taxi to take you there, either an independent one or one affiliated with whatever place you might choose to stay.

There is nightlife in addition to lots of adventure.

How long will you be on the island? If you will be staying a week or less, then Port Antonio may be quite a hike since you will be flying into Montego Bay.

Negril or Ocho Rios are good starts for the first time visitor. If great beaches are a must then do Negril. You could then expand your vacation by touring the southcoast since there isn't much to do in Negril (other than the nightlife).

Kingston has an international airport as well and it is well-served by US airlines and of course Air JA.

If I were going to Portland and not anywhere else on the island, I'd book a flight into Kingston for sure.

I've been to Negril 10 times or more and while I obviously like it, there is something to be said for first-time visitors going to a part of Jamaica where people treat you like people and not dollar signs. It has been my experience that MoBay, Ochi and Negril are the worst in that sense, Treasure Beach, the east coast and pretty much anywhere else were much better.

For what it's worth.

Liza, I understand your point and am not in dispute of it. Keep in mind that entertainment in PA is limited. Staying in that area pretty much locks one into that area. If the traveler is staying for a week or more, then doing PA would be feasible.

On all my trips I have always stayed in or journeyed to PA regardless of where I stay, but that's the exception. Heck, I have even flown into MoBay and left via Kingston just to accommodate visiting PA. Did day trips from Ochi as well. I have also done Negril -> Ochi -> PA in one trip back in '98...but then again I 12 days to play with.

If Monica could list some things she wants to do on the trip then we could be more helpful.

I gotcha, I thought you were saying s/he had to fly into MoBay.

We found quite a lot to do at night around PA...Long Bay had a huge show one night we were there, at Cool Runnings on the beach...there's the Roof Club (we didn't go but if one is into a disco sort of scene...), we stayed at Fern Hill and enjoyed the bar there.

...but most of the time, we were exhausted from all that we did each day.

We had two weeks this spring and spent 5 days on the east coast in St. Mary and Portland, a week in Negril and finished with 3 days in Treasure Beach...best trip BY FAR. What I loved about the places other than Negril was having the opportunity to move around and talk to people without being asked to buy anything...it was really cool to just chat with people.

Anyway, looks like Monica has some good suggestions here, I just wanted to put PA out there since it hadn't been mentioned yet :)