Jamaica Taxi Costs
 

How much should a cab ride from Donald Sanger airport in MoBay to Ritz Carlton Rose Hall cost? <BR> <BR>Also, how long should a Dunn's River Falls excursion take if we're leaving from Rose Hall area? Have any of you hired a private guide/driver for this? If so, what should the cost be? <BR> <BR>Thanks for any help!

If the Ritz isn't sending a car to Sangster International/MoBay for you, go to the JUTA travel desk, just after customs/baggage inspection and before you exit to the taxi stands outside. You'll not have to haggle on price and you'll get a reputable driver. <BR>US$20 for 2/with luggage plus a tip should do it.Dunn's River Falls is fun,if touristy -- we'd recommend combining a visit -- NOT on cruiseship arrival days in Ochie/Ocho Rios-- with horseback riding or snorkeling or caving, to name just a few options.Hire a private guide/driver (such as Carolyn Barrett of Barrett Adventures -- see www.jamaicaescapes.com or email us for a sampler of over 20 off-the-beaten track privately guided excursions).Pricing depends on how many in your group and where you want to go.YS Falls/Black River or Mayfields Falls might be better alternatives. Ditto swimming with the manatees and taking the curative waters at Milk River Bath on the South Coast.

Just curious, what days are cruise ship arrival days in Ocho Rios? I'm planning on going to Dunn's while I'm in Jamaica next week.

Cruise ship arrival in Ochie varies. Suggest EARLY morning arrivals at Dunn's River or YS Falls to avoid the crowds. At the latter, having the place to yourselves is magic.

Tiverton House person :) <BR> <BR>We are planning to take a day trip out to Apple Valley Park/Maggotty Falls this time (7th trip to JA, done the big 3 falls and some little ones besides). I'd like to also see the manatees (not sure we need to swim with them, didn't even know you could!), we'll have our kids with us. I'd like to do this in one day, maybe stop in Treasure Beach for dinner after the manatees. <BR> <BR>Is this do-able from Negril if we leave early in the morning? <BR> <BR>Thanks, <BR> <BR>:) LIZ <BR> <BR>PS - Have heard great things about the Barretts.

HI,LIZ -- It'll be a L-O-N-G day, your trip -- but a real eye-opening one for you since this your 7th time on island. <BR>Yup, start EARLY/dawn-daybreak if you can roust your kids. Stop for some coconut water/jelly or fresh fruit at roadside en route. Milk River Bath is a good 4 hours from Negril if you head via Maggotty inland, since you'll be on mountain roads. Great countryside tho. <BR>One can hire a fisherman/boat (Carolyn Barrett as well) and go out into the river and observe or swim close to manatees. This is NOT a commercialized ting. The Gut River area is also sweet. And there are old Arawak caves in the wild/tame beach to lowland forest coast further on.A little further on in actual Milk River Bath there's a funky old spa with curative waters many older Jamaicans come to take for arthritis, rheumatism and other ailments. The third most 'radioactive' waters in the world (after the spa at Karlsbad); a 15 min.'bath' is proscribed. You can have dinner at Winsom's new little place (she used to cook at Jake's) in TB (Arnie is sadly and to everyone's consternation NOT re-opening Trans-Love Bakery this winter), but A MUST is dinner at L'il Ochee in Alligator Pond, fish and seafood so fresh and cooked so well people come down from Mandeville. It too is funky, right on beach in fishing huts/one dines on big tables under canopies or in actual fishing boats and picks one's fish b4 ordering inside. The bammy here is amazingly good. If you possibly can -- and I highly encourage it -- give yourself more time and plan a day and a half, and stay overnight in Treasure Beach. See www.treasurebeach.net for accomodations. Jake's if you can get in for only an overnight,Ital Rest, Irie Rest -- the smaller places. If you're going to be tempted to see everything, and you will, this side of the island is spellbinding, a hurry-hurry pace will be self-defeating. <BR>And two days away from Negril is a great adventure.

I appreciate the info. I think it has to be a day trip this time because I doubt I can talk my husband into spending a night away from Negril (*I* would do it in a heartbeat but I am more of an adventurer, he's more of a beach bum). I'm kind of hoping to have a good long day and check things out so that next trip, we can do a couple of days and explore the south coast in more depth. All I've seen of it so far is YS Falls and what you might pass from MoBay - Middle Quarters (got fish/shrimp), Bluefields, etc. <BR> <BR>Apple Valley seems like a great place to take the kids, and get our falls fix as well, but I'd really like to do the manatee thing too, I'm a bit scared they may not be around next trip! Is it much quicker to do the manatees if we don't go inland to Apple Valley first? Maybe this is two different day trips. <BR> <BR>Can you post your web addy so I can save the info to call the Barretts when we get to Negril and have a better idea of what day we might go? <BR> <BR>Do you have any thoughts regarding weekend/weekday being better for this trip? <BR> <BR>Thanks so much! <BR> <BR>:) Liz

HI,LIZ -- Weekdays better for your trampoosing than weekends. We're at www.jamaicaescapes.com -- see Carolyn by clicking on yellow BARRETT ADVENTURES bar on 'menu' page 2;you can also reach her at [email protected]. <BR>Best-Sasha

Thanks Sasha! <BR> <BR>:) Liz

A co-worker just returned from Jamaica and advised me to go with the Juta taxi also. We are doing business in Jamaica and were told by locals to only take Juta to be safe for a good price.