Shopping in Negril
Aug 14th, 2003, 07:58 AM
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Shopping in Negril
My husband and I are going to Swept Away in November and would like to venture out from the resort and see Negril. We also want some Blue Mountain coffee. Where is the best place in Negril to get coffee and other things? Should we take a cab? About how much should a cab ride to various shopping places cost (I know I need to negotiate, but what's a reasonable price to land on)? Also, is there anything else special that we should be shopping for in Jamaica besides the coffee?
Aug 14th, 2003, 11:46 AM
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The other thing that you need to buy is Appleton Rum, it's great! The best location that I have found to buy coffee and rum is at the airport in Montego Bay...
For cab rides around Negril near Seven Mile Beach (the main resort area), I paid no more than $10-15 round trip, plus tip. If you are going up to the point/cliffs area (Ricks Cafe, etc) you should expect to pay more, as it is a longer ride....
For cab rides around Negril near Seven Mile Beach (the main resort area), I paid no more than $10-15 round trip, plus tip. If you are going up to the point/cliffs area (Ricks Cafe, etc) you should expect to pay more, as it is a longer ride....
Aug 14th, 2003, 04:27 PM
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While we agree that the best booze prices are at the Montego Bay airport, the coffee prices are very expensive.
In Negril you can get Blue Mountain for $12-$15 US. It is over $20 at the airport.
Cheapest shopping we have found is at the "Time Square"
Jamaica has no income tax but they do have a 15% sales tax.
Time Square is tax free.
Your hotel will know what price the taxi will charge.
Swept Away probably charges a hefty fee to taxi drivers entering their grounds. It is best to walk to the road and hail a cab.
Use only vehicles with cab license plates. "Juta" taxi and vans are very poplular.
We have a "first time visitor" brochure which we have put together on Negril.
If you want a copy just e-mail us at [email protected]
Will be sent out no charge and with no commercial interest. We did this because we would have liked to have had this info for our first visit to Negril.
Dan and Ginny
In Negril you can get Blue Mountain for $12-$15 US. It is over $20 at the airport.
Cheapest shopping we have found is at the "Time Square"
Jamaica has no income tax but they do have a 15% sales tax.
Time Square is tax free.
Your hotel will know what price the taxi will charge.
Swept Away probably charges a hefty fee to taxi drivers entering their grounds. It is best to walk to the road and hail a cab.
Use only vehicles with cab license plates. "Juta" taxi and vans are very poplular.
We have a "first time visitor" brochure which we have put together on Negril.
If you want a copy just e-mail us at [email protected]
Will be sent out no charge and with no commercial interest. We did this because we would have liked to have had this info for our first visit to Negril.
Dan and Ginny
Aug 14th, 2003, 07:07 PM
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demotl, you are correct about the coffee prices at the airport. It is just easier for me to buy at the airport, instead of lugging it around.
My mother got a great deal on some earrings at the Times Square shopping center...
My mother got a great deal on some earrings at the Times Square shopping center...
Aug 14th, 2003, 11:19 PM
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Stop at the WESTGATE SHOPPING CENTER in MoBay en route to/from Negril and go to the liquour store there for Wallingford and other top beans at best prices. The Hi-Lo market in Negril is another local source. 'Blue Mt.beans' is a well-bandied-about rather generic term these days as is 'Mt-grown'. The best beans on island are from Old Tavern Coffee Estate --see Gourmet magazine,July 2003,The Produce Issue. Your best bet however is to ask staff at Swept Away if anyone in their village PARCHES / aka roasts local beans over an open fire
and those are the ones to get. Pricing varies--about US$10/a quart. LOGWOOD HONEY in supermarkets, various hotsauces
(look for FATHER ESAU'S DOUBLE X-PLOSION), fresh nutmeg with mace covering still on/homemade nutmeg graters, blue coconut laundry soap bars from Dominica -- go to an open market or supermarket for oddball but good choices.
and those are the ones to get. Pricing varies--about US$10/a quart. LOGWOOD HONEY in supermarkets, various hotsauces
(look for FATHER ESAU'S DOUBLE X-PLOSION), fresh nutmeg with mace covering still on/homemade nutmeg graters, blue coconut laundry soap bars from Dominica -- go to an open market or supermarket for oddball but good choices.
Aug 15th, 2003, 08:22 AM
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Email Selina at Selina's coffee bar and grill and tell her you are coming and get directions to her place. It is on beach road. She may be able to advise you on other shopping too. She roasts her own beans so you know they are authentic and fresh. Here is website
http://www.geocities.com/selinascoffeebar/
http://www.geocities.com/selinascoffeebar/
Aug 15th, 2003, 11:28 AM
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We always take home a pound or two of Blue Mountain from Selina's, if we need more we grab it at the airport...I don't like shopping very much.
Selina's is a nice place for breakfast/brunch too, and she and her husband Roy and very nice people and good resources for fun stuff to do in Negril and general JA advice. You could walk down the beach to about Merrill's then cross over to the street to get there.
Since you're staying on the beach, I suggest you get up to the cliffs at least once, it's different and very neat up there. My favorite spot is 3 Dives, it's a very casual jerk place with great food, prices, very friendly owners and a killer sunset view (also snorkeling and swimming off the cliff, rent snorkel next door at Xtabi and check out their caves while you're there). You'll wait awhile for food and will eat at picnic tables by the cliff edge or the road as you prefer. Most tourists go to Rick's, which is also nice but always leaves me feeling ripped off (change cash for drink tokens then give those for drinks about 3x the price of anyplace else).
If you have small bills (preferably JA$ but don't have to), walk out of Swept Away and down a couple of hotels towards town (turn right on the road). Taxis will pull over or honk when they see you. Tell them you'll give them $5 (I assume there are two of you) to get to elsewhere on the beach or to town and if/when they say no, walk on, they'll reconsider or another will stop - this only works if you have exact change though. If going to the cliffs, offer $7-8 and maybe settle on $10 if you don't feel like bargaining. You can often have that same driver pick you up for the return or just repeat the process to get back. Look for red plates on any taxi, those are licensed and insured as cabs.
Have fun!
Selina's is a nice place for breakfast/brunch too, and she and her husband Roy and very nice people and good resources for fun stuff to do in Negril and general JA advice. You could walk down the beach to about Merrill's then cross over to the street to get there.
Since you're staying on the beach, I suggest you get up to the cliffs at least once, it's different and very neat up there. My favorite spot is 3 Dives, it's a very casual jerk place with great food, prices, very friendly owners and a killer sunset view (also snorkeling and swimming off the cliff, rent snorkel next door at Xtabi and check out their caves while you're there). You'll wait awhile for food and will eat at picnic tables by the cliff edge or the road as you prefer. Most tourists go to Rick's, which is also nice but always leaves me feeling ripped off (change cash for drink tokens then give those for drinks about 3x the price of anyplace else).
If you have small bills (preferably JA$ but don't have to), walk out of Swept Away and down a couple of hotels towards town (turn right on the road). Taxis will pull over or honk when they see you. Tell them you'll give them $5 (I assume there are two of you) to get to elsewhere on the beach or to town and if/when they say no, walk on, they'll reconsider or another will stop - this only works if you have exact change though. If going to the cliffs, offer $7-8 and maybe settle on $10 if you don't feel like bargaining. You can often have that same driver pick you up for the return or just repeat the process to get back. Look for red plates on any taxi, those are licensed and insured as cabs.
Have fun!
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