We love Jamaica. We've travelled all over the Caribbean and just can't stop going back to this particular island....it's got a great vibe, friendly people (once you get away from the big cruise ports) and beautiful beaches, waterfalls, etc. We've stayed at Couples Negril, Couples Ocho Rios, Beaches Negril and will be at Sandals Whitehouse in November and Country Country in Negril in December.

We have taken our children to Jamaica and never felt unsafe. We actually found the poverty in the Dominican Republic to be more pronounced that in Jamaica. As for the drugs, yes, my husband and teenage boys were offered them (never the girls), but a simple "no thanks" had them moving on. We have never had the desire to stay in either Montego Bay or Ocho Rios proper since, as others have pointed out, they are (comparatively) big cities with cruise ships pulling in frequently...therefore they give off a much different "vibe" than
laid-back Negril.

Have a wonderful trip!