Would you feel safe going to Jamaica now ???
 

My daughter has a trip planned to go to Jamaica on June 5 - they are staying in the Montego Bay area - would you go with the Travel Alert right now ??

I was in Montego Bay on Sunday. I felt perfectly safe. All the unrest is very far away in Kingston. The travel alert does not include any area in Jamaica except for Kingston.

I disagree. I am 40 years old and went to Jamaica in High School with my family. i stayed in Montego Bay at the then Rosehall. They had armed guards with machine guns and dobermin (sp?) pinchers walking the beach at night-and up on the patios of the ground floor units. I know because we were on the ground floor and saw the shadows at night. It scared the daylights out of my brother and I. My point is if it was that bad then, what do you think now? Also, during the same week I was in MB my friend from HS was in Ocho Rios. Someone broke into their hotel and stole all their luggage. They went home with nothing. It's not a safe place and who wants to stay in an all inclusive never to leave? Isn't the point of vacation to get out and about and see things?

Doug - My boyfriend and I recently spent 7 nights in Negril and we felt very safe during our trip. While traveling anywhere, it is important to be alert. At no point did we see anyone walking the beach with machine guns and dogs. In fact, we rarely saw police at all. Negril and Montego Bay are resort towns, unlike Kingston - we would never go near there. The folks who live around Negril were happy to have us and do not want to jeapardize tourism in their country. We traveled two hours away to see some waterfalls and went to dinners off the beaten path - it was fine. Just tell your daugher to stay away fronm Kingston, which is on the other side of the island from Montego Bay anyway.

Oops meant to address my comment to Sue, not Phil!

hey alli,you mean Doug not Phil don't ya? you must've had a great time in negril...still a little foggy eh!!! i just got back too and had a wonderful time in negril!i think anguillagirl was talking about something that happened to her over 20 yrs ago( not relevant today) all reports from jamaica are that the trouble is isolated to parts of kingston, not mo bay or negril. i would'nt worry about tourist areas,just use the same common sense that you use at home.

i must add that You must deciede what's good for You, if you don't feel safe go someplace else.

Anyone else been to Jamaica recently ??

Sue, the problem in Kingston didn't begin until Sunday, so you need to hear from someone who is in Jamaica right now or getting back later this week to find the most recent information.

But just realize that this situation will probably be resolved by the time your daughter leaves ... that's not for over a week.

As other posters have said, Montego Bay is at least several hours by car from Kingston. There's no reason to think that she would be unsafe in Montego Bay,or some of the other large tourist destinations in Jamaica like Ocho or Negril.

I would feel very comfortable being in Mo bay
but probably would not want to go through the Kingston airport at this point.
Fly to Mo bay direct.

Thanks everyone for your help !

Not going to Jamaica because there is civil disorder in Kingston is a little like not going to Saratoga in upstate New York because there were murders in New York City last week.

It's been a few years since I was in Jamaica, to be sure, but it was a lovely country and we encountered nothing but lovely people during our stay on the south coast. That being said, if your daughter feels afraid to go and thinks she wouldn't have a good time because she would be worrying the whole time, it's not a bad idea to rebook.

Well personally I wouldn't fly into Kingston right now. But yes I do feel safe (and am) going to Negril, arriving at Montego Bay.

anguillagirl~ I hardly think things that happened more than several decades ago are relevant to this discussion.

I feel confident and safe taking my kid to Ocho Rios and Montego Bay and doing lots of activities, but staying out of Kingston.

anguillagirl has been a Jamaica "alarmist" forever. Her opinion carries minimal weight. She should focus on the island or two she actually travels to currently.

To CaribbeanSoul:
Thanks for speaking out against those who don't really know because in reality, once you go, you know.

p.s. (of course, I can't speak for those seeking a white bread experience)

Heck i spend lots of time discussing safety in Mexico on various forums these days, so i know "alarmist" when i read it (lol).

hopefully others will note and take with a grain of salt posts that begin: "I observed this 24 years ago" and "This happened to my friend over two decades ago" and similar.

Seeing military with machine guns or police with dogs for the first time can be a bit of a shock I guess if you haven't traveled in locales where this is common. But it does not mean you are necessarily in immediate danger.

Ok guys - so since my daugher is going to go what can you recommend for her to see ? They are staying at the new Secrets St James Montego Bay All-Inclusive. I heard Negril is a must see - any ideas ?