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OT - Jamaica mon! anybody been there?

AlaskanC
AlaskanC Posts: 1,346
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
We were just gifted a trip to Ocho Rios in Jamaica and we are going in about a week & 1/2! I've never been there - any heads up on what to do or what NOT to do?
I'm definitely going to try & bring back some pimento wood to make jerk chicken.
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Comments

  • Fidel
    Fidel Posts: 10,172
    I stayed in Ocho Rios about 10 years ago. The ride from the airport will definitely wake you up - the drivers are crazy and the roads are narrow.

    Dunn's River Falls is nice for a day getaway. Other than that I stayed on the resort the whole time. I was at an all-inclusive so there wasn't much reason to venture out. The beach and water there is terrific!
  • Mainegg
    Mainegg Posts: 7,787
    We have been there a few times on cruises. I understand it has cleaned up a lot and not quite as bad as it used to be. Drugs was the biggest problem and I guess they are not quit so pointblank about them as before. It was bad enough that I preferred not to do the western Caribbean on any trips. Our Rug Hooking Cruise is doing the western this years so it will be the first time in about 10 years since I was there. Let us know how it is :) it is a drop dead beautiful country.
  • i've been there and to negril. ocho rios is a cruise ship port. if i had a choice, i'd go back to negril. it's where the jamaicans go for vacation B)
  • Grillmama
    Grillmama Posts: 194
    Your handle AlaskanC--?

    I was born and raised in Anchorage....
  • AlaskanC
    AlaskanC Posts: 1,346
    We are in Sitka

    rain
    rain
    rain
  • AlaskanC
    AlaskanC Posts: 1,346
    That's where my sister & her husband went. Since I come from a very very touristy area it's hard to want to vacation in the same kind of place.

    However, we are being put up here in our own cottage, so I think we will be Ok:

    http://www.uniquevillasofjamaica.com/vrc.cfm
  • AlaskanC
    AlaskanC Posts: 1,346
    Oddly enough I am looking more forward to the car ride than I am the plane ride!! I hate flying.

    I normally hate doing the touristy stuff, but I am planning on checking out the falls. If there aren't any other Must See attractions, then we will probably just hang out at our place. We are staying at an estate that has two private beaches & lots of water toys so we will be fine. I just didn't want to sequester ourselves then find out we missed out on something really cool.
  • AlaskanC
    AlaskanC Posts: 1,346
    My sister & her husband were there (Negril) about two years ago, and the drug selling (ganja on a stick anyone?) was pretty blatant. :blink:

    What about petty crime? Am I better off leaving the purse at our room?
  • Spring Chicken
    Spring Chicken Posts: 10,255
    You seem to have fun wherever you go, so this should be a piece a' cake for you.

    Maybe if it's a cruise ship stop, dress and act like the natives to make the cruise-shippers think you live there full time. Gotta dress the dress, walk the walk and talk the talk too. Of course, Brent will be laughing his butt off in the background, hopefully taking pictures of you pan-handling the cruise-shippers to share with us.

    Have fun. Or should I say, "Be loose Mon."

    Spring "Use Jamaican Firewalk A Lot" Chicken
    Spring Texas USA
  • Fidel
    Fidel Posts: 10,172
    There is a pretty big shopping area close by for the cruisers....but when I was there venturing out into the town was not recommended.

    It is a pretty country, but if you have the water toys you'll be in good shape.

    I'm jealous, I need a vacation like that
  • Grillmama
    Grillmama Posts: 194
    Nice to meet a fellow Alaskan.
  • Boxerpapa
    Boxerpapa Posts: 989
    Like Fidel said, Dunn's River Falls. You'll have a blast. Especially if you get a guide, he or she will make the trip up the falls a lot of fun.

    Word of caution, if you're going to use a taxi, be very careful of which one you choose. Some are state sponsered and some are not.
  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    Alaskan C,

    We went to Ochos Rios for our honeymoon about ten years ago. We were at an all-inclusive. There are a lot of stories about not going out on your own. The best days we had were when we just hired a cab and went around to all the local hangouts. No trouble at all and the locals were wonderful. The only trouble I had was challenging the chef at a tin shack restaurant that he couln't make my red snapper hot enough for me. I lost.

    Steve

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • that place looks primo, mon!

    one thing i would suggest is ask some locals, like the maid or guy that cleans the pool where the best jerk chicken and pork is. i'm talkin a roadside push cart type deal, not a commercial place. i can taste it now..........

    yeah and at the desk for the right taxi company, then ask the driver where to go. we hooked up with a pair of taxi drivers in negril and used them every day and saw all sorts of things and experiences we wouldn't have.

    as for as the purse, i'd keep anything you value out of sight to take away the temptation. ;)
  • Rascal
    Rascal Posts: 3,923
    Wow, home of the famous, Sitka Spruce?! According to folklore, wing ribs, spars, and other structural parts of early generation aircraft were constructed using that wood because of its outstanding strength and durability. How many non-cooking things can be learnt on a cooking forum! 8 - )
  • Went there with my first wife on our honey moon 35 years ago (BTW - she is still my bride). We stayed up in the hills beyond Montego Bay on an old plantation. We rented a VW bug and went out on our own everyday. Ocho Rios was built up and nice. Negril was not like it is today - there were a couple bars, no hotels, no nightclubs, etc. Went swimming on the beach and no one was there. Been back a few times for one day on cruise ship stops. I wouldn't recommend going out on your own these days - that's probably because I have become a big weenie when it comes to venturing out in foreign lands. You will likely be offered drugs - my kids were offerred some in an open market and they were like 10 and 12. I would recommend:

    Dunns River falls - did it 35 years ago and once again when we went through on a cruise. It really cools you down on a hot day.

    If you have time and they organize a trip for a raft ride on a river I would do it. Get a six pack of red stripe and a fellow guides you along a narrow river through plantations. Basically you just chill and let the "polemotor" man do the driving.

    If you are a coffee drinker, you may want to bring back some Blue Mountain coffee.

    Have an enjoyable trip. Ya mon.
  • AlaskanC
    AlaskanC Posts: 1,346
    Yeah - I'll get my hair done up in dreads :laugh:

    I'll be sending postcards and keeping Brent away from the camera for sure.
  • AlaskanC
    AlaskanC Posts: 1,346
    What is the difference? Do non-state sponsored ones might rip you off?

    Great - I definitely need to get a guide book and look like a dorky tourist! :)
  • AlaskanC
    AlaskanC Posts: 1,346
    Ouch. Red hot snapper - that could be a t-shirt or.......

    I am looking forward to seeing how the locals prepare their seafood so I can try it out with our stuff. ;)
  • AlaskanC
    AlaskanC Posts: 1,346
    Good advice. My sister said the best food was at the roadside carts, so I will ask around.
    I feel weird being put up at a place where we will have our own personal chef..... seems kinda foofy and pretentious. I'd rather do the cooking myself. :)
  • Not dreads. They will make it up using beads into long stringy things - don't know what they are called. My bride let them do a few. :woohoo:
  • AlaskanC
    AlaskanC Posts: 1,346
    Yeah it sounds like the drug thing (ganja in particular) is pretty much out there in the open. My sister & her husband were offered it at every market they went to. I would be laughing my butt off.

    We are looking at doing a tubing tour down the white river. I'll probably get my feet eaten off by pirhanas or something, but hey - its all good! :)
  • AlaskanC
    AlaskanC Posts: 1,346
    cornrows?

    *sigh*

    if only I looked like Bo Derek..... ;)
  • AlaskanC
    AlaskanC Posts: 1,346
    :laugh: :laugh:
  • Boxerpapa
    Boxerpapa Posts: 989
    We had an awesome taxi driver by the name of Kevin (how do I remember that is beyond me). It was a short tour of Ocho Rios side of Jamaica, but interesting. He brought us to Mick Jagger's home. But here's a link to Jamaican taxis:http://jamaica-guide.info/getting.around/taxis/

    But anyway...have a great time, you'll have a lot of fun...and bring your camera
  • Tubing sounds outstanding. Limeade was sold at a few places we stopped - real refreshing.
  • Rascal
    Rascal Posts: 3,923
    Don't go swimming at night.. unless you're at a pool in a secured area. Be wary of those exotic, multi-colored, rum-cocktails, especially when you're more than 25 feet from your room! If you do, be sure to have a computer link to the rum overdose site for the next morning: www.omg.ishouldnthavedonethat.com. Just kiddin', have lotsa fun!
  • AlaskanC
    AlaskanC Posts: 1,346
    I sure wasn't expecting a vacation, but I'll take it!

    I do kinda want to stay out of the cruise ship area since I live in cruise ship hell up here.

    Thanks for the info/ advice!
  • AlaskanC
    AlaskanC Posts: 1,346
    ok. I'll try to avoid night swimming. I'm bringing my dive cert. card just in case I want to try that out in the daytime though.
    B)
  • Fidel
    Fidel Posts: 10,172
    I'd always trade you a house in suburban Atlanta for a house in Sitka for the week....