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Travel tips for Negril, Jamaica

Overview

Negril is a widely-dispersed beach resort community in Jamaica in the Caribbean. This small resort town spans over portions of the Jamaican parishes of Hanover and Westmoreland. The land has a rather diverse topography. Apart from its wide sandy beaches, Negril also features an ecologically diverse swamp known as the Great Morass where the Negril River runs through. The town has a tropical climate with a hot and humid weather. Most of Negril’s population is comprised of African-descended people, with a minority of Europeans, Syrian, Chinese, and East Indians.

Things to Do

Many travel magazines have consistently rated Negril as one of the world’s top 10 beaches. When you are visiting the town, you can pursue popular activities like swimming and scuba diving. Or you can rent one of the glass-bottomed boats and take a snorkeling tour. You can laze on the beach if you are not soaking in the crystal-clear waters.

If you are a nature lover, you will want to check out the Royal Palm Reserve within the Great Morass where you’ll find a wide variety of remarkable Caribbean plants and wildlife. You can also enjoy the vibrant atmosphere if you are in time for any of its numerous musical festivals that are held all year round. Part of the excitement of visiting Negril is sampling the region’s mouthwatering cuisine, so be sure to check out the dining places in town. Book your Negril Hotels with Reservations.com.

Shopping

You can find a lot of gift items, souvenirs, and knick knacks in the tourist craft market at the town’s edge. The shop owners are willing to give you a lower price especially if you are purchasing more than one item. American dollars are accepted nearly everywhere on the island, and you’ll find many shop owners with calculators who know the current exchange rate. While most of the vendors in town are professionals in their trade, you will find that they are quite honest in quoting an item’s correct price. You can whittle an item’s price to its lowest but do not go too low to the point that the vendor will not be earning profit from it.

Fast Facts

  • The name “Negril” is an abbreviated form of “Negrillo”, which was the original Spanish name for the island in 1494.
  • A version of the city name’s origin was reference to the black cliffs at the village’s south end. Another version was of the black eels found on the island’s coast, so the Spaniards called the place Negro Eels, which later became Negrillo, and finally Negril.
  • Rick’s Cafe is known for its cliff side location and the cliff divers that take off from a concrete slab atop the cliffs and plunge into the Caribbean Sea below.

Best Hotel Accommodations

The upscale Riu Negril Club Hotel offers great amenities such as free parking, an onsite restaurant, high-speed internet access, spa services, fitness center, and more. The luxurious and expensive Riu Palace Tropical Bay has a Victorian palace look. Its amenities include a breakfast buffet, indoor pool, poolside steakhouse, free parking, free internet access, and a fitness center. You can also find fine accommodations with a more comfortably-priced room rates in places like Travellers Beach Resort, Samsara Resort, Fun Holiday Beach Resort, and Negril Beach Club Resort.

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