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I'm a longtime Jamaica traveler and it's probably one of my favorite destinations. I was getting ready to book a trip down to Negril and have been hearing a lot of negative stuff about violence and tourist robberies, hotel breakins, etc. Sadly I wound up booking another destination besides Jamaica this year.
Just curious if anyone on these boards is a regular Jamaica traveler and what your feelings are on the current situation? Would you go there? Do you think things are worse than they have been in the past?
I recently read an interesting article on a blog about a longtime Negril traveler who cancelled a trip and says they aren't going back. It's kind of gone viral on TripAdvisor and the various Negril and Jamaica groups on facebook like NegrilBoardies and Whagwan Negril and those groups. Seems it was very controversial. Just curious if anyone on here likes Jamaica and what your thoughts are?
Reading the article, particularly about the beggars and someone threatening to stab him, totally reminds me of when I visited and why I won't be back unless it was to a resort where I had no intentions of leaving.
Reading the article, particularly about the beggars and someone threatening to stab him, totally reminds me of when I visited and why I won't be back unless it was to a resort where I had no intentions of leaving.
Thanks for sharing. If you don't mind me asking did you get off in Jamaica on a cruise or stay at an AI or what particular part of the island? I've been to Jamaica probably at least 7 or 8 times if not more and always loved it. Sure maybe a little outside of my comfort zone and beach haglers were maybe mildly annoying but also a bit entertaining.
Over the past couple years however people have been getting very aggressive, lots of hotel breakins even when people are sleeping in their room. Your room should be the one place you do feel safe.
I'd love to go back but again like you would probably be cautious about what day trips I take. I hate to say I wouldn't leave the resort because at that point if your not going to go experience anything besides your hotels beach may as well go to Florida and save a couple bucks on airfair and hotel as your not really experiencing anything but I feel where your comming from.
And......NO, I am NOT talking about Nassau/Paradise island and even Grand Bahama Island (Freeport)
I'm talking about the out islands such as Eleuthera, Exuma, and Long Island, etc.... where it is not touristy at all, with endless beautiful beaches (that you have to completely to yourself 90% of the time), and warm friendly locals who want to treat you like family and make sure you have fun.
Its safer there than in most of suburbia USA, and a lot of local residents don't even lock their doors, just to give you an idea.
I am just not a lover of Jamaica period. We have had more bad than good experiences there. We have done several cruises that stopped in Jamaica and a couple of AI. We decided a few years ago, no more. If we are on a ship, we will just stay on the ship and enjoy the peace and quiet.Our daughter and her partner did get off the ship a few years ago to do a tour. They couldn't wait to get back on. They were harrassed but not really threatened. We got off for a few minutes only to pick up tooth paste. The local stores near the port didn't have any so a young man offered to take us to town. We refused. Another daughter and hubby were there a year or so ago; will not return. How sad all this is: the island is so lovely.
Thanks for sharing. If you don't mind me asking did you get off in Jamaica on a cruise or stay at an AI or what particular part of the island? I've been to Jamaica probably at least 7 or 8 times if not more and always loved it. Sure maybe a little outside of my comfort zone and beach haglers were maybe mildly annoying but also a bit entertaining.
Over the past couple years however people have been getting very aggressive, lots of hotel breakins even when people are sleeping in their room. Your room should be the one place you do feel safe.
I'd love to go back but again like you would probably be cautious about what day trips I take. I hate to say I wouldn't leave the resort because at that point if your not going to go experience anything besides your hotels beach may as well go to Florida and save a couple bucks on airfair and hotel as your not really experiencing anything but I feel where your comming from.
I got off on a cruise in Montego Bay. Shame on me for not planning an excursion or something. Jamaica was the reason I booked the cruise.. Huge Bob Marley fan and Jamaica always had this air of mystique to me. We walked around downtown Montego Bay and were inundated with people harassing us, and one guy who claimed to be a tour guide/cab driver who wouldn't leave us alone and had a knife and it goes on... it was crazy.
Been hearing that sort of stuff about Jamaica for YEARS!
Make that decades. I remember similar warnings/issues from when we first visited Jamaica on a port stop from a cruise in 1984. Aren't most of the AI resorts there surrounded by barbed wire fences?
Here's the official U.S. Government position/warning about traveling to Jamaica from the Dept. of State's website:
CRIME:*Crime, including violent crime, is a serious problem in Jamaica, particularly in Kingston and Montego Bay and other major tourist areas. *While the vast majority of crimes occur in impoverished areas, random acts of violence, such as gunfire, may occur anywhere. *The primary criminal concern for tourists is becoming a victim of theft. *In several cases, armed robberies of U.S. citizens have turned violent when the victims resisted or were slow in handing over valuables. *Crime is exacerbated by the fact that police are understaffed and often ineffective. *Additionally, there have been allegations of police corruption. *You should take all necessary precautions by always paying extra attention to your surroundings when traveling and keeping windows up and doors locked while in a vehicle or in your hotel. *You should avoid walking alone, exercise special care after dark, and always avoid areas known for high crime rates. *Under no circumstances should you accept rides from unknown individuals, including unmarked taxis, as this is often a pretext for attempted robbery and/or sexual assault.
Each year, the Embassy receives a number of reports of sexual assaults against U.S. citizens, including cases of alleged sexual assaults at tourist resorts, some of which involve resort staff. *It is important to realize that sexual assault allegations generally do not receive the same type of law enforcement attention in Jamaica that they would in the United States. *Local law also requires the presence of the victim at some stages of the judicial process in order for a case to move forward. *As a result, most sexual assault cases languish in the Jamaican courts until they are eventually dismissed. *In addition, victims in Jamaica cannot expect the totality of victim’s assistance that is routinely offered in the United States. *This includes hesitation to and/or lack of knowledge of how to collect evidence documenting sexual assault, a prosecutorial/interrogation approach to victims on the part of the police and hotels, and a lack of counseling for victims. *Victims often have to ask for medication to avoid transmission of STDs and to reduce the chances of pregnancy.
You should be aware of your surroundings, avoid secluded places or situations (even within resort properties), go out in groups, and watch out for each other. Don’t be afraid to ask or call out for help if you feel threatened or encounter individuals who make you feel uncomfortable. *Report any suspicious activity to the U.S. Embassy, local police, and, if appropriate, the hotel’s management. *As a general rule, do not leave valuables unattended or in plain view, including in hotel rooms and on the beach. *Take care when carrying high value items such as cameras and expensive cell phones or when wearing expensive jewelry on the street. *Women's handbags should be zipped and held close to the body. *Men should carry wallets in their front pants pocket. *Large amounts of cash should always be handled discreetly.*
In the last several years, a number of U.S. visitors have reported being robbed inside their resort hotel rooms while they slept. *Particular care is called for when staying at isolated villas and smaller establishments that may have fewer security arrangements. *You may wish to ask your villa or small establishment if they have met Jamaica Tourist Board certification standards for safety and security.
We were there in 2010 and never felt unsafe. We stayed a few days in Secrets Wild Orchid then at the Rockhouse Hotel in Negril. We ate at several restaurants and enjoyed the local food and people. We walked all over Negril and felt safe all the time. BTW, the Rockhouse hotel is STUNNING.
If not Florida..Keys, Naples, Sarasota.....go to Cuba, safest island in the Caribbean. You can fly from Ft Laud to Nassau, then connect to Havana. I agree about the outer islands (family islands) of the Bahamas, but it can expensive to get to them.
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