two weeks in Jamaica

In October 2017, I spent two weeks in Negril, a part in the west of the country.

We had a small hut at the Samsara Cliff Resort with a garden view. Just cross the road and we were at the main hotel, which is right on the cliffs. No beach, but a fantastic view of the sea, especially when the waves break.

From there, we explored the area a bit, and I admit we were quite far away from everything, but that turned out to be quite good later on. I'll tell you more about that later. There were several small shops, a fruit stand, and snack bars nearby. Most of the snack bars may look small or even dirty, but don't let that influence you. Jamaicans are very clean in the kitchen, and none of us had any stomach problems. So walk along the street and try different things. You must try the jerk chicken straight from the grill! I can also recommend my favorite grandpa. Erolds Rasta Food, a little hidden next to a small shop across the street. Rastas cook exclusively vegan, and it was delicious. The owner was incredibly nice and hospitable.

The great thing about the hotel was a free shuttle to the partner hotel Legends Beach Hotel, which is right on the beach.

In the low season, there were relatively few tourists, which was very pleasant because the beaches etc. were not overcrowded. But! There were locals everywhere wanting to sell something, be it goods, fruit, or marijuana. The cost of living in Jamaica is very high, and the salaries are very low in comparison, so everyone is trying to make some money. Since we're talking about money. Jamaica is a very expensive country, unfortunately, I didn't know that in advance. We only had breakfast included for a good price. I thought I'd take care of the rest myself... Well.. the vacation became more expensive than expected. You can only eat in restaurants if you have a fat wallet (pizza about €20). So I probably would have been better off with all-inclusive.

To explore the surrounding area, simply stand by the road and wait for a car with a red license plate (official taxis). Almost every car stops or honks to get your attention. But only get in if you have negotiated a good price.