Heading to Jamaica...any tips?

[CanuckSARTech]

Yah mannnnnn!!!!!

...Sorry, that's a bad pun to start, I know...

My wife and I are heading to Jamaica sometime soon for some much needed pampering time for just me and her. No work, no kiddies, and no worries. Heading to Rose Hall / Montego Bay for a week of a luxury all-inclusive with all the VIP goodies. Much needed.

Wondering if anyone has recently been there and if you have any tips / tidbits to share. What's a good local seafood joint to go to in MoBay? What to do, and/or what to avoid? Any advice would be welcome, as we've never been here, so it will be a virgin experience (LOL) for us.

Thanks.

[Overproof]

Smoke some ganja before you eat the local seafood or any food for that matter

[smokenj]

The best Cubans you can get in Jamaica have glass lid boxes...juuuuust kidding.

[Vinnyc]

I was in jamaica last sept the hotels has gone very anti smoking to the point where not even on the outside terrace bars were you allowed smoke. It was a pretty new law at the time so hopefully they have relaxed a bit on it now. We stayed in runaway bay.

[madandana]

Go to Scotchy's for jerk chicken. Smoke some ganja if you can. I'm not a big weed guy but there's something special about the stuff in Jamacia.

Have fun, Jamacia is magical ( especially if you eat the brownies).

[mash]

My wife and I went there for our honeymoon. I'd been there before, and warned her that every person we saw there would try to sell us weed. A bit of an exaggeration, but not much. You'd see guys in wet suits come up from the ocean with waterproof pouches approach you. Unique experience to be able to puff on a joint in your room while the chamber maid is making up your bed. Enjoy the trip Keith.

[SmittyinAZ]

Haven't been been back since 97. Food didn't sit well with me. Hope things have changed for the better. New favorite island is the DR which is where I am now as I type this.

[cigcars]

Well, let's see - there's Barrington Intl. Jamaican Cigar Co. (I'll have to search out their location for you there later) where they are one of the few remaining Jamaican tobacco cigar companies. They are noted for the fame of one Mr. Jimmy Chang who blended some to-be-envied cigars there, particularly Jamaican and Cuban combo cigars called Montalvos. According to Mr. Barrington, the owner of the place, there may be a box or so buried in the back archives at the factory with that original blend (although it's possibly doubtful). Just thought I'd place my 2 cents in there for you as a SOTL! My sister visited Jamaica last year and had a wonderful time there (uh-

WITHOUT the "ganga"!) Hope you have fantabulous time there, Keith my friend!

[Puros Y Vino]

Only been once to Ochos Rios. Was a long drive from the airport through some hairy traffic and roads at some times. Food on the AI was very good. We stayed at a Sandals. (Oct 2001). Yes. One month after 9/11. The trip was practically given away due to the upheaval that followed. Met some cool people working the resorts and various tourist attractions (Dunn's River Falls). Nothing too different from other Caribbean nations other than the fact I felt like the locals maybe have been "screwed" a bit more than what I see in Mexico and Cuba. Maybe expect a bit more of a sales pitch for souvenirs you may not want. Nothing too aggressive or rude really, There were souvenir booths outside the resort on the main street that locals ran. Give them a shot over buying stuff on the resort. But expect every booth to want to pitch to you. So,make sure you get a lot of US $1 bills for tips and to buy trinkets. And yes, ganja sellers all over. They do come out of the water to greet you though they're not allowed to walk on to the shore. You have to meet them in the water if you're interested. I don't partake myself so I have no tips for you there. Enjoy the trip, go with an open mind, spread a little "wealth" where you can. Lots of beauty to be found. Oh and Appleton 12YO is definitely worth drinking there and taking home. Same goes with Blue Mountain coffee.

[cigarbreak]

2013 Went to Runaway Bay for a week; IMO the food was fantastic. LOVEEE the oxtail. We (my gf and I) did Dunn's River, Bob Marley Masoleum Tour, Ocean Horse Back riding and Ocho Rios Souvenir Excursion. Also had the chance to eat some fruit from a random roadside stand and got a short drive tour of St. Anne.

Of all I'd say Bob Marley tour was fantastic, and so was the Dunn's Rivers but dont get swindled by the souvenir pushers by giving them your name when they ask for it. Once you say your name they will go to carving your name into some wooden craft and make you feel obliged to buy it. Dunn's River was really cool, however can be a bit treacherous if one is not paying attention to their footing.

All I can say is enjoy your trip. Try the Jerk Chicken and oxtail and dont get miffed with how long it takes to get an order there lol as they really do run on Island time. If you hear the response "Soon Come" regarding your order, it will likely not make it to you LOL.

[cigarbreak]

Oh I read it just fine lol. It's just that's the last thing i'd be interested in when in Jamaica no matter how bad a time i was having. But that's just me. And believe me, coming from someone who is of an ethnicity of a developing nation, you will miss a lot if you ultimately limit your experiences in these places to what your tolerances are.

[Scroats]

Well no sense in doing the same thing twice just to prove you didn't like it the first time. To each their own.

I have enough trouble balancing things I like with what my gf likes. I usually have to travel with some semblance of plans just to keep the gf happy enough to go.

[JohnS]

I've not been to Jamaica myself Keith, but if I went I would break the ice with people you meet by getting them to discuss the upcoming West Indies cricket matches against England in April/May and Australia in June. Also, an appreciation of reggae, ska and dub music would come in handy!

[jkdooley]

If you are a golfer and have the time play the White Witch. Very nice course, Johnny Cash use to have a home on the course. We have been to Negril many times and love it there. Have Fun!!

[mikemerry]

I've stayed in that hotel. The suits Side and I'd say make sure your in either the suits or grand because the lower grade hotel side is just that. Other than that the Jamaican cigars in robusto weren't bad. Kinda like em. Buy smokes at the airport best price and enjoy the red stripe!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[CanuckSARTech]

Holy crap, people, seriously???

Mods, you can feel free to lock this thread.

You know, I figured there would be a comment or two about weed due to the location, but I thought to myself, no, the people on there are better than that. Lol.

I find it incredibly rude and pompous for some of the comments found on here. I stated my wife and I are going for a nice luxury all-inclusive and asked for decent suggestions. What I didn't ask for was the tripe found above.

Considering this is "Rob's house", some were disrespectful enough of him to nevertheless post about pot, hash and cocaine use - yup, still illegal most places and generally frowned on. Considering that most know of my desires for this trip, and know my career and that of my wife's, some were excessively disrespectful enough to post these intelligence-dwindling tidbits anyways. Get bent.

To those that offered helpful suggestions and advice, thank you. To the rest of you, take your 8-ball snorting, hash smoking pompously imbecilic comments elsewhere. Grow up and get out of the locker-room-thinking phase.