Negril

Negril's West End © Jamaica Tourist Board
Jamaica's western edge is a laid-back place where there is little to do other than sit back, relax and enjoy the renowned gorgeous sunsets in between beach-bathing and partying. Centre of this hedonistic haven is Negril, dubbed the 'capital of casual', a sunny resort town that despite its popularity and proliferation of tourist accommodation has managed to retain the sleepy tropical charm that first seduced seekers of sun and solitude when it was 'discovered' in the 1960s.

It was the hippies and flower children who first found Negril, a part of Jamaica appreciated for being different from the over-developed package-tour market of Montego Bay. Negril still attracts a young crowd, and the beachfront bars and cafes are abuzz each night with reggae music and dancing. Negril is known in the Caribbean as being a partying hotspot, with nude beaches and the infamous Hedonism II resort.

Negril is favoured also by those just wanting to get away from it all. It sports its famous seven-mile (11km) stretch of pristine beach, encircling Bloody Bay, and five miles (8km) of cliffs, where locals and visitors alike dare each other to indulge in some extreme cliff-diving, sometimes from ropes. The coral reefs and caves along the coast make it a scuba diver's and snorkeller's dream come true, and for active visitors there is the chance to take part in just about any watersport imaginable. Adventure seekers can venture by kayak into the mysterious Great Morass (a protected area full of palm trees, exotic birds and crocodiles).




Attractions

Negril Lighthouse © Frans Eijgenraam

Negril Lighthouse

The lighthouse on West End Road, built in 1894, is open to visitors every day. The climb to the top (100ft/30m) is arduous, up steep iron steps, but completely worth it for the breathtaking views of the coast afforded at the summit. ...  see full details



Riding in Rhodes Hall © www.jamplified.com

Rhodes Hall Plantation

Visitors who tire of Jamaica's beaches can head for its gorgeous countryside, to the small estate of Rhodes Hall Plantation, a short distance east of Negril. Here guided horseback excursions give a glimpse of the magic and mystery of the Jamaican countryside, and you...  see full details



Seven Mile Beach, Negril

Seven Mile Beach

The reason for Negril's recent boom as a tourist destination is centred on this seven-mile stretch of beautiful shoreline around Bloody Bay (so called because of the fierce battle here between Columbus and the Arawak), dotted with palm trees and carpeted with pristine white...  see full details



Excursions


Mayfield Falls

The 22 mini-cascades and numerous swimming holes that make up the Mayfield Falls in the low-lying Dolphin Head Mountains make a memorable day trip from Negril. The falls are reached through an intriguing maze of country roads, and are difficult to find independently, so...  see full details

Events

Reggae Marathon © www.reggaemarathon.com

Reggae Marathon

In true Jamaica style, every year the island plays host to a well-attended Reggae Marathon. Many may wonder what a reggae marathon is: well, picture an island marathon with a sound system rigged up along the race route playing reggae beats to egg...  see full details