Jamaica - Montego Bay? Oches Rios?
 

Ever been there in December? Weather? Did you go swimming with the Dolphins? See the waterfalls? Did you love it there? Where did you stay? Pro's and Cons? Would you go back? Or have your heard of any info from co-workers or friends about their trip to Jamacia?

We are trying to decide where to stay if in Montego Bay or Oches Rios. We are most likely gonna stay at an all inclusive resort but we are open for suggestions ifyou have any.

Thanks a bunch for any info. :mrgreen:

Which one is clothing optional? :razz:

I could tell you of a great place in Dominican,but 5 days cost the same as a large fully stocked reef tank.

Ocho Rios! My vote...as in the other thread this place is amazing in December...it was the best trip EVER! We went diving, horseback riding in the ocean, climbed the falls, um WOW...was stung by a very large Jellyfish which really sucked but (and NO, no one pee'd on me...we used "urea" cream...I know, I know EEEEWWWW but at least they didn't have to pee on me...man did it hurt, felt like my shoulder and chest were on fire!) didn't stop us from just having an amazing trip! I will try to find some pics to post for ya!

I have been to Ocho Rios and it is very beautiful, however it wouldn't be my first choice as a "return to" holiday destination. I found the people obnoxious, very pushy and got quite mad when we wouldn't buy the tourist wares they were peddling. I personally would think twice about visiting Jamaica again with so many other great destinations so close that are much safer and tourist friendly. I recommend St. Thomas, St. Marten, Cozumel / Playa del Carmen or the Cayman's. All have fabulous diving and I found the people were far less rude.

Latly i have heard nothing but horror stories about jamaica. You dont want to leave the resort and go wandering. It can be a very dangerous place latly for tourists.

The stories I've heard from friends and family .. I have no plans to ever visit Jamaica. Quite a different world outside the resorts.

Places in the Carribean I want to see: Caymans, BVI, maybe USVI (but I'd prefer BVI), ... oh shoot the list goes on and on.

Like Snappy mentioned, Playa Del Carmen and Cozumel in Mexico are great, the diving is great too. We stayed at Barcelo Maya shortly after they opened (the place the Canadian tourists were murdered at :( ), it's not far from Cozumel, and the diving was AWESOME. In fact the places you go to pay for the snorkeling (Xcaret, Xel-ha, etc.) didn't even compare to the reef that was off the beach at the resort. Unfortunately I'm torn, I'd love to go back there but don't know if I would given what happened.

Cool. We did too. We went there on our Honeymoon 5 years ago. When were you there Tony? Maybe you were the guy next to me at the bar..?? :lol:

We thought it was a great resort and the people were awesome!!

LOL, so YOU were that guy!!!

We were there in Feb 2000. Paid for by working a 24 hour shift on Y2K New Year's!

It is a fabulous resort. I recommended it to several others who also enjoyed it, and kid friendly too. Would love to go back, but then again, there are so many other places I want to go to in my lifetime.

I'm really smitten with the South Pacific, but it's a hard sell to the family for all the flights and kids and so on. Maybe we need to form a Canreef Dive Club where the really nutso folks can go to Palau, Fiji, New Guinea, etc.etc. while their family members go to the places you can get to without a transfer or two. :)

Not me then as we were there in Sept. 2001.

Im down with that. Were do we sign up? :mrgreen:

Diving and snorkeling is supposed to be very good in Belize if you are bent on the Caribean - at least that is the place I was told to go and would have except that I was going by myself and for most places in that part of the world if you want to go by yourself you still have to pay for 2 people. That is why I opted to go to Thailand - and am so glad that I did. I would still like to go to Belize and perhaps that will be my next destination as I would like to dive there - I'll just have to find someone that I want to share a couple of weeks with - or that wants to spend a couple of weeks in Belize. OTOH I was totally smitten with SE Asia and would love to see and dive in more places there.

Been to Jamaica aboutn 3 times love it there. we stay at a private place, we have a personal driver who takes us places (Port Antonio etc) we stay close to a golf coarse near Frenchmans Cove.


love it there i want to go back soon been 2 years or so since I have been there.

Ya its different but its like most places every place you go has the :"bad" take Mexico for example, you can get robbed by the Police late at nite if you wonder off .



Jim

Owie the Jellyfish sting... was that during the horseback ocean ride or the falls trip? Yeah I was warned about the Jelly fish stings. Glad to hear you didn't have to get pee'd on. LOL

I wanted to stay at a private Villa (since most seem to enjoy then the resorts) but all booked up already for Xmas. Damn. Instead were gonna stay in Trelawny, which is about 40mins from Montego Bay and an 50mins to Oches Rios. I'm so excited! Curious.. were did you dive? Also do you remember what tour you took for the horseback in the Ocean? Did you really enjoy it? Did you get to do the swimming with the dolphins in Oches Rios, when you were checking out the falls? :mrgreen:

I already booked the swimming with the dolphins. Glass bottom boat tour, water trampoline and Jungle tour. I would love to book the horseback riding in the ocean. So many tours to choose from though. So excited! This is gonna be my best Christmas ever! WooHoO!



Thanks for your reply! It seems most have a great time when they dont stay on the resorts. But Jamaica seems to be a place people love or hate. I guess I will have to report back in January, after I get back with some pictures for everyone. :mrgreen:
I do have to agree with you as well, you have to watch out where ever you travel too. I was told there was a popular spot (Coco Bongo) club in Cancun that the bartender was accused of putting the date rap drug in womans drinks! YIKS!

The jelly fish was actually while swimming in Port Maria....it was at this really cool beach...but the time of day and water were perfect time for the jelly fish!

The horseback riding was actually a small "company" on the side of the road that our driver Winston was friends with. It was a hillside tour first and then in the ocean .....pretty amazing! I'll check with my Mom and brother to see if they remember any details on names.....we did the falls a different day...right by the falls is an amazing jerk chicken place....the jerk sausage was AMAZING!

Diving was with another friend of our drivers...give me a day or so to get ahold of my bro to get details (he lives in Beijing so has totally screwed up time zone!) It was an amazing dive....we actually did our first dive, then were offered a second dive at a reduced rate if we wanted (uh yeh!) and boy did that sell me on diving....we're planning our next trip around diving (and kids activities:lol:) it was amazing. The first dive we went around this shipwreck that was absolutely teaming with fish and life! Second dive was completely over a coral reef ...WOW! I wanted to do it again but we were flying out the next day so couldn't...it was a great Christmas Day activity.

Yes, they do "celebrate" Christmas....it was the most festive time! And people everywhere!

You're so lucky you get to swim with the Dolphins!!

Well I am heading here in a couple weeks nov 1-10

:) going with about 14 people


Jim

I am SO jealous!:biggrin:

We stat at a place called Shoregam Green up from Frenchmans Cove. (when we are at the beach (frenchmans cove) we are generally the only ones there.. its Awesome!!!!


Check out www.jamaicadreams.com this is the place where we stay I am soo pumped. except the wife isnt going so so her and my 3 year old daughter are staying home. So my 5 year old son and I are goin.

Did I tell you I was so PUMPED?

I willpost pictures when I get back..


Jim

We were in Belize in Feb for a week long dive trip and the diving is there is absolutely fantastic.

Climing the Dunns river falls was pretty cool, but unfortunately like other stated. The locals are way to pushy and abnoxious. After dealing with the locals we couldn't wait to get back on our ship. It ruined the whole experience of Jamaica. I will never go back there and kinda wish I hadn't in the first place.

Good rule of thumb. Don't touch anything on display. Consider it bought if you touch it. They also try to corner you in to pressure money out of you. Also I found that it was really fake there. It was like the people there were using "Hey Mon" way too much. Just to make the tourists happy. Also don't accept FREE gifts. Nothing is free. They expect a donation for there generosity and will get agressive if it isn't enough.

Been there done that- had the exact same feeling. I spent a couple weeks in jamaica 3 years ago. We stayed in ocho rios for a week and it sucked... well- relative to the next week, where we moved over to negril. The wind was nasty, it rained most of the time and the beaches were almost non existant- and very pushy locals (wasnt the best 10g's i ever spent). Negril was VERY laidback, different part of the island, very different weather. while it was still pouring back on the other side- it was gorgeous everyday in negril, the beaches are unreal and the water is to die for. Locals were pretty good there as well. Cant say enough good things about negril.