Is Jamaica really that bad?

[nipi]

It is sad you can hear those comments about Jamaica and some of the responses you got back from your question. You have a couple of islands in the US that have just as bad a reputation when it comes to rape, robbery, and harassment. They are called Manhattan and Key West. I have lived, as in day in and day out, in Kingston and Port Antonio for twenty years. I can honestly say I have never been robbed or even felt threatened. As long as you keep your senses about you and a proper attitude, you will love Jamaica and Jamaica will love you. As far as diving, I have operated a dive business around Port Antonio for twelve years, it is my wife's who has run it for thirty five years. The diving is beautiful and the corals, walls, and trenches are fantastic. It is true there are few big fish, but aside from that the beauty is there. Check out our website and our youtube promo video at Lady G'Diver, Scuba diving PADI facility, Port Antonio Jamaica.

The only wrong thing you are doing is not coming the physically most beautiful side of the Island, Port Antonio, the secret jewel of Jamaica and indeed the Caribbean.

A transplanted Jamerican. Steve

I have visited Jamaica probably 20 times in the past 15 years & never felt threatened. Hiking in the Blue Mtns i have met some of the friendliest people ever. Have dived Negril, Mo Bay, Ocho Rios, Port Antonio & Kingston &, although not the best in the Caribbean, have always enjoyed them. Kingston wrecks are esp good though difficult to find an operator at present I believe. but Steve is right Pt Antonio has the best diving & is a particularly beautiful spot - first dived with Jan in 1994 when the operation was at Dragons Bay (where the beach bar scene in "Cocktail" was filmed) - actually, didnt dive with Jan as she was wearing a plaster cast but Aligator Pt was off course good. The Kingston BSAC club was on the boat - they might be organising atrip for us next month to Robins Bay where I havent been yet.

 

[Web Monkey]

Two of my best friends are getting married and are having a destination wedding in Jamaica at the Ocho Rios (Sandals) resort.

I figure 3 days wasn't enough, so I extended to 5 with the intention of doing some diving and relaxing. Curious what to expect in terms of diving, I did a search on Ocho and what I got back was that an inland rock quarry would be more exciting and safer. What i get from the threads is that as soon as I set foot on the island I'm going to be raped and robbed.

You probably won't get shot, and if you stay on the main streets, probably won't get robbed. Some of the beaches and remote areas are amazingly beautiful.

However, that said, while I might fly in, I'd never choose to go there on a cruise again. Cruise ship tourists draw out the "entrepreneurs" like a chum bucket brings out sharks.

Since you're going to a resort, you should have a great time. The guards with (semi-?)automatic weapons tend to keep things sanitized within the grounds.

Terry

 

[fire_diver]

Been to Jamaica, and I won't go back. Reminds me of Baghdad. Rampant poverty, rampant scam artists and thieves. Everyone trying to pressure you into some sort of "deal". Only way to be safe is to travel in packs and stay inside walled compounds with armed guards.

No thanks, had enough of that life already. As to the comment about KeyWest, are you smoking your own pot? You are seriously comparing crime rates in Key West to Jamaica?

 

[mike_s]

I think Web Monkey's comments are pretty accurate.

Fire Diver is right there is poverty, crime, scam artists, but you get that in any big city.

the resorts are all walled compounds, but you really never see the walls as you're on the beach the whole time.


While the resorts we stayed at did have "guards" at the beach borders with other resorts, I never saw them armed with anything more than a walkie talkie. They were there mostly from keeping other people from coming in and enjoying the "all inclusive" alcohol that the resort had without paying for it. In fact they stopped us when we were walking back in and politely asked if we were guest of the resort and we said yes and he said thanks and let us proceed.

even went into the other resorts, to look around, but just told the guard that we wanted to go in and look around for a few minutes. they were ok with that.


I will say though that watching the evening news from Kingston makes it seem like the whole city is in riots all the time. Seems like there some pretty violent crime there on a daily basis. (prob not much more than any US major city.)


Never had anyone in the resort area harrass us to buy something unless you were down on the beach "at the waterline". They never came up to the areas where the chairs were. Basically if you were walking on the beach they might ask us "do ya wants da buy someding from da pharmacy mon?" (meaning did I want to buy any drugs). You said no and kept walking and so did they.

Now if you go to the stores they aren't that bad. I personally though Cozumel was much worse in the stores with people in front of each store trying to "push" you in to buy stuff.

but if you go to the tourist attraction areas, such as Dunns River Falls, you "run the guantlet" of pushy vendors trying to sell you crap. (it was one of the worst areas I saw of pushy vendors".

Our resort arranged for us to hire a private driver one time while we were there to take us places to see stuff, go to certain shopping areas, etc. I think it ended up running about $10/hour. We had a great driver and he took us to some great stores and made sure that no one hassled us going anywhere. It was well worth it. (I'm sure he got a kickback from some of the stores he took us to, but we were happy with where we went, etc.)

If we go back, unless we go on a tour with a resort or something, I doubt I'm likely to leave the resort next time. which will be nice and relaxing and suit me fine.


one more thing. the US Virgin Islands is about the same way. Most of it's resorts are "walled compunds" with security guards. In the streets you have poverty, crime and peopel trying to sell you crap. just wanted to offer that as comparison.

 

[Seanpaul]

Been to Jamaica, and I won't go back. Reminds me of Baghdad. Rampant poverty, rampant scam artists and thieves. Everyone trying to pressure you into some sort of "deal". Only way to be safe is to travel in packs and stay inside walled compounds with armed guards.

No thanks, had enough of that life already. As to the comment about KeyWest, are you smoking your own pot? You are seriously comparing crime rates in Key West to Jamaica?

fire diver, I wish you a good trip back to Oklahoma then... I suggest you stay put sounds like you are at the end of your tether there in Iraq - pity.

 

[fire_diver]

fire diver, I wish you a good trip back to Oklahoma then... I suggest you stay put sounds like you are at the end of your tether there in Iraq - pity.

Been home for a few months now. If you are trying to insult me, I suggest you try harder.

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

Welcome to Scubaboard. Great first post

 

[mike_s]

The only wrong thing you are doing is not coming the physically most beautiful side of the Island, Port Antonio, the secret jewel of Jamaica and indeed the Caribbean.

A transplanted Jamerican. Steve

Port Antonio might be nice, but it's a long drive on winding 2 lane roads from Montego Bay, which is where most of the afordable US flights go into.

I mean we are talking 4-5 hour drive on rough roads.


that's why most people don't visit there like the do the other areas.

(that and all the "resort package deals" by the vacation operators are set up for Ocho rios, Montego bay and Negril.)


the Jamaican government doesn't invest in it's infrastructure of roads to keep it's economic gravy of tourist dollars streaming in. Even when they do work on roads, it take 5 years to pave one. The road to Negril was a dirt road for several years while they were rebuilding it for example.

 

[DivingD.C.]

I just came back from Sandals Negril on my honeymoon and we quite enjoyed the diving.

The morning dive is at 9:30 and the a second dive is at 11:30 and as previously stated there are various depth dives available. We saw turtles, nurse sharks, lobsters, eels, plenty of fish, barracuda, a variety of crabs, shrimp and of course coral. On the boat we had a dolphin swim along side for about 5 minutes and play right in front of us. We did pay to do a night dive ($80 US) and it was well worth it as we saw many of the same animals but more active as well as squid and getting to enjoy the atmosphere of my first night dive.

The other thing of note was the added game of "Find the Lionfish" as they are moving into the area and the dive shops are trying to remove them as best they can.

We had a great time as divers and enjoyed the rest of the resort as well.

 

[diverdoug1]

The Mo Bay area is pretty dicey with respect to crime. Make sure to stay in the tourist areas, keep a close eye on your belongings, and don't flash any cash.