Negril is a legendary beach resort in western Jamaica. Rated as one of the top ten beaches in the world by many travel magazines, Negril's beach is famous for its untouched beauty and incredible length. Negril's beach spans about four miles of unbroken coastline, although travel editors and many tourists for some reason insist that the beach stretches for 7 miles. The northern end of the beach is home to the large, all-inclusive resorts, and to the south tourists can find smaller, family-run hotels.
Enjoying perfect subtropical climate, Negril is warm all year round, while sea water temperatures float around a welcoming 27 degrees Celsius. Daytime high peaks can go as high as 28 degrees while lows rarely drop below 21 degrees. Even in January, the sun shines for full 9 hours, brightening the magnificent sands of Negril.
An exquisite resort that offers surprisingly low prices in the month of January is none other than the Citronella (West End Road). Offering traditional Jamaican cottages on rocky cliffs that overlook Negril's famous waters, the Citronella is one of the hottest and most desirable resorts. Tranquil and exotic, this hotel has well-kept lawns and beautiful gardens. The food at the Citronella is sublime too, as the resort maintains a well-known restaurant that serves local delicacies.
Negril is popular year round, even in January. For those who wish to avoid the tourist buzz and also save considerable money, the Country Country Beach Cottages present the best option for their accommodation. Simple and elegant, the resort features only hand-crafted, genuinely Caribbean cottages next to the beach. Each cottage is surrounded by its own veranda and tropical garden, giving it privacy and a true sense of Caribbean spirit.
The longest beach in Jamaica is also one of its best: the Seven Mile Beach of Negril. Developed in the 1960s, the beach is dotted with resorts, restaurants, sunbathing spots, and everything from snacks to hair-braiding. The beach is famed for its turquoise sea and the pristine sand, which gets whiter the farther from town you go. Along the beachfront you'll encounter dozens of hawkers selling their wares, and taxis charging higher rates than in town.
Murphy's West End Restaurant (West End) is a popular spot for gracious service and delicious lobster. The open kitchen serves fresh fish, devil chicken, sweet potato mash and callaloo. Zimbali's Mountain Cooking Studio (Canaan Mountain) is a unique facility that combines an organic dinner and a farm tour of "real" Jamaica. The restaurant is located in the rainforest, so be sure to pack some good shoes!
Just Natural (Hylton Avenue) is a restaurant that serves fresh, healthy and affordable dishes daily, some vegan. You can find anything from fruit and vegetable dishes to unique juices to freshly picked ingredients from the garden. Certainly a change from typical meat and rice fare!
There are tons of things to do and see in Negril, you just have to explore and be open to new experiences. The town began development as a major resort destination in the 1950s and even today, the beach is largely untouched by man, adding to its pristine beauty. To the north of Negril, one can find nightclubs, classy restaurants and large hotel complexes while to the south, there are many smaller hotels and local entertainment establishments.
Visitors to the island can enjoy a plethora of maritime activities, including Stanley's Deep Sea Fishing. At Stanley's, tourists can actually fish alongside local experts and take their fresh catch to any nearby local eatery to have them cooked; you can't get fresher fish than that. The prices are quite affordable for a boat trip plus deep sea fishing, and guarantee a full day's worth of fishing off Negril's stunning shores.
If you'd rather head away from the crowds, look up Treasure Beach on the south coast of Jamaica. It's a much slower, laid-back community, with fishers and farmers--a great chance to mingle with the locals.
