Jamaica as a Single Mum

Hello,

We (my 6yr old son) and I are travelling to North America to visit family, around the middle- to late Febuary. I am considering a stop off for about a week in Jamica. Please can you advise on sound places to stay and hang out on this island. I am aware of its troubled state, with rather high crime issues etc. I am in two minds if this is the right time or island to visit. I am an avid reggae fan, my son is lively and well behaved and i really like the idea of the two of us hitting the beaches and having a great time.

However am doing the research and am asking for any advise or tips fellow travellers may have.

Thanks in advance,

Doney :)

I suggest you go to either Treasure Beach or Port Antonio, get a nice local guest house ( look at or past J'can posts) and stay right there for the week, checking the beaches and things-to-do in th area.

I doubt you'll have a crime issue if you stay away form the heavily touristed areas and practice common travel sense. And I can pretty much guarantee your son will have a great time, especially if you go to some local beaches.

My Port Antonio recommendations, for a start:
Ivanhoe Guest House, 9 Queen St. 876 992 3043 ( Mrs. Lorna Burke)
ivanhoesja@hotmail.com

Winnifred Beach In Fairy Hill

Short cheap taxi ride from Prt A. and a 10 min walk to beach with great local people, some local children and safe water Will happily provide more details if needed.

Might see you there if all goes well!

Hi Weaver,

Thanks for the info, yep am interested in hearing more! I actually looked at Treasure Beach last night as the rough guide was describing it as the only un-touristry spot left! Well this defo appeals, so yes any further info on best places to stay/go please hit me. I have emailed the lady you recomended.

When arriving to the island- a flight into kinston then easy taxis/buses or?

Finally is there a music scene in T.beach?

Thanks again weaver, much appreciated,

C.

Going with your 6 year old son, I suggest Treasure Beach are Negril in that order.
Treasure Beach is very non-touristy and is a community oriented place, and your son can play with the local kids. However, there is not much of a music scene there.
Negril is much more touristy, but still has a laid back vibe with seven miles of beach, and there is a water park that son can play at. Negril also has a vibrant music scene.
If you choose either of these places it is best to fly into MoBay.
ONE LOVE !!
Mike

1st off, i don't think you could call jamaica "a troubled state with high crime issues". where's you get that idea? there have been some troubled times in the past, particularly during election times, but those problems are usually in kingston. and if you don't go to the ghetto, you shouldn't have any problems. same as the u.s. go to crime ridden areas in any big city and you'll be askng for trouble. i feel safer in most places in jamaica than i do in places here in florida. just use your head like you would in miami, or atlanta, or new york, or any big city u.s.a. i think you'll find you feel safer there than here.

you'll love treasure beach. walk there. stop and talk to people. it's not like anywhere else in the u.s. anymore. they seem to be real people. negril... well you'll have to watch it a little more closely. go to both.

do a fly/drive vacation. you get a car and vouchers to stay at various places all around the island. i've done it a couple times. it's a pretty cool way to go.

http://www.flydrivejamaica.com/

i did this with my wife many years ago, and alone last year. it's pretty cool. don't be afraid, jamaica is cool. just a reminder as a first timer.. avoid kingston, maypen, and spanish town. other than that, have at it!

If you have the chance either on the way out of Montego Bay or back in, I'll bet that you and your son would enjoy seeing the Rockland Bird Sanctuary. It's quite small but very pretty, and you can feed hummingbirds by hand - they'll actually land on one of your fingers! It was a magical experience for me.

amen to rockland bird sanctuary. but then again there are a thousand cool places.

sound advice from the masters! is u want music though negril is the spot and they have a water park and kids to play with ,,Jamaican kids love so to play with new kids, nannys r always easy to find if u want to go out for the night music and just keep close contant with were ever u may stay as far as nannys and ur need and u will be fine .

Hi

Join the club!

I am a single mum too and have been to Jamaica 3 x with my son, the first time when he was 20 months old.
Jamaicans love children, and with a child in tow you will both have a great time. You will find it very easy to get into contact with people.

I have been to Treasure Beach, and unless you've got a car, it is hard to get around, especially with a little kid in tow, cos there are different bays. It's more spread out than Negril, and frankly, there's nought to do at night, mind you I was only there for 2 days....

If you go to Negril, you have the vast length of the beach, with lots of stuff going on, bars and restaurants all within easy walking distance, or taxi to the cliffs (diving at Rick's etc.), and lots of live reggae concerts on the beach at night etc.
(I saw Bunny Wailer there.....).

You can organise babysitting so you can go out.

You'll meet more people too in Negril than T.B., not unimportant as a travelling single mum, eh?

Have a great time!

P.s. If you do go to Treasure Beach, be sure to make a trip to Pelican Bar, out in the ocean.

Ask around for Ted the boatman, and go with him and Clara, the lovely dog. Your son will love it.

I love TB too, especially with kids. There is nightlife but it tends to be of the rum bar/hangout with locals sort of nightlife, which i enjoyed a lot.

TB is a place I felt welcome everywhere i went.

If your 6 year old rides a bicycle those can be rented there and since the roads have so little traffic, would be a nice way to get around.

amen to TB and kids. when my kids were young back in the late 80's and early 90's we took them to treasure beach and could pretty much just let them go. i wasn't afraid of anything there. i went back the last time a year and a half ago and it looked the same. it's still a cool place, but the whole world is different. i don't know that i'd just let them go off by themselves anymore... anywhere.

Sad, but true.....