Jamaica Tours, Guides and Vacations

Finding vacation beach rentals or just simply a room in Negril is easy enough but finding a cool spot to chill by the beach at an affordable rate year round is a trick unless of course you know Joseph at Westport Cottages right on Norman Manley Blvd. If you know about his international hostel and affordable beach accommodations just across the street from Negril Beach then you know where to go for one of the best values in an inexpensive room in Negril.

Budget travelers from around the world call Westport home during their stay in Jamaica and many have returned annually for many years. Some are simple backpackers looking for a cheap room near the beach for the night but many others are long term guests visiting Jamaica and the Negril area for a month or more. Still others are simply budget conscious vacationers looking for quick easy access the the world famous 7 Mile Negril Beach with it’s pristine white sand , crystal blue seas and year round sunshine.

No matter where they are from I have met some of the most interesting people while staying at Westport Cottages and it seems something about the place attracts an eclectic if not fun crowd of guests to get to know. The place is quiet and clean with daily room preps from none other than “Sista” the head of housekeeping and grounds care. She’s a kind honest woman who makes sure you sleep on clean sheets and a well kept room.

The rooms are rather basic and just what you need if you plan on spending most of your time actually visiting Negril and the beach. If you looking for a plush air conditioned place with tv and lots of other stuff then look elsewhere. If you are looking for an inexpensive beach rental nearby Negril Beach with a laid back and super cool atmosphere then call Joseph at Westport Cottages or use the Contact Us page for more details on where to stay in Negril Beach.

Rooms for rent in Negril Beach at Westport Cottages

Shared kitchen area at Westport Cottages

We had the 1st Annual Negril Seafood Festival here on Easter Sunday and it was a huge success with loads of great food and presentations from local resorts and top restaurants. The seafood festival was a great idea and well executed by the team at WoWNegril.com and it seems sure we’ll see many more of these in the years to come.

The idea was to have a number of top resorts and restaurants to have a cook off and other competitions thoughout the day as they displayed their talents and services for all to see. The event had a number of great display booths featuring the wide range of seafood delicacies available in Negril Jamaica and there was enough food and drink to go around for everyone.

I had a wonderful time walking around and tasting the many wonderful treats being prepared on site by the master chefs of Negril and it was an awesome experience just to see and smell everything. By the days end I had my share of seafood and drink and I certainluy look forward to the next event. Too bad you can’t have these like once a month because it was really nice to see so much on display.

Entry to Negril Seafood Festival

Negril Seafood Festival at Wayz Beach

Push Cart Display at Negril Seafood Festival

Peppa Shrimp by Push Cart Restaurant at Negril Seafood Festival

Ice Carvings at Negril Seafood Festival

More ice carving at the Negril Seafood Festival

Serving up the fish at Negril Seafood Festival

Jamaican Style Fish Fry

Long Bay Beach sits just on the outskirts of Negril Jamaica and is known to locals as the best beach in Jamaica. The infamous 7 mile Negril Beach is by far the most popular beach in Negril but Long Bay is the locals favorite play place. It’s also one of the least used beaches during the work week and you can almost have the place to yourself on most weekdays. It’s so nice to have such a huge chunk of beach all to yourself with no worries about being cramped next to a dozen loud people or under some sound system as you may find on the main Negril beach.

Long Bay Beach is known to all as one of the more quiet and least crowded beaches and the facilities on site make it a favorite with locals and the few tourists who find out about it from them. Long Bay Beach is a pay facility and swimming here will set you back $150JA per person or less than $2US but the price is nothing when you compare the amenities and extra things you will find at Long Bay.

Forget the hustlers and higglers of Negril Beach because you won’t find any at Long Bay. What you will find are some of the best views and most relaxing places to worship the Sun God RA. More than half the times I have been I’m there all by myself but on the weekends you’ll find at the most a couple dozen people laid out praying to their own sun god.

The scuba diving and snorkeling from Long Bay Beach are amazing and you can find some great coral heads and rock formations just offshore from this public access beach. The near shore snorkeling is great and you can find all sorts of wildlife just a few feet from shore with a mask and snorkel. Always use the buddy system if you go diving in Jamaica.

A trip to Long Bay Beach for some sun and snorkeling are a great way to spend the perfect day in Negril Jamaica.

Tarrus Riley and Gumption Band put on a great show at Negril Escape for their weekly Sunset Show which features some of Jamaica’s musical history in a live reggae performance every Tuesday as the sun sets.

The Sunset Show at Negril Escape starts as the sun sets and runs through the reggae history timeline and includes performances by local musicians of classic reggae favorites from everyone from Bob Marley and Peter Tosh to Coco Tea and Jimmy Cliff.

Not only do you get to watch the sunset over the beautiful Negril cliffs but you can enjoy some of the best reggae in town while you dine at the all you can eat buffet loaded down with Jamaican food favorites like brown stew and jerked chicken as well as a selection of the islands fresh fruits a baked goodies and treats or you can sip a drink seaside under the stars with a great mix of resort guests and local patrons all enjoying the live music and great atmosphere.

Tarrus had his sax player Dean Fraser and the Gumption Band backing him up and put on an energetic high energy performance in the early morning hours of the last day of the year. Tarrus and Dean had a short harmony shootout with Riley chanting a sweet tune for Fraser to copy on the sax. The battle was fun and got the crowd excited about a show that ran a bit late due to the ever present technical difficulties.

It was a small setting with a limited crowd and Tarrus took the time to pose for dozens of photographs with many of his foreign fans and guests of the West End’s premier seaside resort. Tarrus is coming off the best year in his career after being awarded Top Reggae Performer for 2008 and his album Parables is a local favorite with everyone from the teenage girls to the grandparents singing along word for word to each and every on of his popular songs.

This was my second chance to see Tarrus Riley after his performance at Reggae Sumfest 2008 and it was a much better show with less tension, no rain and a much better vibe then the massive crowds and muddy fields of the Sumfest arena. This show was much smaller and much more personal and Tarrus seems to appreciate the setting. he made a point of touching hands and meeting everyone in the crowd and made it more like a meet and greet experience than another reggae show.

The Sunset Show at Negril Escape runs every Tuesday evening and features some of Negrils favorite local musicians having fun with the history of reggae in Jamaica. Stop by and check them out on your next Tuesday evening in Negril.

If you are in Negril and searching for a great deal on some souvenirs to take back home then look no further than the City Center by the roundabout and Coral Seas Shopping plaza which is located across the street from Burger King in the center of Negril. There on the ground floor beneath the Digicell center you will find Sona Duty Free Shopping Center which offers great prices on everything from tshirts and trinkets to a selection of fine jewelry, liquors and cigars at discount prices and duty free.

Shop keeper Rocky has been in the same location for 15 years providing visitors to Negril a wild selection of Jamaica t-shirts and other clothing items so you can carry your Irie feelings back home with you. Lots of first time Jamaica vacationers find a taste for some of the islands special treats such as fine Blue Mountain Coffee and Jamaica’s Appleton Rum they can’t fill at home so Rocky has a selection of the most popular liquors in the right sizes for international transport so you can just breeze through the airport with your new favorite drink in hand.

For those of you that enjoy a good smoke you can also pick from some of the best cigars in the world with both Jamaican and Cuban cigars for sale. Cuban cigars are of course not legal for sale in the US but they are offered here in Jamaica and they seem to be very popular with many of our guests. You can buy the cuban cigars for smoking here in Jamaica but you CANNOT buy Cuban cigars to take back with you. Save that for the high quality Jamaican cigars which are said to offer the same flavor and smoking experience as the cigars from Cuba.

Whatever you’re looking for Sona is an excellent choice for Jamaican souvenirs and gift shop items located in the center of Negril. Stop by and say hello to Rocky while you do some shopping in Negril.