Viajes de Jamaica y guías turísticos

He hablado ya sobre de cuánto realmente tengo gusto Ríos el rugir y los alrededores de Petersfield y de Shrewsbury en la parroquia Jamaica de Westmoreland. Pienso Río el rugir es uno de esos lugares especiales en donde usted puede atestiguar la belleza verdadera de la naturaleza. Mirando los resortes mineral fluya del subterráneo y la cascada sobre las rocas y la vegetación verde lush que crece alrededor de ella es una escena perfecta para mí y yo apenas ama sentar y admirar el lugar.

En mi segunda aventura a la cueva del río el rugir noté estas muestras formadas sol grande cerca de las muestras que señalaba al río. Las muestras fueron formadas como un sol que fijaba y me cautivaron por lo que leyeron. Puesta del sol dicha cura el retratamiento de la montaña y el centro curativo. Apenas sucede tan que un amigo pasaba con una experiencia del cáncer y estuve interesado ver lo que él ofreció en este lugar. Seguí un camino de la suciedad para arriba hacia el lado de la montaña y más allá de una granja pequeña y de algunas chozas de madera adonde viene a la cerca en la puesta del sol cure. Hablé con un caballero en la puerta y él me invitó a adentro que satisficiera a encargado. Una señora joven encantadora me saludé que me demostró adentro a la oficina principal en el nivel del suelo. La característica es bastantes acres y sube colmo encima del lado de la colina con los edificios situados en tres diversos niveles. En el nivel del suelo están los cuartos de alquiler, un balneario, un gazebo grande y la oficina principal. En el nivel medio están los chalets con las vistas impresionantes del valle y en la tapa está el restaurante y la residencia principal.

I had the kids with me in the van after our swim in the river and I did not want to stay long but I was sucked in by the beauty of it all and ended up spending about 20 minutes meeting the owner Beatrice and talking to her some about what she did. I was very impressed with her knowledge and ideas on healing and the power each of us has to heal from within. I decided to suggest to my friend that he stay there for some part of his trip or at least visit and he did. In the end he abandoned the place he was at and stayed the rest of his trip with Beatrice in the hills. He seems to have really enjoyed himself and I certainly hope he did at least.

Beatrice has been in the same location for over 17 years but has just come to open her place up as a full resort and healing center in recent years. She has a wall full of degrees and certifications in fields such as Reiki, Theta DNA and Aromatherapy and she specializes in Massage Therapy for physical ailments. She has had success in helping stroke victims recover from facial paralysis which I found impressive. I always saw that as a permanent condition but the nerve and muscle damage can be repaired or retrained. You can read more about the services offered on the Resort overview page with information on healing vacations in Jamaica and the Spa information has all the details on making this the best Jamaica wellness vacation you ever took.

After my friend had such a great time there and since I was so impressed I went back and spent even more time with Beatrice as she gave me the grand tour of her place. On my first visit I did not take the trip up to the top of her property to see the restaurant and one of the most beautiful views in all of Jamaica. On my second trip I was missing my camera as I sat there in awe of the beautiful setting. Sitting up on the edge looking out over Petersfield and the sugar cane fields of Sugar Valley is so peaceful and the backdrop of mountains with rain clouds above them is simply breath taking. The chalets at the second level are available for rent and offer a great view of the valley below from the balcony on each room.

There is an incredible attention to detail at Sunset Heal and you can feel the time and effort spent on making the place so nice. Everything is fresh crisp and new looking and the grounds are meticulously well kept. When we walked up to the first chalet and stopped to look around both Beatrice and I were out of breath and sweating from the blazing sun and brisk walk up the steep steps and she opened up the door to the fridge in the room and there were cold wash clothes inside for cooling off. I thought that was cool and the timing was perfect. There seem to be lots of little things like that at Sunset Heal which make it such a special place. I have not stayed there overnight as of yet but we plan to do so upon our return in January. We’re heading home for the Holidays and we fly out pretty soon so we’re saving it as a romantic getaway for the parents when we first arrive next year.

I’ll confess to not knowing much about exactly what Beatrice does but I can tell you she knows what she is doing. She is an intelligent and articulate woman who speaks with confidence and I’m impressed with her ideas on healing and alternative medicine. I was most intrigued by what I learned about Theta Healing but you can get Reiki and Massage treatments as well. Theta Healing may hold some promise for my autistic son and we’re exploring ways she can help us with his condition. Sunset Heal is a tranquil relaxing place away from the noise of the cities where you can appreciate the natural beauty of the Jamaica mountains. Take a walk or ride a bike in the hills or swim in the healing mineral waters of the Roaring River or just kick back and listen to the birds and wind blow by under the giant bamboo as you unwind in privacy and enjoy what appears to me like the most peaceful place on earth. It seems like the kind of place famous people go to to get away from the world and I’m happy I found it.

Jamaica and Sunset Heal are positioning themselves as leaders in wellness and alternative healing in the Caribbean and a viable choice over some more “conventional medicines” in America. If you’re looking for a wellness or healing vacation consider visiting Sunset Heal in Shrewsbury Jamaica where the land and water have healing powers and blue skies are complemented by the thick green landscape.

See more pics we took at Sunset heal here or visit their Jamaica healing vacation website for more details.

Trip Advisor

So we moved into Devine Destiny last month. It is Devine Destiny and not Divine Destiny in Negril unlike so many web searchers seem to think. (The website is pretty sad looking still because I’m too busy to update it yet) It’s been a couple of weeks without my camera and I was hoping to get them back before I published this article about our new apartment in Negril on the West End. I had hoped to be able to provide some nice new photos of our moving in and the lovely grounds around us but it looks like it will be until after our return in the new year when I will have a camera to take those pictures with. I’m just not going to buy one here when I’ll be home so soon.

It’s actually been just about three weeks now and we’re totally in love with Devine Destiny. I can already see we will be keeping this place for a long term rental. I expect we’ll be here at least a year and I may still keep this for other use if we do move on. It really is a sweet spot for us and I would recommend it to just about anyone looking for a great deal on a long term rental in Negril. We have everything we could ever want right here or just nearby and I feel much better being just off West End Road rather than on it. We’re just a five minute walk and one minute drive from the main road for the Negril cliffs and minutes away from everything in town. The nice part is that things are much more quiet here for us than they were closer in to town and on the main road. Moving around outside our place was dangerous with the kids and we never really felt safe letting them roam the grounds. Here we have so much space it’s incredible really.

Over the past couple weeks we have taken to walks around the property with the kids and they have become great educational lessons. We have some goats with babies in the bush around the property boundaries that we feed fresh guava and ackee we pick from the bountiful trees here. Elise learned to make ackee and saltfish with a likkle advice from the housekeeping staff here and we had it for breakfast three days in a row because of how much we made. The two large trees here are pretty much untouched and we have more ackee then we can eat even with the kids helping out some. Robby, our youngest son, loves ackee and most Jamaican foods we have eaten as well. Of course he loves all food so far so thats not really saying much in his case. We have had lessons on the animals and how they live around us, lessons on the trees and plants and their role in life. Our walks in the rain or early morning dew are nice to explain the importance of water in the cycle and living here has been a great learning experience already. Both Robby and AJ are taking to the pool and AJ is actually swimming underwater short distances. He seems to feel more comfortable with his eyes open up underwater looking at each other but he stays under for quite some time now.

The grounds are covered in a wide variety of fruit and flower bearing trees and plants and there are always dozens of butterflies and birds around us. It may be a seasonal things but I’ve seen a dozen or more butterfly varieties in the past two days just under this tree in the courtyard where I am typing this blog post from. It has become my outdoors office with close proximity to my wireless router for great speed and the shade of a good size mangoe tree to protect me from the afternoon sun while a steady gentle breeze causes the butterflies to flutter just likkle more than usual. In the past couple days it has become my spot of choice to work in peace and quiet with nothing but the sounds of birds chirping and trees rusting in the breeze besides some dogs barking off in the distance. There is a stray dog problem in Jamaica and you see some scruffy mutts on the roads around us.

Our new apartment is what they call the Suite here and we have an upstairs and downstairs living space that is twice the size of our last place. We now have about 4 times the living space for less money then living on the water but the 11 acres and super sized pool here makes up for the sea side living and then some. I’m from Florida and living on the sea is cool but not a necessity for us any longer. Living at Heartbeat Negril would be great if we intended on living here shorter time frames but 5 months was enough sea life for me. I did enjoy watching the fishing boats and occasional dolphin but I still get by once in awhile and the sea is all around me.

Our apartment has a complete kitchen with full size refrigerator and two burner counter top gas stove. The stove is super cool with auto ignition and some super convection flames that seem to heat things up super fast. It is a trick to adjust them but we manage now. I burned a few pancakes getting used to things but we’re good now. We also have an electric oven which has baked a chicken spread out flat or a cake just fine for us. We would not be able to do a turkey and we actually opted out of the Thanksgiving celebrations this year until the owner invited us to spend the evening with her and her family and we did so gladly. They are the nicest people and dinner was Divine. Our upstairs living space is the family bedroom with two queen size mattresses for us and the kids. We’re still all in one room but it’s so huge we have plenty of space and privacy. We have a huge closet and plenty of drawer space in a large eight drawer chest with full size mirror. The cathedral ceilings must be over 15 feet and maybe those are 18 foot beams running up to the peak. Our unit is one of two in each building that not only has the wide view Dormer windows at the sleeping level but we also have two small windows in the peak that bring in some cool lighting.

Everything upstairs is wood including the handmade furniture, wooden stair case, wall paneling and roof structure. It really is nice and the craftsmanship is top notch. The handmade louvered doors and cabinetry plus the handrails and window frames all look great. The upstairs is covered in a thick brown carpet perfect for walking around on and for the kids to fall on. Upstairs is plush and quiet and perfect for sleeping. We have the Xbox and Monitor setup in front of our bed upstairs and its ten feet from the bed.Plenty of walking space in the room. The upstairs Dormer style windows have a large space even big enough for a twin bed or desk that I have chosen to make my office upstairs. I can reach the wireless from the buildings third floor and the open window is right up to tree level for some really nice views while I work. I do need to get my own phone and internet connection in order to continue my work seriously but working out here in the yard and sharing the office connection is fun for now. I can work from poolside if I chose to but its a bit too much sun down there. I sometimes sit there with the kids but usually I’m in the pool with them.

Downstairs has the kitchen as the entrance which leads to the dining/living space and on to the porch. Everything downstairs is tiled in a soft pink tone and easy to sweep off and keep clean. We have moved the full size fridge out into the living area to make more space in the kitchen for us. We also have a full size table that seats 6 plus a daybed which sits in front of the 19 inch television and satellite cable they supply. The cable has been aggravating as it blinks in and out on us but I’m hopeful we can correct this soon. I don’t really like watching too much television but having it blink out at the end of a show is a pain. The porch faces the pool and we have some folks living downstairs from us in a single room. Everyone is nice and we have some casual conversation with many of the other guests already.

The pool is simply awesome. I think its the largest and possibly most beautiful on West End. It’s pretty big and I can swim a nice long lap because it wraps around a bar with underwater seating in a huge arch. The bar has been opened for events but remains closed like the giant restaurant that seems to seat like 100 people. When this was a fully functional resort it must have been an awesome place, sadly I think they missed the peak and struggled to make a success of this place as an upscale resort. They now focus on a nicer place for locals and expats in search of long term rentals in Jamaica although they still offer some resort guest services. You can still stay here and have some great Jamaican cuisine prepared for you by the Devine Destiny staff but you won’t be served in the restaurant unless you want to sit down there. Guests now get breakfast lunch or dinner served in their rooms upon request. The restaurant freezers stay stocked with beverages and you can always get a Red Stripe with your jerk chicken dinner.

I guess its not too sad though cause I’m glad to have it available to me as an affordable apartment here in Negril. If this place was up to full speed it would probably cost me a lot more money and I’m totally happy to have it as it is. We live in a luxury apartment at an affordable monthly rate. If you’re looking for something like that for your stay in Jamaica then contact me with the links above.

/// Edit: I stole these pictures from around the web. Forgive me of my sins

So it finally happened to us. We had something stolen from us after all I have done to make certain it was a safe trip. I had a couple to many Green Stripes one evening and went to bed with the cameras on the front porch of Heartbeat almost a month ago now. It was a long day really and we had spent the day at the beach and all over town taking photos and video to add to our collection. I had taken some great sunset photos and was going to load them to the site the next day. I lost some nice pictures and video plus any chance of documenting the last month here and our move to a new apartment.

It’s been a real bummer and the primary reason I have not written much. The camera and photo taking kinda inspired my blogging and having them both stolen really hurt me. I’ve been a few places and done a few things since but not having a camera to record experiences has been upsetting to say the least. Lessons learned on double checking my safety before we go to sleep. I left us open to the loss by leaving valuables on the porch over night. I’m sure someone drifted through and took advantage of an opportunity. Sadly the camera is now most likely useless because I have the cables, batteries and accessories to run it and I bet no one will make the effort needed to replace them here. I have no idea who it was ort where they went to but I asked a few folks in the neighborhood to lookout for them. Most people acted shocked it would happen but then soon came around to the fact crack heads roam properties on occasion to take advantage of open windows and more.

So my blogging has been slow since I lost my camera but I’m going to start writing again. We’re heading back to the states for the holidays and I have a lot to clear up still. if you live in Negril and you fgind my cameras please contact me

Aquasol Waterpark is an all day adventure for just about anyone with an interest in the Caribbean Sea and beaches of Montego Bay. This place is pure watersports and you can enjoy just about all the watersports fun Jamaica has to offer right here on this one beach.

Aquasol is located at Walter Fletcher Beach on Gloucester Avenue right in the heart of Montego Bay and is considered one of it’s best beaches and one of the cities top attractions. Summertime is just right for Aquasol and you can catch up on your sunbathing and do some nice snorkeling in the rich abundant near shore waters of the island. The water is always great and the beach is well maintained. Your entrance fee is well spent on a nice facility with so much to do we won’t cover it all in this article.

Aquasol is packed with watersport activities such as the really fun water trampolines, overpriced jet skis, banana boat rides,waverunners, kayaks, pedal boats, glassbottom boat rides and some pretty nice snorkeling as well. Our day at Aquasol started late and we had some other things to take care of in Mobay so we did not cover everything to do at Aquasol. We’re planning a trip through Mobay on the way to Dunns River soon and we’ll stay there at least a day or two. I had made a promise to the kids to catch a beach this day and this one looked as good as the rest but less packed.

The grounds are certainly more kid friendly in comparison to say Doctors Cave Beach in Montego Bay as well. Aquasol has a nice playground and more kid oriented activities. Doctors Cave is a nice but small beach and still hugely popular, still more fun to be had at Aquasol I’m certain. The greatest attraction for the youngsters at Aquasol has got to be the MoBay 500, the GoKart racing track on the beach in Montego Bay. The track was empty on the day we went and not very interesting to our younger children but must be loads of fun for the others. Certainly on our list ofthings to catch next visit to Aquasol.

Aquasol has lots of other stuff to do including two pro size tennis courts and equipment rentals, they offer beach volleyball, table tennis and you can even just get a chair and lay out in the sun, clothes are required though.

If you’re interested in taking a trip to Aquasol or Montego Bay Jamaica then please Contact Us to arrange your airport transfer and private driver.

This article should have been written at least two months back when I stayed at Leighton House but I neglected to write it and it just dawned on me what a great deal the place was and I should really mention it to our readers who might be traveling to Kingston like me in the next few days.

I have to go back to Kingston to clear up some paperwork for my business registration, apparently I neglected to sign a document on the Overseas Company Registration and now I have to drive back to sign it. It’s a 4 hour drive from Negril to Kingston and I have made it there in 3.5 hours with early morning traffic to my advantage but driving there and back in one day is out of the question for me at this point. It’s simply better for me to stay a night and have two days to handle my business. It takes twice as long to do anything in Jamaica anyway right?

So I’ll be calling in on my friends Shane at Leighton House in Kingston. The home is situated at the base of the mountains in Havendale and nice middle class Jamaican neighborhood with pretty homes and steel bars all over. You can tell a better neighborhood in Jamaica by the amount of security in place and this area is pretty nice. The house is beautiful and located deep in the hills on West Greathouse Circle nearby Hidden Valley in Kingston. Leighton House has hostel style bed space available for just $20 per evening or a private room is available for $35 per night. The private bed is my favorite choice because the room has its own balcony with a great view of all of Kingston at night and the sun rises over the hills behind us for a great light show every morning. All I have to do is remember the darn camera next time so I can get some better pics of the area.

Here are some photos of the rooms for rent at Leighton House Youth Hostel in Kingston. If you would like to take a trip to Kingston from Negril or reserve a room please Contact Us for more details.

Picture of the shared room at Leighton House Kingston Jamaica Youth Hostel

Shared bathroom and tub at Leighton House Hostel in Kingston

View of Kingston from Leighton House

We stopped in for dinner at Blue Horizon Restaurant for some jerk chicken in Negril recently and it was a nice experience overall. The Authentic Jamaican food was good and the place was beautiful and all for us to enjoy. Not a single customer in there either time we went. Sometimes thats nice but other times its not. I was a bit surprised with our first bill and we spent a bit more than I thought we should but thats how things go in Jamaica sometimes. I should have asked how much my dinner was costing me if I was worried about it. I think I paid like $600 Jamaican for a nicely dressed jerk chicken quarter and some rice. The place is nice but not that nice really and for a better value I could have gone to Jennys just a short walk down West End Road.

Blue Horizon is probably much nicer for a romantic dinner for two on the Cliffs in Negril or a small gathering of friends at the bar for some Red Stripes and a cool sunset. I don’t think we’ve had a romantic dinner since my first son was born and my kids are both picky. The menu is thin during the summer I guess because we only had a couple of choices for dinner. My thoughts are it is a much better choice for dinner during season when the restaurant is in full gear and the Jamaican chef has more food to cook. During the slow summers it is sometimes hard for all of these restaurants to keep stocked and ready for the occasional customers fancy.

Like I said the food was fine but the best thing here is certainly the view. Looking out over the cliffs from this high up and watching the sunset as you eat dinner is super sweet and makes for a relaxing evening and good time no matter what. If you’re looking for a nice place to eat in Negril and a nice romantic evening then surely consider Blue Horizon Restaurant for a laid back relaxed good time and good food.

I bought The Rough Guide to Jamaica 4 (Rough Guide Travel Guides) for our planned move to Jamaica because it was the most up to date book on Jamaica travel that they had and I had a bad experience on my first trip by carrying an outdated travel guide. On my first trip here many of the locations in the guide had closed or changed hands and things were not what they were supposed to have been. I was very disappointed and made the decision my next guide on Jamaica vacations was going to be the best one available. I think I made a great choice with The Rough Guide to Jamaica 4 by Rough Guide Travel Guides. It’s been an incredibly valuable tool in my adventures and I think it will do much to help you with yours.

The Rough Guide to Jamaica 4 (Rough Guide Travel Guides) is perfect for just about any traveler to Jamaica, it’s a bit larger than some travel guides at 7.6 x 5 x 0.9 inches and slightly heavy for backpackers at 15 ounces shipping weight but if you have the room for an all around perfect travel guide than you must grab this one. It’s breaks the island up into easy to digest sections based on major tourist areas like Negril, Montego Bay and Ocho Rios but it also includes very detailed information on all the places in between. Find directions to out of the way places like Treasure Beach and Port Antonio as well as Jamaican tourist favorites like YsFalls and Fern Gully and see the Real Jamaica in comfort with this trustworthy trafel guide.

I have had the book in country since June and it has carried me all over the island with accurate maps and landmarks that have been a blessing while driving around Jamaica for the first time in many cases. When I bought the van in Kingston it was 5PM in the evening when I decided to drive home to Negril and this guide helped me navigate the dark streets of Jamaica on my trip home. The book is laid out well and it’s very easy to jump through sections because of the tabbed layout and color coordinated features. Finding things like maps of downtown Kingston or how to drive to Mayfield Falls was simple with this guide and a little back up from my Garmin GPS. I’ve been busy mapping down tracks and waypoints that I need to upload and soon.

I found great places to stay like Leighton House in Kingston and super places to eat like Chelsea Jerk Center also in Kingston. I used the book to find places like Royal Palm Preserve, Mayfields Falls and Roaring Rivers and I have lots more places still to go. If you’re interested in traveling with us on our adventures then Contact Us for more details.

Rough Guide Details

* Paperback: 528 pages
* Publisher: Rough Guides; 4 edition (January 15, 2007)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 1843536919
* ISBN-13: 978-1843536918
* Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 0.9 inches

Royal Palm Reserve is one of those special places where one can appreciate the beauty and tranquility of nature and the wonders of Jamaica. The Reserve bills itself as one of Jamaica’s best eco attractions with over 300 acres of lush tropical jungle and Jamaican wildlife including over 300 species of animals such as birds, butterflies and reptiles and 114 documented species of plants and flowers. The Reserve was established in the mid 1980’s as part of a plan to protect the Great Morass Royal Palms which had undergone extensive harvesting and were nearly devastated by clearcutting.

The land was originally managed by the Petrolem Corporation of Jamaica but after a long series of hassles they released it to the Negril Environmental Protection Trust (NEPT) in 2001. The NEPT manages the Reserve with a goal to protecting the area and natural resources of the area under the following objectives from their website:

1. To protect and conserve the Negril Great Morass and its wetland flora and fauna, particularly the endemic Morass (Swamp) Royal Palm.

2. To raise the level of awareness, knowledge and understanding about the Negril Great Morass (and other wetland ecosystems) though an Interpretive Programme

3. To provide opportunities to citizens of neighboring communities, particularly Sheffield, for income generation through direct employment, concessions, training and the facilitation of sustainable livelihood projects in the community.

4. To increase scientific knowledge of the Negril Great Morass and related ecosystems in order to guide planning and management of the Negril Environmental Protection Area through the establishment of a Research Centre at the Reserve and the promotion of research at the Reserve.

5. To increase the financial independence and self-sustainability of NEPT and the Royal Palm Reserve by promoting the Reserve as an income-generating eco-tourism attraction.

The Royal Palm Reserve is without a doubt the best bird watching spot in all of Negril and one of the best choices for birdwatching in Jamaica. You can view dozens of exotic bird species from Negril Jamaica on the Nature Walk with over a half mile of boardwalk which leads you on a beautiful walk to a 30 foot tower in the middle of the Morass which offers the best views of all of Negril. The lovely sounds of birds singing and chirping can be heard all day long at Royal Palm Reserve and the birdwatching is great year round according to some local fans of the Reserve. The Reserve is home to the endangered and rare West Indian Whistling Ducks which you can see floating around in the stocked fish pond. They are scared of people so keep quiet while observing or they will fly off.

The Reserve keeps a pond stocked with Tilapia, or Red Jamaican Snapper as they are called in the local super markets, and they have a catch and release fishing program in effect right now. During peak months or when the pond is overstocked they allow some catch and keep fishing based on the amount of water in the pond and fish available. Fishing in a stocked pond is kinda unfair to the fish but loads of fun for the kids and family. We caught a few fish and let them go but my camera was left behind on that trip so no pictures of us fishing at the Royal Palm Reserve. Fishing equipment is available upon request but bring a loaf of bread for bait and to feed the Whistling Ducks with.

The Reserve has an alligator that lives within the confines of a caged pond. We have only ever caught a glimpse of him and he seems very shy. Could also be that it was hot as the sun and he was hiding in the waters of the swampy pond but we only ever saw him once in three trips. I figured he was trained to answer someone who feeds him so I banged on a pipe used to water him and as soon as I did he popped his head above the murky waters. I think we scared him as we maneuvered for a better picture and he split never to pop up again. Worth a look for sure but you may not get to see him every trip. The Royal Palm Reserve website advertises horseback riding but I never saw any signs of that on our trips, they may bring the horses in from someplace out of sight because the property requires advance booking for this special feature.

The best thing to do at Royal Palm Reserve is plan a picnic. The staff are well prepared to cook and feed groups up to 20 people with advance bookings or you can bring your own food and enjoy a nice day with friends or family and some good food and conversation. The natural beauty and awesome views will inspire some lively conversation on the wonders around you and maybe even make a difference in your day or your life.

The Royal Palm Reserve charges $10US per adult and $5 per child for access to the park all day long. You can spend some time walking the nature trails, fishing the stocked ponds or watching the wildlife and time pass by and enjoy a beautiful day of nature while supporting a beautiful public space. The museum on site offers a great educational opportunity and our kids had fun in the interactive attraction. Learn about the biodiversity and local fauna and wildlife in the colorful and entertaining activities room at the museum and teach the next generation to appreciate the natural world as much as they do the electronic one most of us live in.

If you are in the Negril area and don’t visit the Royal Palm Reserve you’ll miss out on some of the best views in Jamaica and upset me for not appreciating the natural beauty of the Negril Great Morass and the Royal Palms.

You can find 55 more pictures of Royal Palm Reserve at the Jamaica Photo Gallery

Jennys and Jackos Favourite Cakes and Restaurant has been in the same spot on West End Road in Negril Jamaica for 30 years. Jennys and Jackos should really be called Dorothy and Jackos. Ms. Jenny passed on many years ago now but that spot was made famous as Jennys so when Jacko and his wife Dorothy took over they ripped down the old building and put in the new place while adding Jackos name to the sign and Mrs Dorothy now answers to the name Mrs Jenny far more often then her own name. Must be kinda weird for Tayon and Jennys other children who still live in the neighborhood to hear mommas name still used so long after she has passed on. I suppose thats a legacy of sorts.

Jennys is famous for its “special cakes” but popular for being the best value restaurant in all of Negril. It’s a locals restaurant that feeds the neighborhood and tourists alike. You’ll most often find the place packed with Jamaicans enjoying such island favorites as Ackee and Saltfish for breakfast and Brown Stew Chicken for lunch or dinner. Jennys has not only some of the most delicious food with generous portions but is down right cheap for the quality. The $200JA plate of Brown Stew Chicken is a heaping helping of vegetables, rice and peas and a chopped chicken quarter smothered in the delectable brown stew sauce. Not into brown stew? It’s all good cause Jennys does a mean Curry Chicken also.

Jennys is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner with something on the menu for everyone. I have actually eaten more menu items but I always forget to take pictures for the blog. I know I had the Oxtail Stew and Curry Goat both of which were fantastic but no pics. I do have pics and write ups on each of these below though so enjoy. If you’re in Negril on the West End you should think about stopping by a real Jamaica eatery and dining with locals for the day at Jennys and Jackos. It’s located at the beginning of the cliffs just past Heartbeat Seaside Resort.

Ackee and Saltfish

I have no idea why but I never ate ackee and saltfish until this trip. Now that I think about things it may have been the idea that saltfish would not taste good for breakfast that kept me from ever trying any. I knew it was supposed to be the Jamaican national breakfast and everyone ate it but it was not very appealing to me at all. I forced myself to try it this go around and lo and behold it has become my favorite breakfast. I simply love the flavor and texture of an ackee and saltfish breakfast. The best deal on the menu is you ask me because for $250JA you get a heaping pile of ackee flecked with saltfish that has been deboned as best they can and the rest of your plate is covered in the most delicious steamed vegetables and dumplings. The breakfast plate comes with a mixture of steamed vegetables like green bananas, yellow yam, dasheen, plaintains, dumplings and of course a pile of callaloo. Soak it down with a glass of orange juice and its so sweet. Saltfish for breakfast is a unique flavor and you may better enjoy just a plate of ackee and callaloo if you’re not into fish.

Fish Tea Soup

I just love a cup of fish tea. It’s a spicy fishy broth usually laden with fish bones and odd fish parts that makes a simply scrumptious soup ato me. I really like a well made fish tea and Jennys is a great example. I do wish they would dice the vegetables smaller but thats a personal preference. I like to dice vegetables in a soup and stir it heavily to break up pieces and thicken up the broth. Jennys Fish tea tastes great and has a thicker consistency than most but its still kinda light for my tastes. I like to taste the fish in a fish tea and not have the overbearing peppers and spice flavor. Jennys fish tea is a great balance between spice and fish.

Conch Soup

I’ll start by saying I don’t prefer Jamaica style conch soup but I like it. I grew up in the Florida keys where we had Cuban style conch soup and I prefer the taste and texture of that. Cuban style or Key West Conch soup normally has loads of small bits of diced conch meat and a much different broth and flavor to it. Jamaican style conch soup has much larger and more flavorful pieces of conch meat in the soup but a lighter/waterier broth. I like the Jamaican conch soup and the larger pieces of meat but I think again I personally would prefer smaller pieces of conch diced into the broth and a long slow cook to thicken it up.

Brown Stew Chicken

I had never had brown stew anything until this trip to Jamaica. (I know, no ackee and no brown stew until now) I had also never eaten at Jennys until we arrived at Heartbeat Jamaica and our first lunch on the island together as a family was here. The first meal I ordered was the curry chicken because it was safe but my next meal was the brown stew and its been my favorite ever since. I love brown stew chicken and brown stew fish. I especially like the chicken though as I think it just works better that way. I have had rice and peas before but rarely tasted the coconut milk in the rice until I ate at Jennys. Now I understand how rice and peas are supposed to taste and I love it. I can actually eat brown stew chicken, rice and peas every day and save a fortune over cooking at home while eating better.

Here is the takeout order Brown stew chicken dinner from Jennys and Jackos

Brown Stew Fish

The brown stew fish dinner meal is much the same as the chicken except that the fish is not fresh cooked for you. The brown stew dressing is added to the fish already cooked for that day. It’s the way many Jamaican restaurants do fish, they cook the fish early on in the day and then put it on display for you often in a glass case. This makes the fish dry and hard most often but heating it up in some brown stew sauce actually helps it out. Brown stew is not my favorite way to do fish and I much prefer it steamed. Brown stew is better with chicken I think.

Steamed Fish

What’s not to like about steamed fish? That’s right nothing. What makes a good steam fish? I like the coconut. I prefer steamed snapper to begin with and yellowtail if possible. A steamed yellowtail snapper sounds good even right now. The steamed fish meals are prepared fresh and a great meal for lunch or dinner. Here is the fish I had for dinner just last night. Yes it has taken me over a month to finish writing this article and collect all the pictures of Jamaican food from Jennys.

Jennys Cakes

They say Ms. Jenny made the best cakes and you can still get a great slice of cake from Jennys and Jackos. I have noticed that Jamaican cakes are a bit more dry then I am used to but maybe that’s how Jamaicans like it. Almost every slice of cake I have had here was very dry but it could just be me and the heat during summer. I don’t care much for sweets in the heat but I choked down a couple slices of cake with the kids and enjoyed it. I was told Jennys has the best “special cakes” and you could find a nice slice of ganja cake if you asked nicely and didn’t look like a cop. A likle bird told me for $600 Jamaica you can buy a bigfat slice and have a great trip in Negril. ya unnastan mon?

We needed a package shipped from the States with some things from the house to make our stay more comfortable. When we packed I left the speakers for our entertainment unit at home for space and weight savings knowing I would regret it and i sure did. Within days it was obvious the built in speakers in our 22″ multi function tv/monitor were not enough to watch a movie from and we needed a sound boost. We brought about 50 movies along and forgot the remote unit to play regular DVD movies on the Xbox with plus my son scratched up his favorite game in the first week and was pretty upset about it. He seemed to yearn for home until I was able to get him one shipped. I was lucky to also find a copy in Kingston which I snapped up before the package was able to arrive to us a full three weeks after it was shipped.

We stopped in to check on a PO Box at Negril Post Office but were told basically we didn’t need one and we could use the one from whatever resort we were staying in. Our official address is Heartbeat Resort West End Road Negril Jamaica

We have since had to ship packages on more than one occasion and it varies by what you are shipping. I was in a rush to send some documents that I had signed and I had to call DHL and have them stop by the resort on the next day because there is no drop off point here in Negril. It seems silly to me but not one of these internet cafes around here has stepped and made themselves the official drop off for any of the carriers. Not UPS or FedEx has an office locally. There are supposed to be FedEx drop offs here but I have not sen one yet. They say it’s just better to call. Price to ship 2 sheets of paper to the States via DHL was $2000JA or about $35US with a 3 day delivery.

The Negril Post office offers registered mail for about $5 US but there have been stories of lost packages and delays. I myself had a package disappear during Hurricane Dean and it has never been returned or deliverd. Of course I have no receipts for it but it would never matter anyway. It’s just gone and thats the way things go in Jamaica. If you need to ship or receive packages in Negril you should plan ahead and figure out what the best carrier would be. Grab a local Jamaica phone book and call UPS, FedEx and DHL for faster delivery or important packages, or if you can afford to lose it you can try the Jamaican postal service.