جامايكا رحلات و [توور غيد]

نحن تلقّينا الفرصة أن يأخذ رحلة إلى [مفيلد] سقوط مع مجموعة من أطفال محلّية وعيّن بعض ضيفة من نبضة قلب منتجع ملاطفة من واحدة من الضيفات جون. هو كان ه متأخّرة يشبع يوم في جامايكا عقب 4 أراد أسابيع جميلة وهو أن يعطي شيء [بك تو] بعض من الجوار أطفال أنّ كان قد أحضره كثيرا سعادة في أيامه متأخّرة هنا.

مع تخطيط صغيرة قرّر نحن أنّ هو كان 5 بالغ و5 أطفال يكدّس داخل شاحنت مقفلةنا ل ال 1 [1/2-هوور] إدارة وحدة دفع إلى [مفيلد] يسقطون عن طريق [سف] لا [مر.]. نحن حجزنا [توور غيد] ووجبة غداء مجموعة مع الأصليّة [مفيلد] سقوط و [هدد] باتّجاه آخر للمتنزهة باكرا أنّ صباح. نحن كان أعطيت اتّجاهات إلى [مفيلد] سقوط ب ال [أفّيس ستفّ] عندما اشترى نحن نا رحلة مجموعة غير أنّ نحن افتقدنا دورة وأنهى فوق يأخذ طريق بديلة أيّ أنهى فوق يكون طريق جميلة سيّئة. ذهبت هناك بعض حفرة دائريّة على أكثر من الطرق في جامايكا غير أنّ على هذا رحلة كثير من الطريق كان وأنا بالتّأكيد [أدفيز] أنت أن يأخذ هذا رحلة مع يمهر مرشدة من بعض نوع لأنّ يحصل ب التصق أو يخسر خارجا هناك كان ما من حالة لهو. أخيرا [ميت وب ويث] طريقنا سيّئة الطريق نحن افتقدنا أو الطريق جيّدة غير أنّ بعد ذلك على حدّ سواء [ف] هم يحصلون رهيبة, المدخل طريق إلى [مفيلد] سقوط في شرط رهيبة وتحذير متطرّفة [أدفيز]. أنا استطاع لم يفهم كيف هم استطاع تركت الطريق أفسدت إلى هذا فقراء شروط لواحدة من الحالة جذب لطيفة طبيعيّة في [نغريل] منطقة غير أنّ أشياء أصبحوا لقمة أكثر واضحة مرّة نحن وصل على مشهد.

هناك الآن اثنان حالة جذب على [مفيلد] نهر. الأصل [مفيلد] سقوط حيث نحن اخترنا أن يذهب يؤسّس على إشعار محلّية أنّ السقوط ونهر يكونون كثير لطيفة هنا. The newer attraction is named Riverwalk at Mayfield Falls and they have strategically placed themselves on the roadway before Mayfield and overwhelmed the place with signage to make it seem they are they one and only attraction and the one everyone has come to see. You can see this is having an effect on the Original Mayfield Falls and is certainly costing them a lot in lost business and revenue. I have not decided whether we’ll stop by the other one next time or not. I think it’s kinda wrong whats being done and its apparent to me anyway that they are stealing their business by being somewhat deceptive in using the name Mayfield Falls instead of Mayfield Riverwalk or something and the signs are misleading.I think the staff and management needs to clear things up by creating some nice new signage of their own letting everyone know there are two places to see. I understand that Riverwalk is a newer and nicer facility but somewhat overpriced when compared to the Original. I cannot of course confirm this yet so I guess I should then huh? Settled then, I’ll go to Riverwalk next and compare them for you. Hows that?

Anyway the Original Mayfield Falls has some very beautiful scenery and we ended up having an incredible day hiking up the river to the main falls. I have to say here that without the wonderful services of Gary the Wonder Guide who with three kids hanging from his arms and neck was still able to skip up the river like a stone over the water it would not have been so nice a trip. If you go you simply must have a guide to help you navigate your way to the top or you’ll simply never make. The trip up is about an hour hike over some pretty tough terrain but well worth the effort. It’s an awesome nature walk through towering forests up the river with tons of great spots to swim in the cool mineral waters. You can drink the water direct from the river and it’s like drinking bottled water before they bottle it. It’s very refreshing and cold. The kids were good in the water but a few of us adults took a minute getting used to it. It’s definitely invigorating and according to many locals the mineral waters have healing powers and can aid in all sorts of ailments.

The goal of our hike was to reach the largest waterfalls at the top of the trail where we were able to slide behind the waterfall for a cool pic with Mathis, one of the local youths we took for the trip. It was a great accomplishment for us as a family to make it up there together and we all had a great time hiking the river. Both my kids and the local kids had fun and a new experience and there have been almost daily requests to return ever since we got back. We’ll certainly be taking more trips to Mayfield and for sure we’ll got to Riverwalk at Mayfield next so we can compare.

Our tour package included lunch at the on site restaurant and we were served a delicious meal of Jerk Chicken, Rice and Peas and Veggies along with a cool glass of fresh squeezed mango juice which was perfect. You certainly have the option of bringing your own lunch if you prefer but it’s not worth it. For the price paid the local food was awesome and not having to worry about was even better. We enjoyed our time at the river and left the work up to the very capable and friendly staff for the day. If you’re interested in more information on tours to Mayfield Falls please contact us for more details.

More pics from Mayfield Falls in the Jamaica photo gallery

This is our view from the front porch on the first morning in Jamaica. We’ve been in Negril for just over ten days now and it’s time I got some new photos and stuff up. These would be some of our first pictures here in Negril. It’s summer time of course and although the sun is hot the city life is pretty quiet. Not many tourists in town for the heat of summer so things are extra slow right now. Often times we find ourselves the only patrons of an establishment and some times they open up just for us. There is a good and a bad to that in that we are met by friendly faces but times are tough and everyone wants to make something from us.

We’ve gotten used to it quickly and a firm “No Thank You” covers almost everything. We got beat over a few meals because we didn’t think to ask about the price before we ordered some places. They’ll hit you hard at the end if they can and don’t be embarrassed to negotiate any check handed you. Times are tough all over and my money is best kept in my pocket. Jamaicans actually appreciate a good barter but have no love for a cheap person. If you can’t settle a deal they will probably curse you for wasting their time as if it were more valuable then yours.

Negril Beach in the summer is a beautiful thing and the sun shines down on us all day long here. The beach and water are our favorite spots so far and it’s been a lot of relaxing and chilling in the sun for us since our arrival. We’re slowly moving out and about and I have loads of more stuff to post about but a big part of our stay was the water fun for the kids. Our room at Heartbeat in Negril has an awesome view and the easy access to the beach and seas makes snorkel trips and frolicking in the water an easy activity for us all.

Our room does not have direct beach access and we are not on the famous Negril Beach. We’re currently at the base of the Cliffs of Negril and about a 2 minute cab ride at $150JA for the four of us. We do have a beach we can use that suits us just fine and it’s been a lot of fun for the kids to spend hours playing with some of the local boys on the beach. It’s behind a restaurant that seems more a late night bar but the day time crew at “On The Rocks” has been great. The beach here at Heartbeat is great but we much prefer the Negril Beach for a nicer cleaner beach with more activity and things to see. This beach is not maintained and some odd things are washed up on shore.

A Picture Perfect Day at Heartbeat in Negril Jamaica

One of the best things about Jamaica is all the natural beauty around us. On our 3rd morning in I got up a it earlier than usual and was able to catch a great Sunrise from the rocks outside our room. I was able to get a decent shot of the sun rising over the Negril Beach with the Mountains in the background that was just an awe inspiring thing to witness live. No camera can do the colors any justice and my amateur photography is not up to the task yet. I’m still learning the new camera and whats best to use in conditions like this but man it was worth waking up early thats for sure. It turned out to be a picture perfect day. I caught the sunrise, a trip to the beach for some fun in the sun with the kids, some beautiful snorkeling along the coast of Negril after a fabulous lunch of local cuisine and ended the day with a perfect Sunset from the vantage point of our room and the porch out front.

After the sunrise and a likkle brekfast we ran down to Negril Beach so the family could finally see the famous beach. It was pretty hot and we had things to do like hit the Hi Lo so we we’re not there very long. After the trip to Hi Lo we decided to have lunch at Jennys Restaurant just up the road from us as no one wanted to cook or wait for something to be cooked. We took the Brown Stew Chicken because it was ready and we wanted to try it. It’s become a favorite meal especially for the low price of $200JA per plate. A full meal consists of healthy portion of chicken served with rice and peas, cabbage and vegetables. My review of Jennys comes soon.

Later in the day the kids hit the beach and dad did a little snorkeling off up the coast and around the rocks near the hotel. The water s great and the kids are taking to the sun and sea better than expected. They both have a few extra bite marks from the bugs but we’re controlling it. The beach is close by and easy for them to swim and me to explore while still watching them. This is nearly the same spot as the sunrise pictures but looking back towards the beach.

The sea life around Negril is awesome and the short dive I took on our third day was great. The biodiversity near shore is still strong although I was disappointed in the number of game fish to be found. There are tons of tropical fish of all flavors and the pictures above are a small sample of the underwater photos I have been able to take. I’ve see a lot of things on snorkel trips around the cliffs here in Negril and I’m looking forward to taking the camera on some bigger dive trips as we go further off coast and into some deeper waters on a glass bottom boat soon. Their seem to be loads of juvenile tropical fish in the area with lots of small butterfly and other damsels. I was surprised to see a few Rock Beauty Angels and a Juvenile Queen Angel but my shots on those are shoddy. I need a weight belt for better motion control and shot consistency.

Juvenile French Angel off the coast of Negril Jamaica

Juvenile Banded Butterfly Fish

Pair of Banded Coral Shrimp

Large Snail off Negril Jamaica

I took a little nap during the afternoon showers which are very common here in Negril. It was nice to wake up to a cool refreshing breeze whipping through our room as it raced in from the ocean in front of us. The ocean breeze is really nice when we have it. Right now it’s hotter then heck in my room tonight as I type this blog post. It’s 11PM and about 85 C and I’m sweating like a pig in my bed. Theres a decent breeze tonight so I bust open the windows and hope for no mosquitoes. The afternoon showers make for some great cloud formations and leads into a perfect sunset and an end to a perfect day.

It looks like we’re falling in love with Negril Jamaica and I thinks Heartbeat has someting to do wit dat mon. A far I concerned we cyan stay here f’ever.

I have been thinking about our first few days or weeks in Jamaica and some of the things I want to do when we arrive on the island. I would like to spend some time checking out local attractions and I am planning a few day trips for our first week in JA. Finding things to do in Jamaica is easy enough but I want to make certain we catch some of the big attractions early on. I found Iexplore.com offers a great write up on Jamaican attractions and their listings for things to do in Jamaica has been helpful in my planning.

Mayfields Falls in Westmoreland Parish, Jamaica West Indies

The first month or more of our trip will be in the Negril area and I want to visit as many of the natural attractions as we can. I have not made it to many of the falls besides Dunns River and I have never been on a river raft ride either so I think a stop at MayFields Falls is a definite. We may even consider spending the night and making a two day trip of this one. Mayfields Falls has been suggested to me as a great outing by one prospective guide I am communicating with in Jamaica. I think we may have need to hire someone to pick us up at the airport and deliver us to our first place to stay. I also think I may want this person to give us a couple days tour of the area in order to let the family see all the things around us. We may also take a trip over to YS Falls which is said to be a bit nicer but kinda far from Negril.

Natural Pool at YS Falls in Westmoreland Parish, Jamaica W.I.

Of course we’ll be spending lots of time at the beach in Negril but we’ll have to be careful about that. It’s been a few years since we’ve lived by the ocean and I think we’ll need to get used to the sun again before we can handle a full day at the beach. The sun here in Florida can be brutal but it does not compare to the summers in Jamaica on the beach. You can feel it cooking you in JA and the kids won’t be able to handle that for long at all. We’ll need to plan some daytime activities and try to plan our beach playtime during the later afternoon hours when things aren’t as bad. If you’re planning a trip to Jamaica and need some ideas for things to do outside your resort check out this page.

Jamaica Overview | Jamaica Tour Guide | iExplore.com

Jamaica was inhabited by Arawak Indians prior to the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1494. Although Columbus was in the habit of declaring that each new island he chanced upon was more beautiful than the last, he seems to have maintained a lifelong enthusiasm for the beauty of Jamaica.

A few years later, it was formally colonized by the Spanish whose rule lasted until 1655. They were displaced by the British who turned Jamaica into the most important of the British Caribbean slaving colonies. Within 100 years, virtually the whole island had been divided up into large plantations owned by absentee landlords and worked by forced labor imported from West Africa.

Welcome to Jamaica MAX. This blog will offer news and reviews on our Jamaican adventures. The Moya family is moving to Jamaica this summer for a 6 month adventure. We plan to cover as much of the wonderful island of Jamaica as we can during our first extended trip with the goal of returning next year on a permanent visa. We’re going to catalog the adventure here for all to see. Lets see how it goes.

Alfred