Jamaica Tours, Guides and Vacations

We left Florida and arrived here in Negril on January 11th. It took a couple days for me to get online and some new pics posted but I will hopefully be back to blogging about Jamaica and our newest adventures again.

It’s so nice to be back in Jamaica and I am very excited about how glad our kids were upon our return home. Both of my sons are completely happy here in Negril and I was very worried that a month back in the States would mess with them but it worked out for the best. In the end they like Negril and our new place here at Devine Destiny more than all the vacation time and grandma gifts of the past few weeks. I was most impressed with my oldest son AJ who has been very vocal about “going home” and was the most excited about our plan travels and arrival in Montego Bay.

This trip was not quite as smooth as I had hoped for and we still need to sort out some post arrival planning so we can avoid things like an empty fridge on a Friday evening and some other things. I drove home and it was probably a mistake for me to drive so soon after a long flight. I got turned around in Mobay and kept chit chatting with our friend Kevin while driving lost in a rain storm and we lost about two hours because of it. Once we got to Negril and opened up the house everything was irie and everyone felt better. Better planning will avoid this on future trips.

We brought back lots of stuff and we’re prepared for lots of activities this go around. We have the van and now two bicycles plus a trailer we can haul the kids in which should allow us to travel just about anywhere in Jamaica by van or bike. Now we just need to get motivated on some more trips this time.

There is something about Jamaica that makes it very easy to spend lots of time doing much of nothing and taking long naps in the middle of the day has become the norm for us here in Negril. What should take me minutes to do may take me days to actually get around too here and I’m usually a bit slower on Jamaican time.

I do find myself spending more time observing nature and the beauty around us more so while I’m here. In just the past few days we’ve been here I have already seen and photographed so much Jamaican wildlife and tropical flora. I need a good book on identifying the numerous varieties of birds, butterflies and flowers around us. If not I’ll just have to name them all on my own and that will take too long.

View more pictures of our arrival in Negril in our Jamaica photo gallery here!!

Posted in the Jamaica forums for discussion under this topic!!

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.

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