I have been asked recently for reviews on beaches Negril Jamaica has to offer as well as the Grand Lido resort that's located there. I had not taken a vacation to the area for several years when I happened upon a super vacation package deal that gave me the opportunity to try out some of the hotels in Negril along with some other travel loving couples that felt the need for a quick getaway to an exotic destination. So, here's what we did while hanging out around the beach in Negril Jamaica.
The first week we stayed at the Sandals Negril, an (adults only) beach resort that has been highly recommended as one of the best, but inexpensive hotels for a romantic honeymoon or for seniors. The next week we were booked at the Grand Lido Negril. If you want to take your family to one of the beaches Negril is famous for, consider the Beaches Resort hotel that is family friendly and has programs to entertain the kids.
THE BEST BEACHES NEGRIL JAMAICA
I was immediately struck by the beauty of the blue water, how clear and warm it was. The sand was white and the water was lovely, but I was also surprised at how salty the water seemed to be. I found very little life in the water directly off the beach of the resort. There were some small fish under a floating platform with a bench on it, but surprisingly there was no real abundance of coral or shells which I found unusual since I had heard the term “Coral Seas of Negril” tossed about in conversations with other couples when making beach vacation comparisons.
THINGS TO DO IN NEGRIL JAMAICA
The white sand beaches Negril and the clear, blue water were all just perfect and I was so excited to try out some of the water sports. To get some exercise I skipped the gym and went kayaking, wave boarding and sailing that were all available through the resort, as well as snorkeling and scuba diving excursions. The snorkel and diving cruises took us to a reef a short distance from the resort.
For fun there were rides on a large rubber raft being pulled by a power boat. If jet skis sound more appealing than bumping over the water on a raft, the locals are very accommodating with the rentals of their jet skis to the tourists for a fee. My sweetheart was their best customer for a few days. The beach where we were hanging out was family and child friendly, and had many hammocks and lounge chairs where moms and dads relaxed while keeping an eye on their kids, but at least one of the best beaches Negril offered did not appear to be pet friendly as I saw no dogs romping with their owners either on or off leashes that day.
WASTED AWAY IN THE MARGARITAVILLE NEAR NEGRIL BEACH JAMAICA
There were a few evenings when we walked about a half mile up the road to Margaritaville, one of the many in the chain around the world. We were offered many taxi rides during that short walk, but wanted to take a romantic stroll instead. We had dinner and I enjoyed a frozen drink at the outdoor tiki bar.
This particular Margaritaville bar and grill is on the Negril Jamaica beach and has a water trampoline that seemed to be very popular with families traveling with children. Apparently quite a few kids still had an abundant supply of energy after having played all day on the beaches Negril is famous for. There was a rock climbing wall that adults might be interested in, but we decided not to try that particular activity and save our physical resources for swimming.
One of the other couples that joined us on this trip told us the story that Jimmy Buffett came up with the phrase "The Jamaica Mistaka" after trying to land his seaplane in Negril Bay, and was fired upon by the local police. The story goes that the drug smugglers had been flying their products into that same area and the police mistook Mr. Buffett for one of the dope runners.
A FEW OF THE BEST PLACES TO STAY ON A NEGRIL JAMAICA VACATION
COUPLES NEGRIL RESORT
GRAND LIDO RESORT
SANDALS NEGRIL BEACH RESORT
CATCHA FALLING STAR (CHEAP! SECLUDED EXCELLENT SMALL RESORT FOR A ROMANTIC HONEYMOON AFTER A JAMAICA BEACH WEDDING CEREMONY!)
In closing, I found the beaches Negril contained to be beautiful and the locals very warm and friendly and recommend the area for a worry free and fun beach vacation.
