Visiting JA?

[Taco B]

Has anyone visited JA recently? Where did you go? And how was the overall experience?

[Tuffgong23]

Take my advice....see all the spots you'd have heard so much about, but if you're spending any substantial amount of time in one place go to Negril. It has everything, nice people, nice beaches and most importantly great nightlife and music scene.

[_Easy_]

negril huh? is that the spot to go? I was thinking about trying to make a trip out there but ive heard that some parts are not the safeist places to go especially if you have a lighter color skin than the locals. i mean i dont know, like i said i heard, ive never been, but id like to hike out to some spots that are kind of of the beaten path and mingle with the rastas out there ya know?

[Taco B]

Got the same feeling. Is it safe for a white guy from Amsterdam to travel the island, go offf the beaten track, visit Kingston and so on.

[mix]

pay for a local to be your guide,should be alright then.

[mix]

One more thing it often assumed a caucasion is rich,now saying that you are compared to most there.So always have on hand a few bucks to hand out it will help avoid confrontations and get ready for aggressive demanding of money.As well be ready for knives to be flashed about,i had at least 200 flashed my way.I stayed in Reading for 6 months.Actually close to Reading more to the east in the hills.Reading is about 20 KM outside of Montego.Lived in a house(tin shack) with a rasta,and his whole family lived on the side of this hill(about 10 residents homes).There was no electricty,running water.Everyday we would get up around 5am go fetch water and sing songs the whole time.The whole family would gather around at night and we would all cook a big pot of food over a fire.Never any meat always veggies and rice.It took awhile for his family to get use to me and even longer for the locals.By the end though I would get the biggest shouts from cars passing down the road and hollers from every stand.All in all i would reccommend staying at a local BB get to know the area at first ,make friends and find out a local who would be a good guide.Then have a good time man.

[Taco B]

Thanks man! This is really helpful.

[leggo rocker]

I have a friend, a black man, who lives in the Caribbean. he has warned me against going downtown in Kingston at all, even with a guide. He's a big big fella but says there are places there that frightened him, let alone a skinny white baldhead.

Shame, as you are only ever going to get a proper feel for the birthplace of reggae music by going to the proper source, the ghetto area.

Of course, I've never been to JA so I may be talking out of my rear!

[mix]

Yes i passed through K-Town ,had a stop over on the bus and the driver recommended staying on the bus.Anyway i went out and about a bit with no problems.Mind you i was in downtown Montego wich everyone assumes is this wonderful touristy spot,not really...I went and bought grocerys one day on the other side of town,my drive left me there so i had to walk through downtown and the ghetto.There was about 40000 ppl walking around the streets and i was the only minority( strange i know how it feels now) anyway about 8 out of 10 people would stare at me with total disbeleif ,ppl would even come up to me and ask "What Are You Doing Here?" the walk passed though eventless.When i got back to my friends place everyone was worried sick that something happened to me,they were in obvious distress that i was in the ghetto by myself.

So yeah the ghettos arent to be taken lightly,and a good guide should help you avoid the real trouble spots.

[leggo rocker]

So yeah the ghettos arent to be taken lightly,and a good guide should help you avoid the real trouble spots.

Jah was your guide that day...