In Jamaica, at Port Antonio

Tips and departure

Before telling you about our trip, I feel like giving you some advice: Jamaica is not Negril, even though agencies try to sell you only that, and then even in Negril, which is the most touristy town, don't expect to find Maldives-style villages with all the extras, but there are little villages without entertainment, without private beaches, without international menus (you mainly eat chicken, but it's worth it!!!), apart from the ultra-luxury 5-stars that are unreachable in price. During the day there's a beautiful sea, but in the evening beyond the beach venues that play live music (reachable only by taxi because neither the beach nor the road are advisable on foot) there's no center to stroll around. If instead you want to get to know the real Jamaican culture, I recommend the eastern area, we in particular stayed in Port Antonio and had a great time.

Not even here do you find the comforts I just mentioned, but at least there's tranquility and you won't have anything else to ask for, in practice there are no venues, but that's fine NO PROBLEM, because the place is beautiful and you lack nothing. Here the Jamaicans are less pushy and with a NO THANKS they leave you to enjoy your vacation in peace, while in Negril on the beach they want to sell you everything: as soon as we arrived one dedicated songs by the legendary Bob to us, but there are those who offer to braid your hair, those who want to sell you ganja, those who sell fruit, those who sell cooked lobster, those who offer you a boat or jet ski ride, those who to sell me a bracelet put it on my ankle and the next day demanded $5.... In short, enough, we want to rest!!!!

As for the period, late November is the best, start of the season so beaches are not too crowded, ideal temperature always around 30 degrees but with a bit of wind that takes away the mugginess.

Departure on 11/21/10 from Milan, plane a bit cramped, but comfortable in the other services; in short, the 12 hours passed fairly quickly. Arrival in Montego Bay and transfer to Negril (another hour of travel!), specifically to the Sunset on the Beach, a small hotel/village on Seven Mile Beach, nice.

Sun and sea

First day, sea sea sea.... A nice 11km-long beach with white sand (but full of foliage) and light blue sea! As I already said, Jamaicans who hassle you to sell you something, but that's how it is....

Ys Falls and Black River

Second day, excursion to the YS Falls, very beautiful, fantastic landscape, even though we thought we could bathe freely in the waters of the falls, instead there are attendants who take you on a 5-min tour holding your hand and taking photos of you, then they make you leave.... Right after, we went to the Black River, also very beautiful and natural, even though in reality we only saw 3 crocodiles (out of the 300 that live in the river) and very small in size. Thinking back now, the excursion wasn't worth the $90 spent!

Around Negril

Third day, sea and shopping in Negril, where there's a characteristic local crafts market, which however serves mainly as a tourist trap: you can't get out without buying at least a wooden mask. Besides this, the town is anything but nice to look at, in fact you just want to leave. We watched the sunset from the famous Rick's Café, a venue on the cliff, where you can admire the dives of strapping Jamaicans from 30 meters high and the bravest tourists can try: a very nice experience, even if not at all in Jamaican style.

On the road to Port Antonio

Fourth day, it's time to leave, destination Port Antonio, about a 5-hour trip (since Jamaican roads are not the most comfortable) and along the way we stopped at Dunn's River Falls, the falls that have almost been turned into an amusement park: they put you in groups of 10/15 people, led by an attendant, and they make you climb the falls on foot, immersed in the water. Lots of fun! Once we arrived in Port Antonio, finally WE HAVE ARRIVED IN JAMAICA! The hotel is the San San Tropez, it's owned by an Italian who has been living in Jamaica for 17 years and tries in every way to get tourists into the NO PROBLEM mindset. The landscape is beautiful since we're right at the foot of the Blue Mountains and you can see green all around and the hotel is no different, with a pool, internet and Italian/Jamaican cuisine. At dinner we finally eat fish!

We've arrived in Paradise!

Fifth day, sea at Frenchman's Cove, a stunning private bay (so with few tourists and above all no Jamaicans bothering you on the beach) where a basin of crystal-clear water forms surrounded by plants of a brilliant green. There are no words to describe the place: it's A TRUE EARTHLY PARADISE!!!! In the afternoon we then went into town, a real town, where the women go out to do their shopping at the covered market, where the kids play in the park, basically where you can see the real life of a Jamaican. An experience not to be missed is the collective taxi, that is, for 100 Jamaican dollars they take you wherever you want but other people get in with you, the problem is that you can even find yourself with 7-8 people inside a car!!!! At dinner guess what surprise Fabio, the hotel owner, had in store for us..... Baked lobster, nothing more spectacular

The sea and nature

Sixth day, sea at Winniefred Beach, the only public beach in the area, so crowded with Jamaicans who want to enjoy the sea just like you, who dance and play on the beach. The sea is always crystal-clear and the beach kiosk turns out excellent grilled lobsters. From here, we set off by boat (the driver had been contacted by Fabio) to take a nice tour of the coast: from Winniefred to Cocktail Beach, where they filmed the movie "Cocktail" with Tom Cruise, to the fantastic Blue Lagoon, where they filmed the movie of the same name and where we swam in waters that changed color from green to light blue to blue and with the golden reflections of the sun, we still have the image in our eyes. From here we went around Monkey Island, a small islet full of vegetation but surrounded by a beautiful coral reef, and then returned to the beach.

Back at the hotel, we couldn't miss a nice dip in the pool in the peace of the forest and for dinner.... Pizza!!!

The way back

Seventh and last day, morning around Port Antonio looking for a church to be able to enjoy the gospel mass, with the big women singing and dancing like in "Blues Brothers" and the priest praising free sex.... 12 o'clock, departure for Montego Bay with a driver who was sickening, who thought he was in Monte Carlo in a Ferrari, so we arrived at the airport 3 and a half hours before the plane's official departure. The return trip wasn't bad, since we traveled at night and felt the 10 hours less (even though in the following days we felt the jet lag and the lost night!). Arrival in Milan and the end of a fantastic trip!

See you soon Jamaica......our heart stayed there......yah man...!!!