J A M A I C A

I will preface this section by saying that as a general rule I prefer quiet, secluded places over crowded, loud ones, so when it came time to visit Jamaica we opted for Negril over the more popular Montego Bay.

The Caves is a small, all-inclusive resort on the cliffs overlooking the western side of the island, the perfect place to watch as the sun slowly dips behind the horizon at sunset. Because of its rocky location please keep in mind there is no beach. Rather, umbrellas and loungers are perched right on the edge of the cliffs, close to the various small ladders that allow you to step into the clear blue water. For those who are more daring, cliff diving is a common activity both at the resort and at the nearby Rick’s Cafe, a popular spot for food, beers and live music.

The resort is comprised of twelve bungalows that vary in size, from the two bedroom, two floor Sundancer, to smaller studio spaces like the Birds’ Nest. Three meals are served daily by the loveliest local staff who will remember your name and make you feel fully at home. The dishes are made of fresh, local ingredients, impeccably prepared. Thanks to the intimate nature of the retreat, if there is no staff around in between meals, guests have full access to the bars for drinks or snacks but I can assure you that is a rare occurrence as the staff is extremely attentive. There is a small spa with a stunning view of the ocean that offers multiple services. We have ever only tried the couples’ massage and I recommend it. There are various activities available during your stay: a cooking lesson, snorkeling through the multiple caves below the resort, kayaking along the coast and even gentle morning yoga. One night a week there is live music and dancing after dinner. For those eager to explore, the resort will set up daily excursions (more about that in the What to Do section) and car transfers to and from the airport are available since most people will fly into Montego Bay which is 1.5 hours away. Overall this is the perfect place for a quiet, romantic vacation and it is our favorite place in the Caribbean.

For those looking for a bit more action, Couples is another all-inclusive option with multiple locations on the island. We spent the day at their Negril outpost visiting friends where we had access to a beautifully pristine beach, a large pool where they hosted trivia and volleyball games, and there was an endless supply of delicious food.

More recently, we decided to explore a different part of the island by staying at their Ocho Rios location, Couples Sans Souci. This is a much larger resort with multiple buildings, a few of which were outdated at the time of our stay so we requested a room change. They placed us in a first floor room which gave us easy access to the beach from our small back patio. The resort has multiple restaurants you can reserve ahead of time, each offering different cuisines, a nice variety although not all of them were exceptional. The gym was stocked with machines and workout equipment, and yoga classes are offered a few mornings per week. There is a spa with a menu of services available, and each day the guests are entertained with various activities – beach volleyball, ping pong, trivia, tie dying, etc. Kayaks, water bikes and paddle boards are also available any time. One particular thing to note is that a small portion of their beach is nude for those so inclined. It is secluded and sort of tucked away from the rest of the resort, but it seems to be the main draw for the resort.

Overall it was clean and the staff was pleasant, but we personally missed our little blue corner of heaven at the Caves and will likely return there next time.

Lobster Island – while staying at The Caves in Negril, the staff suggested an excursion to the nearby seven mile beach to visit what the locals call “Lobster Island”. A taxi drove us to their partner beach resort Idle Awhile, where a private boat took us to the secluded island. During the small trip there, our captain even stopped to let us see the stunning coral reef below, adding more magic to the day. Small enough to explore in its entirety in less than half an hour, the island is something out of a movie and it is fun to note that it was used for the title credits of the show “Gilligan’s island” (or at least that’s what we were told). At lunchtime, a fisherman and his mother arrive with nests full of live lobsters and they invite you to select one. The lobster is then cooked on a grill that he quickly sets up, while his mother offers you a small selection of drinks out of her portable cooler. The lobster is served cut in half and drizzled with the most delicious butter and spices along with a slice of white toast and it is truly the best I’ve ever tasted. I can’t stress enough the uniqueness and beauty of this place, no words or pictures can do it justice. It is now forever part of our story as my husband proposed there during our second visit.

For those who are looking for a fun, party atmosphere, Negril’s Rick’s Cafe is an institution. Perched on the cliffs near The Caves and voted one of the best in the world, the bar offers food, drinks and live music, along with cliff jumping. Those brave enough, or maybe drunk enough, to attempt the jumps have various heights to choose from for a truly once in a lifetime experience.

If you are staying in the northern part of Jamaica, a visit to Dunn’s River Falls is in order. While staying at Couples Sans Souci, the resort set up the excursion for a group of us. I highly recommend wearing water shoes and an outfit conducive to being wet for this adventure. A tour guide will walk you to the bottom of the falls and will slowly guide you up, climbing on the rocks to reach the top, a fun and beautiful experience for the whole family. Our guide was especially great as she insisted on holding our cell phones to protect them from the water and took incredible photos for everyone in our group.