Once a sleepy fishing village, Negril has blossomed into a full-scale resort destination. The carefree, unhurried atmosphere (a legacy of its days as a hippie hangout in the 1970s) is unlike that of the other tourist towns, making it popular with Jamaicans as well as visitors. It's located an hour's drive southwest from Montego Bay along pretty coastline and through picturesque villages tucked in deep coves and bays.
The village is best known for Negril Beach, a 7-mi/11-km uninterrupted stretch of fine white sand on Long Bay, considered one of the best beaches in the Caribbean. There's another nice stretch of sand along Bloody Bay, north of Negril Beach, although it is lined by the all-inclusive resorts. (A single road runs along the shore, so finding your way between the town and the beaches poses few problems.) The beaches are great places for relaxing, sunbathing, swimming, sailboarding and watching spectacular sunsets. The water is calm and shallow enough that children can enjoy it. Topless sunbathing is the norm there, and a small section of Long Bay is set aside for nude sunbathing. The public beaches are patrolled by guards to keep vendors from hassling visitors, although you may still encounter hustlers and prostitutes.
While in Negril, you could spend the day at one of the all-inclusive resorts. Even if you're not a guest, you can purchase a day pass that grants you access to the hotel, the beach, all you can eat and drink, as well as most of the watersports. Some of the resorts offer topless and clothing-optional beaches, and many of the beach bars can get raucous at night. Negril is a big spring-break destination, so you may want to keep that in mind when planning a trip.
For a particularly scenic view, visit the Negril Lighthouse, perched on high cliffs just southwest of town. Beneath it, snorkelers and divers can explore caves. A good dive site is the Tortuga Gallery (near Booby Cay), with steep ledges and canyons where scorpion fish and large sponges can be seen. At West End, a good dive site is at Pirate's Cave (close to the Rock House Hotel). Beach vendors offer all manner of watersports.
Nature lovers will want to visit the Great Morass swamplands and Royal Palm Reserve to see birds and plants. They stretch to the northeast of Negril. 155 mi/250 km west of Kingston.
