Do not do anything that you would not do at home. Make sure that you ask the hotel staff for recommendations on places to eat and see, and do not do anything that your gut is telling you is not right.
Jamaica is a safe country but also has it's unsafe parts, just like any other country or city that we visit. Be smart, ask the staff, and don't carry large amounts of money on you, use the safe in your hotel room, don't carry your passport with you (you don't need it once you are there), leave the expensive jewelery at home, and don't flash around wealth. Don't do things like walk on the beach at 2am drunk or under the influence....Most of all, don't tell anyone where you are staying, like the room number at your hotel (you wouldn't do this if you were in Europe).
When dealing with vendors, make sure to be honest with them and if you are not going to buy, say NO firmly and upfront...don't tell them you will be back...they will remember and will stop you again! I never tell them when I am leaving also....just so they don't try for that one last sale just before. If you are firm but respectful, they will accept your first answer. Always use respect, they appreciate it and will be in return.
If you have a chance and are feeling adventurous, hire a private driver and he will show you some of the most beautiful countryside I have ever seen....again, ask the staff at the hotel who they would recommend and what a reasonable price would be to negotiate with the driver (make sure he has a red plate also, they are licensed to take passengers, white plates are not). A private hire will be a little bit more then a tour with others but having your own driver means that you can ask him to take you places that the other tour would not go, like his favorite restaurant or local watering-hole.
Most of the locals are friendly and want you to have a good time and come back again. Your tourist dollar will feed their children, put clothes on their backs, and send their kids to school. They want you to have a good time. I always do and I go at least 3 times a year. Be smart and have fun!
YES and NO... The TOURIST AREA are pretty safe if YOU don't do something STUPID.. but there are parts of Jamaica that are not safe AND the ALL INCLUSIVE resorts are mostly in the really BAD areas of the towns and islands, which is why they caution the people staying there to NOT GO OUTSIDE THE WALLS. As long as you stay in the resort area or on 'approved' excursions, you are usually safe
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In a word...Yes....
Do not do anything that you would not do at home. Make sure that you ask the hotel staff for recommendations on places to eat and see, and do not do anything that your gut is telling you is not right.
Jamaica is a safe country but also has it's unsafe parts, just like any other country or city that we visit. Be smart, ask the staff, and don't carry large amounts of money on you, use the safe in your hotel room, don't carry your passport with you (you don't need it once you are there), leave the expensive jewelery at home, and don't flash around wealth. Don't do things like walk on the beach at 2am drunk or under the influence....Most of all, don't tell anyone where you are staying, like the room number at your hotel (you wouldn't do this if you were in Europe).
When dealing with vendors, make sure to be honest with them and if you are not going to buy, say NO firmly and upfront...don't tell them you will be back...they will remember and will stop you again! I never tell them when I am leaving also....just so they don't try for that one last sale just before. If you are firm but respectful, they will accept your first answer. Always use respect, they appreciate it and will be in return.
If you have a chance and are feeling adventurous, hire a private driver and he will show you some of the most beautiful countryside I have ever seen....again, ask the staff at the hotel who they would recommend and what a reasonable price would be to negotiate with the driver (make sure he has a red plate also, they are licensed to take passengers, white plates are not). A private hire will be a little bit more then a tour with others but having your own driver means that you can ask him to take you places that the other tour would not go, like his favorite restaurant or local watering-hole.
Most of the locals are friendly and want you to have a good time and come back again. Your tourist dollar will feed their children, put clothes on their backs, and send their kids to school. They want you to have a good time. I always do and I go at least 3 times a year. Be smart and have fun!
Nothing specific on Ocho Rio but check general safety and security advice for Jamaica on these two pages:
http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/c...
http://inblighty.com/country/advice.php?cty=jamaic...
YES and NO... The TOURIST AREA are pretty safe if YOU don't do something STUPID.. but there are parts of Jamaica that are not safe AND the ALL INCLUSIVE resorts are mostly in the really BAD areas of the towns and islands, which is why they caution the people staying there to NOT GO OUTSIDE THE WALLS. As long as you stay in the resort area or on 'approved' excursions, you are usually safe