Negril

December to April is the dry and sunny peak season, with the best weather and the highest prices. March also brings spring-break crowds from North America. From May to October it is hotter and more humid, with frequent short showers, but the sea stays warm all year.

The hurricane season runs from June to November, with the highest risk from August to October. Buy travel insurance that covers storms if you visit during the hurricane season. In October 2025 Hurricane Melissa caused serious damage in western Jamaica.

Seven Mile Beach is why most people come. The sand runs north from the town centre, the water is clear and gentle, and the beach is lined with hotels, bars and restaurants. Its quieter northern end, Bloody Bay, has calmer, emptier stretches of sand.

Negril Cliffs line the West End south of town. Here you swim from ladders and rock platforms instead of sand, and snorkel in clear water close to the shore.

Rick's Cafe is a cliff-top bar and restaurant, open since 1974. Crowds gather in the late afternoon to watch people jump into the sea from the rocks and to see the sunset.

Negril Lighthouse stands on the West End, near the western tip of Jamaica. The white tower dates from 1894 and is one of the earliest lighthouses built of concrete.

Two more short trips are popular. Booby Cay is a small island off the northern end of the beach, reached by boat, with good snorkelling. Blue Hole Mineral Spring, a short drive inland, is a deep natural pool where you can climb down a ladder or jump in from above.

• Watch the sunset from the cliffs: every evening, people gather at the West End bars to watch the sun drop into the sea. Arrive early for a seat by the edge.
• Jump from the cliffs: at Rick's Cafe and other cliff-top bars you can jump into deep, clear water. Start from the lower platforms and follow the advice of local staff.
• Snorkel or dive the reefs: the Negril Marine Park protects the reefs offshore. Dive shops along the beach and the cliffs run trips for beginners and certified divers.
• Take a boat to Booby Cay: glass-bottom boats and snorkel trips leave from the beach for the small island off its northern end.
• Sail at sunset: catamaran cruises along the beach often stop for snorkelling and end at the cliffs at sundown.
• Dance to live reggae: beach bars host live reggae and sound-system nights through the week.

More ideas are on the official Visit Jamaica Negril page.

Negril makes a good base for waterfalls, rivers and the quiet south coast. Most visitors go by taxi or on an organised tour.

• Mayfield Falls — about 1 hour by car. You walk up a shallow river with a guide, past many small cascades and natural pools. Bring water shoes, and check that it is open before you go.
• Black River — about 1.5 hours by car. Boat trips go up the Black River through mangroves and wetlands, where you can often see crocodiles and birds.
• YS Falls — about 1.5 to 2 hours by car. A series of waterfalls in a green valley, with natural pools for swimming. It is often combined with Black River in one day.
• Treasure Beach — about 2 hours by car. A quiet strip of fishing villages on the south coast. Boats from the area go out to Floyd's Pelican Bar, a wooden bar on stilts on a sandbar at sea. Check that it is open before you go.
• Montego Bay — about 1.5 hours by car or bus. Jamaica's main tourist city, with shopping, more beaches and the main international airport.

Negril lies in the parish of Westmoreland, on the western end of the island.

• Savanna-la-Mar is the parish capital, a busy market town on the south coast, east of Negril along the coast road.
• Montego Bay is the main gateway city of western Jamaica and a natural first or last stop.

• By air: Sangster International Airport (MBJ) in Montego Bay is the gateway for almost all visitors. The road trip to Negril is about 80 km and takes around 1.5 hours by hotel shuttle, private transfer or licensed taxi. The small Negril Aerodrome serves only light aircraft. See the Sangster International Airport website for ground transport options.
• By bus: Knutsford Express runs comfortable intercity coaches to Negril from Montego Bay and other cities. Book seats in advance.
• By route taxi: shared route taxis and minibuses link Negril with Montego Bay, Lucea and Savanna-la-Mar. They are cheap but crowded, and you may need to change vehicles.
• Entry: check passport and entry rules for your nationality before travel.

• Route taxis: shared taxis run up and down the beach road and the West End road all day. Wave one down, tell the driver where you are going and pay a small fare in Jamaican dollars when you get out.
• Private taxis: use licensed taxis with a blue Jamaica Tourist Board sticker on the windscreen. They have no meters, so agree the fare before you get in.
• On foot: the beach is easy and pleasant to walk along by day. The West End stretches for several kilometres along a road with little or no pavement, so take a taxi between distant spots.
• Scooters and bikes: both can be rented from shops and some hotels. The roads are flat, but traffic drives fast and on the left, so they suit confident riders only.

• Is a car worth it?: not for a beach stay. Taxis and route taxis cover the beach and the West End. A car only helps for independent trips to the south coast and the hills.
• Driving on the left: traffic in Jamaica drives on the left. Roads are narrow and winding, overtaking is aggressive, and potholes are common.
• At night: avoid long drives after dark. Roads are poorly lit, and people and animals walk on them.
• Parking: do not leave valuables in a parked car.

Seafood is the local favourite: grilled or steamed fish, lobster in season, and shrimp from the south coast. Jerk chicken and pork from roadside smoke pits are everywhere, served with festival or hard-dough bread.

For a casual meal, follow the smoke to the jerk stands along the beach road and in the town centre. The beach bars and restaurants on the sand are easy for lunch with your feet in the sand. For dinner, the West End has cliff-top restaurants with sunset views, and many are best booked ahead.

Negril is relaxed and most visits are trouble-free. The main nuisance is persistent offers on the beach: tours, taxis, souvenirs and ganja. A firm, polite "no thanks" is usually enough. Buying ganja from street sellers is illegal, and smoking it in public can bring a fine.

• Theft and robbery: do not leave bags on the beach, and avoid empty stretches of sand and dark roads at night. Take a taxi after dark instead of walking.
• Taxis: use licensed taxis with the blue Jamaica Tourist Board sticker, especially at night.
• Cliff jumping: injuries happen. Jump only where the water is known to be deep, never after drinking, and check for boats below.
• Sun and insects: the sun is strong all year. Use high-factor sunscreen and mosquito repellent, as dengue is present in Jamaica.
• After the hurricane: some smaller businesses and nearby communities are still rebuilding after Hurricane Melissa. Check that tours and venues are open before you go.

Spanish sailors reached this coast in 1494 and named it Negrillo, later shortened to Negril. For centuries the bays were a quiet anchorage, used by fishermen, smugglers and pirates. In 1720 the pirate Calico Jack and his crew, including Anne Bonny and Mary Read, were caught off western Jamaica after sailing toward Negril. In 1894 the authorities built Negril Lighthouse to guide ships around the western tip of the island.

Negril stayed a remote fishing village until the late 1950s, when the first guesthouses opened for young travellers drawn by the empty beach. The road from Montego Bay was improved in the early 1970s, Rick's Cafe opened in 1974, and the large hotels followed. In 1998 the reefs offshore became part of the new Negril Marine Park. In October 2025 Hurricane Melissa struck western Jamaica. Negril escaped the worst damage, and its large hotels reopened between December 2025 and August 2026.

Quick practical facts for Jamaica at a glance: