Negril

The name "Negril" is a shortened version of "Negrillo," as it was originally named by the Spanish in 1494. The name is thought to be a reference to the black cliffs south of the village. It is one of the top tourist locations in Jamaica.

For years, Negril's has been rated as one of the top ten beaches in the world by many travel magazines. The north end of the beach is home to the large, all-inclusive resorts, and to the south are the smaller, family-run hotels. This combination gives the Negril area a large variety of rooms, services and prices. South of downtown Negril is West End Road, known as the cliff area, which is lined with resorts that offer more privacy. These areas offer easy access to waters good for snorkeling and diving, with jumping points reaching more than 40 feet high. Rick's Cafe is a place to watch the cliff jumpers, although there have been a number of fatalities and serious injuries with regard to visitors atempting even the lower level jumps (rock impacts, paralysis/quadriplegia, ear drum impaction etc..) Rick's is considered one of the 1,000 places to go before you die.

That Negril is still fairly underdeveloped remains a significant factor in its undoubted charm. This may not last, as a new highway from Montego Bay and an improved infrastructure may bring more tourists. In recent years it has also become a popular location for U.S. college students to visit during spring break.

The last few years have seen major development along the famed "Seven Mile Beach." The resorts include Couples, Sandals, Beaches, Grand Lido and Hedonism II. A branch of Jimmy Buffett's chain restaurant and bar, Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville, and a duty free zone have also been added. These developments have led to adverse environmental effects e.g. dredging of sea grass beds caused the major loss of beach area due to increased sea water erosion.

Sandals Beach Resort