Negril Holidays

You might recognise Negril – its famous black cliffs starred in the Bond movie Thunderball. When it’s not flashing its film star credentials, this resort on Jamaica’s western coast is a low-rise kind of place where no hotel stands higher than the tallest palm tree. Back in the Sixties, hippies loved the laidback vibe here – and that and the beach are still pulling in the crowds.

Technically, it’s more like seven kilometres, but Negril’s so-called Seven Mile Beach still blows the competition out of the water. Here, sugar-white sands shelve gently into clear turquoise waters. You’ve got all the usual suspects in the watersports department, and plenty of restaurants and beach bars dotted along the sands.

In Negril, the vibe may be laid-back but they still like to party. Every night you’ve got dancehall DJs and live bands playing here. Reggae fans can really get into the rhythm – and the town draws some of the island’s biggest names. You’ll find all the action at the open-air bars and beach clubs. No wonder US students flock here during Spring Break.

Just over an hour away you’ve got Montego Bay. In the old town, you can take a look at the notorious Cage Prison, where runaway slaves were once held, and what’s left of the fort. For shopping, you can pick up a trademark jipijapa straw hat at the crafts market near Harbour Street. And if you’re staying on for the evening, Gloucester Road gives you a strip of bars and clubs.