We went there on our honeymoon in 1994. If we were to do it over, I’d’ve never chosen to go there.
That said, we did the “all inclusive” in Ocho Rios. I thought we were going to die on the ride out there from Montego Bay. Driver of our van (which was supposed to be a new, air-conditioned motor coach with refrigerated and frozen drinks aboard) was an hour late. I think we had ten couples crammed into the van - no a/c. Driver laughed like he was stoned when we asked what happened to the above-mentioned bus. When we asked about drinks, he popped open a cooler tied to the back door. Two of us dared to ask about “frozen” concoctions, and the driver proceeded to pop open the hood so he could plug in a blender. Sadly, the driver had no ice. But doncha worry mon — he’d be making at least one stop on the way out to O.R. - a little shack selling warm “coke” bottles out of the case.
The resort was poorly managed. Many people were standing in long lines when we arrived.
One morning we walked off the property to buy some souvenirs. OMG, the poverty, the stares, the offers to buy weed, etc. On another occasion we took to the water in a little sailboat. No problem — husband sailed at the Naval Academy. As soon as we were about 20 yards offshore, several Jamaican men paddled out of nowhere in little canoes smoking weed. “Wanna buy some ganja, man?” Followed us all around, until Jamaican guy threw up his hands and started yelling profanities at us for not participating in his grass business.
And our worst mistake was thinking I would take one on one instruction and become Padi certified at the resort. Was too innocent to have known the instructor would be stoned, too; giggling the entire time as I nearly drowned in the pool. One time, I rose out of the water, and the instructor was *gone.* After a few minutes, he came falling out of the bushes with smoke seeping out his nostrils. Good Lord, I will never go back there.
Oh my...wow, this sounds all too familiar.
We went in January 2005 to an “all-inclusive” place. We also thought we were going to die on the van ride from Montego Bay airport. Our driver was over an hour late. He showed up in a rickety old unmarked cargo van. He seemed stoned, offered us weed the second we got in. We were the only couple. Looking back, we should have gotten out and called the resort.
He drove insanely fast, did not speak at all. It was nighttime. At one point, I told my new husband that I was genuinely concerned for our safety and wanted to get out. My husband kept asking the guy where exactly we were and how long it would take to get to the resort; all we got were grunts and mumbo-jumbo talk back.
Our resort was also poorly managed and poorly kept up. Our room was a dump. Even better, the ‘resort’ was filled with children! Apparently many Canadians and Europeans take their kids to Jamaica in January and let them run wild. It was crazy - dozens of half-naked (and some totally naked) children taking over the place. We complained several times to the “managers” but were met with blank stares or “yea mon.” Food was awful, no activities, we were ready to go home after only a couple days.
We tried to transfer to another resort, but that was so much red-tape that it wasn’t worth the hassle.
We did go into Montego Bay one night with an “escort.” We went to a casino and were promptly hassled by coke dealers trying to sell. My husband was hassled by hookers on the street, pimps, druggies, cons.
The poverty is unreal. The poster who mentioned the “revolution in the air” is exactly right. The men seem to spend their time stoned, fishing, laying on the beach. Women and children beg, prostitute, con. It’s a very sad existence. And not a good honeymoon story! Hopefully we’ll go somewhere better in the future ;)