Bob Marley’s House In Little Bay Jamaica

While many people have toured Bob Marley’s homes in Kingston and Nine Mile few can claim seeing his vacation home in Little Bay Jamaica. If you act now you might be able to see the home in it’s somewhat original state (hurricane damaged) before it is completely rebuilt in the next year or two. If you search around enough on the internet you can figure out when it was built, how Bob and his crewed lived in Negril while it was built and stories about his time in the Little Bay area. It’s no secret that some of the best ganja in the world is grown within a mile of Little Bay, was that Bob Marley’s attraction to the area or was it the beautiful scenery in the area? <– Once you go you will know!

Getting to Little Bay: Good luck, I rented a scooter and got completely lost. I ended up down the road at Salmon Point thinking it was Little Bay and while it was only less than 1/2 mile away (give or take) by water it took me 30 minutes to find it on land. If you end up in Salmon Point have O’Neil Furguson (876-293-9275) escort you over to Little Bay and save yourself the stress of figuring out how to get there on your own. If you do go there on your own turn your music off and keep your windows open on the back roads since the mining trucks will sound their horns to let you know they are coming and require the entire road. I would really suggest a taxi and since Little Bay is only a few miles outside of Negril.

Cost: Free…….well sort of free. Once you arrive in Little Bay and pass the fisherman’s beach you will see a little bar on the waterfront. At this bar you will find “Boot” the tour guide who will show you Bob Marley’s house and mineral bath for just a tip. I would strongly suggest calling Boot before you go to make sure that he is going to be there or so he can have someone waiting for you. Boot’s contact info is: 876-416-2292. Be kind and give him $10 or $20 for your group since his income is limited to giving these tours.

What to bring: A camera, a bathing suit if you want to chill out in Bob Marley’s private mineral bath and about 30 minutes of your time.

Hint: Plan some extra time to explore Orange Hill once you are done in Little Bay. In my opinion God/Jah created this area of the island as his masterpiece.

A slide show of some of my pictures of the Bob Marley tour in Little Bay. If you like the music please support the artist who also sells wood carvings on the beach 50 yards north of Rooms on the Beach. His name is Jah Earllocks and his contact number is 876-349-8834.

If you want to stay in Little Bay and explore other great places like Bob Marley’s summer home check out the Coral Cottage <– a link to my review or contact them directly on their site Coral Cottage In my opinion, they offer luxury lodging, cheap prices and they are located in a great community that is surrounded by great places to explore!

Roaring River Jamaica

Roaring River offers visitors an unique view of some of the natural wonders that are hidden in the hills of Jamaica.  Located less than an hour outside of Negril, Roaring River is just a short taxi ride or tour bus trip and a perfect excuse to leave your resort for a day.

While visiting Roaring River you can enjoy the river, the caves, the mineral baths nature walks and other eco friendly activities while your tour guide gives you a history lesson about the area.  I’ll refrain from sharing the history of the area here since it will mean so much more to you learning about it while touring the area.

Prices:  Your best bet might be to find a tour company that will make a visit to Roaring River part of a complete day exploring the west coast of Jamaica.  Tour companies can quote you a price that includes the admission ($15 adults and $5.00 for little kids) and you will just be left with tipping your tour guide.  If you want to venture out on your own (scooter or rental car) call one of the guides who will guide you up to the river from Negril, Savanna-La-Mar or any point between the two if you get lost.  Once there the guide will also be your guide for the tour.  I suggest using Carlos Vassell 876-459-2615 or Robert Forrester 876-574-6137 since I had good experiences with them.

Security:  Roaring River has a security guard (Solomon Vassell 876-508-3458) that will watch your rental car or motorbike while you are touring the area.  There are some little shops and a few random people selling their goods in the parking area who only have a chance to make money when tourists show up so you might feel just a little pressured.  The pressure is very little compared to what you will experience in any of the tourist towns but it’s worth noting.

A word to the wise:  This applies all over Jamaica more so than just at Roaring River but it has left a few people sour at the place because they failed to understand some ground rules.

#1.  Agree on the admission price for your entire party.

#2.  Agree on what is expected by the tour guide after the tour.  Generally a few dollars a person is fine but make sure up front.  The tour guides are not hourly employees and your tips put food on their tables.

#3.  Agree on what the tour will consist of and what the optional extras are.  For example, hiking up into the village or having the tour guide take you up into the mountains would be extras.

#4.  Agree on how long the tour will last.  You might end up wanting to soak in the mineral baths for hours on end or having your tour guide play music in the caves for you while you enjoy a few beers and maybe a spliff or two.  If you are quoted a 30-60 minute tour and end up spending hours you should compensate your tour guide for his time.

I had no issues at all with the staff at Roaring River since I played by these rules, your mileage should be the same if you follow them as well.

What to bring: A camera with a flash to take pictures in the caves.  I actually forgot to bring my external flash so all of my pictures were taken with the built in flash and they turned out just fine.  A bathing suit and a towel are needed if you want to enjoy the mineral baths.  I would suggest wearing your bathing suit there since there are not any changing rooms in the caves.  Shoes with excellent traction or water shoes will make your experience better than if you show up in high heals .  An empty gallon jug or water bottle if you want to bring some of the mineral water back with you.  If you want to do something nice for the tour guides, feel free to print a copy of their picture from this article and give it to them when you go.

A slide show of some of my pictures of the Roaring River Tour. If you like the music please support the artist who also sells wood carvings on the beach 50 yards north of Rooms on the Beach. His name is Jah Earllocks and his contact number is 876-349-8834.

If you are looking for a tour guide to drive you to Roaring River or pretty much any other attraction on the island, check out Jamaica Tour Guide

Review of Jah B’s Cottages

Review of Jah B’s Cottages Negril Jamaica

Location: An excellent mid beach location that is truly within walking distance of the most popular nightlife in Negril.  The beach is within 100-200 yards of all of the cottages and the morass (wetlands of sorts) is directly behind the cottages.  It’s almost like country living directly in the middle of the action.  You would only require public transport if you planned to stay for long periods of time and wanted to stock up at the grocery store downtown.

Booking a room at Jah B’s Cottages: This was actually a pleasant experience compared to other places in Jamaica.  To book a room I just e-mailed Joyce *   jahbsnegril@yahoo.com *  and she responded back within a day everytime.  We exchanged a few e-mails as I narrowed down my dates and we worked out a fair price for my two week stay.  

Checking in at Jah B’s Cottages: The check in process was a real joy since I arrived late at night and I just wanted to shower and hit the town. Clive Gordon my driver and owner of Clive’s Transport pulled up to the side door and Omar the night time security guard (amongst other titles) got in and directed us to my cottage.  After a brief here’s your key, there’s the bathroom type of tour I was given Omar’s phone number and my check in process was complete.  I didn’t have to sign any paperwork, stand in any lines, or even give them my credit card.   On my way to the street I stopped in the dining area to meet Joyce and was off to see the town.   It wasn’t until the next afternoon that Joyce asked if I liked the place and informed me that I could pay my bill when I was ready.  Where else will someone trust me to pay instead of sneaking out?

Room quality:  Jah B’s is rustic……very rustic!  I did my homework before booking at the resort so I knew exactly what I was getting and was very pleased with my cottage.  Everything was very clean and maintained in working order.  My cottage had two beds, a small kitchen and a full bathroom just like a normal hotel room but mine was nice and rustic   Two things of note, #1 the room did not have things like soap or shampoo so bring some from home or you can pick some up at the market.  #2 the hot water takes a minute or two.  I didn’t know I had hot water for several days which didn’t bother me since the cold showers were rather refreshing.   Even after I found out about the hot water I never used it.

Staff: It’s hard to use the term “staff” to describe people that are more like family!  I couldn’t walk past the main building without Joyce or the cook engaging me in some small talk and nor did I want to pass without talking to them.  Omar (security guard/Motor bike rental guy/concierge/friend) was available 18 hours a day to answer my silly question or to cut open a coconut when I was in the mood.

Food: The food at Jah B’s was excellent!  The cook was able to cater to my veggie diet and he was also able to deliver my meal in a timely manner.  If I had a larger budget I would of eaten more meals there but my budget permitted mostly me preparing my own meals.

Security:  The security was a little different than what I am use to but it worked very well.  Jah B’s cottages are all on a lane about 100 yards long and many of the cottages have dogs that live under them.  The dogs know exactly where everyone is staying and will bark if a stranger walks down the lane.  Since I was at the end of the lane I had about a 40 second notice if a visitor was coming down the lane which worked out great if I was expecting someone.  It’s funny how after just a few days I could understand what the dogs meant when they were barking.  With the owners and Omar living on the lane I never worried about my own security or the security of my room when I was away.

Overall Rating of the Jah B’s Cottages:  I’d give it a 9.5 out of a 10 for what it is (rustic).  It’s an excellent place for guests that want cheap, clean rustic living but a horrible place for cheap people who want the Ritz for under $50 a night.  The only thing that held me back from giving it a 10/10 was a verbal battle with the lady who comes by to wash clothing and tries to overcharge tourists.  She over charged me $6 US and felt the need to run her mouth about me in Patois (Jamaica’s version of English) to the groundskeeper.  She did the same over charging thing to the people a few cottages up and we ended up boycotting her services……all over someone trying to pull an extra $6 from us.  If you see her please tell her I’m keeping my promise to screw her for more than she screwed me.

Back to positive thoughts….. Waking up or going to bed if you party all night and seeing the sunrise over the mountains behind the cottages is priceless!  Walking 200 yards to the beach across the street to watch the sunset is equally priceless.  Staying on a lane of like minded guests is like walking down your own street at home and exchanging greetings with your neighbors and friends.  I just can’t get over how I felt like I was “at home” at Jah B’s, an experience that I have never felt in all of my years traveling.  When I return “home” you can find me at one of the cottages at Jah B’s, until then I’m vacationing 11+ months out of the year in New England.

A slide show of some of my pictures of Jah B’s.  If you like the music please support the artist who also sells wood carvings on the beach 50 yards north of Rooms on the Beach.  His name is Jah Earllocks and his contact number is 876-349-8834.

Royal Palm Reserve Jamaica

The Royal Palm Reserve which is located just a few minutes outside of Negril Jamaica is one of the most popular eco tourism places in Jamaica. With it’s boardwalks, visitors can explore most of the property without ever stepping on bare ground or in most cases marsh or ponds. The Royal Palm Reserve offers something for everybody that enjoys the outdoors including but not limited to: butterflies, birds, flowers, trees, mountain views, an education about the morass and the list goes on and on.

Getting to the Royal Palm Reserve is very easy since almost any taxi in Negril will take you there. If you want to hire a tour company that will take you to the reserve along with some of the other west coast attractions call Clives Transport at 876-956-2615 or contact Clive through his website.  If you want to rent a scooter Contact Jah B’s at 876-957-4235 or visit their website where the prices might not be updated but their rental dirt bikes, scooters and motorcycles look the same.  While walking to the reserve might seem like an option you would have to plan an early morning arrival before the sun is high in the sky and a departure once the sun goes down.  A route taxi can get you within a 30-40 minute walk for about $5 from most places in Negril (don’t  quote me on the exact time it will take you to walk).

Admission to the reserve is $15 for adults and $7 for kids.  They sell water, soda and beer so pack a lunch if you are making a day out of it!  More information about the reserve can be found at http://negril.com/1/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=134

Instead of going on and on describing the reserve, here’s a slide show of some of the pictures that I took this April (2010).  If you like the music please support the artist who also sells wood carvings on the beach 50 yards north of Rooms on the Beach.  His name is Jah Earllocks and his contact number is 876-349-8834.