Cheap packages to Montego Bay any good?

[Dancing Susan]

I keep see cheap travel packages to Montego Bay most of them are for 3-4 nights. I have noticed that nobody on this forum talks about going to Montego Bay, should I save up more money and go to another town? Are the other towns or cities really expensive?

Thanks,
Susan

[ECO]

I've seen those as well and was going to do one a couple months ago just to get away. If my memory is correct, I think I could of paid $350-$400 for 3 nights from Boston.

I'm not a travel agent but I don't think the other towns are more expensive but you have to pay for a taxi or bus to get to them. Heck, I found 3 hotels in Negril that were offering rooms for $35-$45 a night! I forget what I paid a few weeks ago for 3 nights at Room on The Beach in Ocho Rios but IMO it was cheap!

[faith]

I don't recommend going to Montego Bay, especially if you are travelling alone. I have been about 10 times now to JA, and I absolutely hate MB, only go there for the airport.

[ECO]

Faith, I've never stayed in Mobay but what is wrong with it? Location, activities, people, maybe noise from the airport.............I keep hearing about how it sucks but never get any details.

[Wahoo]

Eco, I've never ventured beyond Montego Bay's Hip Strip, but the street hustlers there are very aggressive (even more so--if that's possible--than the most aggressive beach hustlers in Negril). When the street hustlers spot a tourist, they smell blood (or rather easy money), and a walk down the street in the Hip Strip can be an intimidating ordeal. A polite--but firm--"No thank you" usually suffices, but some street hustlers are relentless and won't stop pestering you till they're shaken you down for a few hundred (or few thousand) Jays. It can wear you down very quickly--not my idea of a peaceful, relaxing vacation. Little wonder that some tourists never stray beyond the safe confines of their resort hotel.

[Wahoo]

Re: over-aggressive shake-down artists, I've found that if a polite "No thanks" or a firm "No" don't work, "If you don't get the f**k away from me, I'm gonna beat you so bad your own momma won't recognize you!" always does the trick.

[ECO]

Re: over-aggressive shake-down artists, I've found that if a polite "No thanks" or a firm "No" don't work, "If you don't get the f**k away from me, I'm gonna beat you so bad your own momma won't recognize you!" always does the trick.

How about just speaking to them in French?

or

Turn it around on them and try to sell them stuff that they don't need.........maybe some of those little heat packets that you put in your gloves in the winter?

[Wahoo]

The only French I know is the word for snails. Actually, that might work. If I kept repeating "snails" in French, those hustlers might think I'm insane or queer and leave me alone.

[ECO]

The only French I know is the word for snails. Actually, that might work. If I kept repeating "snails" in French, those hustlers might think I'm insane or queer and leave me alone.

Escargot (can't spell it). I've done the insane act a few times here in the states and it works like a charm. Nobody wants to bother someone that walks down the street yelling at himself or his imaginary friends.

[Wahoo]

Or you could totally immerse yourself in the French culture and never shower or bathe, then your body odor would repel even the most persistant street hustler.

[ECO]

Maybe some of those people should start a rent an escort type of business for the people that are upset when people talk to them as they walk down the street. For $25 or so they could walk around with the scared tourist and fend off the vendors? I don't have much experience in the high tourism areas but from what I've seen once a local has latched onto you the others leave you alone..............I could be way off on this.

[brillianttripsuk]

Hi all...thanks for sharing your experience and Ideas about Montego Bay...very useful...