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Montego Bay, Jamaica questions

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KeithnRita

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Keith & Rita,

When I went to Montego Bay we docked at a pier. There were buses available to take passengers on shore excursions and to downtown Montego Bay.

We took a tour of the city through a hired van at the pier. The price was very inexpensive and the driver was very protective of us. He dropped us off in the downtown area and set a rendez-vous time to meet him to take us back to the pier.

The citizens can be very friendly if you are friendly with them, however one has to be cautious in any city and do not go anywhere with anyone unless your are sure of their credentials. Usually if they make it to the pier they are more or less reliable. Once you get into the city you have to be wary of hailing down strange vehicles to get back to the ship. Make sure you set up a return trip or ask for a suggestion for the return trip.

In Montego Bay, like on many of the Caribbean islands, you should expect to bargain for things. If you don't you will find that you might have paid two times the amount for an item because you accepted the first quoted price. Don't feel intimidated and don't be afraid to walk away. You may get a real bargain when you walk away.

Having said that, use reasonable caution when walking around in the downtown area. Someone may try to sell you drugs, just say no thank you and move on. Do not editorialize on the pitfalls of selling drugs. Just leave.

Having said that, I enjoyed my visit to Montego Bay. I didn't do any special tours but enjoyed my visit walking around the downtown area.

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It is a docking port. I was just there in October. Both times we went to Doctor's Cave Beach and used the beach and facilities there. They have built a Margaritaville there, too.

See http://www.cruisemontegobay.com/ for infor on the pier terminal and transportation, and [url=http://www.cruisemontegobay.com/excursions/index.htm]http://www.cruisemontegobay.com/excursions/index.htm for infomation on sights and excursions.

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Thanks Mebert for the detailed reply. Ocho Rios was sort of the same way as far as people trying to sell you drugs, fake jewelry, etc. We went thru their gauntlet as we walked to a shopping area. We did find some great negotiated bargains.

We also found a great taxi driver, Slow Eddie, whom we hired to see some of the sites. Jamaica is a very beautiful Island. He took us to Dunns River Falls and waited for us as we walked down to beach and back up via the steps, not the falls.

It was just the two of us however, this time there will be at least one other couple with us.

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Our driver's name was Whitey and he seemed to want to act like an uncle who was taking the kids out on a field trip. He showed us the ritzy parts and the more modest parts of town. Because I like the urban experience, this was right up my alley.

I was impressed that everything he said he was going to do, he did. He collected everyone that was in the van with us.

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A really different shore excursion is river rafting on the Martha Brae, or Rio Grande, River.

alt text

Your “Raft Captian†guides your two-person bamboo raft down the slow, winding, waterway, through lush tropical foliage. A stop along the way, for a red Stripe, or a Ting, and you’re in heaven…

The ride to the rafting, from the ship, takes you through some local towns, and you get to see the typical Jamaican lifestyle and how the people spend their days. You also get to see the famous Blue Mountains.

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