Im planning a trip 2 Jamaica the first 2 weeks of December. I would like to stay in St Ann but avoid hotels and resorts. Can anyone help?

I have heard of people visiting the home of Bob Marley in 9 Mile. Is it possible to see this without a tour guide?

I would also like to visit Kingston, Port Royal, and the Blue Mountains. Any advice or info about these areas would be helpful.

Does anyone know of any concerts or events anywhere in JA during the 1st 2 weeks in December?

it is possible to visit nine mile without a tour there are taxis from Claremont that will go to nine mile...as it is a village...
there are always events going on you just need to look for the posters that are all around...
what type of accomodation you looking for? guest house?

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Hello Again and Good Morning!!!

I am going to try to help you with what Ive learned from my experiences.
This trip comming up and budgetting.
Advice from good friends.
and Advice from my Grandmother and Grandfather (From Mammee Bay in St. Anns!)

You still havent mentioned where in st. anns you would like to stay...
Ochi, St. Anns Bay, Claremont, runaway bay..........



--Trips--

Your gonna need lots of money to go everywhere.
Specially cause your white. You will be hustled.
I know its stereotypical, but its true!

Damswell knows lots of people out there and has connections, AND shes lived out there she knows how to deal... but even at that people still try to hustle her.. I get hustled right in my own village because I still havent gone there enough.


The days that you go on trips You could rent a car, or take a taxi
Now A taxi driver will try fi hustle for sure.
If you go on a tour for some of your trips, like Kingston & Blue mountains.
They have them at Set prices.
A tour is always a good Idea specially because t is your first time in JA!
You dont want to end up in the wrong area by accident
specially with no Jamaican connection/Travel buddy.....


But anyway,
Budget out 200 a little trip easyyyyyyyyyy.
Even if you dont spend it all.

My trip to Negril is 200 bucks, for gas, rent the car and a nights stay.
Taking in mind Im only paying 20 bucks for the car for 2 days because My Boyfriend knows some people.

--Nine Mile --

From a taxxi driver, that we knew.
It was 100 bucks for the hour and a half drive from Ochi, and back.
he stayed with us, and acted kinda as security!
We also fed him, and payed his way into the tour.


--Concerts--

you will have to look more into when your there. Its to early they dont plan that far. Just look in the news paper in teh entertainment section everyday!

a guest house would be nice..i jus dont wanna stay in a resort

as far as what part of st ann..any suggestions?

what is the average rate for a taxi?

what is there to do in kingston?
whats up wit port royal?

i know a guest house in Claremont that is 2800J - 3000J a night can arrange for the owner to come get you its about $100US. Taxi from claremont to nine mile is think is about $150J might be a little more.....
Again lots to do and taxi from Ochi Rios to Spanish town is about $350J one way, then i dont know what it is from Spanish Town to Kingston.
Taxi from St Anns Bay to Ochi Rios is about $50-75J, and Claremont to Ochi is about $100J

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LMAO Niina we are talking a white tourist.
NO WAY can he get prices like that.

He is Not you! LMAO
I cant even score prices like that!

those are the prices on local rout taxi..if you know what the prices are ahead of time and just give them that like everyone else then whats the problem?

i guess in all the years ive been in ja and going ive not had a problem with route taxi ripping me off......its getting the knowledge before going....as you get in you tell the driver "its 75 to ochi right", then they know you know,.....its when you dont have the knowledge that gets you ripped off

oh and it $150 from St anns bay back to claremont....they charge more going up...funny....maybe cause its uphill the whole way...always been like that...cheaper down than going up

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lmao I was with Ricky, Popeye and Maurice and the taxi brought us down to the yard from steertown!!!!!!! a 8 min walk.. all downhill.
They said its usually 50,
even when they got in they said 50 and just cause I was there they said no its 200 man.
I guess they were to drunk to argue.. they just all put 50 in with me..

Asshole route taxi drivers...
I dont like them

it also depends on the time of night.....not so many people on the road at night....rupert used to pay 200 to get home from night shift when it was only 50 during regular time....

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i've never had issue getting ripped off on route... but it is a situation of knowing what the rate is and knowing it's not a point of discussion... i've seen foreigners get charged 20US a piece to go from salem to dunns on MAXI TAXI (not even route, we're talking those smaller buses... i think the going rate then was 15J (dating myself here lol))... so yes, people can be ripped off easily if they don't know they system...

the OP should understand that route taxi is shared (read packed) and sometimes you may be required to be in close proximity (read squished against) someone who may not share the same concepts of hygene as yourself... it's not quite as bad as some of those buses, but it can be rather uncomfortable from say ochi to spanish town where you're in that car for likely 2-3+ hours (route makes frequent stops to drop off/pick up)... luggage is pretty much a bad idea on route, (esp if you are foreign/white, sorry)...

I'd also not personally recommend a foreigner not familiar with the system/island take route at night either unless they are with other people they know... so, needless to say, unless you planned on overnighting it, I'd say heading to kingston by route is not the best way to go... i love knutsford express... clean, comfortable, airconditioned coach style bus (complete with movie), does a few daily trips from Ochi to New Kingston for about 20US (i don't know what the current rate is.... Knutsford Express - Jamaica Bus Services) if you're looking to make kingston a day trip, it's a good option..

that said, i'd personally not recommend an unfamiliar (white) foreigner try to navigate kingston solo unless they were sticking to the tour book if you will... new kingston/halfway tree ect would be fine (a little hectic), and i'm sure any taxi could get you to the marley museum with little worries (or out to port royal), but if you want to get more off the beaten path, a private driver/guide would be a good idea... (or at least a friend who knows the area to accompany you)...

for the blue mountains, heading up to say newcastle should give you a good taste of this... it's gorgeous and accessible via route (which i'd say is very safe during the day, not heard of issues at least)... from papine to newcastle is something like 150J each way? don't quote, i've never done it personally, but i know it's not too bad considering... the roads are crazy winding and inclined, try to get a window seat if you can, it's an experience just getting there

if you're interested in staying up in those parts, mount edge is one of the cheapest places i know of (Welcome to Mount Edge Guesthouse!) with a million dollar view... it's about 10-15 min before newcastle, past irish town...

Enjoy

20us is base price for maxi taxi....they dont go below that.....no matter how short the distance

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20US???? Nooooooo... i'm talk about the mini bus (country bus)... this is what the going rate at the time was i *think* 15J from discovery bay to ochi or something of the like... they were def ripping off the dutch (?) tourists who got on right after we did in salem... i would have liked to help, but they didn't speak english and just handed the guy a 20 (US) (at the time, the equivilent of about 500J if I'm remembering correctly)... there were about 20 ppl on the bus and these people paid 40US for the "privledge" of sitting on the stairs (wife on husband's lap) for a hot half hour or so.. (roads were crap back then)...

maybe maxi-taxi isn't the correct word for it in Jamaica... i know other places i've been and that's what they called them and i could have sworn i heard them called that back then, but it's been years since i've heard the term (or took the bus )

maxi-taxi on north coast as far as im aware of is now part of JUTA, more tourist excursions from the ships etc....country bus yes is super cheap....i would never do it takes freakin forever to get anywhere!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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thanks ffor that accomidation.... I think I gonna ask Ricky if he wants to go

thanks 4 everything...this has been very helpful

whats up wit port royal?