Jamaica Villas - Online Newspapers and Blogs for Jamaica

I find it always helps, no matter what country you visit, to get to know what is happening before you set sail on your annual vacation, for many reasons, after all, you don’t want to visit a country that in the throes of some great upheaval, do you? I know you’re thinking that this sounds unlikely or farfetched but it is not and I can point to my own experiences in the late 1970’s when I took a vacation to the west coast of Africa, to Ghana to be precise.

There I was, enjoying the beautiful sunshine in this delightful tropical paradise, I was up jungle in a place called Kumasi and living the high life whilst doing my best to avoid the rather large and fierce looking insects when we were informed, in a sort of “by-the-way” manner that there had been a military coup but there was nothing to be worried about. Nothing to be worried about? Military coup! It wasn’t what I expected when I got off the plane the week before.

No matter, it all turned out well and I got back home with nothing more than some insect bites and strange looking souvenirs.

So, now, I don’t leave blighty unless I am absolutely sure there is no chance of a military coup, a volcano erupting, flood or pestilence and I have found that the best way to do this is to read the local online newspapers and Blogs as they have all the local information at a glance.

Jamaica is blessed in this sense as it has my favourite online periodical, the august Jamaica Gleaner. This is a delightful online newspaper for the tropical paradise of Jamaica that is informative as well as entertaining and there is not too much political nonsense to bore you.

The Jamaica Gleaner is also a great source of information as far as entertainment is concerned with up to date lists of forthcoming concerts, exhibitions, theatre cultural and historical events, sights and activities, in fact, if it isn’t in the Jamaica Gleaner, it isn’t happening and that goes for military coups and volcanic eruptions.

So, when you come for your Caribbean vacation to the Sur MerVillas at Negril, you will already be familiar with what’s going to be happening and if you do get stuck for options, there is always the ever helpful Villas Sur Mer staff that will be happy to help in any way they can.

Welcome to Jamaica, Welcome to Villas Sur Mer and enjoy reading the Jamaica Gleaner.

 

Jamaica Vacation Villas links: 

http://www.villassurmer.com/ Negril Villas Jamaica 

http://www.luxuryarrivals.com/ Jamaica Villas

Jamaica Villas - The Pelican Bar in Westmoreland

 

The Pelican Bar complete with Honeymoon suite

 

 

Mac and Doris waiting for a cab?

 

 

"Of course, the kitchen has been modernised..."

 

 

"Theres a draught coming from somewhere?"



We have all traveled the world in some form or another and we have witnessed everything from the ridiculous to the sublime, or at least we often think we have.  I personally have found myself in such squalid places as a public toilet in Kenya way back in the early 80’s where you needed a strong stomach to go within 50 yards of the place and just a few blocks further on, the Sunflower Disco where local businessmen turned up in dinner jackets and suites and tourists such as myself had shorts and flip-flops on watching naked Limbo dancers wriggle under a flaming bar just a few inches from the floor. A sight that has lived long in the memory, I can tell you.

No doubt you have your own wonderful and weird experiences to relate and I would be glad to hear from you if you can beat my Limbo dancers but there is one such place that defies logic and that one place is a pile of sticks, planks, palm leaves and nails that passes for the most important tourist attraction in the whole of the Caribbean islands. The Pelican Bar!

The Pelican Bar is a ramshackle hovel that sits on wooden stilts about a mile offshore on a sandbank and was the brainchild of a local fisherman by the name of Floyd Forbes who thought this platform in the middle of the Caribbean Sea might be the ideal place for himself and other fishermen friends to hang out after a hard day’s work.  It developed from that to becoming the biggest local attraction on the south side of the island of Jamaica and in no time the tourists were flocking to this complete wreck of a bar that sits out in Parottee Bay just down from Port Charles in the parish of Westmoreland.

The original Pelican Bar was washed away in a hurricane some years back and such was the impact on the local economy that local businesspeople clubbed together to enable Forbes to rebuild the Pelican bar and produce the finest concoction of planks, nails, poles and driftwood anywhere in the Caribbean.

To get to the Pelican Bar from Negril (For those staying at Villas Sur Mer) you drive down the coast on the A2 until you get to just past Crawford and then it’s through Black River and then you are there. In all it takes you about 1 hour 30 minutes by car and is roughly 83Km but worth every inch of the journey.

If you are staying with Villas Sur Mer or Luxury Arrivals Jamaica Villas then I’m sure the staff will be delighted to point you in the right direction.  So, if you do go for a Jamaica villa vacation in Negril with Sur Mer or along the coast with Luxury Arrivals and you do visit the delightful Pelican Bar, just remember who told you about it and send me your photos and comments and I will add them to this blog for other weary travelers to enjoy.

Jamaica Vacation Villlas links:
http://www.villassurmer.com/  Negril Villas Jamaica
http://www.luxuryarrivals.com/  Jamaica Villas

Jamaica Villas

 

Fancy a Jamaica villa? Check these Jamaica villas out then.

 

If you are ever perplexed when trying to choose a Jamaica Villa then I has some great news for you. www.luxuryarrivals.com has a great portfolio of villas in Jamaica and they have them set out so you can flick through easily to find the Jamaica villa of your dreams. There are plenty of beautiful and exotic locations, from Montego Bay, Negril, Port Elizabeth, Spanish Town, Kingston, Discovery Bay, Runaway bay and many more places all available for your vacation or wedding ceremony.

Take a look at the www.luxuryarrivals.com website as there are not just Jamaica Villas available but villas all over the Caribbean Islands, you can just browse through and make your choice, and, if your still not sure then you could always get in touch online, direct to the staff and they will be delighted to help you.

Jamaica Vacation Villlas links:

http://www.villassurmer.com/  Negril Villas Jamaica
http://www.luxuryarrivals.com/  Jamaica Villas

Jamaica Villas

 

 

Relax, that's what it's all about.

Jamaica villas are always a great way to spend a holiday in the Caribbean, for a start you are in control of your own itinerary, you can come and go as you please without being tied to meal timings or arranged events.

Villas Sur Mer at Negril has some fantastic Jamaica Villas and Cottages in the beautifully exotic cliffs overlooking the Caribbean Sea. Check out the updated website for a luxury vacation Jamaica villa or a romantic cottage, you can have your wedding reception and honeymoon here or simply party on a great tropical vacation. www.villassurmer.com

 Jamaica Vacation Villlas links:

http://www.villassurmer.com/  Negril Villas Jamaica
http://www.luxuryarrivals.com/  Jamaica Villas

Jamaica Villas - Scuba Diving vacations in Jamaica Villas

EPIC Scuba Diving in Negril from Leon Grant on Vimeo.

 

 

Quite often I’m asked “what exactly does one do on a Jamaica vacation when one rents a villa at Sur Mer in Negril” and my answer as always is “One does exactly as one please!” maybe not as eloquently as that but you catch my drift.

Jamaica is a marvelous place for everything outdoors, from lazing in the shade on a sun kissed beach, to sitting in a beach bar and watch the waves pound the beach, whizz around on a speedboat or ski jet or take the more sedate Glass Bottom Boat tour, you catch fly through the forest on a Zip Line, visit the Bob Marley museum, go an nature rambles and visit historical sites..There are endless activities and renting your own Jamaica villa you decide your own itinerary.

 

One thing though really is a must and that is to go snorkel or scuba diving. The Caribbean Sea is home to the most exotic and beautiful sea life as well as brilliant and exciting wrecks of all shape and sizes and scuba diving off Negril is highly recommended. To give you an idea of what to expect, I found this fantastic scuba diving video for you to check out.

 

Check out the Villas Sur Mer Tourist Attractions website page for scuba diving and other great activities.

 Jamaica Vacation Villlas links:

http://www.villassurmer.com/  Negril Villas Jamaica

http://www.luxuryarrivals.com/  Jamaica Villas

Jamaica Villas Blue Waters Ocho Rios

 

Looks Cool. Blue Waters Villa

When you are considering a vacation to Jamaica there is one property that really deserves your attention and that is Villa Blue Waters close to Ocho Rios (Eight Rivers) on the north coast of the island of Jamaica, close to great tourist attractions such as Dunne’s River Falls, James Bond Beach, Discovery Bay and many more beautiful and exotic places.

Charming Blue Waters is like a tiny jewel set in the exclusive, gated community of Old Fort Bay just outside of Ocho Rios. The villa is just a few minutes’ walk from one of the prettiest beaches on the island. Blue Waters offers four air-conditioned bedrooms and 4 baths. The interiors are comfortably and tastefully furnished with a mixture of island rattan. Outside, there is a large furnished patio overlooking the lush grounds and expansive private swimming pool.

Take a closer look at Blue Waters from the main Luxury Arrivals website. Villa Blue Waters, Jamaica. 

Jamaica Vacation Villlas links:

http://www.villassurmer.com/ Negril Villas Jamaica
http://www.luxuryarrivals.com/ Jamaica Villas

HOTELS IN NEW YORK CITY, USA - Book rooms in Hotels in New York City (NYC) USA

HOTELS IN NEW YORK CITY, USA

 

Who doesn’t want to visit the USA? I don’t know of anyone who would not want to go and see ‘The Big Apple’ that’s New York City to you and me, everyone wants to see those giant skyscrapers, The Empire State Building, The Statue of Liberty and all the other fantastic attractions, entertainment and of course the fabulous restaurants.

www.luxuryarrivals.com has a great list of hotels in New York City (NYC) for you to choose from and a visit to the main website will show you the best hotels in the whole of NYC. Take a look and book yourself somewhere with style and comfort and really go for it and enjoy your stay in New York City.  Hotels in New York City USA

 

 

http://www.luxuryarrivals.com/  Hotels in the USA

Holidays to Jamaica - How many people visit Jamaica?

From this bar graph we can see the answer is 'Lots'

 

I have never been one for red tape or gobbledygook but sometimes you really have to bite the bullet and get in there and take it on the chin. Your thinking I have gone mad, I’m sure you are but what I am getting at is statistics, you know, that mass of numbers, percentages, graphs and squiggly lines that are suppose to enlighten us but really only add to the confusion. There is an old proverb that likens statistics as a lamp post to a drunk, there more for support than acumination.

Anyway, I, being a great fan of the beautiful paradise island of Jamaica was interested in how many people actually visited the country during the course of any given period and so I went sniffing about on the Internet to see what I could find.

To be honest, I found a lot of very dull websites with even duller content, masses of graphs and serious looking people try their best to look serious and so in the end I resorted to one of my own favourite websites for information, the Jamaica Observer!

“For the period January 1 to August 31 this year, Jamaica welcomed a total of 2.09 million visitors which netted the country US$1.5 billion. Speaking at the official opening ceremony of the 21st Jamaica Product Exchange (JAPEX) tourism trade show, minister of tourism Edmund Bartlett said:

Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/business/Jamaica-s-tourism-numbers-continue-to-rise_9770837#ixzz2Qo8FWvwz

There is a great amount of interesting (?) information regarding the tourism numbers to Jamaica, who is spending what and where, which other islands are getting more visits and a load of other stuff you may want to use in your repertoire of barstool anecdotes or after dinner musings to keep guests or friends interested (You may however wish to hide any sharp objects.)

There really are just a couple of real hard facts to take notice of;

Jamaica is a very beautiful island that attracts millions of visitors every year and continues to do so.

 

Jamaica is one of the favourite destinations for tropical weddings.
 

Jamaica has no venomous snakes or spiders.

 

The next question is where would I advise all of these people to go and stay or have a tropical wedding in Jamaica? I’m happy to say I have a much uncomplicated answer:

Jamaica weddings and Honeymoons, Special Occasions and Reunions you are making a perfectly sound choice with www.villassurmer.com in beautiful Negril.

For Jamaica vacations in all other parts of Jamaica and the Caribbean islands then www.luxuryarrivals.com is the company to look after you.

Visit both these websites and you will see for yourself why these are two of the most popular Jamaica villas and weddings companies in the Caribbean.



Jamaica Vacation Villlas links: http://www.villassurmer.com/ Negril Villas Jamaica http://www.luxuryarrivals.com/  Jamaica Villas

Jamaica Villas in Negril - Villas Sur Mer Villas and Cottages

 

Walk through video of Villas Sur Mer in Negril, Jamaica
 

Map of Jamaica with Negril on the west tip.

As is normal for me, I was surfing the Internet looking for interesting snippets for Villas Sur Mer, villas and cottages in the Negril area of Jamaica and I came across a great walk through video made by my good friend and fellow BloggerKristi Keller. Kristi has a delightful Blog all about Jamaica, Jamaica towns and villages, Jamaica culture and heritage and much more, the Blog is  called Jamaica My Way and is a mine of fantastic information about Jamaica and includes the video I have ‘borrowed’ for Sur Mer Villas and Cottages in Negril.

Where in Jamaica is Negril? Well, as you can see from the map the town of Negril is on the western tip of the island of Jamaica facing towards the Gulf of Mexico and the Isthmus of Panama and ideally placed to take full advantage of Montego Bay airport which is just a short drive away, as indeed are all the bright lights and tourist sites, cultural and heritage sites of interest and some of the best snorkeling, diving, surfing and all sorts of other fantastic water sports.

 

This is why Villas Sur Mer and Negril are such a great deal, you get the very best of what Jamaica has to offer, from peace and serenity with fantastic views of the Caribbean Sea to the vivid sites and bright lights of the hottest tourist locations in the Caribbean at Montego Bay, and you really are spoilt for choice.

 

Take a good look at the Sur Mer Villas and Cottages at Negril and see what a fantastic location it is, and then visit my friend Kristi’s site for all the information on Negril, Montego Bay and Jamaica.

 

Villas Sur Mer Link

 

Jamaica Vacation Villlas links: http://www.villassurmer.com  Negril Villas Jamaica

Jamaica Villas - Villa Bay Watch at Runaway Bay in Jamaica

VILLA BAY WATCH IN RUNAWAY BAY, JAMAICA

 

Baywatch is a lovely three bedroom + two bedroom and loft, set on a beautiful sandy beach in Runaway Bay

 

There are three bedrooms in the main house with bamboo beds and en suite bathrooms attractively decorated in bright, tropical colors. A two bedroom, two bathroom + loft cottage (annex) is directly across the paved terrace. The cottage can accommodate 6 additional guests but only kids up in the loft.

 

Please visit our main website for a full description and photographs of villa Bay watch at Runaway Bay in Jamaica. Bay watch Villa Link.



 

 

Jamaica Vacation Villlas links:
http://www.villassurmer.com  Negril Villas Jamaica
http://www.luxuryarrivals.com  Jamaica Villas