My kids going to Jamaica

[glock21]

My ex mother in law wants to take my two girls to Jamaica. They will stay on a resort and will be with 3 more adults and a few more kids. I dont know anything about how safe it is there. I guess im just paranoid and have safety concerns. Has anyone been on vacation there and can give me some insight on how well tourist are treated. I appreaciate it. Thanks.

[SideShow Bob]

Try reading this:
http://gocaribbean.about.com/od/jamaica/a/Crime-And-Safety-In-Jamaica.htm

"Highest murder rate per capita"

[Teufelhund]

Went there on my honeymoon. The one piece of advice I got from everyone before going was "stay on the resort and do not go out in town." That's what we did, so I don't know how valid that is.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[jslo]

West side good, Kingston avoid at all cost.[2cents]

[glock21]

Try reading this:
http://gocaribbean.about.com/od/jamaica/a/Crime-And-Safety-In-Jamaica.htm

"Highest murder rate per capita"

Good article. Im leaning on saying no about them coming. Im not confident my kids will be safe with older ladies.

[ray1970]

Why Jaimaca? Just curious.

[asmo]

Do not leave the resort and they will be fine. Only thing to watch for on the resort are the drug dealers working as resort employees, they aren't dangerous per se, but crime is everywhere. They try really hard to protect the guests from it.

[drift_g35]

I was there a few weeks ago for 10 days. As long as you stay out of kingston you are fine. They love american's, we have more money than them so they treat us well so they can get tipped well. We left the resort a few times to go on some excursions, and we had no problems. We stayed in Negril. I would rather go back to jamaica than go to any resort town in Mexico.

[Mtn.man]

Hey maaan, da gunga dudes are everywhere.

[hatidua]

-wear sunscreen.

I went alone and rode public bus transportation all over the island. From a getting-hassled-to-buy something perspective, I'd not recommend my approach, but if just going to sit on the beach in Negril/Ocho Rios/Montego Bay, I doubt there's significant risk of more than a sunburn.

Many countless thousands of American tourists go to every Caribbean island every single year. If it was like Beirut on any of them, I'm pretty sure it'd be well known and there would be more names on the list than just Haiti.

[funkymonkey1111]

they can get all the ganj they want here, so perhaps the temptations for that issue will be mitigated

[daemon]

We went a few years ago and stayed on a resort, so this may not be the most up to date report. Guys selling "Vitamin G" are everywhere. They tend to stay right on the fringe of the resort beach areas, but some aren't shy about walking up to a guest. We went on one excursion off resort, and I would recommend against doing that. We went to an art'sy type place and while the stuff was nice, the vendors we did not buy from were pissed that we didn't spend some of our American dollars with them...kinda uncomfortable, especially for my wife. Do go on a sunset cruise to Rick's Cafe if possible. This was probably the best part of our trip. Along the way we were able to snorkle and feed the fish (bananas!), and Rick's Cafe was fun, though very tourist oriented. The cliff diving was a blast. On our resort in Negril, there were feral cats everywhere. Most were healthy, but not all of them. The worst part of the trip? My wife's and my credit cards numbers were stolen at the resort. We got it fixed and it didn't us cost anything, but beware. It was on the next to last day, and the cards were used all across the island, even to places we hadn't visited. My guess is that a taxi cab or bus driver got them. We went once, and will never go back. There's too many other places to see.

[funkymonkey1111]

may be too late at this point, but there are certainly nicer parts of the Caribbean to visit.

[bogie]

It might do them some good to go off the reservation to see how most of the world actually lives.

[Irving]

No point in trying to change the destination guys. Glock21 isn't the one taking them. People pick vacation destinations for whatever reason. All the intel about the resorts seems to be solid. They'll likely be just fine. I hope they have fun.

[flogger]

No point in trying to change the destination guys. Glock21 isn't the one taking them. People pick vacation destinations for whatever reason. All the intel about the resorts seems to be solid. They'll likely be just fine. I hope they have fun.

No age given on the kids but I agree with Irving, let em go.

[Bailey Guns]

I doubt there's any significant risk. I'd let them go. They may not have another chance.

[ANADRILL]

Jamaica is an awesome place, good food and kind people. Kingston is the place to avoid. Most of the people you meet there will be God fearing, happy people, despite the hand they have been dealt in life.

[Mtn.man]

Went so long ago that James Bond ws there doing a movie.

[newracer]

I decided a few years ago I have no real reason to leave the US. Anything I could ever want to do or see is right here.

[Mtn.man]

I decided a few years ago I have no real reason to leave the US. Anything I could ever want to do or see is right here.


And if you live to be a thousand you will never see it all here at home. Gotta agree my friend we have eveerything.

[sniper7]

Just stay on the resort. Don't let them go see the locals and experience the culture outside of the resort area. Best case they are fine, usual case is they get ripped off, goes downhill from there.

[Tinelement]

Went to Negril in '02. Awesome time. I wouldn't worry to much. Locals were friendly and helpful. Always plenty of Americans around. And if it's around spring break, it's pretty much all Americans!

There are some ground rules. I don't know how old the kids are, but for the parents also:

Don't buy drugs on the beach. Cops set up stings.
Cops do random pull overs to check for drugs, ask how I know! American cash in your pocket is a good thing to have!
Don't go to the Ganja fields.
And those really cute local girls dancing with you, hookers.

Just use common sense and! Everything will be GTG!

[Dave_L]

I'm heading to Jamaica with the wife in September. We're going with another couple that has been 6 times or so. As others have said, I plan on staying in the resort. It's all inclusive and I dont really care about the "local market". Im going to drink, sit on the beach and have people bring me food. They've never had a problem there but it will be nice going with someone that is experienced.

[Circuits]

My littlest sister did a college exchange year at the University of the West Indies in Kingston in 2006 - the foreign students were housed off-campus at a gated/guarded resort style housing area and bused to campus every day. They were told that wandering off campus or the housing area into the city proper was dangerous and at their own risk.

[rondog]

My wife won a trip to the Holiday Inn Resort in Montego Bay, so we went there on honeymoon in '96. Like they said, STAY ON THE RESORT! We went off-property and into town to check it out, and we were swarmed from every direction. The only thing I wanted to buy at that moment was a 1911! Tourists there can be spotted a mile away, and in their eyes you have targets painted all over you.

The people there are very poor, and will try to sell you any friggin' thing they can pick up off the ground and call "art", they're all "artists". And fruit pickers - I saw people coming out of the bushes on the roads, trying to sell bananas and other fruits, right off the trees.

Personally, I wouldn't let my kids go there without a young adult male (like Daddy!) to protect them. Middle-aged women as chaperones? NFW. Not a place to "experience other cultures". On the resort was fine, other than the pot peddlers.

But if you're on an all-inclusive resort and the bartenders are slow (it's Jamaica mon, e'erbody be slow, we laid back ya know), slip one a US Dollar for a tip. Next time you go to the bar they'll be pushing and shoving each other to serve you!

Myself, I'm in the "got everything I need here in the US" camp. I don't even want to go to Canada. Those fuckers will strip-search you and tear your car apart. BTDT.

[rockhound]

While Jamaica suffers from a high per capita rate of violent crimes, these occurrences occasionally impact international visitors. Most criminal activity is “Jamaican on Jamaican” violence, often involving organized criminal elements and gangs. Crimes affecting U.S. citizens in 2012 were murder (4); reports of rape and/or sexual assault (15); reported aggravated assaults (4); reported kidnapping (parental kidnappings) (2); domestic violence (5) and reports of child abuse (4). These numbers are not all inclusive, and the numbers for rape and/or sexual assaults are believed to be under reported. Many crimes remain unreported for numerous reasons, including fear of retaliation. A special concern continues to be the number of sexual assaults perpetrated by hotel employees at resort hotels on the north coast and the need for forceful investigation and follow-up by the hotels and by police and other security officials.

https://www.osac.gov/pages/ContentReportDetails.aspx?cid=14289

[rbeau30]

I decided a few years ago I have no real reason to leave the US. Anything I could ever want to do or see is right here.

Ditto, makes my SF 86 VERY simple without foreign contacts/travel. LOL

[cofi]

I have a house in Kingston and family out there still..... like others said stay on the resort and you will be fine it can get a little funky off the resort the police are all corrupt as hell out there and looking for a $$$$ hand out most of the time