Greetings from one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been, Negril, Jamaica!
Where the sky is blue, the water is even bluer, and the mojitos pour free. ;)
Ben and I have only been here for a full day and a half (at the time of this typing!) but have already fallen into somewhat of an island routine. :)
We lazily sleep in, then check out the scene at the pool.
Pass through the lobby to smell the fresh flowers.
(I wish I knew what kind of flowers these are! They’re so beautiful and exotic!)
Then head out for a long walk on the beach.
Our hotel sits at the end of a long cove so we walk about 10 feet into the crystal clear water which is warmer than BATH WATER, and head all the way towards the other end of the cove before turning around and coming back.
The marine life we’ve come across on our walks is a hoot. I bought an underwater camera so I’ll share the pics when I get them developed.
We see all kinds of fish though – short and fat, long and skinny, plus starfish, and even sea urchins!
Once we make it back from our walk, it’s usually time for cocktail hour(s)!!! Ben and I are staying at an all inclusive resort, which means all our meals, and drinks are included in the price of the hotel.
This comes in handy for Ben’s fondness for red stripe, and my obsession with mojitos. ;) Actually, it seems I ran the resort out of fresh mint on the first day, so I had to sample a few margaritas on the second day. Whoops!
The food here is fresh, and plentiful. We’ve eaten everything from seafood, to the BEST jerk chicken,
braised oxtail (which I actually loved!)
and tons of exotic and unknown fruits. I still haven’t figured out what this avocado/oyster looking fruit is…
but jack fruit is my new favorite thing on earth!
Apparently it’s as big as a watermelon, and covered with these hedge hog looking spikes on the outside.
The inside is pitted with almond-looking pits that you pop out, then eat the flesh that peels back in layers like an artichoke. It’s WILD, and tastes like a mix between a banana, coconut, and pineapple. Mmmm, so yummy. :)
Well, back to the sun and fun I go! We’ve got an island excursion planned for tomorrow, and today we’re heading towards the famous 7 mile beach to watch and, fingers crossed, participate in some cliff jumping! Whee!
Hope you’re having a great week! :)
Okay, Jamaica is now on my bucket list. I’m not even a beach girl. I prefer Europe… so way to go on “selling” it to me, even though you weren’t even trying! ;-)
Enjoy the rest of your trip!
Cheers~
gorgeous–lucky you! i think the flowers might be bromeliads…have fun!
the fruit is a cherimoya and they are amazing. plentiful here in Cali, come on by!
The flowers are actually ginger flowers. They are often sold with other tropical flowers like birds of paradise and tropical leaves.
I always thought I wanted to return to Mexico where my husband and I have gone to an all-inclusive resort twice already; now I’m thinking Jamaica might have to be our destination over the new year!
My husband and I are looking into a trip to Jamaica the summer of 2013. I’ve looked at a few all inclusive resorts online. Would you mind giving me the name of the resort you stayed at. Love the spinach smoothie. I had it every day this week for breakfast. Thanks Tamara
Looks like you are having a fantastic time in Jamaica. My hubby and I have only been once to Lucea, just outside of Montego Bay. We pretty much always stay at all-inclusive resorts. We are planning our anniversary vacation we take each year in June and going back to Jamaica is on our list. I’m just curious, what resort did you stay at in Negril?
braised oxtail sounds just like the kind of food you should have on this type of vacation! way to be adventurous! looks beautiful. :)
Ran the resort out of mint….that is hilarious!!!! Drink-Em-Dry Honey!!!!! LOL!!!! it’s beautiful there! i love crystal clear blue water! ever since experiencing it, i have been unable to stick even my big toe back into Saylorville Lake! YUK!!
I would love to know the name of the resort as well…it looks amazing!!
There is a little bar you must go to. It’s right on the beach next to the Tree House resort, it has the BEST piña coladas on Negril! Served in a pineapple of course! There is nothing better than sipping one of those as you bask in the sun! I’ve spent weeks and weeks on that beautiful beach and loved every minute of it! You must also go to Ricks and watch the cliff diving!
What is the name of the resort? Looking for a honeymoon spot….
Oh, I’m so jealous! The hubby and I are still thinking about whether we’ll be able to do a “full” honeymoon (even though we’ve been married 8 months now). We’re thinking of going to Europe if we can afford it, but Jamaica looks glorious too (I’m just trying to feel the warm sun here in ND right now)!
I live in the Dominican Republic and the avocado/oyster looking fruit you mentioned is called abio here. So good!!
What resort did you stay at in Jamaica? What time of year is the best to go there
The flowers are called ginger lilies. Lovely, aren’t they?
I’m not sure what the fruit with the shiny, almond-shaped seeds and the sweet insides is called, but if you ever go back, you really ought to try a soft, ripe naseberry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naseberry). It’s as sweet as honey, but very refreshing.
the fruit in the tropics can’t be beat. Buy pineapples, mangoes, plums, star apples and sweetsops from a roadside fruit stand, and indulge in the taste of real plant-ripened fruit. It’s utterly amazing, and the difference between that and store-bought fruit is like night and day.
I live in Jamaica and I am happy that you came here for your vacay. That oyster looking fruit is called a starapple. Its quite delicious and I hope you enjoyed it!!!
[…] woke up this morning with the inexplicable urge to be HERE. Gazing out at the crystal clear warm waters of Bloody Bay in Negril, Jamaica from a beach lounger […]
Just poppin over to your blog to check out some recipes and saw your post on jerk chicken. The photos looked so similar to our photos of Negril that I had to read your other posts from your trip to Jamaica just to be sure and sure enough, we stayed at this exact resort last summer! We had a fantastic time and yes, this jerk chicken is amazing!!!