Jamaica's western edge is a laid-back haven where there is
little to do other than sit back, relax and enjoy the renowned
gorgeous sunsets, in between beach bathing and partying. Centre of
this hedonistic haven is Negril, dubbed the 'capital of casual', a
sunny resort town that despite its popularity and proliferation of
tourist accommodation has managed to retain the sleepy tropical
charm that first seduced seekers of sun and solitude when it was
'discovered' in the 1960s.
It was the hippies and flower children who first found Negril, a
part of Jamaica appreciated for being different from the
over-developed package tour market of Montego Bay. Negril still
attracts a young crowd, and the beachfront bars and cafes are abuzz
each night with reggae music and wild partying. Along with the
party people, however, Negril is favoured also by those just
wanting to get away from it all. It sports its famous seven-mile
(11km) stretch of pristine beach, encircling Bloody Bay, and five
miles (8km) of cliffs, where locals and visitors alike dare each
other to indulge in some extreme cliff-diving, sometimes from
ropes. The coral reefs and caves along the coast make it a scuba
diver's and snorkeller's dream come true, and for active visitors
there is the chance to take part in just about any watersport
imaginable. Adventure seekers can venture by kayak into the
mysterious Great Morass (a protected area full of palm trees,
exotic birds and crocodiles).
