There are many island nations located in the Caribbean but none of them offer the same kind of culture and experience as Jamaica! The experience is unlike any other and everyone leaves happy. There are numerous resorts and hotels located in Jamaica. Every one offers something different and whether you are a family with children, a senior or a college student, you will find the ultimate experience in relaxation and adventure. On the west side of the island you will find Negril, which will quickly become your favorite destination for your vacation needs.

Negril is a small town with a population of around 3,000 locals. This means there is a lot of space and not a lot of people who are wanting to fight for it. Many Negril resorts and hotels call the beautiful beaches their home and you will find plenty of things to do and see. You could spend your day on the seashore swimming, walking in the surf, making sand castles, or sunbathing. If it is raining you could visit one of the town’s many museums or you could go shopping in one of the boutique shops. When night falls, you can enjoy one of the fantastic sunsets which Negril is famous for, then have some fun at one of the local nightclubs or lounges where you will find dancing, drinks, and live music. There are other activities for you to enjoy such as boating and snorkeling; Negril scuba diving is very popular also! Sightseeing tours are a great way to get a good look at the area. Some of the more popular places to see when you are in Negril are a mineral spring called The Blue Hole,  The Rhodes Island Plantation, Negril Cliffs, Half Moon Bay, and Negril Lighthouse.

It is not difficult to plan a vacation to Negril. Decide if you want to stay in a local hotel and adventure out on your own trips of if you prefer to stay at a resort where your activities will be nearby and planned out for you. Everything you could possibly want from your Caribbean holiday is there, including the great weather!

 

When dining in Jamaica, you will see a lot of native ingredients on their menus and you might wonder what those items are. Any Negril restaurant, for example, will have dishes that may contain ackee, calaloo and jerk. What are these ingredients and what do they taste like?

Ackee is actually the national fruit of Jamaica, and it is poisonous if eaten before it’s fully ripe! The way you know if an ackee fruit is ripe is if it has split open. If it’s still whole, then it’s not ripe. Once it’s fully ripe, the fruit bursts open to reveal yellow flesh and three black, rather large seeds.  You can eat the red skin, but generally only the yellow pulp is what is served. Jamaicans love the combination of ackee and saltfish (another national dish) and you will see this combination on a lot of menus. When cooked, ackee tastes (and looks) like scrambled eggs, believe it or not! Raw ackee tastes a bit like banana, possibly with a hint of papaya.

Calaloo (also spelled callaloo and kallaloo– the Jamaicans are delightfully easy going about everything, including names) is a green-leaf vegetable something like spinach. It grows a little over a foot high. It can be served raw in salads and also stir-fried, steamed, boiled and as fillings for a variety of dishes. If you like dark-green leafy greens like spinach, mustard and collards then you’ll like calaloo.

Jerk is a style of cooking where the meat is rubbed with spices (called Jamaican jerk spice) and then grilled. Jamaican jerk spice usually has two main ingredients: pimento, which is actually what Americans know as allspice, and Scotch bonnet pepper which is an extremely hot pepper, along the lines of a habanero. Cinnamon, onions, nutmeg and garlic can also be used in the jerk seasoning. How much Scotch bonnet pepper was used in the mix determines how hot it will be, but be aware that if a Jamaican tells you it’s mild, it could still burn the roof of your mouth off.

Now that you’re a little more knowledgeable about Jamaican ingredients, you can order with confidence the next time you visit Jamaica. Enjoy!

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