What's New In Negril Beach Jamica 2011
The Money
During our 2010 visit, an American dollar was worth almost exactly $100 JA (Jamaican Dollars), and as such, you could use either Jamaican or U.S. dollars without issue.In 2011, the U.S. dollar is worth $75-$85 JA, and now, using U.S. dollars only may cost you a bit extra as vendors err on the side of caution when they convert.
So, visit the Cambio exhanges in Negril (the ones we know of are in the parking lot just south of the traffic circle at the south end of Norman Manley boulevard, and inside the Hi-Lo food store in the Sunshine Village shopping center in Negril Village) where, so far, you get the best exchange rates that we have found, and convert your U.S. into JA dollars, to save a few bucks when you are buying goods and services. Bear in mind, though, that when your trip nears it's end, you cannot convert JA back into U.S., so take a care that you don't end up with a lot of Jamaican currency at the end of your visit.
The Beach
We walk Negril Beach end-to-end often. This year, we both commented on how it seems that the width of the beach has diminished somewhat. Later on, during this same 2011 visit, during a windy day, waves were crashing right up against some of the restaurants and lodging on the beach. That, we had never seen before. Some of the facilities had actually sand-bagged along the edge of their property on the beach to keep from being washed away.Some parts of Negril Beach are cleaner than last year, and some parts aren't. It is nice to see that more of the hotels are cleaning up the tourists debris from the beach each day. It does not speak well of the tourists though, does it? The south end of the beach as you near the Craft Village is a disgrace, and I caution folks not to walk down there in bare feet because of the broken glass and other debris.
