The Caribbean Classic Golf Invitational (CCGI) kicks off in Rose Hall, Montego Bay Jamaica on June 24th to 28th. During this period there will be 3 nights of high flying entertainment. On June 24th there will be an International Music and Culture show featuring the likes of Johnny Gill, Bobby Brown, Ralph Tresvant, our very own Tessanne Chin and much more.
On Thursday June 25th, the headliner will be Cedric the entertainer along side Billy Bellamy, Tommy Davidson and the very funny Ity and Fancy Cat duo. On Friday June 26th things really get kicking with the Muay Thai Champions of Champions II Fight. This will see fighters from 12 countries going after the championship belt.Tickets range from US$40 to VIP at US$150 (US$500 on June 26th).
The mission of the The Caribbean Classic Golf Invitational Foundation is to collaborate and focus resources on preparing a new generation of leaders by building a platform for leadership development and innovative project initiatives.To achieve its goal, the Foundations have organized golf tournaments, proceeds of which
will be used to establish computer learning centers in the over 400 primary schools in Jamaica. So if you are planning to be in Jamaica make sure you check out the The Caribbean Classic Golf Invitational (CCGI) at Rose Hall, Montego Bay Jamaica. After all its for a great cause. Irie!
The Spanish Court Hotel recently opened its doors in Kingston Jamaica. This brings the number of higher end Kingston hotels to 5. The others are Hilton, Courtleigh, Pegasus and Knutsford Court. We do have a lot of tourists in Kingston however we also have a large contingent of business travellers.
With no beaches or coconut trees in the heart of Kingston, these hotels are mainly geared towards the business traveller. For some time now we have had a shortage of hotel rooms in the area and so this fresh new approach to the hotel industry is more than welcome. The Spanish Court Hotel will strike you as a chic boutique, high end space. With all the modern trimmings and beautiful infinity pool they have certainly made a statement and a force to be reckoned with. Find deals to the Spanish Court Hotel or visit their web site.
Tags: Hotels, Kingston, Kingston Hotels
Budget airline Jet Blue now flies into Montego Bay Jamaica from JFK. Services started on May 21, 2009. The flights leave JFK at 7:55am to arrive in Montego Bay by 10:51AM. They then leave Montego Bay by 11:50 am to arrive back at JFk by 4:49pm.
Of course you know this means war for the airline companies flying into Jamaiaca. But it also means cheaper fares for you the vacationer. So make sure you add Jet Blue to your list when shopping around for cheap Jamaica flights. They have plans to fly into Kingston in the near future.
Tags: Jamaica Flights, Jet Blue
By Tom and spouse from Bershire in Feb 2009.
Admittedly our room (Block 4) was at the furthest point from the main hotel amenities, but if you don’t mind a five minute walk this isn’t a problem. Be aware that there are no Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Club RIU Negril, Negril Vacation
Yes we want to hear from you our valued readers. It only takes a minute and its FREE! Become a Contributor by registering here for your Jamaica Writings account (powered by Word Press). This initial signup will only allow you to make comments so send us an e-mail at info@jamaicawritings.com with your new user name and let us know you want to become a contributor. We will update your profile and when you log back in you will see the “Write A New Post” option…….easy.
You can then write and submit a story (pictures welcome) of your authentic trip to Jamaica. Share with us your experiences good or bad and pass on your little secrets to a great Jamaica vacation. Anchor your story around a main location, hotel or experience (eg. My Negril Expereince, That Great Hotel in Port Antonio or Jerk Chicken etc.). So come on in and register now….its FREE and only takes a minute.
Can you see it?? Something is out there…..way out in the Ocean off the coast of Treasure Beach Jamaica. We heard the rumors but had to check it out ourselves. We took the long treck to Treasure Beach through winding roads in St. Elizabeth Jamaica and got lost a couple times. The key is to follow the signs that say Jack Sprat and be careful who you ask questions….not that you are in any danger but most people we asked din’t have a clue and sent us driving all over.
Do you see it now? Seems like a hut in the middle of the sea. There are no buses, trains, yachts or barges going where we are heading. We had to hire a small fishing boat (more like a canoe). Make sure you ask for Tahla or his brother; great guys and yes Tahla is taller. Or better yet ask your hotel to setup a trip for you if you are staying in treasure beach. We stayed at Jakes but there are quite a number of other villas there. You can search Treasure Beach Hotels here or even check out our recent traveller review.
Now do you see it?? Yes a bar and restaurant in the middle of the sea. It was an amazing experience. Some creative genius built a hut out of wood in the sea to serve cold bear and lobster dinners. It is a great attraction. The water is only about 5 feet deep at its highest out here and stays that way for miles to the closest town Black River. Inside is basic with a kicthen area where they cook and store cold drinks. They added a platform to the right to accomodate extra crowds and provide an area for relaxation. Our boat captain and crew were tour guides and showed us all the wonders of the sea. They offer food but cooked to order and the 
menu is limited to whats available or what they have been able to catch. You need to tell your captian before you leave so by the time you get there it’s almost ready. He will call ahead to order. The ride takes about 20 minutes and you will get a few splashes. Here are some of our friends from the trip….think you can identify them? Irie!
Tags: Pelican Bar, Treasure Beach
Fancy walking on air? Well then Ricks Cafe in Negril Jamaica is the place to be. Ricks Cafe is famous for its magnificent sunsets and crazy cliff jumping crowd. The cliff is about 33 feet high and patrons line up to go sky walking. Every now and then someone pays a local to climb up to the highest point (atop a tree close by) to perform crazy acrobatic jumping down into the deep blue below. It is a daunting jump but I even see kids doing it and felt “hey I can do that”. But researching the web I came across this site and in true Jamaica Writings style we had to share it with our readers. We want all visitors to enjoy the rock in a safe environment so read and take heed.
Cliff jumping aside Ricks Cafe has a great restaurant serving up suculent dishes and tons of beers to the hungry and thirsty wanderers alike. The vibe is a party atmosphere and you can literally come and hang out all day long. They rent cabanas and towels and will throw in some drinks for a fee (prices vary). This will allow you and your beer drinking, shrimp eating, cliff jumping friends to hang loose all day long by the cliffs. Girls walk around with buckets of cold beer ready to take your order. 
Every now and then a yacht pulls up with tourists from a nearby hotel. You will find families with small children, teens and the likes it skimpy bathing suites, mature adults checking out the bar and even old chinese couples taking pictures all clad in the latest winter fashion. So in all a great mix and no one is left out. They even have a little stage area with live music and entertainment. Some of the best seats are to the east in the restaurant upstairs where you can get a great view of the sunset. Irie!
Tags: Negril, Ricks Cafe
Please join us in congratualting David and Karen from New York USA for our first Traveller Review. Recently we launched a My Jamaica Writings campaign to encourage readers to share their Jamaica experience. Below is the entry from David and Karen with some edits (complete with their pictures).
As the picture says above Sunset Resort and Villas Jamaica was indeed a piece of heaven. Coming from a big city it was mind bending to wake up to lush green vegetation and the big blue ocean at your door step. This was no ordinary ocean front view but one of those magnificent views straight from a postcard.
It was just amazing with the almost clear blue sky and brilliantly bright sun hovering over. At dusk you can imagine the sun romancing the sea as they kiss good night…aahhhhh. I could go on and on about the view as that alone would be good enough for me even if we were to sleep in a tent. However it didn’t stop there. The service at Sunset Resort and Villas was great. It’s a small hotel in my scheme of things and very rustic. Certainly not five star ammenities but if that’s what you are looking for you are better off in Negril and Ocho Rios.
The rooms are basic and have themes. Some are large, others small….some open into each other to accomodate larger crowds. To be honest my husband didn’t like our room which was themed starfish which had this blue ocean theme material draped over everything from curtains to the lamp. But it certainly gave the room personality. There was also running hot water and air conditioning. The restaurant was just a few tables at the front by the pool. Meals are cooked to order and have a local feel but they cater to some limited international cuisine.
The people are nice and the business is family owned. The managers live close by and help around in the kitchen and you will often see their children running about. Lovely people. So if you are ever heading to Jamaica make sure you check out Sunset Resort and Villas in Treasure Beach Jamaica. David and Karen NY USA.
Beautiful isnt it! Well that could be be you laying there by the pool. Yes Sandals Jamaica is offering discounts up to 45% plus air fare deals. But wait….there’s more. Breezes Jamaica is offering rooms for $86 night and every 5th night free! Well with the economy nowadays you may think it’s a bad time to travel but like the witty Marshalls ad on TV says….there is nothing wrong with being shopportunistic. The US economy has broad reaching effects and Jamaica has started to feel the effects.
Bookings for January are down 30% so far and the goverment is already ramping up marketing campaigns with planned US$3M budget. Look out for big bill board ads in the port districts of New York. In addition expect to see more mega deals like mentioned above as Jamaica resorts fight for survival. Sandals already have plans to lay off staff and smaller hotels will be closing their doors. But in the middle of all this turmuoil you the customers will benefit from all the falling prices.
Yes some people may be struggling and cannot find even the discount fares but not all. Others are more caustious than suffering. That select group should take advantage of the situation and book that trip to Negril because a year or two from now it’s going to cost you four times more. So think of it as future savings today. For the hottest deals going on right now search key words Jamaica Deals or Jamaica Vacation Packages here.
Tags: Jamaica Tourism
Jamaica Christmas! I bet a bunch of you are wondering what its like. Well like most other cultures we have a special drink, special food and special activities. The Jamaica Christmas drink is Sorrel (seen top left). Its a plant whose blossom is used to make a very different tasting drink. It’s hard to describe but can be so delicious when spiced just right. We also love fruit cake. Now our fruit is very special and there are family traditions that go back years with special recipes etc. Our fruitcakes usually have lots of raisons and other fruit spices. To get that special flavor just right many will soak the fruit ingredients in rum for up to a year before using to make their special batch of cakes. We also like the traditional stuff at Christmas dinner like ham (a must!), chicken, fish, roast beef and the works.
In terms of activities Christmas is a time to visit friends and family and because we are a religious set we attend mass. You will see alot of us who would not normaly go to church out and about on Christmas Sunday. We also like to Party and some of the best parties are held around this holiday season. But the most festive of activities would be what we call Grand Market night which is the night before Christmas. Here the streets are blocked off and shopping goes into the wee hours of the morning. Much the same I am sure like many other places around the world. So in actuality we aren’t that much different but we do carry our own flavor. Irie!
Tags: Jamaica Christmas