Active Pursuits

Beaches

Beloved by the hippies of the 1960s, Seven Mile Beach is still as beautiful as ever, but it's no longer the idyllic retreat it once was. Resorts now line this beach, attracting an international crowd. Nudity, however, is just as prevalent: This beach promotes a laid-back lifestyle and carefree ambience more than any other in Jamaica or, perhaps, in the Caribbean. Clean aquamarine waters, coral reefs, and a backdrop of palm trees add to the appeal. When you tire of the beach, you'll find all sorts of resorts, clubs, beach bars, open-air restaurants, and the like. Vendors hawk everything from Red Stripe beer to ganja.

Except for the crowds and harassment, this is one of the prettiest beaches in Jamaica -- though the harassment can be a big turnoff. One Frommer's reader found the constant hassle "high-octane -- never ending. I was offered everything almost on an hourly basis from the hustler himself to drugs. A simple 'no' often wouldn't do."

In the spirit of the place, topless bathing is common along the entire stretch of the beach, although a small section near Cosmo's Restaurant officially condones total nudity. Many of the big resorts also have nude beaches. The hottest and most exotic is found at Hedonism II, although Grand Lido next door draws its fair share. When these hotels rent "rooms with a view," theirs is no idle promise: Nude beaches at each of these resorts are in separate and "private" areas of the resort property. Security guards keep Peeping Toms at bay; photography is not permitted. Most of the resorts also have a nude bar, a nude hot tub, and a nude swimming pool.

If you want to escape the hair-braiders, hustlers, aloe masseurs, nude bodies, reggae music, and the rest, escape to Long Bay Beach Park at the far northern end of Negril Beach. Out beyond the hotel belt, this stretch of beach is set against a backdrop of picnic tables and changing rooms. We've found it the least crowded of all Negril's beaches, even during the busy winter months. On our latest visit, we didn't even detect a whiff of ganja here.

If you have kids in tow, take them to Anancy Fun Park on Norman Manley Boulevard, close to the Poinciana Beach Resort. It offers an array of activities ranging from miniature golf to a merry-go-round, train ride, pedal boating, fishing, and other attractions. The park is open daily from sunup to sundown, charging no admission -- you are charged, however, for rides or activities. The park is corny but recommended for children.

A favorite retreat for us -- and we're letting you in on a secret -- is the half-moon-shaped Bloody Bay Beach lying beyond Long Bay Beach Park. Nude bathers do frequent the place, and because of its relative emptiness there is some danger of a possible mugging or theft, even during the day. That's the only downside; otherwise, it's wonderful. Use the center of the beach, near an open-air barbecue where the smell of jerk pork permeates the air.

Bike Tours

Rusty's X-cellent Adventures, Hilton Avenue, P.O. Box 104 (tel. 876/957-0155; http://rusty.nyws.com/index.html), choreographs some of Jamaica's most hair-raising and best-conceived bike tours. The outfit was founded by Ohio-born Rusty Jones. Tours begin and end at his house, on a side road (Hilton Ave.) just west of Negril's lighthouse. He's the region's expert on the dozens of relatively dry -- that is, not muddy -- single-track goat and cow paths that provide aerobic exercise and drama for all levels of bike riders. Customized tours last between 2 and 4 hours, cost US$35 (£18) per person, and never include more than four riders at a time. Tours are primarily geared to "hard-core mountain bikers," even though there are ample opportunities for newcomers to the sport, as well. There's a running commentary on cultural and horticultural diversions en route. Bikes, helmets, water canteens, and accessories are included in the price as part of the experience; advance reservations are essential.

You can also rent a bike (available at most Negril resorts) and explore at will, although you're not likely to find as dramatic scenery as you will on a guided tour.

Boating

Boating is a major sport in Negril, but you don't see a lot of large craft, especially fishing vessels, prevalent on the North Coast. In Negril, visitors mainly take to the waters in canoes, runabouts, and dugouts. The major hotels rent Sailfish, Sunfish, and windsurfers.

The best outfitter is Wild Thing at Norman Manley Boulevard (tel. 876/957-9930; www.wildthingwatersportsnegril.com). Its program features an array of activities, including a morning snorkel-and-lunch cruise, an island picnic, and a sunset snorkel cruise. It also offers the best array of watersports, including fishing trips, jet skiing, WaveRunners, water-skiing, parasailing, and glass-bottom reef trips.

Golf

Negril Hills Golf Club, Sheffield Road (tel. 876/957-4638; www.negrilhillsgolfclub.com), is Negril's only golf course. It may not have the cachet of such Montego Bay courses as Tryall, but it's the only golf course in western Jamaica. Greens fees for this 18-hole, par-72 course are US$58 (£29), and club rental is US$18 (£9). Carts and caddies, which are not obligatory, cost US$35 (£18) and US$14 (£7), respectively. Anyone can play, but advance reservations are recommended before 7am.

Horseback Riding

Horseback riding, heretofore confined to the north shore, has come to Negril. For a close encounter with the natural beauty of this part of Jamaica, head for Rhodes Hall Plantation, signposted at the eastern edge of the resort (tel. 876/957-6422; www.rhodesresort.com). It gives guided 2-hour excursions across the most scenic beauty spots on the outskirts of Negril. Along the way you'll pass some of the richest vegetation in the Caribbean, including breadfruit, guava, and even wild tobacco plants. Costs average US$60 (£30) per rider. There is a free pick-up service.

Scuba Diving & Snorkeling

Negril offers some of the best and most challenging underwater life for scuba divers of any resort in Jamaica. There are no really deep walls prevalent along the North Coast, but the offshore reefs here teem with marine life. Many of them are shallow, making them ideal for neophytes who want to break into the sport. Even in front of Seven Mile Beach are undercuts and caverns, attracting the diver or snorkeler.

The most famous dive site is "The Throne Room", with a depth ranging from 12 to 21m (40-70 ft.). The site enables divers to enter at one end and ascend into the open air at the other. The orange elephant ear sponges that flourish here are the largest we've ever seen in Jamaica.

The Sands Reef Club, named after a nearby hotel, has a depth range of 12 to 24m (40-80 ft.). This shallow reef drops off to a sandy shelf, and is noted for its purplish sea fans and its gorgonians and coral heads. There is much to see here, from black durgeons to tube sponges, from squirrelfish to goatfish.

With a depth of 12 to 21m (40-70 ft.), "The Caves" indeed consists of sea caverns -- one large, the other small. There is a linking tunnel between the two. Black coral and sponges grow in profusion along with gorgonians. There is a sea kingdom of other residents, too, including sea cucumbers and stingrays.

Long a favorite with divers, Kingfish Point, with depths of around 27m (90 ft.), lures the most experienced divers because of its depths. The marine life here is the most varied of the dive sites, including both the elephant ear and the yellow tube sponge, the hogfish and the damselfish, along with both brain and star coral and marigold-colored crinoids. The huge boulders of star coral are among the most dramatic along the coast, along with deepwater sea fans and sea plumes.

Negril Scuba Centre, in the Negril Beach Club Hotel, Norman Manley Boulevard (tel. 800/818-2963 in the U.S., or 876/957-9641), is the most modern, best-equipped scuba facility in Negril. A professional staff of internationally certified scuba instructors and dive masters teach and guide divers through Negril's colorful coral reefs. Beginners' dive lessons are offered daily, as well as multiple-dive packages for certified divers. Full scuba certifications and specialty courses are also available.

A resort course, designed for first-time divers with basic swimming abilities, costs US$80 (£40) and includes all instruction and equipment, a lecture on water and diving safety, and one open-water dive. A one-tank dive costs US$40 (£20) plus US$6 (£3) for equipment rental (not necessary if divers bring their own gear). More economical is a two-tank dive, which must be completed in 1 day. It costs US$70 (£35), plus the (optional) US$6 (£3) rental of all equipment. This organization is PADI-registered, although it accepts all recognized certification cards.

Watersports equipment is readily available at any of at the kiosks along Negril's beaches. Each of these outlets is operated by Seatec Water Sports (tel. 876/957-4401), charging roughly the same rates as Negril Scuba Centre . Jet skis cost US$40 to US$50 (£20-£25) for a 30-minute ride; snorkeling is US$15 to US$20 (£7.50-£10) per person for a 60-minute excursion by boat to an offshore reef with equipment; 20-minute banana-boat rides are US$10 (£5); parasailing is US$30 (£15) for a 12-minute ride; and water-skiing is US$30 (£15) for a 15-minute tow-around.

Sportfishing

Stanley's (tel. 876/957-0667; www.stanleysdeepseafishing.com) does deep-sea fishing trips in the waters off Negril. Catches turn up such game fish as wahoo, tuna, blue marlin, and sailfish. Bait, tackle, and beverages are included in the price. Four people can rent a fishing boat for US$400 (£200) for a trip lasting 4 hours. An 8- to 9-hour trip, including lunch, will cost four fishermen about US$800 (£400).