Nightlife

Some of the best reggae bands in Jamaica, often from Kingston and often Bob Marley wannabes, show up in Negril. Alfred's and Risky Business are both major venues for reggae performances. All establishments listed below are located on Norman Manley Boulevard unless otherwise noted.

Alfred's (tel. 876/957-4735) is a Jamaican experience where travelers will still feel welcome. Though catering more to locals, there's much intermingling, no cover, and a mix of ages here. You can also order a bite to eat until 11pm. Particularly interesting is the beach-party area, with a stage for live reggae and jazz acts. You can also boogie on the dance floor inside, shaking to hits you'll hear at clubs stateside. Alfred's puts on a show 3 nights a week (Sunday, Tuesday, and Friday) and there is a $5 cover charge.

Bourbon Beach (tel. 876/957-4405) is the most popular and versatile hangout on Negril Beach. The club features live reggae 3 nights a week. The rum and Red Stripe flow freely through the day and night -- at least from 9am to 11pm (and often much later). The club also serves food, including jerk chicken or fresh fish and lobster.

Norma's on the Beach at Sea Splash (tel. 876/957-4041) is the bar that's associated with the most famous independent restaurant in Negril, linked as it is to the most famous restaurateur (Norma) in Jamaica. But even if you aren't particularly hungry, you might have a merry and rollicking time hanging out at the lattice-trimmed bar here, looking at the waves, the moon, and the other clients. The venue, at its best, can be convivial and even festive, with hints of Jamaican chic and occasionally, humor. The bar is open daily 7am to midnight.

The Jungle, in Mariner's Negril Beach Club (tel. 876/957-4005), is the most crowded, horny, exuberant, and famous disco and nightclub in Negril, with a penchant for attracting sports and music-industry celebrities. (Even trash-TV king Jerry Springer did a turn here.) Its slogan? "Unleash the Animal." The scene gets so mobbed during spring break that movie crews have actually flown in from the United States to film it. Most of the perspiration here is spilled on the ground level, where four bars and dance floors rock and roll with music that varies according to the night's individual theme. Head for the upper level for the much-needed "cool-downs" that, at least here, have developed into a laid-back art form all their own. Red Stripe and rum punches are the drinks of choice for a crowd that really seems to enjoy their estrogen and testosterone highs. Fortunately, security here at least appears to be tight, with a prominent sign in front that declares, "No prostitutes or gigolos, no drugs, no soliciting, no misconduct," and a forbidding-looking bar that locks the place up tighter than a jail during off-hours. The cover charge is $9 for men (referred to on signs at the entrance as "Tarzans") and $7 for women (referred to as "Janes"). The Jungle Arcade is a gaming room with around 100 slot machines. The club is open Wednesday to Saturday from 8:30pm until the last patron staggers back to his or her hotel.

Mary's Bay Boat Bar & Grill, West End Road (tel. 876/454-2284), the brainchild of a U.S. ex-pat, William H. Miller, lies just before Mi Yard Music Bar & the Love Boat, about a 10-minute walk west from the center of Negril. This popular bar opens onto a panoramic sweep of Negril's Seven Mile Beach. It offers a wide selection of drinks and serves an array of hot tasty Jamaican dishes. Live reggae music is presented on Tuesday night after 9pm. The bar is also a magnet during the day with showers and lockers, chaise longues, and an Internet cafe. Boat charter services -- featuring fishing, snorkeling, and sunset cruises -- also operate out of here.

The hotspot during spring break, Margaritaville (tel. 876/957-4467) is a popular venue at night. It attracts the Bud and Marlboro crowd to its four open-air bars with large-screen TVs playing both music and sports videos. Karaoke is a Sunday regular, and various events are staged here, including bikini and wet T-shirt competitions.

Cosmo's Seaford Restaurant & Bar (tel. 876/957-4784) is also popular after dark. Located on the beach, it offers recorded music, everything from old hits to soca. You can play pool, drink, and mingle.

Risky Business (tel. 876/957-3008) sits a few feet from the waves. It can be sleepy or manic, depending on what music is playing. In season you can order burgers and sandwiches, and the Red Stripe is cheap year-round. Basically, it's a young hangout whose traditional party nights are Monday, Thursday, and Saturday, beginning at 9pm. Friday night (crazy Fridays) features karaoke. There's no cover, even when the place is rocking.

For the hottest night in Negril, don a toga and head for Hedonism II (tel. 876/957-5200), the most notorious all-inclusive in Jamaica. It's known for wild and raunchy parties. Nonguests are allowed entrance if they purchase a $75 night pass. At first this might seem steep, but it's really not when you consider that for this fee you are allowed all the food and drink you can consume -- plus the entertainment. Fellow guests in thong bikinis and bondage suits are just part of the scenery. On-site is the resort's hottest disco, where action begins at 11pm and often goes on until 3am.

MXIII, on West End Road (no phone), more than any other nightclub in Negril, can either blow you away with its high-energy pulsations or simply present a ripped-up bandstand without energy and lights, depending on whether or not there's a musical act scheduled. There's no permanent bar -- only temporary vendors selling colorful drinks from coolers. Expect a spontaneous, difficult-to-pin-down schedule heavy on soca and reggae.