Getting There

Arriving by Plane

If you're coming from abroad, leaving such cities as Miami or New York, try to fly into the Donald Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay.

From the airport at Montego Bay, it is an 81km (50-mile) drive southwest to Negril, a trip that usually takes 2 hours but could take more or less, depending on traffic conditions. The road winds scenically past ruins of sugar estates and great houses.

It is unwise to fly into Kingston if your destination is Negril. Kingston is 242km (150 miles) to the east and at least a 4-hour drive, maybe more.

Getting from the Airport into Negril -- If you've booked into one of the all-inclusives such as Sandals, a hotel van will carry you from the airport at Mo Bay into Negril. Arrangements for your arrival and pickup are made in advance, at the time of booking, and most of the large all-inclusive resorts clearly signpost their respective rendezvous points within the Montego Bay airport.

If you don't have a transfer to your hotel arranged, we do not recommend the public bus between Montego Bay and Negril, even though it's a cheap, one-way ride priced at about $4 per passenger. The crowded minibus is uncomfortable, there isn't room for much luggage, and vendors of souvenirs have been known to prey upon the tourists.

It's better to take a private minivan. We've found the most reliable to be Tourwise (tel. 876/952-4943), charging $21 one-way. This van will drop you right at your final destination in Negril. If you don't see a Tourwise minivan waiting at the Mo Bay airport, call tel. 876/974-2323.

Another option is to go from Sangster Airport to Negril by taxi, though this is a pricey choice. The one-way fare ranges from $60 to $80; always negotiate it before getting into the car with your things.

Still another option is renting a car. From the airport in Montego Bay, you drive west along the A1 for about 90 minutes to reach Negril.

En route, the only town of any size you'll pass through is Lucea, built around a harbor at a point 40km (25 miles) east of Negril. If you're driving, it hardly merits a stopover, although in British colonial days it was more important than Mo Bay.

Locals call it "Lucy." If you visit at all, the best time to stop is on Saturday morning when the market around the harbor is both active and colorful, from about 7am to noon. Otherwise, we'd suggest you drive on, heading straight for the more glamorous retreats of Negril.

Finally, if you're really in a hurry, Negril has a small airport for short-hop domestic flights. International Air Link (tel. 888/AIR-LINK or 876/940-6660; www.intlairlink.com) flies the Kingston-to-Negril run as a direct charter. The airfare for these scheduled charter flights -- three passengers or more -- can range from as low as $60 to as high as $95 per person, depending on the flight.

These shuttle flights land at the Negril Aerodrome at Bloody Bay, 11km (6 3/4 miles) north of Negril's central hotel belt. There's no scheduled bus service from the airstrip to Negril Village, but taxis are plentiful: Though the fare is to be negotiated with a driver, count on spending at least $8 for the short ride.