TheTravelNook.com

Building a house in Jamaica and would like to have some idea of what it will cost me to have it rendered.

Around 1Million JMD

It has never occured to me to want to go to the Carribean,
or other exotic locales.
Yet I know for a lot of young women really want to go.
Why? What is it about these places that makes it so interesting? (Cancun, Jamaica, Aruba, etc)
(Jamaica, Aruba,

The warm weather with beautiful beaches! The music makes the atmosphere laid back & the parties can be a lot of fun. Jamaica has their dancehall/reggae & plenty events to go with it (ie. Sumfest). Trinidad has Carnival & there’s nothing like experiencing playing mas (in a costume), all day in the streets & dancing. Barbados has a great nightlife and plenty of festivals throughout the year. They have Cropover(another carnival), celebrations for their Fish Festival, a regatta (everyone wants a Mount Gay Rum regatta hat), wonderful beaches & party boats.

St. Vincent is where Pirates of the Caribbean was filmed and has beautiful beaches as well. St. Lucia has the pitons which is so picturesque. You can also learn to windsurf if that’s your thing. Drinking is cheap, the food is good, and most people are really friendly. It’s just a different atmosphere to get away to. I have friends that are 21-80 and all enjoy going there for their own reasons. Just kick back and order a rum drink & just talk about anything to the person sitting next to you.

I dont mean to live as a tourist, but how much does the average Jamaica spend per month,
Thanks in advance
I will be staying in the rural area, with friends. So I won’t be paying rent or anything. I just need a rough idea

I am and Jamaican, and i am living in Jamaica right now.
$1.00US = Approx $89.00JM (Note that this currency rate changes ofter i could decrease or increase anytime)
The Is what i normally spend weekly:
Monday- A small breakfast would cost- $250.00JM
Lunch – $300.00JM
Dinner – $359-$700.00 JMD
Tuesday- Same as above
Wednesday – Same thing
Thursday – Same
Friday & Saturday- Groceries – $12,000.00JMD
Might want to go out so you will need about $3000.00
Sunday- You will probbly cook at home from groceries.

Other stuff you will probably need money for and recommended places.

Suviners – $3.500.
Recommeded Place to visit:
1.Dunn’s River Falls
2. Cool Runnings Water Park
3.Devon House
4.Emancipation Park
5.Bob Marley Museum(there are two of the, the onein St. Ann is better.
6. Mystic Mountain.
7 Blue Mountain and
8. Black River Safari and there ared more alot of then Casinos and other stuff.

I Reccomend you bring $1200US to $2,000US
Enjoy you stay.

I live in the Urban area so it is more expensive.
Since you will be staying in the Rural Area I a Jamaican recommend you bringing about $1200US. The will cover food, suviners it you wish to buy, Going out to like rivers and beaches and stuff. And maybe transportation if you dont’t already have.

My wife and I are taking our 8 year old on a trip to the carribean. We are wondering from those who have been, what are your thoughts of the best places to go? We are looking to do all-inclusive, and we are not interested in any cruises. Just locations that are family friendly.

If you do all-in it doesn’t really matter. If you were interested in the country you are going to how could you even think of an all-in. It’s not very creative and a lazy way to do things. These hotels exploit the local labor, put small restaurants out of business, and ship the profits off to Europe or USA (after they pay the bribes to the local politicians of course).

Have fun. Just remember when you see some homeless person outside of the hotel – people like you helped put his former place of work out of business!

I’m asking this question for a friend!

I don’t have a lot of money so whats the cheapest price I can live in Jamaica for 2 months?
I don’t mind hostels.

There are no hostels in Jamaica….

You could probably get a side of house ( a room ) without bathroom or cooking for $100 or less per month, or make arrangements with a family to stay with them for about that price. Then you need money for food & phone cards…and taxi’s to get around. So figure about $300-$400 a month is doable, but ppl live off ALOT less, the minimum wage is right above $50 per week and ppl make it work.

Myself, my girlfriend and her 18 year old son are planning to take our first cruise this year and want to go somplace tropical between roughly May-June 2008. We are just starting to do research on all of our diifferent options and have narrowed it down to the Bahamas or the Carribean. Which would be a better choice and why? We are both in our mid 30’s and like outdoor activities.

I think the Caribbean cruises have more interesting port of calls, with lots of fun things to do on land for all three of you.

To me, the islands of the Bahamas are more limited in terms of culture, dining and shopping, and outdoor activities, altho there are some great sailing spots.

Many of the Caribbean islands have hiking in the rainforests, river rafting and great waterfalls, to name a few, esp. if they have mountains.

If you are looking at the US virgin Islands, St.john is great- gorgeous variety of beaches, teriffic snorkeling, hiking trails to the old sugar plantations, some cool restaurants and bars.

Also, lots of beach front rentals for jetskis, etc. that your girlfriend’s son would like.

You might also consider the British virgin islands, too.

I really need real figures. Also, are most food businesses in downtown Ocho Rios, Jamaica using a franchise, joint venture, partnership, ect.

hmmm….for the answer to that question, you could consult Jamaica Trade and Invest either by telephone or email…..they’re probably one of your best bets for info

http://www.jamaicatradeandinvest.org/

as to the specifics of whether most businesses are franchises, joint ventures, partnerships etc….
the most i can say is that all types exist in ocho rios:

–popular international franchises like burger king, kfc; local franchises like juici patty and island grill

– local food enterprises, which may be joint ventures, partnerships or sole traderships.

hope this helps a bit

~*

me & my fiance were thinking about maybe moving to somewhere in the Carribean in a year

We have visited the U.S. Virgin Islands, Martinique, Bahamas and St. Lucia
but we only VISITED them
so i was wondering if people who have lived in the Carribean islands can recommend a good island to move to that has:
great schools( i have a 6 yr old stepdaughter that will be living with us soon)
good beaches
good shopping
friendly people
culture ( including food & music)

Monserrat as it is peaceful and is well set for Immigrants St Kitts and Jamaica are both a bit rough definately not the right place to go if you have a six year old Antigua is not bad Barbuda will sink in 50 years but has great tourist sights, Barbados is a lot like Monserrat and has great beaches, I don’t know much about Cuba but most people I know say its very nice and the people are very polite there, umm those are all the islands I really know about and I hope you your wife and kid will have a lovely safe life

Im going on a mission trip to jamaica, and I want to letters to my girlfriend while im gone there and I dont really know where to start. Is there an exteneded address for a united states address, when the letter is coming from outside the country and are there costs i need to worry about. I need to know everything about it, please help, and thank you.

Ask the post office.

I read somewhere that you have to sign up for shore excursions early for a Royal Carribean Cruise. Does that mean if you don’t sign up you can’t get off the ship when it docks?

YES !! you can get off and back on the ship as much as you want at port stops, with a very few exceptions (we could not go off on our own in Russia). When you first get on the ship the cruise line will issue you a "cruise card" which is your pass to get off and on the ship. At almost every port that is all that you will need for ID (some places you need to carry a driver license or other ID). After the ship docks and completed the country’s custom checks the all ashore will be announced and you can go to the gangway and leave.

NO, you are not required to book ship’s tours to get off the ship. You can book your own tours, or just go explore on your own. Just be sure to be back at the ship at least 30 minutes before the schedules departure time which will be given to you at each port.