Bob Marley Tour in Jamaica
22 Sep 2008
Since you can’t come to Jamaica without listening to Bob Marley or viewing his birthplace and final resting ground I felt the need to take the tour. Before it skips my mind, not everyone in Jamaica listens to Bob Marley all day long. During my entire trip I only heard maybe 2-3 of his songs on the radio. Shy of my Ipod, Bob Marley music was sort of rare in comparison to all of the other Reggae.
Nonetheless, after a 45-minute or so trip through a dozen or so small villages we reached Nine Mile, the home of the Bob Marley tour.
Even after watching every Nine Mile video on YouTube, I was shocked at how small everything was. My mind was prepared for a giant tourist trap and I was rather relieved to find a small compound with a gated parking lot. My friends went to hang out with some of their local friends while our driver escorted me directly to the start of the tour. When I use the term “escorted”, it sort of means taking you from point A to point B without anyone messing with you. If you are being escorted by someone who is known and or respected by the locals then everyone knows to step back with their offers of gifts or services. My escort could of enjoyed the tour for free but he opted to give me my space, this was the first time I was on my own in Jamaica. This created an odd feeling, for the first time I was exposed even though my friends and guides were only a few hundred yards away.
Since my tour was someone ruined by watching all of the videos on YouTube, I will leave out the actual details of the tour so you can enjoy it when you visit. Please stay away from the YouTube videos!
The Marley family cook stove. Most of the Jamaicans that we met cooked outdoors in an open fire pit.
The back side of the restaurant at the Bob Marley tour.
This is the famous tour guide from all of the YouTube videos! He is able to maintain a smile on his face all day long even after dealing with bus loads of tourist.
A picture of me in Bob Marley’s mother’s bedroom. While I did not measure their home, I doubt that it is larger than 350 square feet. Most homes in Jamaica are very small compared to what we are use to in the US.
12 Responses
2008 Dec 21
Very nice article!! I’m willing to visit Jamaica in the future, I think it’s a very interesting place and I’m also a fan of Bob Marley.
You have really helpful information here about Jamaica, I will definitely read all the articles!
2008 Dec 21
Thanks Gabriel, be sure to stay away from the You Tube videos of the tour or it will ruin it. Bring a bottle of windex and a roll of paper towels if you want to take any pictures from the cabs since they all have dirty windows.
2009 Jan 25
Hi,
Great pics. Is the Maskel inscription on his actual tomb?? I was there just a few weeks ago but don’t remember seeing it.
Thanks.
Peace. One love.
2009 Jan 25
Ray, that’s on his mother’s. When I was there they were still working on the outer shell of the building. Out of interest did you cheat and watch the youtube videos before you went?
2009 Jan 28
Thanks for the info. I didn’t see the family’s graves as I walked up the path alone. And the area around the path was thicker and grown in more than pics I’ve seen. And I actually only saw a couple of pics on the Nine Mile website before I went. I only watched the youtube videos after I came home to show my wife how Captain Crazy laughed. It was a great time.
2009 Jan 29
Nice pictures. I was there a couple weeks ago myself but neglected to bring my camera – just figured I wouldn’t be allowed to use is so I didn’t bother to lug it around. Turns out, you can take still pics, just no video.
You were lucky – only 45 minute drive. From where I stay in Jamaica, it took 3.5 hours, which for me is a great thing as I considered it more tour for my money. =)
I didn’t watch youtube videos and had no idea what I was going to see – all I knew was that I was going to my personal mecca for the first time in all the years I’ve been visiting Jamaica. I was a little dissapointed, but still – it was mecca. I avoid other tourists when I’m in Jamaica and it was almost a shock to my system to see so many in once place. LoL There was a guy in my group who kept asking stupid questions, he couldn’t understand what anyone was saying to him (and he was from England) and it was very frustrating to have my “moment” marred by this ass but hey… Mecca! =)
Thanks for posting the pics… it was a nice to see those images again.
Respect,
-Mair
2009 Jan 29
I only had a couple of people in my group since we drove there instead of going on a tour bus. My friends in Jamaica know the people there so I doubt they would of given me a hard time if I wanted to shoot some video. Lugging around a packed camera bag was enough for me! While I had a tripod, it stayed at my “home away from home” for most of the week.
2009 Mar 11
i just got back today from jamaica and this was my favourite trip… i had not watched any youtube videos, and altho the guy up there is not the guide we had, he shared a similar character trait with him, which has made me little sad as he was one of the highlights. wish i hadnt watched it now. i wont tell my friends and spoil it. i guess that’s why they dont want you shooting video anymore maybe?
2009 Mar 11
Danielle, if you have an interest in Jamaica, check out http://www.jamaicatravelforum.com . I put the site up a few weeks ago and so far we have a little over 30 members and 4000+ posts. A few of us are heading down to Jamaica in a month but I’m not sure if I’ll go back to the Marley place on this trip.
2009 Nov 24
hi i was in jamacia and met bob marleys tour guide and his cousin it was fab!!!
2009 Dec 08
i hope we get herbs in there still im gonna visit 2 jama soon love jah foreva
2010 Jun 25
Thanks for only briefly touching on the tour. I have yet to get off this rock (North America) but I hope to somehow make the trip. Overall, it looks like fun.
Anyone know why this tour guide is always so happy? My only guess is that he feels at home and at peace in the areas he travels while doing his work.