Eco Tours

Prior to me traveling to Jamaica I heard all sorts of stories about dangerous Jamaica is.  Most of the stories were about how dangerous it is if you leave the protected resorts on your own.  Most of these stories were without merit like “if you leave the Jamaican resorts you will be robbed, raped or even murdered”.  In my opinion these scare stories are meant to keep the tourist inside the resorts with their money.   Since the resorts are in business to get your money, why should they share it with the people of Jamaica?

Some Questions and Answers about how safe it is traveling to Jamaica:

Q:  What are my chances of getting robbed, raped or murdered in Jamaica?

A:  About zero unless you run around in the wrong places at the wrong time acting like a fool.  For example, don’t run down the street waving $500 while calling the Jamaicans the N word.

Q:  How can I bring money with me for a day trip outside of the resorts without it being stolen?

A:  I would suggest using Jamaican money outside the resorts in hopes that people don’t view you as fresh off of the plane.  Keep all of your small bills (Jamaican $50’s and $100’s) in one pocket and maybe $10,000 spread out between a few other locations or pockets.  I was warned about this when I pulled out a wad of $40,000 Jamaican dollars to pay for a single Red Stripe beer at a roadside stand.  If you advertise that you have a bunch of money someone might get tempted you borrow some of it.

Q:  Should I actually carry cash in Jamaica or should I just use my ATM card and keep $50USD in my pocket?

A:  It would depend on where you are going.  Most of the tourist traps and shopping centers have ATM machines but if you travel off of the beaten path you will never find an ATM machine in Jamaica.

Q:  Should I be concerned about traveling around Jamaica with my expensive jewelry and watches?

A:  Let’s say that you want to wear $5000USD in earrings, necklaces, bracelets and watches, this might equal what a Jamaican earns in 2-3 years.  Would you walk around an area with poverty issues in your own country showing off $50,000 in Jewelry?  Could you really blame someone that could use your jewelry to pay for medical bills or food if they took it from you?   There is no reason to show off your wealth in Jamaica, Jamaicans care more about who/what you are than how much you want to show off.

Q:  Will our hotel rooms get looted when we leave?

A:  Maybe, did you walk in with 40 large screen TV’s and bags full of cash (joking).  The hotel owner’s goal is to make your stay as safe as possible so you will return on other vacations.  For most of the hotels staff they have a pretty good job in comparison to the lesser paying jobs and they will not risk their job over stealing your luggage.

Q:  Is it safe for a single woman to travel to Jamaica?

A:  A fair percentage of single women that travel to Jamaica are open to dating Jamaican men.  If you are traveling there with no intention of hooking up with a Jamaican man you might have some offers that offend you.  Some of the dating customs that we enjoy in other countries are not expected in Jamaica and your response might be perceived as rude.  You might want to practice some very gentle ways of saying no that are firm but can be said in a way that you will not hurt a man’s pride.  Jamaican’s are very proud people and a public attack of someone’s pride is not welcome.

Q:  I’m gay and I want to travel to Jamaica, will I have any problems?

A:  I wrote an article on this that I will publish soon.  While Jamaica does have a few gay friendly resorts most of the country does not care for gays.  Think of it this way, would a black male go to a KKK meeting?  If you run around kissing other gay men in public you might not have to worry about your flight home.

If you have any other questions please leave a comment and I will add them to this list and do my best to answer them.