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#JamaicaMeChristmas was the theme for my family Christmas vacation, the Carey’s, and my sister’s family the Johnson’s. My dad was born and raised in St.Catherine, Jamaica where we will often visit during the summer. Located more on the country hills of Jamaica yet close enough to Kingston neighborhood that is usually swarmed with people and tourist since it’s in Jamaica’s city.
We decided to go to Negril for the first time and this side of the town is the more secluded side of the island. Surrounded by beautiful lush trees, mountainous views on one side and crystal blue beaches on the other. With my sister carrying twins we wanted to stay away from super cold destinations. Jamaica’s weather and climate doesn’t change much during the winter so we knew it’ll be the perfect place to visit for the holidays.
Day 1
I immediately toured our resort which we stayed at the Riu Club Hotel along the 7 – Mile Beach in Negril, Jamaica. I first wanted to head over to Margaritaville which wasn’t far at all from the resort but I found myself getting my hair braided into two braids instead. It was really nice seeing many different nationalities embrace Jamaica’s culture and get their hair braided either along the beach coast or in the hotel spa.
Now that I felt more in touch with my roots, we headed out to explore the town. There were many shops along the pristine white sand beach coast of 7-Mile Beach which was a very calming walk while enjoying all the hand made crafts and knick knacks.
Day 2
The next day, I decided that me and my family needed some adventure. We originally wanted to go to Kingston but when we realized it was a 3 hour drive we decided to stay on the side of the island in the Negril area. I came across a beautiful hidden gem in a small district called Brighton, just 20 minutes south-east of Negril, the Blue Hole Mineral Spring. This natural attraction was suitable for all ages and when I say all ages I mean everyone in my family enjoyed themselves which ranged from 6 years old to 70 years old.
The Blue Hole Mineral Spring invites you to jump in or climb down the ladder into this majestic mineral hole that literally nourishes your skin as soon as you take a dip in the 40+ feet deep cave.
If that’s not your speed, they built a pool where the water from the spring flows into the pool so you can take a swim in there. My nephew (7 years old) and brother (26 years old) took the plunge!
The Blue Hole is beneath a cavernous opening and is encased by Karst Limestone which leaves the water filled with minerals at the bottom. The tour guides will scrape some of the minerals at the bottom of the spring to give mineral scrub massages. You can chose to have the massage upstairs in their canopy room or downstairs along the pool. My mom and I, enjoyed our 45-min scrub and relaxed under the sun. The masseuse massaged our feet, legs, arms and face where we let the clay sit for awhile to soak and dry into our skin. Once I rinsed my body off I felt so refreshed afterwards we just floated in the mineral pool for the rest of the day.
Day 3
The adventure continued with a Catamaran Boat adventure to snorkel along the reefs, swim through a pirates Blue Cave, a quick stop by Margaritaville, and enjoy some delicious Jerk Chicken at Rick’s Cafe. This restaurant and bar is situated atop a 35-foot high cliff and overlooks the most breathtaking view. We all enjoyed the reggae vibes, music, jerk chicken, and Jamaican patties as well as the cliff jumpers. Rick’s Cafe is known for cliff diving and it is one of the best places to cliff dive on the island so my brother tells me.
Day 4
We were all pooped and decided to relax and go out shopping at the local markets and stands. That night we had a delicious meal at Zest Restaurant at The Cliff Hotel. I noticed the name from the Miami location so I knew it would be a great choice for everyone.
When I say the food was exquisite and the view was breathtaking is an understatement. The restaurant is situated along the cliff which you can hear the water crashing along the mountain cliff. If you walk closer to the edge you can see trails where you can walk out along the cliff. For my appetizer, I enjoyed a crab cake with fresh cucumbers and as an entree I had oxtails with butter beans, rice and peas, and callaloo.
Feel free to explore our hashtag on Instagram #JamaicaMeChristmas! 🇯🇲
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