DESTINATIONS — CARIBBEAN
YS Falls
TRIED & TESTED: Beaches Negril
Beaches and Sandals make a lot of their claim to have more inclusions than other hotels, but it’s a fair point. At Travel Weekly, we regularly cover the resorts, so I didn’t expect to be surprised during my stay at the 186-room Beaches Negril. But even a cynical hack like me was impressed by the breadth of what’s on offer. It’s not just the big things – the nine restaurants, seven bars, nightly entertainment, kids’ and teens’ clubs, water park and Xbox lounge – that make a difference. The details count, too. It’s not just watersports that are included, but motorised watersports, as well as diving. There’s a well- equipped gym and fitness classes, but you can also get personal training from an instructor free of
a small boat gliding peacefully through the mangrove-lined Black River. My guide from J Charles Swaby’s Black River Safaris knew exactly where to find the crocodiles, which hunt at night and rest by day, so we’d soon spotted six of the beasts hiding among the water lilies and giant ferns, mouths open in the sunshine. Dunn’s River Falls is undoubtedly Jamaica’s most famous waterfall – which is why visitors there will stand in queues to shuffle among the pools.
YS Falls, inland from Black River, is lesser known but just as beautiful, so there’s far more space to frolic in the refreshing waters, have pictures taken in front of the torrents and take the plunge from a rope swing if you’re feeling brave. Treasure Beach is for clients who
really want to immerse themselves in local life. This sleepy network of villages on the south coast has gorgeous deserted beaches, winding countryside lanes, and a cohesive community where
charge – Marlon got up with me at 6am two mornings in a row to run along Seven Mile Beach, so I could keep up my training for the London Marathon – the definition of going the extra mile. The service was genuine and
incredibly friendly, from the masseuse in the Red Lane spa to restaurant staff who made sure that despite the fact I was visiting alone, I didn’t feel lonely.
Treasure Beach 5 March 2015 —
travelweekly.co.uk • 57
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