US Air out of Phila. Plane was full both ways. Arrived on time believe it or not. Customs was another story...very slow. But our driver, Kirk Malcolm, was there waiting for us and all was well. What a great guy. He had been recommended by Maura (Wannabewarm) on this site. We called him a few weeks ahead to line him up. I would highly recommend him to anyone needing a taxi upon arrival or for sight seeing while there.His cell phone is 876-378-1468. Very personable, professional, great reggae tapes for the ride. We were staying in Negril which is about 1hr. 15 min. drive from the airport. There is a good deal of road construction around the airport but once you get passed that it is fine. It is a beautiful drive along the coast and thru a couple small towns. It passed quickly thanks to good conversation with Kirk and the music. Also, much nicer and shorter with the new road completed. Cost for the trip was $25 each plus tip which was well deserved.

We stayed at Kuyaba which is about 2/3 of the way down Negril beach going toward the town of Negril. It is a beautiful, small resort...20 rooms. Rooms are set in a tropical jungle type setting. Their website, Kuyaba.com is excellent, but still doesnt do justice to the ambiance of the place. Prices are very reasonable. Rates are listed on the website. Rooms are nice, clean. All have a patio or porch. The second floor patios have hanging rope chairs that are unique and not a bad spot for having a Red Stripe or two. They also have these at the bar, which is a great spot. Kevin, the bartender takes good care of everyone. It is not an all inclusive. Food is very good and very reasonable. The kingfish was outstanding. Again, sample menus are on their website. We ate almost all our meals there. The dining area is set right on the beach so it is beautiful in the evening. Candlelite, white tableclothes, ocean in the background...tough to beat. Having breakfast each morning was as peaceful and pretty a setting as you could imagine. People from other resorts would come in for breakfast and were amazed at the ambiance and the prices. One evening we met a group of 13 at the bar that came in from Swept Away. They had been told by the staff that they had to go to Kuyaba for dinner one night. They had a blast.
We did eat one night at Sweet Spice a local place in Negril recommended by Kirk. Kevin arranged for a taxi for us...driver was another good guy. We set a time for him to pick us up after dinner. Worked fine...$10US. Local food, inexpensive...a lot of fun. One word of warning...its BYOB.
There is a bar across the street that does a brisk business with take out. No problem mon.

There is a good deal of nightlife at the reggae bars on the beach. Bourbon Beach, Risky Business and Alfred's all have live reggae and are within easy walking distance. Another nice thing about this area of Negril beach is that people walk freely at night from one restaurant and bar to another. We never felt uncomfortable walking on the beach at night.

Beach vendors...its a staple of Jamaica. A polite no thank you and they will leave you alone. We never were harrassed or felt uncomfortable with anyone that approached us. Actually, this stretch of Negril beach can be pretty entertaining. It kind of reminds you a little of Venice Beach in Calif. There are some real characters that parade up and down the beach but never a bother.

We had Kirk take us one afternoon up into the mountains to see some of thle local sights away from the beach. It truly is a beautiful island. He took us to a wildlife/nature preserve which was in the middle of nowhere. Gorgeous place. A raised boardwalk wanders thru the tropical forest with numerous descriptions of the various foliage, wildlife,etc.along the way. Also, there are crocodiles in a separate exhibit. No additional cost. The serenity of the place was beautiful...and it was spotless. I'm not a wildlife person per say, but this is worth seeing. It was $10US for two people and you can give a donation if you wish. Kirk is from a town not far from Negril so he is very familiar with the local history. He was a great tour guide as he drove us through the interior mountain roads. We had done the Rick's thing on a previous trip so we skipped that this trip but next year we want to go to a couple of the restaurants on the cliffs up by Ricks. Rock House etc. Very nice looking and highly recommended. One morning we walked up to the local craft market in Negril which is something to see. About a 15 minute walk, most of the way is on the beach. There is a new shopping area across the road from the entrance to Kuyaba if you would need a shopping fix. Mostly upscale shops. Also, there is a local market a short walk from the entrance to the resort. Good spot for beer, soda, water, snacks etc.

The staff at Kuyaba was outstanding. Every person we encountered couldnt have been nicer or more helpful. Colin, who is in charge of the beach and who is the main man is fabulous. Great guy, lot of fun and a genuinely nice person. Overall, a very well run resort. One note...$US tips are like gold to the staff and hugely appreciated.

Currency...mostly used $US. Would get change sometimes in $JA. Exchange was about .02US to $1.00JA. Also, hotel would exchange money for you. But had no problem using US$ anywhere. Always tipped in $US.

Kirk picked us up for our, sad to say, trip back to the airport. Flight home left on time and arrived on time. And as usual in Phila. it took forever to get our luggage. Customs was quick and painless.

Overall, it was a fabulous trip. We encountered no trouble at any time during our stay nor did we feel uncomfortable going anywhere. The island is beautiful and from what we saw very clean. Thanks to Maura and this site we now have a second home, after SXM, to visit each year.
If anyone has any questions or would like more detail on anything please let us know.