=Jewel=

calijiggy

booked Tower Isle for August!!!!! Got great deals

Had a question for you...did you book the excursions and not included activities through the hotel or outside? if outside...who did you use?

Any recs of things I shouldn't miss while there?

Thanks

=Jewel=

Congrats! You will have such an amazing time! I could go on and on, but here are some basics (that was my intention, but it turned into a thesis):

 Customs - Make sure you print out all of your documents before you leave the states, including return plane tickets and hotel reservation. We have never encountered such strict customs when leaving the US. We didn't have everything they wanted, and they were very rude. Obviously, they ended up letting us in, but it took some convincing.  

Airport transfers - It's a good 2-3 hour drive from the airport to the hotel. These drivers are not hotel staff, so make sure you tip. Also make sure you grab a drink in the Couples area at the airport. Start the vacay right!

Money - We used CC at the hotel and US cash everywhere else. It was never an issue.

Room - when you get to the hotel, ask if there are any complementary upgrades available. We didn't get one, but I've heard others have. Bonus: get a view of the island and you can sneak a peak at all of the naked people. Speaking of...

Nude Island - we did not go. This is not a "clothing optional" island, it is required NUDE. I'm not into that, and neither is DH, so we passed. The people playing volleyball and frolicking in the ocean nude seemed to have a lovely time though. If you're into that, it looks awesome. 

Included Excursions - We did all of the excursions that were offered for free - Dunn's River, shopping, Catamaran, private sail boat, and horseback riding. Dunn's River is a must-do. Bring your own water shoes, or you'll have to rent them. Ocho Rios shopping was fun. DO NOT get off at the first stop. People stayed on the bus, and we didn't understand why. Just trust me, and stay on when you stop at a little village/hut looking place. All of the boats were fun. Make sure you go during nice, sunny weather or you will be miserable. I don't think they offer horse-back riding any more, but if they do, that was an excellent trip as well. All in all, they offer great excursions included in the price. You've paid for them already, so take as many as you can. Also, sign up as soon as you can, because they do fill up.

Outside excursions - we booked with the booth on site. It would probably be cheaper to find other groups, but we were really happy with what we got. We did an ATV tour, Bob Marley jeep tour, and a zipline/bobsled tour. The Bob Marley jeep tour was my favorite! You go inland quite a bit, and it's a beautiful part of the island. The others were fun too, but similar to ziplining and ATVing you can do anywhere else.

Hotel Spa - We had a significant spa credit with our package, and were able to get a treatment every other day. It was really nice, but not worth the price. I would have never paid my own cashmoney for this. The spa staff are not really Couples staff, and it shows. They work for tips, which you'd like would make them more friendly and helpful, but it seemed to do the opposite. If you really want a massage, it's good, but I've had much better, and for cheaper (that's what she said).

Food - OMG. Maybe it's because I just got married and hadn't eaten in weeks, but it was excellent. They have several nice restaurants. Make sure you eat dinner and every one at least once. Again, try to book early in the day. We were never turned away, but if we waited too long, we couldn't get a time we wanted. Order as much food as you want, and don't feel bad. You've paid for it. The smoothie shop downstairs, near the beach, is excellent for light snacks (and smoothies, of course). If you leave the resort for an excursion, take some food from the buffet with you for snacks. Try as much Jamaican food as you can, and take recommendations of staff. They know what they're doing.

 Drinks - I don't drink much at all, and MH is a light drinker. No matter which you are, you'll be happy. He usually had a Red Stripe, or some fruity drink. The bars are excellent and will make anything you can think of. For us, it was a great opportunity to try lots of different drinks, without worrying about cost, or wasting them if it didn't taste good. Again, describe to the bartender what types of drinks you like, and let them be creative. You can also get a good smoothie, and then take it to the bar to add a few shots of rum. They also do trivia games at the pool bar, and you can win bottles of rum to take home. Waiters will also serve you on the beach, so grab a chair and give them your order. They'll usually keep it coming, too, when they see you run low.

Tips - STRICT no tipping policy. Staff will lose their job if they are caught accepting money. I love the atmosphere this creates. There are no big-tippers being given the royal treatment, while I waited for service. Everyone is treated equally, and the staff really are so friendly and nice. However, you are allowed to give gifts to staff (not cash). We brought lots of school supplies and candy, and left it for our room cleaner. I had heard that both of these items were expensive on the island, and always appreciated. If you leave something for them, you have to attach a note that says "Gift for housekeeping" or something similar, because they have to show it to their boss and prove that it was intended for them. It actually worked out really well, because all of the room I used to pack these gifts, I filled with soveniers to take home. Win-win. They also really value the comment cards at the end. Make sure to mention staff by name that stood out.

MaryJane - Maybe this doesn't need to be said, but I was totally unaware. In the land of Bob Marley, this substance is totally ilegal. You'll see a lot of smoking if you visit Bob Marley's town in the mountains, but you will not see it in the big cities, at the resorts, etc. That is because you will get arrested and/or fined if you get caught. I can imagine that no one wants to spend time in a Jamacain jail.

Random tip - A place called "Scotchies" has the best jerk chicken in the world (I'm fairly certain that's a fact). Any time you are off of the resort grounds, try to bribe your driver to stop at a scotchies. Buy him lunch, and you will experience food heaven. Be very careful though, the jerk sauce is incredibly spicey.

That's about all I can think of for now. Have a great time! Let me know if you have any other questions.

calijiggy

Thanks this was awesome.

One question though...did you do the dolphin cove/dolphin swim? I've read the reviews at TA and people say although is a one of a kind experience its not worth the money and you only really get like 10 mins. I certainly don't want to spend $ 475  for 10 mins if I can do it somewhere else for cheaper and more time.

I'm actually printing this to keep in handy when we go lol.

=Jewel=

We didn't do a dolphin swim, and for that price, I definitely wouldn't.

I've made more of an effort do to activities that can only be done in that location (famous landmarks, volcanoes, full land tours, etc.). If there isn't much to do or I have extra time, then I'll do something like ATVs, ziplining, and dolphins would be one of those. $475 seems crazy though. I saw MUCH cheaper prices in Hawaii a couple of months ago.

 Something else I thought of - I read reports of "sand fleas" and strong suggestions for bug repellent. Before we left, I saw the travel nurse at my doctor's office. She suggested something called "UltraThon" that I got at the pharmacy. It was OTC, but was a lotion, not spray. You just dab a tiny dot on various parts of your body (ankles, knees, wrists, neck).

I also got a Tetanus shot before I left. The RN recommended it any time you leave the country and it has been 5+ years since your last. More good advice for any time you leave the country - make sure to bring plenty of OTC meds. They were really expensive in Jamaica and I got a really nasty bug bite while I was there, so i was glad I had meds for that.