NEGRIL, JAMAICA
We spent the last week of January in Negril, Jamaica, for a getaway from some very cold weather back home (weather that had delayed our departure by one day but lengthened our stay by 2 days). It was wonderful to step off the Air Jamaica flight, pull off the sweatshirt, and experience the warm ocean breeze, a far cry from the freezing weather we’d left in the States. Upon landing in Montego Bay, the airport being right on the sea, we made our way to the Air Jamaica Express counter to pick up our tickets for the 20 minute puddle-jumper to Negril, located about 70 miles away on the western tip of the island.
Not being a particularly ‘enthusiastic’ flyer under the best of conditions (OR airplanes), I was scared to death when I saw just HOW SMALL the plane was that would take us on to Negril. Having been to Jamaica 6 years earlier and remembering suffering the 2+ hour drive to Negril, on pot-holed 2 lane highways, (not to mention that Jamaican drivers are considered among the worst in the world), I resigned myself to placing my fate in the hands of the puddle-jumper pilot. (I am not a roller coaster fan either and the flight to Negril encompassed two of my great fears in one 20 minute event!)
After BOUNCING onto the Aerodrome runway, collecting our luggage (2 small carry-on bags that had to be checked due to no under seat storage or overhead compartments—actually VERY little overhead ANYTHING), we grabbed a cab and were deposited at Firefly. It took us about 20 minutes to get checked in, bags unpacked clothing shed, and out to the beach (and the beach BAR—it was NEEDED). The vacation had truly begun.
About Firefly Cottages………….
What a nice, laid back, quaint place to spend a holiday. Firefly is small, quiet, very clean, the grounds/gardens are beautifully manicured and maintained, the hot tub centrally located, and the owner and staff were exceedingly friendly and accommodating in every way. Karen, who managed the office, went out of her way to ensure our comfort. The staff working the bar/breakfast bar was very pleasant, and very friendly, and the gardener was friendly and helpful in making us comfortable on the grounds. We chose a penthouse room overlooking the beach and ocean, and enjoyed the view and being able to watch all the activity below those few times we actually WERE in the room during the daylight hours. There were NO glass windows in the room, screens and closable blinds yes, but glass didn’t exist. Best of all NO SNOW or ice.
Tuesday night there was a beach party put on by Firefly, with popcorn and rum punch served around a big bonfire. We had the chance to sit and talk with other guests, who were from all over the world, Sweden, England, Canada, Denmark, Germany, and that "other" foreign country, California. We spent an hour or more talking with the owner, David Sykes and a British gentleman who has been coming to Firefly for many years. David is British and his wife Audrey, whom we didn’t get to meet, is Jamaican. (I was the foreigner in THAT conversation!)
While Firefly serves breakfast and lunch (sandwiches), and fruit and snacks at the bar, there is no true restaurant on the premises. We had no problem obtaining food however.
The beach is about 7 miles long with Firefly pretty much in the middle, and there is restaurant after restaurant just a barefoot walk on the beach in either direction. We ate Italian, Chinese, Jamaican, American—anything one would want is close at hand, very reasonably priced, and very good.
Firefly and nudism………….
There are not many places to be nude along Negril Beach unless you’re staying at the all-inclusive Super Clubs. With this being the high season the cost at those resorts is prohibitive.
Firefly is nudist friendly and has been favorably reviewed in N magazine and the AANR Bulletin. Firefly asks that nudists ‘cover up’ at the bar, in the garden and in the office. (Thongs are considered "covered up.") The hot tub is clothing optional and the small beach area is open to nude sunbathing. The people we met from Stockholm and the old British gentleman were the other ‘practicing nudists’ at Firefly while we were there. You get some shocked expressions from some of the passers-by (particularly the Americans), but generally it is acceptable to everyone. I would estimate that 30-40% of the women were topless on the beach all the time, so even while full nudity was not evident aside from Firefly, thongs and partial nudity were very prevalent all over Negril Beach.
Bloody Bay……….
We made one excursion from Firefly over to Bloody Bay, just outside the city limits of Negril and about 5 miles or so from Firefly. Bloody Bay has also been written up in nudist publications as a good beach to visit while in Jamaica. Bloody Bay is approximately 2 miles long and was truly beautiful. Most of this 2 mile stretch is unspoiled by resorts and is what I’d call ‘primitive’ beach. There were trees overhanging the water, fallen logs breaking up the beach, and just patches of sand in little coves for nude sunbathing, and calm waters for wading and swimming.
Roland and Anne, our new found friends from Stockholm took us there on Thursday and we packed cheese, bread, crackers, fruit and drinks and spent a good 5 hours away from civilization and locals selling beads, hair-braiding, massage, wood carvings, fruit, American cigarettes, and other "smokables" of questionable legality. We picked a nice patch of beach while Roland and Anne went 30 yards further down for their piece of Paradise.
The downside of the Bloody Bay experience is that much of the land has been bought up and at least one major resort (and possibly more) will be built there very soon. What a shame to develop an area that is so naturally beautiful and secluded.
Finally……..
Its easy to recommend Firefly Cottages to our nudist AND non-nudist friends alike. It’s friendly and laid back, very well kept and the staff and management are great to deal with. The rates are quite reasonable and they cater to our nudist lifestyle—can’t ask for much more than that. Thanks David for a lovely place to spend a vacation. We look forward to being able to come back one day real soon.
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