Jamaica Anyone?

[brainyguy9999]

My fiance and I were thinking of going someplace in the Carribbean for our Honeymoon next April. Has anyone been to Jamaica? I am interested in visiting a clothing-optional beach but I can't find much information on them. The traveljamaica.com site says that they are everywhere. However, when I look for hotels, they don't say if their beach has a clothing-optional section (except for some of the really expensive ones). So, can anyone who has been there tell me if they are truly "everywhere" or if you have to seek them out? Do most hotels have CO sections? Are there easily accessible CO beaches near any of the larger towns that we might visit to do some shopping/tourist stuff?

Also, we are considering other destinations in the Carribbean. The U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and some others are still in the running. Does anyone have any experience with any other Carribbean island? Are there any more that have clothing-optional beaches available without driving through dis-repaired roads, etc. to get to them?

Although I would like to find a clothing-optional beach to go to, she may not want to (I haven't converted her yet). So, while it would be great if they were there, we would want the other aspects of the island that we visit to be good as well.

Thanks for the info.

bg

[brainyguy9999]

My fiance and I were thinking of going someplace in the Carribbean for our Honeymoon next April. Has anyone been to Jamaica? I am interested in visiting a clothing-optional beach but I can't find much information on them. The traveljamaica.com site says that they are everywhere. However, when I look for hotels, they don't say if their beach has a clothing-optional section (except for some of the really expensive ones). So, can anyone who has been there tell me if they are truly "everywhere" or if you have to seek them out? Do most hotels have CO sections? Are there easily accessible CO beaches near any of the larger towns that we might visit to do some shopping/tourist stuff?

Also, we are considering other destinations in the Carribbean. The U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and some others are still in the running. Does anyone have any experience with any other Carribbean island? Are there any more that have clothing-optional beaches available without driving through dis-repaired roads, etc. to get to them?

Although I would like to find a clothing-optional beach to go to, she may not want to (I haven't converted her yet). So, while it would be great if they were there, we would want the other aspects of the island that we visit to be good as well.

Thanks for the info.

bg

[David77]

Please, oh please, check out the Grand Lido Braco resort complex in Jamaica. Two resorts there have similar names, so be sure it is the Grand Lido Braco. You could probably get a good deal thru booking on-line thru Expedia.com as I know they offer package deals for that destination. Expedia.com also shows pictures of it. I have used Expedia.com in 4/03 and it is good. (I have been to Jamaica years ago, but did not know about this resort).

A great member of this forum has traveled widely and says that he and his wife like Grand Lido Braco the best and praises it most highly. He uses the name "Luvnaturism" and has registration number 1209. Please send him a private message asking him to tell you all about it.
Grand Lido Braco also caters to couples on their honeymoon.

[David77]

Brainyguy,
Please read luvnaturism's post #269 of 10/30/02 as this is where he tells us about the romantic Grand Lido Braco in Jamaica and praises it highly.

It is located in the "International" section of the forum under the thread entitled "Nude Places in Mexico".
Or, you can go to the the beginning of this current page, above, and click on "Search All Posts" and enter the words and number 1209, or you can go to one of luvnaturism's posts and click onto his name above his rooster icon and then click on his posts to find his post for 10/30/02.

[Taylor]

There are lots of places in Jamaica:

On the more expensive end of the spectrum:
Grand Lido Braco
Grand Lido Negril
Hedonism II
Hedonism III
Couples Negril
Couples Swept Away Negril
Couples Ocho Rios

More middle of the road pricing:
Breezes Runaway Bay

Best pricing
Sunset Beach Resort
and a few other smaller places in Negril.

All have c/o beaches. www.gosunrise.com might be of some help to you as it lists many of the c/o resorts in Jamaica and has nice descriptions.

All of these options have a regular beach and a c/o beach. Some have more extensive c/o areas than others like swim up pool bars, hot tubs, etc. Sunset Beach might be a good place to start as it has a c/o beach and pool so she can try topless or stay clothed if need be in that area.

24 more days and I am Hedo II bound! I love Jamdown.

[Polarbear1]

Bloody Bay on the north side of 7-Miles Beach in Negril said to be secluded enough for nude sunbathing. When I was in Negril I didn't get there and the Beaches Resort didn't have facilities. Also try a search for Firefly Resort, they have a small section of beach, but their pricing is cheap (according to their site). Good luck.

[luvnaturism]

quote:

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Originally posted by brainyguy9999:
[qb] My fiance and I were thinking of going someplace in the Carribbean for our Honeymoon next April. Has anyone been to Jamaica? I am interested in visiting a clothing-optional beach but I can't find much information on them.

bg [/qb]

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All of the three Grand Lido Resorts in Jamaica are beautiful full-service all-inclusive traditional vacation destinations which also have separate facilities that are either clothing optional or au naturel. They're all extremely romatic, just right for a honeymoon. If you don't intentionally go to the nude facility, you'll never see it or know it's there.

I'd suggest that you consider one of those places. Get some brochures from your travel agent or search on "Grand Lido" on the web. My view is that GL Braco is best for couples who are ready for nude recreation, but GL Negril or GL San Souci could be perfect for your situation. Be aware that Braco has more by way of evening entertainment than the others.

Look at the material together, and see how she responds. Don't forget that it's her honeymoon too, and she may have her own dreams. Be sure to share your hope that it would be possible to check out a clothing optional beach. Don't try to do this off of a concealed agenda.

Many couples go to these resorts to be married. The wedding and reception are provided free, so for the cost of a nice wedding at home you can have both the wedding and honeymoon. Some people have the wedding at one resort, and then transfer to another resort to honeymoon away from other family members who may have come to the wedding.

One more thing ? I don't think you'll find any public c/o beaches in Jamaica. My understanding is that public nudity is illegal in Jamaica, but the government allows it within resorts.

[wannabenaked2001]

Here are two places I am looking at in Mexico.

Link 1

Link 2

They are small and pretty simple, but also seem to have a charm. They look like great places for first timers. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

[Taylor]

quote:

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Originally posted by luvnaturism:
[qb]

quote:

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Originally posted by brainyguy9999:
[qb] My fiance and I were thinking of going someplace in the Carribbean for our Honeymoon next April. Has anyone been to Jamaica? I am interested in visiting a clothing-optional beach but I can't find much information on them.

bg [/qb]

---

All of the three Grand Lido Resorts in Jamaica are beautiful full-service all-inclusive traditional vacation destinations which also have separate facilities that are either clothing optional or au naturel. They're all extremely romatic, just right for a honeymoon. If you don't intentionally go to the nude facility, you'll never see it or know it's there.

I'd suggest that you consider one of those places. Get some brochures from your travel agent or search on "Grand Lido" on the web. My view is that GL Braco is best for couples who are ready for nude recreation, but GL Negril or GL San Souci could be perfect for your situation. Be aware that Braco has more by way of evening entertainment than the others.

Look at the material together, and see how she responds. Don't forget that it's her honeymoon too, and she may have her own dreams. Be sure to share your hope that it would be possible to check out a clothing optional beach. Don't try to do this off of a concealed agenda.

Many couples go to these resorts to be married. The wedding and reception are provided free, so for the cost of a nice wedding at home you can have both the wedding and honeymoon. Some people have the wedding at one resort, and then transfer to another resort to honeymoon away from other family members who may have come to the wedding.

One more thing ? I don't think you'll find any public c/o beaches in Jamaica. My understanding is that public nudity is illegal in Jamaica, but the government allows it within resorts. [/qb]

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Just FYI:

Grand Lido Sans Souci is no more. It was sold as of May 30th. There are now only 2 GL's in Jamaica...a real shame as it was a BEAUTIFUL property.

[Burntbuns]

When you consider that virtually everything is included at Grand Lido Braco, it can be a bargain. Many honeymooners end up spendiong more by getting an inexpensive room and pyaing a fortune for food and drinks. Do spend $60 apiece for a massage on the beach.

If you choose Braco, call the front desk a few days before arrival and indicate that you have a garden room reservation (the cheapest) but that you would welcome a switch to the au natural side. It doesn't cost them anyhting and they may make the change at no cost.

[brainyguy9999]

Thanks for all of the information so far. I'll check those out.

I've been reading some travel magazines/books recently. Most of them say that travellers should go through a travel agent because travel agents have access to "package deals" that individuals don't. They note that agents can get packages that include air, hotel, and transportation that are much cheaper than buying them separately on your own.

I planned, booked, and organzied a week-long trip to the Cayman Islands for me and my fiancee a couple of summers ago and everything went well. However, I don't know if the prices I got were any worse/better than what a travel agent could have gotten.

I'm also concerned that we would wind up spending more after paying the agent's fees than if I booked everything myself.

Has anyone gone through a travel agent? Would you suggest it to me? Other than saving you from the hassle of booking everything, are there any advantages to using a travel agent?

Thanks for the info.

bg

[David77]

Brainyguy,
I have not used a travel agent much. I have not yet traveled very much outside North America. Luvnaturism and his wife travel extensively, it seems, so I wish to quote his statement, ??? ?

quote:

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[qb]Luvnaturism says,
.... for a vacation package I prefer to use a local travel agent.
When you're putting together a series of reservations lots of problems can come up, and I like to be able to pick up the phone and talk to a human being who takes it from there. It doesn't cost anything, and often my agent can get better pricing than anything on the Internet.[/qb]

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From time to time I read stories in the newspaper of ruined vacations because of cheating agents selling vacation packages, so if you are not absolutely sure with whom you are dealing, ask the Better Business Bureau and the states attorney's office about whether or not they got complaints from the public regarding the travel agency.

Travel agencies do buy up blocks of hotel rooms reservations at a cheaper price and have other contracts with providers at vacation destinations, so that they many times can offer a better deal to the public than the individual can obtain.

However, the only way that one can be certain that one is getting a better price and deal, is to compare with other agencies, as well as compare with what booking you yourself can get on your own.

However, if you do it on your own, you can not ask a knowledgeable travel agent to interceed and advice whenever an unforseen problem happens that a travel agent could remedy.

[luvnaturism]

quote:

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Originally posted by brainyguy9999:
[qb]

I'm also concerned that we would wind up spending more after paying the agent's fees than if I booked everything myself.

Has anyone gone through a travel agent? Would you suggest it to me? Other than saving you from the hassle of booking everything, are there any advantages to using a travel agent?

bg [/qb]

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First, it doesn't cost you anything (well, that's almost true) to use a travel agent. The providers from whom you buy travel pay the agent for you. The sole exception is that the airlines no longer pay travel agents enough for booking flights to allow them to stay in business, so it's now standard for them to add a booking fee for your flights. That might be $20 or so per ticket.

Can you be sure that you'll get the best price from an agent? No. Can you be sure you'll find it on the net? No.

The travel industry has gone crazy. Airfares change hourly. In the next few minutes after you (or your TA) check, fares may go up or down. Hotels have become nearly as bad. Get used to it. That's the way travel is now. Since you have to buy your tickets sometime, the best you can do is make sure you're paying a competative rate.

Here's what I do. I invest a little time on the internet to see what's being offered there. That makes me a somewhat informed buyer. Then I call my TA and ask her to get me prices from at least three sources. She understands that if she can't beat the price on the internet she doesn't get that business.

Last time we flew to Jamaica she found a fare from Miami to Montego Bay that was just over half of the best price on the internet. Reason: only some fares are available on the net; TAs often have access to deals that you and I can't get for ourselves.

It's important to remember that the best airfare is often irrelevant. The best hotel rate is often irrelevant. What counts is what are you going to pay for the whole travel package that you need?

Is your time worth anything at all? If so, turning the hassles over to someone who works for you for little or nothing can be a great deal.

DISCLAIMER: as I've said many times before, I have no connection whatsoever with the travel industry, except that I buy a lot of travel.

Good luck!

If you don't have a TA that you trust, send me a private message and I'll recommend one.