“Rent-a-dread”
Jamaica is a carnal kind of country, and monetary-based holiday liaisons are a well-established convention. Fuelled by tropical abandon and the island’s pervasive sexuality, the lure of the “big bamboo” prompts some unusual partnerships. Middle-aged women strolling hand in hand with handsome young studs have become such a frequent sight that pejorative epithets – “Rent-a-dread” or “Rastitute” – for the young men who make a career out of these cynical liaisons have entered the lexicon.
The butt of many jokes, the stereotypical Rastitute is a muscle-bound model of the latest mini-trunks and sneakers, with a head topped off with dreadlocks – or extensions if he can’t manage the real thing. However, not all gigolos come in the same package; a Rastitute can also appear as an Ital-style Rasta, wooing with talk of natural living and preaching sex with white tourists in the name of racial unity.
In a country of scant possibilities, becoming a gigolo is a very practical career move. Negril is a centre for this kind of trade-off, and many women regularly return for an injection of “Jamaican steel”, some forming relationships that span several years’ holiday time. As a result, single women are universally assumed to be out for one thing only – prepare yourself for a barrage of propositions.
Male tourists are less involved in the holiday romance scenario, but female prostitutes are common and men should expect to be frequently propositioned.
If you do choose to indulge in any kind of holiday liaison, practice safe sex; syphilis and HIV rates are high.
Royal Palm Reserve
The 289-acre Royal Palm Reserve was created in the 1980s at the southern side of the Great Morass as a means of protecting this crucial wetland. While very sadly officially closed due to a lack of funding and visitor interest, it is still very much worth a visit and there’s always someone on hand to show you around for a small tip. The royal palm cluster here is one of the largest single collections of the tree in the world; tall and magnificent but devoid of coconuts, the palms have a stately presence that lends the reserve a patently tropical air. Wreathed in creepers and vines springing up from the nutrient-rich bog below, the trees are thick enough in places to block out views of the hills behind. Fishing is possible in the peat channels, and there’s a rickety birdwatching tower.
A tour of the reserve makes use of a system of boardwalks, which is the best place to view this rare habitat without getting wet (though boat trips are also available from the Kool Runnings Adventure Park). Jamaica’s second-largest wetland comprises six thousand acres of rivers, peat bogs and grasses that back right onto Negril’s beach; fed by rivers from the Orange and Fish River hills, the area is crucial to freshwater supply, acting as a giant natural filter, protecting reefs from being smothered by silt and providing a sanctuary for insects, shrimps, rare plants and birds – commonly seen are Jamaican euphonias, parakeets and woodpeckers. Land crabs enjoy one of the few remaining perfect habitats in Jamaica and are a common sight during the summer breeding months. The morass has long been threatened by pesticide and sewage pollution and proposals to remove peat fuel, but so far the cut-and-drain activities of the government-owned Petroleum Company of Jamaica (PCJ) have been contained.
The onsite small museum is predictably desultory and poorly kept since NEPT withdrew its permanent staff, but there are still explanations of wetland ecosystems and bird varieties on the walls. The informal guides that are still to be found on site are unpaid and expect to accompany visitors on a 45-minute tour; most are informative and enthusiastic, however, and justify their tip. Dawn or dusk birdwatching as well as fishing for tarpon and tilapia are especially worthwhile activities here (also guided should someone be on hand).
Spring Break
Every year, between the end of February and Easter, ten thousand American college students arrive in Jamaica for Spring Break – and most head straight for Negril. Though not reaching the levels of debauched hype that Cancun has become famous for, it’s a non-stop carnival of fun if you’re 19, and a rude shattering of the (relative) peace if you’re not. If wet T-shirt competitions, drinking challenges and dancing in piña-colada flavoured foam are your thing, then this is the time to head for Negril – otherwise be warned. Margaritaville, Risky Business and Rick’s Café are the self-appointed headquarters for Spring Break; most other beach bars put on special events, and the season is sponsored by Red Stripe and Appleton. This is also a good time to hear live music, with some of Jamaica’s best DJs and bands making the most of a large, enthusiastic audience.
Travel agents specializing in Spring Break packages include Student Travel Services (1 800 648 4849 in US, ststravel.com) and Sunsplash Tours (1 800 426 7710 in US, sunsplashtours.com). For further information check negrilspringbreak.com.