Wandering our World is reader supported! If you purchase anything through a link on our site, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Last updated on December 19, 2022 by Wandering our World
Who doesn’t want a vacation in Jamaica? This stunning country has some of the best beaches in the world, it’s home to a rich vibrant culture, and of course great coffee too! For most people it doesn’t take much convincing to decide to go on vacation to Jamaica.
However, what is harder for many is deciding where to visit – Montego Bay or Negril? These pretty resort destinations have so much on offer, but as we’ve discovered, there are some important differences you need to know.
For example Negril may be better if you’re looking for white sand beaches, a varied nightlife, and many beachside resorts and restaurants. But Montego Bay may suit you more if you’re looking for a lively nightlife, opportunities to meet locals, and lots of excursion options and activities.
However that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
So sit back and relax as we pit Montego Bay vs Negril below. We look at which is better for beaches, resorts, nightlife, activities and far more!
CONTENTS:
- Which Has The Better Beaches
- Which Has The Better Nightlife
- Which Has The Better Resorts
- Which Is Easier To Travel To
- Which Has The Better Attractions & Activities
- Which Is The Better Choice For Your Holiday
Which Has The Better Beaches?
Time at the beach might be one of the most important parts of your vacation in Jamaica, so it’s natural that you will want to go to the destination that has the best beaches.
We will be upfront from the beginning here – Negril definitely has better beaches than Montego Bay. In fact the beaches in Negril are widely considered to be the best in Jamaica!
Plus as an added bonus, the beaches are so large in Negril that there’s plenty of space for tourists and locals to spread out. This means that the beaches often feel a lot emptier than they are, and you can have your private sunbathing spot on the gorgeous soft white sand.
One of the best beaches on the island is Negril’s Seven Mile Beach. This is a popular spot as the long stretch of white sand here is your stereotypical Caribbean paradise. Expect clear blue water, great snorkeling, and one of the best sunsets in the region.
Just north of Negril you’ll find another of our favorites – Bloody Bay. The turquoise-hued calm water at this beach is a great place to swim, snorkel, paddle board and more.
All the resorts in Negril tend to be right on the beachfront too. So not only are there many rooms with seaside views, but there’s almost zero travel involved when it comes to getting from your hotel room to the beach!
A lot of the local restaurants and co*cktail bars in Negril are located right on the beach as well. co*cktails under the Caribbean sun in a Jamaican paradise. Sign us up!
Montego Bay is first and foremost a city, and isn’t as targeted towards tourists. While that means Montego Bay has that ‘Jamaican’ vibe that’s such a draw for tourists, and is brimming with culture, it does mean you’ll find less tourist-orientated beachside bars and resorts here. However prices for eating out and drinks do tend to be cheaper.
The beaches in Montego Bay tend to be smaller and less scenic than the ones in Negril too. There’s definitely still some wonderful beach choices in Montego Bay for relaxing and swimming though.
This region also has great shore-snorkeling spots where you can swim beside colorful reef fish and sting rays. A great underwater camera – such as this one – is a must.
Winner: Negril
Which Has The Better Nightlife?
It’s easy to assume that Montego Bay would have the better nightlife considering it’s a bigger city than Negril. And although it does have a wide selection of nightlife options, a lot of the best bars, nightclubs and live music joints are quite far from the resorts where tourists usually stay.
The small fishing village turned resort town of Negril has a much more chilled out vibe, but probably has a more varied nightlife than Montego Bay.
In Negril you have the option of big night clubs but also smaller and more cozy nightlife spots that are scattered along the beach. That gives you the option for both a laid-back beer on the beach, or a night of fun on the dancefloor!
In Negril the biggest nightclub is The Jungle, which is regarded by some as being the best nightclub in the Caribbean. It’s the perfect place to grab a drink and dance the night away to a wide a variety of music – from reggae to house!
There’s a nice mix of locals and tourists here, so it’s a good place to make some Jamaican friends.
For something more relaxed, grab a drink at Canoe Beach Bar. This beachside bar has some of the bests sea views in Negril, as well as incredible freshly made food which you can enjoy while listening to reggae music in the background.
While Negril may be the better nightlife spot for tourists, Montego Bay – named MoBay by locals – is regarded by most Jamaicans as one of the best places to party on the island.
It’s a city where the the later it gets, the harder you party! Considering this is more of a local city than Negril, you can expect cheaper prices in Montego Bay than Negril, as well as more opportunities to meet locals.
One of our favorite nightlife spots in Montego Bay is Margaritaville. During the day there are all kinds of fun attractions and things to do here, but this is the place to be at night when it turns into a nightclub called Margaritaville After Dark! There you’ll have access to some of the region’s best DJs, multi-level dance floors, and a VIP lounge with reserved seating and bottle service if you want to party in style.
Winner: Draw
Which Has The Better Resorts?
Although there are many 5-star all-inclusive resorts in both places, overall Montego Bay has more options than Negril. Which may make it the easier destination to find the perfect resort for you. The reason it has more is due to Montego Bay being a larger town.
If you’re looking for a child-friendly resort then it will probably be easier to find one in Montego Bay too. Negril has very few child-friendly resort options.
That isn’t to say that Negril doesn’t have great resorts. In fact, there is a fantastic family-friendly all-inclusive resort in Negril, Beaches, which has a brilliant waterpark that’s perfect for kids. See photos and rates for Beaches here.
There’s several superb adult-only resorts in Negril as well – Sandals is a wonderful romantic all-inclusive option. See photos and rates here.
What we have found is that Negril tends to have cheaper resort options, so may be the better choice for resorts if you’re traveling on a budget.
However in our opinion, the most stunning resort in Jamaica is Sandals Royal Caribbean in Montego Bay! This romantic adult-only resort has overwater bungalows that form a heart shape. It’s one of the most spectacular resorts we’ve ever seen, and one of those places we all want to stay in at least once in our lifetime. See incredible photos of this resort, and rates here!
Whichever resort you stay at, make sure it has Blue Mountain Coffee! This coffee is regarded by many as one of the best coffees in the world, and is the perfect way to start every day in Jamaica (we promise we’re not sponsored by Blue Mountain, their coffee is just very very good!).
Winner: Draw
Which Is Easier To Travel To?
Montego Bay is the easier of the two locations to travel to, mainly because it has its own airport, and the fact most tourists must travel through Montego Bay if they’re on their way to Negril anyway.
The advantage of that, is it could take only ten minutes to get to the resort from the airport after your tiring long-haul flight.
However if you’re heading to Negril then you’ll need to go from the airport to Montego Bay and then on to Negril. Because of this, some people decide to stay in Montego Bay and simply make day trips to Negril to enjoy the beaches and laid back vibe there.
There’s one advantage to Negril being a little harder to reach. There’s no airport there, so no noisy aircraft ruining your relaxing day at the beach.
Winner: Montego Bay
Which Has The Better Attractions & Activities?
There are really great attractions and activities in both places – and many of them too! And in that sense it’s hard to go wrong with either Montego Bay or Negril when it comes to fun things to do.
Either way, you’re going to have lots to keep you occupied. However to help with your decision, here are some of the main activities you can do in either destination:
Montego Bay: The Activities
For a bit of action, Montego Bay contains Jamaica’s top river rafting spot! The Martha Brae River, stops just short of Montego Bay and you can raft or go kayaking there if you board at Rafter’s Village.
The experienced guides will lead you along the river and through the low hanging trees. It’sa really fun experience, and there will be many spots along the river where you can try steering or just go for a refreshing swim! (Recommended: Snakes in Jamaica).
Whilst in Montego Bay you can also visit Rose Hall Great House – if you’re brave enough! This mansion has a pretty interesting back story, and is believed to be haunted by the spirit of Annie Palmer – a woman who was said to be a practitioner of witchcraft and who murdered several husbands, including the owner of Rose Hall.
Johnny Cash actually based his song, The Ballad of Annie Palmer, around this myth. Even if you aren’t interested in ghost stories, this plantation mansion is historically valuable considering it’s so well-preserved despite being built in the 17th century.
Another famous part of Jamaica is the Rastafarianism movement which was borne out of the country in the 1930s. For visitors to the island, the Rastafari Indigenous Village near Montego Bay is an opportunity to connect first-hand with people practicing the religion, while also learning how to make traditional drums and cuisine. A must do activity!
Negril: The Activities
One fairly cheap, but no less satisfying activity, around Negril is going to Barney’s Hummingbird Garden. At this garden you can not only enjoy all the beautiful tropical flowers but you will also come across many incredible hummingbirds enjoying them. And as an added bonus, you can bottle feed the hummingbirds with some sugar!
Rick’s Cafe is another spot you have to check out if you’re in Negril. This cafe was designing around the cliffs that surround it, and daring locals often eat there and then go cliff jumping straight into the sea right after.
You should keep in mind that it’s dangerous to dive that close to the rocks, so watching the daring locals – who know what they’re doing – is the best option.
To sum up:
Of course with the wonderful beaches at Negril and Montego Bay, there’s plenty of beach and sea activities to do in both as well. Such as snorkeling, catamaran trips, scuba diving and jet skis!
However when it comes to activities, the larger Montego Bay probably wins due to the variety of adventure, culture, and beach activities and attractions on offer.
Winner: Montego Bay
Montego Bay Or Negril: Which Is The Better Choice?
Whichever one you decide to choose in the end, you will have a great Jamaican vacation. However depending on your priorities, one may be better than the other.
If you want stunning white sand beaches and huge stretches of coastline, alongside a varied nightlife, beachside resorts and restaurants, then Negril may be the better choice than Montego Bay.
Montego Bay also has some beautiful beaches, and may be the better choice if you’re looking for a lively nightlife, opportunities to meet locals, and lots of excursion options and activities.
Recommended For Your Trip To Negril Or Montego Bay
-
Wandering our World
Hi and welcome to Wandering our World! This article was written by one of the Wandering our World team - a team of travel enthusiasts who live around the globe.
View all posts
