Negril was once the bad boy of Jamaica, a place where hippies went to spend time in hammocks under the palm trees, smoking ganja and following a hippie lifestyle.

Today this westernmost community has gained respectability and is home to all types of resorts that attract everyone from swingers to families. Law mandates that no building here can be taller than a palm tree so the look is low rise, following the coast from Bloody Bay (named for the days when the whalers cleaned their catch here) to the cliffs at its southern end where the Negril Lighthouse still signals the rocks to ships.

Negril is best known for its seven miles of beach, home to the largest share of accommodations and plenty of small restaurants. Travelers staying along this stretch can walk the beach from property to property.