Is it really so dangerous in Jamaica as everyone tells me?

Question

Just booked a vacation to jamaica for February. We will be at the Gran Bahia Principe Hotel in Runaway Bay. It's supposedly a 5 Star Hotel. Now everybody warns us to go to Jamaica. They say that it's a very dangerous place, people are violent. I have a hard time believing it, because jamaica seems to be offered in every travel brochure.
What do you guys think???

Yes, some parts of our city are also bad where we live here in the US and I never in my right mind would drive into those neighborhoods....

Answer 1

The U.S. State Department advises:

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CRIME: Crime, including violent crime, is a serious problem in Jamaica, particularly in Kingston. While the vast majority of crimes occur in impoverished areas, the violence is not confined. The primary criminal concern of a tourist is being a victim of theft. In several cases, armed robberies of Americans have turned violent when the victims resisted handing over valuables. Crime is exacerbated by the fact that police are understaffed and ineffective. Therefore, tourists should take their own precautions and always pay extra attention to their surroundings when traveling, exercise care when walking outside after dark, and should always avoid areas known for high crime rates. As a general rule, valuables should not be left unattended, including in hotel rooms and on the beach. Care should be taken when carrying high value items such as cameras, or when wearing expensive jewelry on the street. Women's handbags should be zipped and held close to the body. Men should carry wallets in their front pants pocket. Large amounts of cash should always be handled discreetly.

The U.S. Embassy advises its staff to avoid inner-city areas of Kingston and other urban centers, such as those listed in the section on Safety and Security, whenever possible. Particular caution is advised after dark in downtown Kingston. The U.S. Embassy also cautions its staff not to use public buses, which are often overcrowded and are a frequent venue for crime.

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So the bottom line is that the biggest risk is theft, which is true in general when you travel. In general the State Department's advisories are cautious, some would say over cautious.

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Chris Christensen
Amateur Traveler podcast - http://AmateurTraveler.com
Inside Chris's Head - http://chris2x.com

Answer 2

Any place is dangerous in the wrong place at the wrong time. Having been to Jamaica five times, I can tell you that I've never experienced any violence. The place you are staying is so large, you may never leave the resort. I hope you will book a safe tour so you can get a taste of the real Jamaica. It's a wonderful island country with a rich culture and wonderful, friendly people.

Answer 3

Not everywhere in Jamaica is violent. I go to Jamaica every year on vacation and face no problems. There are some violent areas in the US, Canada and UK, well its the same like Jamaica. Just be careful and dont trust anyone. Stick with a group if you are going on tours. The tourists area are pretty safe

Dont cancel your trip, you will be fine. Trust me when you go to Jamaica you wont feel scared. Its a friendly place and once you go you will always want to go back.

Answer 4

Depends on how "adventurous" you are, whether you are female, etc. If you stay on the grounds of your resort, "no problem mon" or if you go on a tour sponsored by the resort [even then it could be risky]. Jamaica is a very poor country and people traveling there and staying in "expensive" resorts [by local standards] seem to be rich [and are, again by local standards].

One of the problems is that, as a tourist, you will be constantly bombarded by people trying to sell you stuff, legal and otherwise. If you can deal with that, you might be OK. But, you're still going to stand out as a tourist and thus seem like a good "target" to people with bad intentions.

Jamaica is "offered in every travel brochure" because they have a lot of resorts, people think of it as a beautiful place [which it is], and "because it's there". Just because you can go there doesn't mean you would enjoy a place [any place].

You might check out what others have said about the resort you'll be staying at by going to TripAdvisor.com.

Hope you have a beautiful, safe trip.

Answer 5

Jamaica is Irie. Just do not go running off with someone you do not know. Keep safe by being nice and sociable but careful at the same time. Most Jamaicans are awesome people and they will be nice to you but as it is everywhere else some people will try to get off on you and take advantage of you... Just keep safe by using everyday common sense and trust strangers very little.

Ghettos are not near any tourist areas and ghetto people do not target people... they just happen to be poor and have criminals among them.

Answer 6

There just jealous! Jamaica is a paradise -but just as you would any where in the world be aware of your surroundings .I've been going for 20+ yrs. and never had a problem -even when my kids were young i never worried .You're going to have a great time

Answer 7

Yes, some parts of it are bad but not all of them. I formerly worked in the travel industry and I commonly got complaints about locals trying to sell drugs to tourists, including right on the grounds of hotels and resorts.

The following is from the consular information sheet for Jamaica on the U.S. State Department website.

Gang violence and shootings occur regularly in certain areas of Kingston and Montego Bay. These areas include Mountain View, Trench Town, Tivoli Gardens, and Arnett Gardens in Kingston, and Flankers in Montego Bay. Some neighborhoods are occasionally subject to curfews and police searches. Impromptu demonstrations can occur, during which demonstrators often construct roadblocks or otherwise block the streets. These events usually do not affect tourist areas, but travelers to Kingston should check with local authorities or the U.S. Embassy for current information prior to their trip.

Answer 8

some parts are pretty bad but most are great

if your staying in a five star hotel you should be in a pretty good place

Answer 9

well you will be just fine, where your going you will be safe...only the getto (kingston and spanish town) are realy bad