the cliffs
Serenity lives at Negril's West End
World’s apart seem an apt description to attach to the small tourist mecca that is Negril. On the northern end is Norman Manley Boulevard and the seven miles of white sand that straddles it while at the southwestern end is West End with sculpted cliffs hugging the shores. Which scenery does a visitor choose: the sand which accommodates unlimited fun and games or the rustic treasure that relatively remains unspoilt even after 30 years of foreign haunts.
Along West End, the visitor who demands round-the-clock attention is almost non-existent as the area is more attractive to the mature crowd who delight in communing with their own thoughts often with a close companion in tow. Only small properties abound along West End as opposed to the large Sandals, Beaches and Couples properties that inundate the Bloody Bay area of the beach. A recent addition to the Norman Manley Boulevard hotel cluster is a Riu edifice that greets commuters full force the moment the bushes along the highway from Montego Bay are passed.
"Mostly professionals like lawyers and doctors come here," said Daisy Powell, office manager at Tensing Pen, one of Negril's first hideaway. "If you pass the road by us you would think it's pure bush because of the many trees around."
"People who want to get away from all the attention of the all-inclusives come here," says Inice Lawrence, assistant manager of the Rock House, a property that underlines West End's rustic primitive nature. “We have a lot of repeaters who bring friends here to our restaurant and because of the whole ambience they just want to stay here.” The restaurant now commands attention as a result of copping numerous food awards.
Guests who delight in serenity and seclusion will have no shortage of that at West End. Also available are a plethora of cliff spots from which to plunge into the blue waters. And it's those cliffs that help form an important characteristic that the Negril beach strip seems difficult to shake. "The upside of West End is that the cliffs don't make it conducive for hustlers to be walking by trying to sell you something," says Charlotte Wallace of the upscale, The Caves. “Many visitors don't realize they don’t need the sand until they get away from it. The beauty of being on the cliffs is that on the beach you can’t get away from all the music and the chaos if you want to.”
West Enders notice few changes creeping in but nothing to change the face of the place - that of being a spot for total and uninterrupted relaxation. Since a large grocery store appeared just across the street from the 16-room gardenlike setting at Tensing Pen, there have been concerns about young men hanging out and blasting music but law enforcers remind them such activity isn't welcomed there.
The only place at West End where loud music is tolerated is at Rick's Cafe, famous for its location to behold the spectacular Jamaican sunset. And then the loudness comes to the fore mostly when a band is playing there. Usually by nine o'clock, the place is empty and quiet, further belying the low-keyed public gatherings there. So Rick's hardly become a bother to visitors who settle in early to nearby hotels like The Caves, part of the Chris Blackwell collection of small upscale properties interspersed all over the island.
The West End has become, a great place to hide away, and yet a great place to be seen.
The West End is also home to the Reggae Marathon's Victory Party, which takes place at the breathtaking Negril Escape. Exciting new talent are featured in addition to the awarding of prizes for the event.
