I have just returned to my four bedroom, three bathroom in Seattle, WA after visiting Treasure Beach, Jamaica. I have to say the place has not changed very much. I am American and I have lived in the US for 12 years. The average american can vacation on hard earned money of no more than a thousand dollars a week. The tourism in Treasure Beach is failing, because the prices are outrageous and ridiculous.

My advice to you is to come together for the sake of your beautiful community and create an inexpensive recreational center for the youths hanging out on the beach bothering tourists. NOT A CLUB! Baseball, basketball, modeling, fishing competition, etc... are all good ideas that create things to do for these youths and also the tourists who come.

I have lots of friends that would like to travel for vacation and they all say that Treasure Beach is too expensive for them. The prices need to come down.

To Owen Clark and all the people involved in the community watch keep up the good work. Thank you for your efforts.

One of the main reasons we come to Treasure Beach is because of the low cost. We are on a tight budget and save change all year for our vacation fund. Compared to other places in Jamaica, things in Treasure Beach are VERY affordable. Beer is almost half the price of Negril, food too. Entertainement is cheap if not free and the value of renting a room or guesthouse can't be beat. Not to mention the people who are so warm and welcoming.

And I have never been "bothered by youths" while in Treasure Beach.

Tourism in TB is not failing any more than it is anywhere else in Jamaica. Right now there are a lot of travelers staying in TB. They range from backpackers to people staying in fancy villas. If you have $1,000 to spend for a week vacation, you have NO PROBLEM staying in TB. The all inclusives get a pile of business but they are essentially giving their vacations away just to stay open. Treasure Beach is a totally different experience; the locals welcome you and you are not inside a fence like you are at an AI. I have never been bothered by local youth and I have been coming here for almost 20 years, almost every year.

By jeannie_brim on Monday, January 25, 2010 - 01:24 pm: Edit Post
One of the main reasons we come to Treasure Beach is because of the low cost. We are on a tight budget and save change all year for our vacation fund. Compared to other places in Jamaica, things in Treasure Beach are VERY affordable. Beer is almost half the price of Negril, food too. Entertainement is cheap if not free and the value of renting a room or guesthouse can't be beat. Not to mention the people who are so warm and welcoming.

And I have never been "bothered by youths" while in Treasure Beach.

I have to agree.

Dian Best,
As Ghandi said 'Be the change you wish to see' so how bout contributing to the building of a rec centre or donating to organisations in TB who do things like fishing competitons and modeling shows? The Jamaican enconomy is a little different to the states.

If you are talking about $1000 just on eating out then you are definately eating at the WRONG places in TB or eating quite a bit. If you are including hotel accomodations, there are a few places in TB if you do a little research for a VERY reasonable price. I agree with jeannie. Things are MUCH cheaper than in Mo'Bay or Negril, not to mention much less hassel. And just out of curiousity, what does the fact that you have a 4 bedroom/3 bath place in Seattle have to do with it? I'm quite certain that cannot be cheap????

Dear Dian, I am wondering which prices you found "outrageous and ridiculous." If you can point out some specifics it would help me to understand what you are saying. If it is ALL the prices meaning transportation and meals and snacks and recreation and accommodations, then I would not know how to respond to you with ideas. If you are thinking SOME of the prices were too high then maybe others can suggest good alternatives to you. I also am not clear what you mean by the youths hanging out on the beach bothering tourists. Do you mean some young people were playing football on the beach and this annoyed you or do you mean that some young people actually approached you and were rude in their speech and actions? As Happy Visitor said, there are things here to suit most every budget and I would be pleased to try to make some suggestions for your next vacation here.

Dian Best

Please tell us where you go in Jamaica where you can get more for your dollar and have a good and safe time?

The most expensive thing to us is the transportation. But even that will not stop us from coming to see all the friends we have made .

Dian Best

Please tell us where you go in Jamaica where you can get more for your dollar and have a good and safe time?

I have to disagree with you !!
As a tourist I have stayed all over the island and have founded that places such as TB that is not over developed and heavily touristed are the cheapest places and the most welcoming.
If your $1000/week was expensive, then you must have stayed at one of the upscale places,and even that is not a bad price for an upscale place. Guesthouses are a much cheaper option.
Also, that average of a $1000/week is only true if you vacation within the US. Most Americans expect to pay more then that for a international vacation destination.
You also seem to suggest that you can afford the costs of a vacation in TB/Jamaica, by saying you have a large house in the U.S. So why are you complaining about the prices ?
ONE LOVE !!
Mike

It *is* expensive to go to Treasure Beach. I figure, airfare on a good day for me would be about $350 and transportation back and forth to MoBay is about $250. Then your room at say... golden sands for a week:$240. That's $840 to get to the island, a ride to TB & back and a place to sleep. (there are cheaper and more expensive digs)

Just did a quick travelocity search for an flight/hotel package (no food) and found one for $711. for a week in March. $711 includes Flight + Hotel, Tax Recovery Charge & Service Fees If the airline is USAir, (I would imagine) you'd still have to pay your twenty bucks to check your luggage.

There have been occasions that I thought of just going to Negril and commuting to TB because there was a sale or something going on lol.

That said, I'd rather pay more to get to and stay in Treasure Beach then spend any time anywhere else. I've never even TRIED one of those travel packages, nor have I ever stayed in any type of resort - all inclusive or not. I'm a die hard TB goer and plan to stay that way.

I do however, wish there was a place that I could stash my clothes so I could just take route taxi's to TB instead of arranging a ride every time. I just can't see lugging a suitcase around the island in a route taxi LoL.

Treasure Beach is a wonderful and safe place for tourists to go. Although I do not stay in Treasure Beach when I visit Jamaica because I own a 5 bedroom 4 bathroom home in Southfield, I visit Treasure Beach a lot for enjoyment/dinner. I am an American citizen and I live in America for over 30 years, I left Jamaica when I was 19 years old. However, I love Jamaica, and I would have it no other way neither would I say negative things about it. I really don't see where tourism is failing in Treasure Beach. On a final note Youth is already pluralized so the word is not youths. Please keep up the good works and keep this website going.

St. Elizabeth Girl, I think the noun "work" is already pluralized. It only becomes "works" when used as an action (verb) performed by one person.

Yea Yea, Treasure Beach nice fi true. Roast fish pon di beach, wash dung wit cole Red Stripe. Di nicess people yu want fi meet, kids sayin good mawnin and good evelin. Ya mon! Figet bout Negril iyah.

What is this thread about, tourism, high prices or who has the biggest house? Who cares if you live in a Mansion or a Tent or if you vacation in a Five Star Hotel or Tent? That's your choice no one else need to know.

Are you sure you were in the proper Treasure Beach? I just returned and I found TB extremely affordable!! In fact the house i was staying in had numerous sets of guests leave to go to other places on the island (Negril, Ocho and Kingston) only to return because the other places were too expensive! I was not bothered by anyone on the beach, in fact found the people in TB very accommodating and polite! Actually the people/locals were the best part of the trip. The most expensive meal I had was A lobster dinner with veggies and salad for $900 JA
approx $10-11 Can......expensive? I think not~!
What does a four bedroom/3 bathroom have to do with anything or do americans have to[edited by TB.Net] more than most? Just kidding!
PS: this is a wonderful website!! Keep up the good work!