How much cash do you bring to Hedo.

[Hudson78]

Leaving for Hedo on Wednesday for our first trip and are looking for some opinions on how much cash we should bring? What currency? US or Jamaican? We've read lots about tipping or not tipping because it is an all inclusive. Hoping for some good advice.

[mac_r_a]

US money. Depends on what you want to do. Are you planning on leaving the resort to do things? Are you gonna take a taxi to get there? Do you smoke the local green? I would say anywhere from $300 to $1000 depending on what you want to do when you are there.

[keystone]

I usually take about $ 500.00 US cash , mostly small bills . 1 , 5 , 10 's especially , sometimes tough to get change for a twenty. Most places in Jamaica will take US currency and you can always use a credit card too.If you go out into town for shopping take small bills . Excursions booked at the resort a credit card is ok to use.
Bob

[Jamaica Joe]

U.S. currency is probably the best. Everyplace in Montego Bay, Negril and in between will accept it. As for how much cash to bring, it will depend on what kind of souvenirs you intend to buy and whether you plan on leaving the resort for excursions elsewhere. For Hedo virgins, especially if you have never been to Jamaica before, I'd recommend $500 cash (in denominations of $10 and less) per person.

You need to tip the bus driver and the porters who handle your bags ($5 each for driver and porter is typical) on the way to Hedo and when you return to the Airport. Although Hedo has a rule against tipping, I always tip the maids when I leave and the bartenders occasionally throughout my stay (with a $5 "secret handshake"). On their first trip, people tend to buy a lot more of the tourist-y items like t-shirts, beach towels, and drinkware, in addition to the Jamaican rum, rum cream, and Blue Mountain coffee. Anything that says "Bob Marley," "Jimmy Buffett," "Red Stripe," or "Appleton" on it is obviously licensed/trademarked and will therefore cost more than regular tourist merchandise. Definitely bring a VISA card with a low limit, but I would only use it at the Airport, the resort, and well-known chains like Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville or for emergencies.

As excursions for Hedo virgins, I highly recommend paying for the nude (booze) Catamaran Cruise that leaves from and returns to Hedo. It is $55-$60 US per person and you should reserve your spots on the boat by paying for the Cat-Cruise in the front lobby within 24-to-48 hours of your arrival at Hedo. I also highly recommend the bus trip from Hedo to Rick's Cafe on a clear day to watch the amazing sunset and get some good "vanilla" pics to show friends back home. The Rick's café excursion will cost about $15 US per person plus the cost of drinks/appetizers at Rick's Café (they also have a t-shirt/gift shop there).

You can really only buy Hedo stuff at the Hedo gift ship. Non-Hedo t-shirts, beach towels, glassware and the Blue Mountain coffee are cheaper at the local Negril tourist shops, so a day trip of a few hours away from Hedo might be worth it. The MoBay/Sangster Airport has a really good tourist mall between Gates 1-7 and 8-15, so if you get there early enough and get through immigration and security quickly enough (which is tougher on Saturday and Sundays, so pay the $35 US per person for the Club MoBay fast track through immigration/security if you are returning home on a weekend. Trust me, it is definitely worth the cost). The Airport mall has 2 Duty-Free liquor stores, 2 Jimmy Buffett Margaritaville restaurants and gift shops, a Bob Marley store, a Pirates-themed store, Blue Mountain coffee stores, a Tortuga rum cake store, etc. (liquor is cheaper at the airport, and the selection of Jimmy Buffet stuff is better, but other tourst-y stuff is a few dollars more than in Negril). I always buy liquor and coffee at the MoBay Airport on my way home, because it is cheaper and easier to shop for it there.

[CopNkitten]

I save up $5 bills for weeks before and use them for tips, luggage handle at the airport, bus driver to the resort and back, etc.
Besides the regular cash I take.
Cop..

[smallandtall]

We don't tip at the resort (out of principle), but for off-resort trips as well as the typical touristy stuff from the craftsman village we bring around 100 US per person.
The problem with bringing a lot of cash (which I consider 500+ US$ to be) is of course always the risk of "losing" it one way or the other (pick pockets, theft in or outside the resort, robbery, simply losing your wallet etc.).

Personally I tend to never have much cash on me, just enough to make my way to a place where I can use plastic to get contact with home or wherever I'm staying.