Dangers of going to Jamaica?

Question

I was thinking of going to Jamaica awhile back, but from reading stories it doesn't sound to good. I hear if you leave the resorts of the hotels/resorts you can get in alot of trouble...not with the police, but witht the residents. Ive heard a few stories that they cut you up and sell your organs...now i know this isn't everyone, maybe about 2 percent of the population but when your talking about your life, 2 percent is alot. What are your views? residents, i encourage you to speak of this.

Answer 1

I spent most of my time out of my hotel and even went to Kingston.  I felt my life was in more danger on the drive there, from the most psychotic driving I've ever seen, than at any point in Kingston itself.

The countryside is safe, the cities are where you could have trouble, but you can avoid it by using the same common sense you would use in any big city.

You will get hustled there, people will constantly try to get money from you in various ways.  They leave you alone with a simple "no thanks," but if you can't stand getting bugged by hustlers, you might not have a great time there.

Answer 2

Sometimes you can't believe what you hear. There is a need to be cautious-yes! Like everywhere on earth you will have the good parts and the bad part!

In Jamaica every crimes makes the news and when you hear these things it may seem like allot. But abroad not everything make the news, so my point is that crime is everywhere in the world. In Jamaica is more obvious because its smaller compared to the US and UK.

If you gonna go Jamaica be smart use the services that the hotel provides. They are not people preying on tourist to kill them. If that was true me and my family would have died along time ago.....Infact is most of what people say was true, no one would be on the island they would all be killed lol

So enjoy, Jamaica..it miss it is to miss out :)

Answer 3

It sounds like you're from the U.S. Don't go. We have a bad enough reputation as it is because of our general ignorance  and you just confirmed this. By the way, Jamaica is safer than the United States.

Answer 4

okay, i know jamaica can be danger, but it depends on the place. if jamaican were going to cut up your organs wouldn't it be in a place were no1 can see u, or hear u it would be in a place like an alley or an empty house, do u get my point. so if your are still going then don't go near dark alleys or empty houses, stay in the open and near other tourist and besides jamaicans are not going to harm u unless u make them mad or angry, we aren't cold blooded, yes believe it, i am a jamican and i grown there nothing bad has happen to me and i live in kind of bad part.

so just go and don't get any jamaicans mad at u k

Answer 5

Thats pretty funny !! Guess you won't be going to Jamaica then, LOL ! And just who has the money to pay for your organs ? And I guess theres ALOT of sugeons with nothing to do...

Anyway, in line with that, some mothers tell their kids there that "strangers", namely tourists aren't to be trusted as they will snatch them up & drain their blood and take the blood with them...of course its another myth, but keeps the kids on their guard ;-)

Answer 6

Travelling to Jamaica is just like travelling anywhere else.  USE YOUR HEAD.  People get kidnapped, murdered, sold on the black market and everything else in the US everyday.  Are you scared to go to work?  I would think not.  Are you scared to vacation in Miami?  No?  But Miami can be a very dangerous place too.  SO I say you should go to Jamaica.  See the beauty that the country has to offer.  Meet the residents and have someone show you OUTSIDE the resorts.  Eat the real food (not resort food)  Hear the culture all around you.  I NEVER stay at a resort when I go.  Yes I stay with family but I do not have a "babysitter" follow me around.  I go to the shops to the beach to the parties...everywhere.  I jsut dont go down dark secluded streets alone ;)

Answer 7

We go to Jamaica every year and do not stay in resorts. We stay in a guesthouse in a rural area of Jamaica. I have never heard what you have been told. Jamaica is a different culture than ours. Jamaicans are outspoken and speak their mind. If you go to Jamaica and do not leave the resort, you don't see the real Jamaica. The people I have met are some of the nicest people I have ever met. I have been invited to homes, and had meals cooked for us. I think the dangers are concentrated to the Kingston areas but again, this is depending on what neighborhoods you travel to. Think if you were to go to NY city. You wouldn't go into the worst areas. Same as Jamaica. I am not a resident but have traveled to Jamaica a few times and i do not worry. You are missing out on alot if you do not go to JA. The people who told you those stories have probably never been to Jamaica.

Answer 8

I agree with stingjam on this one.  As a visitor to Jamaica, your greatest concern is that you'll be robbed and if you do as the thief says you'll come to no physical harm.

I don't think the person who told you about us harvesting and selling organs knows a thing about Jamaica or s/he is pulling your leg.  I guarantee that you stand a greater chance of losing an organ to a black marketeer at Mardi Gras than you would in Jamaica.

On an average day, you are at the same risk in New York City, Miami, downtown Chicago or Philly as you are in Jamaica.

Answer 9

Have you got any good parts worth buying?

Answer 10

As a tourist, you are VERY unlikely to face physical harm in Jamaica. You need to use your security sense at all times, but thats just about it.

The only risk to tourists outside a resort is that of being robbed if they happen to try walkng through ghettos while wearing expensive jewellry or if they decide to be walkingthrough lonely dark alleys and streets. Last time i checked, there were many cities in the USA and other places around the world where doing this would be a REALLY bad idea.

Whoever told you about 'cutting people to peices' probably has never even been to the caribbean and probably thinks that venezuela is the capital of trinidad....they 'probably' DONT HAVE A CLUE.

EDIT:

i have only heard of people getting cut up in two types of cases:

1. Drug Deal gone bad.

2. Psycho in Romantic Relationship gone bad.

These kind of things happen quite frequently (by comparison) in Miami and other major cocaine riddled cities of america. Not that common in Jamaica at all.