A Perfect Day in Negril

7.00am

Early swim

Start the day with a refreshing swim on Seven Mile Beach. You’ll have the place to yourself apart from a few joggers and early birds, and the sea will be as calm can be.

8.00am

Breakfast/ lighthouse

Having worked up an appetite, tuck into a full Jamaican breakfast, either at your hotel or at Just Natural restaurant at West End. Then take a morning stroll from the restaurant to the Victorian Lighthouse, from here you get a great view out to sea and along the cliffs.

10.00am

Craft market

Back to Seven Mile Beach by taxi and wander around the craft stalls for a bargain. Pick up some snacks for later – fresh fruit from the women on the beach and delicious patties from Niah’s Patties.

11.00am

Taxi tour

Find a reputable taxi driver outside your hotel and agree a rate for a tour of the south coast. Head for Bluefields Bay, via Savanna-la-Mar.

11.30am

Blue Hole

Spend an hour or two at the Blue Hole, jumping 7.5m (25ft) down into the exhilarating water (or use the ladder!), sunbathing around the spring-fed swimming pool, chatting with your hosts over a Red Stripe and maybe lunch if you’ve phoned in advance. Call in at the Peter Tosh Mausoleum at Belmont, a shrine to the superstar reggae musician.

2.30pm

Black River

Take a boat tour a few miles up the longest river in Jamaica and into the Great Morass, the swamp where the crocodiles live, and fit in a spot of birdwatching before returning to Negril.

5.30pm

Take a sunset cruise

Sail off into the sunset with a rum punch and watch the last flickering rays of the day. You’ll be taken to the rocky cliffs at West End, before stopping off at Rick’s Café to see intrepid young cliff-jumpers fling themselves off the rocks.

7.30pm

Romantic dinner

Enjoy a romantic candlelit meal at Ivan’s Bar & Restaurant at Catcha Falling Star Hotel, nestled on top of Negril’s scenic cliffs. Take in the beautiful view while sipping a cocktail or two.

10.00pm

Night fever

Head for The Jungle, the iconic club where you can work up a sweat on one of the four dance floors. Security is tight and the music carries on until the last guest staggers out.