Ricks Cafe

[Seashel]

How many of you would recommend Ricks Cafe, I was on Google and found a web site that was dedicated to inexperienced divers being seriously injured on the cliff jumps and the lifeguards are not experienced at all. How many of you have jumped and what were your thoughts (would you do it again) or has anyone seen another get injured because of jumping?

[randi&sherri]

Ricks Cafe is one of the top 10 bars in the world. You have to visit at least once to check it out even if you dont jump it will be a good time to watch the sunset on the cliffs and watch the locals jump. That being said Ive jumped many times and your not diving...you are jumping and going in feet first to prevent injury. Ive seen a few people try to dive and over rotate as they are so high and they flop on their back.
Yes plan on jumping again in Dec

[Wally]

Go to Rick's (once) but DO NOT JUMP!

[Redsoxnation]

My husband actually dove off the cliffs a few times. I think, ( or hope ) that with age he has rethought taking that risk. At the time he loved doing it and had no problems. We have seen others injured and that was just jumping not diving. I do not recall any lifeguards there. We went last October. My husband didn't dive. We think it is now a tourist trap and only stayed a short time. The prices for drinks are high, and being hounded for paying to see the cliff divers didn't appeal to us.

[Sublimebrad]

If you jump you have to understand the risk of injury. It's not a safe act at all. It's fun though. But to get upset over getting hurt makes no sense. You know what you're getting into and Ricks isn't pushing people off cliffs. Go and enjoy the place even if you don't jump. I grew up jumping off 60' cliffs in Alabama and never got hurt. But I knew the risks and did it anyway. Alcohol increases those risks. Be smart.

[KayakChick]

We liked it bc there were tons of ppl, great music, and it was just nice to leave the resort. There is another bar right next to Ricks that has unreal drinks, totally worth the cost. I cant remember the name but there is an excursion to that one too but you can actually walk between the two. And that place was dead. If you dont like crowds, I wouldnt go to Ricks. And I have never heard of injuries from the jumping but usually it is locals jumping, not tourists.

[rhallva]

We like Rick's but don't go there every time we are in Negril. The food is actually better than we expected and ofcourse the view at sunset is great and the divers are fun to watch. The drinks are good and don't cost any more than at Margaritaville... probably less. It can be a nice hour or two at sunset.

As for the cliff jumping.... I have seen a LOT of people ruin their vacations by jumping or diving from the cliffs. If you hit the water wrong it will hurt and I know people who have bruised or broken their tailbone so bad that they were in pain the rest of their trip. I'm not saying you should not do it, I'm saying think it over carefully while sober and I'm saying that I won't do it again. Having said that, lots of folks jump and never get hurt.
Have a great time!

[softail19]

We got back from CSA 3 weeks ago. We met a couple and the woman had jumped and maybe broken her arm. Not sure because there are NO EX -RAY MACHINES in Negril. They were leaving the next day anyway and she didn't want to go to montego bay and ruin the last of their trip. They gave her some Vicodin so she couldn't drink anyway. My advice, DON'T DO IT! Go have a couple beers(which are expensive ) watch and tip the locals to jump and enjoy the sunset.

[FF204]

I jumped back in Sept. 2010 and had no issues. We are going back again this Sept. and I plan on jumping once more. Just check the waves coming in and if they are too rough, don't jump. I didn't personally think the lifeguard was really a lifeguard either, but one is standing nearby. You have to read this statement that Rick's isn't responsible and you jump at your own risk, and then they let you jump. The only loss while I was there, was a few newlyweds lost their rings from the force of jumping in. It's a great experience and fun.

[Sublimebrad]

Yes there are Xray machines in Negril. My wife hurt her ankle and had to get one. Not from cliff diving though.

[Tommolly]

I would like to go and watch. Do they offer an excursion to there or no? What is the best way to get there?

[Janeinpenn]

We are going back to CSA next weekend and will see Ricks once again. My soon to be husband jumped last time, I didnt I watched. You can jump at the lowest level if you want though. Was fun to watch have to admit. Bring 1's they will want you to tip them.

[Pour Sport]

Went there last week. Big crowd. Tourist trap. Bucket of Red Stripe was $29.00. After watching them jump for 15 or 20 minutes, I had seen it and was ready to do something else. Unfortunately, we were stuck there for 3 hours.

[austex]

sublimebrad is right. I too grew up jumping/diving/backflips off high cliffs (40-80 feet) in Austin. I haven't done it in 15 years and had no desire to jump at Rick's. I wouldn't recommend if you've never done it. I think the nearest hospital is in MB. If you do, keep your hands either at your side or cross them holding the opposite shoulders and step off the cliff and go into the water vertical. If you try to jump off too far, you will tend to fall backward. If you think your sunburn hurts now, wait to you smack onto the water the wrong way.

[drbcwp]

if you are there a short time, then not worth the trip and expense to get there.

but, it is an interesting and fun place. DO NOT DIVE, I have seen many drunk people dive and we have seen many injuries.

Drinks and food are both "ok", expensive but this is a very unique place.

[JimT]

You can always go and make your decision after you watch the other divers. There are different levels that you can jump from but if you don't jump then be prepared to overpay for warm beer.

It was interesting to see the REAL jumpers when they dive from way up top, but we went once and once was enough.

[hawkgroup]

If you've never been to Rick's its a "Must DO" at least once!! The sunsets are 2nd to none. The 1st time we went it was nothing more than the cliff and a beer cart...I think the red stripes were $1 then (about 10 years ago) then that huge hurricane wiped out alot of that side of Jamaica and they rebuilt Rick's into a tourist area. They have a full bar, gift shop, lounge pool, stage and sand dance area. the only thing that stayed the same was the tree the Jamaican divers jump out of.

There are three levels to jump from. 1st timers and kids jump from the area down by the stairs. There's a small platform just below the big jump that people jump from also. Its a huge RUSH the 1st time you jump I've been doing it for years and never got hurt. With that said i also don't get wasted out of my mind and think I'm a pro diver either. One guy tried a back flip and did a side flop...he had almost a perfect line right down the center of his body, one side black and blue and one side sheet white. I think his biggest problem he had was the soon to be bride that was fire red after spending 2 days at the hospital with him.

[softail19]

Tommolly, The shuttle left CSA at 4pm and it was 15 dollars per person round trip. We watched the sunset and left around 630. It's spendthrift and we have been there a few times. Probably won't go back.