Jamaica?

My g/f and I are planning a 1 week vacation the third week in March and we're considering Jamaica.

We're not going to go for a big party atmosphere, but rather to enjoy each others company, relax, and go somewhere a little different than the typical "Cancun".

One thing I'm curious about is the laws view on Marijuana on the island. I know it's illegal, but the police are relatively relaxed.

Just curious about the views of others here that may have went to Jamaica recently. I've heard everything from you can smoke as you please to be very cautious.

I've also heard mixed reviews about going into town off the resort. Just curious about this too as I'd hate to stay at the resort the whole week ... would love to see the towns and some of the culture.

Looking at Negril, at the moment.

Also, I guess I need a passport to travel to Jamaica? Considering it's a month away ... is it possible to get a passport this quickly?

Supposedly you can get a passport in two weeks, if you pay a little more and give them your travel dates. Four weeks might be pushing it though.

I just saw an AMAZING one hour show on the Travel Channel about Jamaica. this place is lush.

Jamaica is a great place to visit. The marijuana laws are very lax. I wasn't off the plane for 2 minutes carrying my bag when a guy came up and offered to carry them to his waiting taxi, at the same time as handling my bags he put a bag of Marijuana in my hand. Prices for about 1/2 z are roughly 40usd. REMINDER* it is NOT legal, but very much tolerated. DON'T even think of trying to leave the island with any however. With not wanting to stay in the resort all week, This is something you should do unless you take a hotel guided tour. There is much crime there and the locals look for those little wrist bands you wear to identify you are a tourist staying in a "resort". I had 2 close calls of being mugged there in 1 week. HIGHLY recommend staying where you are, so pick a good resort that has a lot to offer. With that said, I did take a hotel guided tour of horseback riding over the sugar cane hill tops and down onto the ocean beaches and even swam while on the horse into the ocean. EXTREMELY fun and a memory I will always savor. Another good excursion of course through the hotel was Dunns River Falls. This was a lot of fun and absolutely beautiful, well worth the effort. However, here you are left alone and must be careful of the locals as well, I had met another couple while there and if it hadn't been for them, I was surely going to be in some "trouble". The buses leave you off at a big market where you can buy all the native arts and crafts many of them hand made. Jamaica is a blast. I was at Sandals in Montego Bay. My next trip there will be to Hedonism for the party life. I hear it's great but can't be bashful about the human body LOL lots of nudity.

Jamaica is great, some of the best beaches on earth, and believe me when I say that smoking marijuana is allow!