Hail a cab as you would in any city by waving it down. Make sure it is a legitimate taxi, as sometimes locals will stop and offer you a ride for money. This will be cheaper but not worth the headache. Licensed taxis say on the car and the license plates are a different color than regular cars. They are red. Most drivers know what's happening on the beach so don't be afraid to ask. Tipping is also appreciated even if you are at an all-inclusive.
Make sure you agree on the price before you get in and also check if it's Jamaican or US dollars. It should cost $5 plus tip from anywhere on the beach to anywhere on the beach or to town, or from anywhere on the cliffs to anywhere on the cliffs. It should cost $10 from cliffs to beach or vice versa. Some people will try to charge you more, but if you counter with this reasonable and standard price, they'll usually take it, just come to an agreement before you get in.
Driving in Jamaica is challenging, so leave it to the locals and take a taxi. If you find a nice driver get his cell number and he will come and pick you up for the duration of your stay. Unless you are looking for adventure and want to see the real Jamaica. In which case, be prepared before you go with the following information:
1 - DRIVE SLOW, leave as much room as you are able between you and the cars around you, be alert, anticipate sudden stops and unpredictable drivers around you. Plus: have a good map before you go, mark your route, and have a navigator with you. Driving is a challenge all to itself, often there will be no shoulder to pull off onto for map checking. You will need to watch the roads carefully, they are usually small side roads and easy to miss.
2 - Prepare to deposit $1500 with the rental car company when you pick up your rental. Usually they take credit cards and do not actually charge the $1500, just pre-authorize it. You will have to pay $20 per day for insurance in addition to you rental car. Expect to pay $500 for one week with an SUV. You will want the higher vehicle, roads are very bumpy and are often unpaved.
3 - Plan to be able to drive no more than 30 - 40 miles per hour, and more like 15 if you get up into the hills (although they use the metric system so convert). The roads are narrow and rough. Don't try to get somewhere last minute, chances are you will be late.
4 - Do not leave anything valuable in the car, do not transport drugs, and do not drink and drive and everything will be fine.
A great source for maps of Jamaica is through www.lonelyplanet.com they have a book on Jamaica and every map was detailed and easy to follow -- just take the term "road" very loosely.
Great Road Trips:
1 - Royal Palm Reserve: takes about 45 minutes to get there, cost to get in is $10, this is a great drive for seeing the countryside and getting away from the crowds.
2 - The Road to Lost Beach past Retreat will take about an hour to get there. If you are adventurous you can head west to Paradise on the Beach Bar and restaurant - call Lennox at 876-367-2165 to find out about hours and specials.
3 - Drive North and East past the Negril town center and take the road Northeast of the Morass past the Orange Hills and then back around to Bloody Bay, this is a great opportunity to see some quiet farming villages.