Calico Jack's Pirate Island
Calico Jack's Pirate Island
4.5
11:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Monday
11:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Tuesday
11:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Wednesday
11:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Thursday
11:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Friday
11:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Saturday
11:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Sunday
11:00 AM - 6:30 PM
About
Just 15 minutes north of Negril's 7 Mile Beach, Calico Jack's is a world apart. A rustic bar on its own little castaway island, all you see from here is wild coastline and pristine coral reefs. In fact, the snorkeling is the best in the whole Negril area.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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4.5
78 reviews
Excellent
58
Very good
13
Average
3
Poor
0
Terrible
4
williami257
Tulsa, United States43 contributions
May 2017 • Couples
We had an amazing time. Only the two of us on the island (slow season) with Chef Levy and his captain. The expected - peaceful and beautiful. The unexpected - the sincere kindness of the staff. Chef Levy went out of his way to make our trip wonderful. His meals were delicious, the music was fun, and the conversations were great. After coming to shore, he climbed a mango tree to shake down a couple for us. He helped catch a taxi for us, to which he paid the $2 and rode with us to his home in Orange Bay (we were staying in Negril). We went with him to a local bar and he bought us both a Red Stripe. We met other locals and bought them drinks to show our appreciation. Levy even invited us to his home, but first stopped at a market and he bought us another beer for the road. We went to his home where he shared his culture with us. He wanted to show how kind the locals really are, where the media often portrays only the bad. Afterwards, he helped us catch a taxi back to Negril (which was only $4, as it should be - not the $10 we paid on the way to Half Moon Beach). He even invited us back for dinner at his house a couple nights later, but did not make it back out. From our experience, visit them. You will have a memory for a lifetime. Nothing, but respect.
Written 8 May 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
That's awesome!
Written 16 May 2017
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
xyz x
New England2,560 contributions
Apr 2015 • Solo
I saw the Pirate Shack here on TA and wanted to check it out during my stay in Negril. I'm so glad I took the ride out to Half Moon Beach to check this place out. From the beach you board a 10 person boat for the short ride out to the reef island. Enjoy drinks from the bar and a meal cooked to order, and a view that is second to none. Flushing toilets are an added bonus. If you like, you can get a boat ride over to the swimming area for some snorkeling. Be sure to talk with the owner, Mr Marr, for a great history on the property and his adventures building the pirate shack. This is a must see for a calm and relaxing visit to a true tropical paradise. Next time I will try to visit for a sunset at the Shack.
Written 6 May 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Miranda0713
Charlottesville, VA116 contributions
July 2015 • Couples
Such a hidden gem! It will remind you of the beaches you see in movies! For 5 bucks per person roundtrip, take a boat from Half Moon Beach out to Calico Jack's Pirate Shack! A plate of delicious food--we had chicken--is $11 and enough for two. Plenty for two. Red Stripe is $4 a pop, so budget for that. Snorkel around the island or head out to the reef which is one of the largest in Jamaica and some of the best snorkeling we've ever done! Lovely time talking to people at the bar, playing dominoes, snorkeling, and getting away from the bustle of 7-Mile.
Written 1 August 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
becs
14 contributions
July 2016 • Family
We made the visit to Calico Jack's a priority for our last day in Jamaica because it sounded great from reviews. I emailed twice and called in advance to get hours but received no response. Two taxi/tour companies told us to go early because it often storms in the afternoon. Our driver thought they opened at 10 am, so we left Negril at 9:30 for the 25 min ride to Halfmoon Beach. From there you take a short boat ride to the pirate shack.
The owner was there when we arrived and gave us the disappointing news that they don't open until 12:30. She said we should come back then and someone will take us over to the pirate shack. That was a bummer but ... we revised our plan. Our driver took us back to Negril to do some other things and we returned to Halfmoon Beach at 12:30. Here's where the bad part begins.
We eagerly got out of our taxi and saw the owner. She told us that a group of 85 naked people from a nudist hotel showed up at the beach and she hoped we didn't mind. We wouldn't have the "lovely private beach experience" described in many reviews, but we thought we would be heading right over to the pirate shack so it seemed like not a big deal.
That all changed when we asked about getting a boat to go to the shack and the other owner said we had to wait an hour because there was a group already at the shack and they'd be leaving in an hour. When we asked why we can't go over while others are there he said in a rude tone "I told you, you can go in an hour". I explained that we came in the morning and his wife (the other owner) told us to return at 12:30, and we wanted to get to the shack soon as we were concerned about storms later in the afternoon. He said once again rudely, "I told you, in an hour". When I saw the boat docked by the pirate shack I said to the woman owner I didn't understand why they can't bring us over as it's a 5 minute ride to the shack. From the other side of the room her husband chimed in, "They will come for you ... in an hour". Every attempt we made to problem solve he shut down. This was really frustrating, but our only options were to wait the hour or leave. We had come all that way (twice), paid our driver $50 to get there, and this was our last day in Jamaica to do something really fun. In order to make the best of a bad situation we decided to have lunch there while we waited. The lunch was not very good, and my 3 teenagers were pretty uncomfortable sitting there for well over an hour, having lunch alongside naked middle-aged adults! That was awkward to say the least, but our big complaint is the way we were treated by the owners.
We waited the hour and still no sign of the boat, but there were signs of a storm moving in. After 90 minutes I asked the owners again about getting us to the island, and though the group was still at the shack the woman finally called the captain to come get us, just as lightning struck. So in the end, sadly, the thunder and lightning rolled in as expected, and we never made it to the pirate shack. We wasted our precious last vacation day trying to do this fun thing, and ended up leaving frustrated, mistreated, and really disappointed. Before we left i expressed our frustration with the way we were treated to the woman owner, and they ended up agreeing to not charge for our lunch.
You could come away from this review thinking how nice it was that we got a free lunch, but it wasn't all about the money. We made our visit there a high priority, and we were treated very poorly. Since the owner told us to return at 12:30 and we did, they should have taken us to the shack then. It was wrong of them to make us wait over an hour for no apparent reason. The male owner was so obnoxious, speaking to us in a rude tone, unwilling to have a conversation to problem solve. So ... maybe the pirate shack is a great place to visit, but the owners of the restaurant/property at Halfmoon Beach have a lot to learn about customer service, and basic human kindness. Such a contrast to the warm welcome we received everywhere else we went in Jamaica.
The owner was there when we arrived and gave us the disappointing news that they don't open until 12:30. She said we should come back then and someone will take us over to the pirate shack. That was a bummer but ... we revised our plan. Our driver took us back to Negril to do some other things and we returned to Halfmoon Beach at 12:30. Here's where the bad part begins.
We eagerly got out of our taxi and saw the owner. She told us that a group of 85 naked people from a nudist hotel showed up at the beach and she hoped we didn't mind. We wouldn't have the "lovely private beach experience" described in many reviews, but we thought we would be heading right over to the pirate shack so it seemed like not a big deal.
That all changed when we asked about getting a boat to go to the shack and the other owner said we had to wait an hour because there was a group already at the shack and they'd be leaving in an hour. When we asked why we can't go over while others are there he said in a rude tone "I told you, you can go in an hour". I explained that we came in the morning and his wife (the other owner) told us to return at 12:30, and we wanted to get to the shack soon as we were concerned about storms later in the afternoon. He said once again rudely, "I told you, in an hour". When I saw the boat docked by the pirate shack I said to the woman owner I didn't understand why they can't bring us over as it's a 5 minute ride to the shack. From the other side of the room her husband chimed in, "They will come for you ... in an hour". Every attempt we made to problem solve he shut down. This was really frustrating, but our only options were to wait the hour or leave. We had come all that way (twice), paid our driver $50 to get there, and this was our last day in Jamaica to do something really fun. In order to make the best of a bad situation we decided to have lunch there while we waited. The lunch was not very good, and my 3 teenagers were pretty uncomfortable sitting there for well over an hour, having lunch alongside naked middle-aged adults! That was awkward to say the least, but our big complaint is the way we were treated by the owners.
We waited the hour and still no sign of the boat, but there were signs of a storm moving in. After 90 minutes I asked the owners again about getting us to the island, and though the group was still at the shack the woman finally called the captain to come get us, just as lightning struck. So in the end, sadly, the thunder and lightning rolled in as expected, and we never made it to the pirate shack. We wasted our precious last vacation day trying to do this fun thing, and ended up leaving frustrated, mistreated, and really disappointed. Before we left i expressed our frustration with the way we were treated to the woman owner, and they ended up agreeing to not charge for our lunch.
You could come away from this review thinking how nice it was that we got a free lunch, but it wasn't all about the money. We made our visit there a high priority, and we were treated very poorly. Since the owner told us to return at 12:30 and we did, they should have taken us to the shack then. It was wrong of them to make us wait over an hour for no apparent reason. The male owner was so obnoxious, speaking to us in a rude tone, unwilling to have a conversation to problem solve. So ... maybe the pirate shack is a great place to visit, but the owners of the restaurant/property at Halfmoon Beach have a lot to learn about customer service, and basic human kindness. Such a contrast to the warm welcome we received everywhere else we went in Jamaica.
Written 26 August 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
redwingsfanWi
South Milwaukee, WI80 contributions
My husband and I had an excellent guide that took us out to the bar on a bamboo raft. You can also get out there on a motor boat. We had what was one of the best meals of our whole trip. Lobster, jerk chicken, and the best rice and peas anywhere for a reasonable price. The beers were icy cold and the staff were a blast. Unlike the pelican bar this place has a working bathroom. They also offer snorkeling and other adventures. Only 20 minutes from the 7 mile. Already in the plans when we go back to Negril next year.
Written 8 April 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Amy P
8 contributions
Feb 2016 • Family
Only a quick visit due to a busy day visiting lots of places but still remains one of our highlights of the trip. The beach is secluded and idyllic and the short boat journey over to the beach shack island is great fun. We had the island to ourselves, a drink from the island bar. Fabulous setting, with amazing snorkelling just off the island. The owner and the staff were really friendly and told us all the best spots for snorkelling and were gutted we couldn't stay and have food which looked fantastic. At only $5 per person this is incredible value for money, especially being able to stay there for as long as you want.
Thanks for a great experience and keep it just as it is!
The pope family - England
Thanks for a great experience and keep it just as it is!
The pope family - England
Written 22 February 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Deb
St. Augustine, FL44 contributions
Dec 2016 • Family
Truly, this was the highlight of our vacation. I read about Half Moon Beach and Calico Jacks on trip advisor and was hoping we would be able to fit it into our vacation. I'm so glad we did! Many locals indicated that Half Moon Beach epitomizes what Jamaica was like when they were young. The beach was tranquil and beautiful. Calico Jacks was perfect! It was like discovering our own private island! We had the opportunity to snorkel but found ourselves relaxing with red stripes and jerk chicken! My husband summed it up well as we were leaving...it was his "most perfect day".
Written 2 February 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
beachbumIrricana
Irricana, Alberta45 contributions
Nov 2016
We showed up later in the afternoon to watch the sunset, but because it was a slower day, they were closing up. With no hesitation though Livingston said they would take us out and even asked us if he could cook us anything up (talk about great service!). My hubby and I literally had our own private bar for a couple of hours while in the great company of Livingston. The next time we will make sure to come earlier in the afternoon so that we can try the lobster (unfortunately we had eaten not long before arriving) and enjoy a little bit more time at the bar in the daylight. This literally was one of the highlights on our recent trip to Negril and we can't wait to return. Just go, you won't be disappointed!
Written 20 November 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Josh B
San Francisco, CA2 contributions
Mar 2015 • Solo
My friends and I visited Calico Jacks after overhearing a family describe it as the best snorkeling they did in the Negril area. Starting from the main road near the hotels, we grabbed a route taxi (red plated taxis) which took us the 10-15 minutes to Half Moon beach. There, the owners put my friends and I on a boat and took us to the peaceful island, which is Calico Jack's island, just 2 minutes away. The island is small and the area tranquil. There is nobody around trying to sell things. Out of all the places I went in Negril, this definitely had the best vibe for chilling out with friends. Since none of us could think of somewhere better to be, we stayed all the way to sunset, which was completely unobstructed and just as magnificent at Ricks in my opinion. The water was very clean, shallow, and had almost no waves. All of which made for great snorkeling. I didn't eat but my friend enjoyed his jerk chicken. I stuck to the Red Stripe diet.
The day I went to Calico Jacks was probably my best day in Negril. It's one of the first things I would tell a friend to do. My visit to Negril felt so much more authentic because of the experience.
The day I went to Calico Jacks was probably my best day in Negril. It's one of the first things I would tell a friend to do. My visit to Negril felt so much more authentic because of the experience.
Written 5 April 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
WEAK
Edinburgh, UK696 contributions
Mar 2019 • Couples
Arranged prior to arriving in Negril.
Was asked to call day before to check boat was going out to island (weather permitting) but was happy to just go to Half Moon Beach for a change from Negril.
Arranged taxi picked us up promptly at 10.30 ( there was another lady in taxi though not sure why / what) Taxi back at 4pm.
$30 taxi, $10 boat, $10 beach - think if they are going to charge for beach, sun loungers need to be vastly improved
Had a great day at Calico Jack's. Boat out at 1pm , drinks, fish lunch which was delicious very garlicky, no oil and cooked on BBQ plus included rice n peas, lovely pasta salad. Think was only about 12$ and we shared. Boat back just before 4pm.
Entertained by the informative Livingston whilst we were there and had such a laugh. Played my tunes when his were exhausted. Great views and lots of different seating areas. Fun watching the hundreds of little crabs on the island.
Not as scenic or amazing as going to Floyd's Pelican Bar but a lot closer to Negril, better seating and delicious fish. Plus if you are lucky enough to have Livingston on board.
And yes, there is a gents and ladies toilet !
Was asked to call day before to check boat was going out to island (weather permitting) but was happy to just go to Half Moon Beach for a change from Negril.
Arranged taxi picked us up promptly at 10.30 ( there was another lady in taxi though not sure why / what) Taxi back at 4pm.
$30 taxi, $10 boat, $10 beach - think if they are going to charge for beach, sun loungers need to be vastly improved
Had a great day at Calico Jack's. Boat out at 1pm , drinks, fish lunch which was delicious very garlicky, no oil and cooked on BBQ plus included rice n peas, lovely pasta salad. Think was only about 12$ and we shared. Boat back just before 4pm.
Entertained by the informative Livingston whilst we were there and had such a laugh. Played my tunes when his were exhausted. Great views and lots of different seating areas. Fun watching the hundreds of little crabs on the island.
Not as scenic or amazing as going to Floyd's Pelican Bar but a lot closer to Negril, better seating and delicious fish. Plus if you are lucky enough to have Livingston on board.
And yes, there is a gents and ladies toilet !
Written 1 May 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Would this be something cool for my kiddos? ( 5 & 3 y/o)
Written 23 June 2020
We will be staying in Negril and would be interested in visiting Half Moon Bay and Calico Jacks. Can we just take a taxi to Half Moon Bay and then go over to the Island. Do you have to make reservations for lunch? Or is there an option to be picked up from the hotel by boat? We are staying at Samsara on the cliffs but can also be at Legends for pick up. I have tried emailing but not getting any reply. Thanks to anyone who can answer this!!!
Written 3 January 2019
You can take a taxi there. No reservations are required. If you want, hit Tania Bauwens up through Facebook. She is the owner and awesome!!!! Michael is your boat ride to Calico Jacks. Tip him well, he is super cool!!!! Enjoy, and we’re jealous!
Written 8 January 2019
Will you be open the first week of December? I'm seeing that it's hit or miss when you're open. Don't want to come out that way and you're closed. Thanks.
Written 7 November 2018
That would be HELLA far to kayak. It's over 13km (8 miles) from the north end of 7mile to Half Moon Beach.
Written 9 March 2018
Hello, we will be at Couples Negril mid September, from reading Q&A here I know how much to pay for the cab ride, the boat over to CJ's $5 usd's? Once there how much is the cost of lunch and drinks? Want to make sure we have enough money, sounds like the lobster and jerk chicken is not to be missed, and of course cold Red Stripes!!!
Thanks and Cheers
Written 30 August 2017
Hi, sorry I never saw your question before. The lunch is around $10 US. It's been a couple of years since I wsa in Jamaica helping out the owners of Calico Jack's, and I'm the only person maintaining the TripAdvisor page for them cause they don't know how to do it, hahaha. If there's ever a question I can't answer, I contact them by phone or email. Did you figure it out and end up having a good time?
Written 9 October 2017
We are staying at CN in Dec. How far away from CN is Calico Jacks Private Island? Cost
Written 3 July 2017
Hi. Calico Jack's is about 6 miles north of the Riu Palace hotel. It is open from 11am to 6pm. Try to arrive at 11am. Weather and snorkeling are usually better before 2pm. CJ's is just offshore of half moon beach (not to be confused with half moon bay which is closer to montego bay and much further from negril).
Written 6 July 2017
Hi,
we will be staying at the RIU palace. Is Half Moon Beach easy to get to by taxi? If so, how much could I expect to pay for the taxi? What time does Calico Jack's open?
Written 23 February 2017
Hi Patty, Half Moon Beach is not too far away, just about 10 or 15 minutes drive up the coast. The taxi drivers will probably ask for U.S.$20, but for a one-way fare to Half Moon Beach, they should be willing to do it for $10 if you say that's what you can afford. Half Moon Beach is accessed by a little dirt road off the main highway just a mile or so north of Orange Bay. You can arrive at Half Moon as early as 9:30 AM and just hang out at the beach there or the little bar, but they won't have a boat available to take you out to Calico Jack's island until 11:00 AM. When you get there, ask for Tania or Andrew.
Written 23 February 2017
The beach onshore (Half Moon Beach) has definitely hosted weddings, but I don't know if they've done any out on the little island where Calico Jack's Pirate Shack is located. If you want to do one out there, it is very likely that you can, especially considering that there is still not that much traffic to the place so you can pretty easily have it to yourself.
Written 3 August 2016
I think that info is in the description on the TripAdvisor page, but it's just offshore of Half Moon Beach, which is about 20 minutes drive north of Negril beach. It's just a couple miles north of the town of Orange Bay. There is a sign for it on the road with a painting of a pirate.
Written 22 February 2016
Can you be out on the island for sunset?
Written 24 October 2015
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