Dunn’s River Falls, Jamaica

brandi  Sunday, April 24, 2011

Adventure Review

We hiked up Dunn’s River Falls in Jamaica last summer with our kids.  They were 9 and 12 at the time. The river is amazing, and felt so refreshing in the hot Jamaica sun!  We started at the half way up point, and I must say that it was enough for me.  It was fun trying to find my way through the water, and hanging on to what ever I could find to keep my balance  climbing up!!  My daughter, the 11 year old, was a little intimidated by the water sometimes because it was kind of rough in places.  Our son really enjoyed it as well.  He did have a moment of fear going up one particular area, but he came down and went another way and was fine!  The good thing is that there are places to go up for every level of adventure.  If you like more risks, there are plenty of places for that…..but if you prefer a more milder hike, then there are areas for that as well.  What I found interesting was that if you come in from a cruise or charter boat, they make the people hold hands the entire way up.  I can’t  imagine trying to do that because there are so many places where you have to hold on.  Not to mention they looked kinda funny!!!

The water is fresh water, so when it hits your face, it doesn’t sting your eyes.  And it’s so gorgeous at the bottom!!  There’s a beautiful Jamaican beach to lay out on with vendors selling food and Jamaican souveniers.

You can rent water shoes at the entrance, but we brought our own.  As you exit the falls, there is the typical Jamaican market, there was a lot of really neat souvenirs available there as well!

This is a very neat experience, but if you have poor balance, or strength issues, I would be cautious.  The water is deep in places and flows fast sometimes.  The rocks can be very slick as well.

If your ever in Jamaica, this is one of their national landmarks and is something that is well worth your time to do.  It’s absolutely gorgeous.  It’s so cool to see a spot where fresh water and salt water mix!  I would highly recommend this outdoor adventure!