Tip for visiting Dunn's River Falls

[rthiebes]

We just got back from RCCL Mariner of the Seas trip. One of our stops was Dunn's River Falls in Ocho Rios, Jamaica (a must if you have not been there). I HIGHLY recommend you DO NOT take a ships tour (or otherwise). We took a taxi first thing in the morning (the second car in the parking lot). Round trip taxi was $22 (taxi came to pick us up from the falls 2 hrs later). We paid entry to the Falls (it's kind of like a large park) and a guide walked us up the falls. There were only a few other groups and we had a blast walking up the rushing water with plenty of photo ops. We heard later from those that took tour groups that it was HORRIBLE..a sea of humanity...more waiting than anything else to walk up the falls because you were constantly waiting for the group in front of you to move (if you could even get that far...some groups just had too many people and not enough time, etc...lots of waiting even before doing the falls, waiting for others, etc..plus too expensive! For you non-falls walkers, there are also steps and sidewalks going all along the falls for nice views where you can wade in on the different levels..but the REAL treat is walking up the entire falls! Also for kids, my 5 and 7 year olds had no problem and the guides took extra care with them (as well as the adults in our small group...we all took a taxi together, about 12 of us in a little van and we just stuck together at the falls). Any smaller children would probably have trouble and it could get dangerous..the rocks can be slippery at places.

 

You can always book a snorkling/sub/etc tour for the afternoon (less crowds than popular Dunn's River Falls).

 

For the falls, make sure you wear a bathing suit (there are plenty of bathrooms and clean as well if you do feel the need to change). Lockers can be rented for a nominal fee for your gear (travel light up the falls). Bring an underwater camera. Some folks had the guides carry their camcorders and such, but I wouldn't risk it..you'll see signs that say guides are not to carry these items, but they do anyway, for a tip:-)) BRING YOUR WATER SOCKS (or rubber soled sturdy shoes to wear while walking up the falls; don't go barefoot). You can buy them there (or rent them), but why waste the money? Expensive! They also have a pseudo craft village at the exit..don't buy there, more expensive than elsewhere..you'll also get a chance there to buy a photo of you at the falls (they take the pic then hustle it up there so it'll be ready when you leave) as well as a video. Just take your underwater camera and your guide will be glad to take photos of you and your family along the way. They know all the picturesque spots as well as some of the fun spots where they had us tourists doing all kinds of dives, falling backwards, etc...a highlight of our trip!!!

[SpoiledMom]

Thanks for posting... We fly to Florida in 12 1/5 hours and will be on the Mariner Sunday headed for Jamaica. We had already decided to do the falls on our own and loved reading that we are doing the right thing...

 

Was the van fare for all 12 of you only $22?

[Krazy Kruizers]

:) Dunn's River Falls

We did it many, many years ago before it became popular. Loved it. In those days (80"s) it wasn't crowded and it was a thrill. We did it in the summer months. What a great way to cool off.

About a year ago (winter months) we went back there as part of a tour. Since we had already walked the falls, we opted to just walk around. The other 6 in our group started at the bottom but gave up after an hour as they had gone only 1/4 of the way.

There were 2 ships in Ocho Rios and 1 in Montego Bay. The place was packed! There were 3 congo lines all trying to move up the falls at the same time. All the ship tours got to the falls within a few minutes of each other.

 

:)

[rthiebes]

It was $22 for our family of four. Again, roundtrip.

[phlydude]

I concur with the congo lines up the falls. I found it to be more of a hinderance than a help since you had to stop and often times balance yourself along the wall on a round algae covered rock. I wanted to climb up and keep going. After a while if you havn't climbed things in a while, your thighs will hurt and burn since some of the step ups require high leg placement. Also some of the step-downs you aren't expecting. I cut my knee pretty good falling on it twice during my ascent from stepping in "potholes".

 

As for the smoke and everything else that you are offered or pushed into during the sell, just ignore the native people around you. Don't talk to them, don't tell them your name. The moment you do, they'll try to grab you and pull you into their shop while the guy in the back is carving your name into a statue of people "doing the deed" telling you to buy it or he'll call the cops.

 

I had an open mind going into it but after experiencing it, I will not visit that country again! I hate that place!!

[allpoints]

I would be VERY careful with young children walking up the falls. As with phlydude I got a pretty nasty injury as I walked up the falls. I fell off a ledge, as I fell into a pool of water I scraped the entire side of my leg on a hidden rock in the pool of water. It was a very nasty scrape injury from my knee to my butt. No doubt I was lucky, I could have hit that rock as I fell in and broke my leg. I am in fairly good shape and physically active (tennis, yoga, thi chi, swimming), it was just one of those unfortunate accidents that could happen to anyone.

 

I wonder just how many people get hurt, in some manner, on the falls. I bet it's more that you think!!! I'll be taking the steps and wading in occasionally. Good luck to the rest of you!!

[CruisinHokie05]

Do you remember how much locker rentals are? Do you think it's safe?

 

Thanks!

:D

[phlydude]

I want to say $5 or so. It seemed safe - everything I left in there was untouched.

 

Don't expect lockers like you would get at a health club or in DisneyWorld. These are wooden and they hand you a padlock with a key inside. You have to make sure you don't lose that key or else there is a hefty fee involved.

[Marge M]

Do you remember how much locker rentals are? Do you think it's safe?

 

Thanks!

:D

 

We paid $8 upfront for the padlock and got $5 back when we returned it, so in the end it cost $3. We left our digital camera and backpack in it and it was all fine. As phlydude said they are pretty primitive wooden lockers built on a slab of rock, but they were roomy.

 

Avoid the vendors by leaving the way you come in, to the left. Do NOT go right. We went out the way we came in and had no problems.

[phlydude]

I tried the exit to the left and was yelled at and told I "wasn't allowed" to exit here and they forced me off to the right.

 

Usually my size causes people to think twice about questioning me or telling me what to do but this loud, authoritative woman had no qualms about it!

[TheWog]

When we were leaving there was a security officer/policeman and told us we had to leave to the right. Oh well, we tried.

[bailey2004]

We had to leave also thru the market last week, but we just kept saying no and kept going. They tried to badger us be we kept walking.

[Marge M]

I guess we were lucky then. No one was around when we went left instead of right. I think this was because we were in a small group (none of us had used a guide) and maybe this is the reason they didn't pay attention to us. I was prepared to be harassed from everything I had read here though! My main concern was that I didn't want anyone touching me or my kids. I had heard from someone else that this had happened to them. I have no problem saying no to anyone (we said "no" often enough in Cozumel), but the touching thing had me worried. Did you guys have this problem?

[Riley13]

For the $22 roundtrip taxi fare, did you have to pay the entire amount up front and then hope the taxi returned 2 hours later? Or, did you pay the $11 at drop off and then again for the return trip?

 

Thanks for this info...we were planning to pay Phil Lafeyette $30 pp to take us to the falls then back to Margaritaville. We are not really looking for a tour, just a ride to the falls and back.

[phlydude]

Touching was an issue because they made a big deal if you "left them hangin'" when they put their hand out there to shake it. If you shook it, they were pulling you into the tent, if you didn't shake it, they said that you were "disrespecting" them.

 

Catch 22 there - one guy we saw actually got into a verbal confrontation with the vendors telling them that they were a--holes and that No meant NO!