Dunn's River Falls Express Shore Excursion from Ocho Rios

The town of Discovery Bay is where you will find Columbus Park. It was originally named Puerto Seco “Dry Harbour” by Christopher Columbus in 1494 when he and his men landed on the Island. It is said that could not find fresh water to drink. They later found fresh water in another area about 5 miles west of the town. The water was so good that they named the location where it was found Rio Bueno (“Good River”). However, the town of Puerto Seco was later renamed in 1947 to Discovery Bay because Discovery Bay is where the Spanish, lead by Christopher Columbus landed when they invaded the Island on May 4, 1494. There is a park with several old relics and artifacts on display. There will be a brief stop to take photos and capture the rich history of this historic town.

This tour takes you through one of the most popular towns on the Island. Runaway Bay is naturally beautiful and is certainly one of the most scenic areas in Jamaica. It sits between the beautiful, crisp coastline to one side and the lush green mountains to the other. There is much debate as to how the town of Runaway Bay got its name. some people believe it got the name because that is where the last batch of Spanish soldiers ran away from when they were retreating from the attacking British Troops lead by Governor Ysassi right after the 1655 British invasion of Jamaica, while other argue that it was the point from which the Slaves from inland plantations used as an escape route to runaway to Cuba. Get your cameras ready to go as you make your way through this area.

A rare experience awaits you as your tour guide take you to the world famous Dunns River Falls. By now, you should be wearing your swimsuits so all you have to do is to meet with your resident guide, go through the briefing, sign the waiver form and get on with the fun at hand. Your friendly resident guide will walk you do to the beach where the tour starts. The total climb from the beach to the top is approximately 600ft (183 meters). There are pools along the way where you will stop for photo shoots. If you are unable to complete the climb it's no problem - there are exit points along the way. Described as a living and growing phenomenon, it continuously regenerates itself from deposits of travertine rock, the result of precipitation of calcium carbonate from the river, as it flows over the falls. The small dome-shaped cataracts are usually associated with thermal spring activity found in limestone caves. This, combined with its location near to the sea, gives Dunn's River the distinction of being the only one of its kind in the Caribbean, if not the world. Your total time at Dunns River Falls will be approx. 1 hour 45 minutes. Feel free to ask your tour guide just to point out the areas of the falls that featured in the James Bond movie (Doctor No).

The heartbeat of the garden parish of St. Ann, the resort area of Ocho Rios is the nature lover’s paradise. As previously thought to be watered by eight rivers (as its name suggests) Ocho Rios provides a lush landscape of caves, gardens, rivers and white sand beaches. The name Ocho Rios actually derives from “Las Choreras” meaning “waterfalls” and may be a reflection of the many waterfalls in the area. From the Fern Gully located in the remains of an old river bed to the tiered waterfalls of Dunn’s River, Blue Hole and the Secret Falls, arguably, Jamaica’s most popular attractions, Ocho Rios draws thousands of visitors back to arguably the island’s most romantic, picturesque resort area.

Ocho Rios is a small “Colonial Styled Town” with a population of approximately 25 thousand. “The Centerpiece of Jamaica”, Ocho Rios provides a range of activities from golf to watersports to equestrian and soft adventure activities. The area is approximately equidistant between the island’s two cities – Kingston and Montego Bay, providing excellent access from both international airports. The birthplace of Bob Marley and Marcus Garvey, Ocho Rios offers a variety of cultural experiences – Marley’s mausoleum at Nine Miles, Reggae Xplosion and Seville Heritage Park all help to chronicle Jamaica’s experience in story and song.

There will be a short stop in the town center (Approx. 1 hour) for shopping.

Shopping in Ocho Rios on this day trip will be at the Ocho Rios Craft Market or Similar. A wide variety of items are available in this one area. Items includes rums, coffee, T-shirts, hats, jewelry, wood carving products, arts, etc. Try to take small bills with you when you go on tours because not every place will accept credit cards plus the vendors might not have change in USD and you will end up having to accept a lot of Jamaican dollars as change.

Scotchies Outdoor Garden Restaurant is undoubtedly the best jerk chicken and pork spots you can find anywhere. We recommend that you cap off your day’s activities with a stop for the ultimate jerk experience at Scotchies. The food is prepared with the whole family in mind so even the children can take advantage of this amazing experience of tender juicy pork and succulent chicken with festival. Steamed vegetable is also available for non-meat eaters. Don’t forget to challenge the homemade Scotchies specialty hot sauce made from local sun ripened Scotch Bonnet Pepper.