Dunn's River Falls and Park

Dunn's River Falls and Park

Dunn's River Falls and Park
4.5
Zipline & Aerial Adventure ParksWaterfalls
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
About
The unique terraced Dunn’s River Falls is a refreshing adventure in the Jamaican jungle. Get a tour guide to help you navigate through the pools and to the giant staircase waterfalls—if the going gets too tough, there are points at which you can give up and walk along the adjacent path. The falls are a popular stop for cruise boats that pass through the area, so if you’re planning on visiting on your own, you’ll want to get there early in the morning for fewer crowds. Afterward, cross the highway and dry off on the golden sand at Dunn’s River Beach.
Ocho Rios, Jamaica

Awards
Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best
2023

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Tours and Tickets by Dunn's River Falls and Park
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles20,113 reviews
Excellent
11,870
Very good
5,649
Average
1,844
Poor
473
Terrible
278

KatherineP321
Miami, FL101 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
This was one of the most exhilarating experiences of my life! To climb these breathtaking waterfalls was an indescribable feeling. If you are a thrill seeker and enjoy nature, do yourself a favor and visit this magical place. I must warn you though, it takes about an hour to climb through the waterfalls, so if you someone who isn't active it can be a challenge. I suggest pacing yourself and resting the day before to make the best of the experience. My boyfriend I booked this excursion through our Carnival Cruise because we wanted to make sure the tour guides were reliable, I would suggested booking this event through a trusted source because Jamaica can be a little sketchy once you go inland. My boyfriend and I were prepared for this excursion beforehand because we purchased water shoes, dry fit clothing and a waterproof backpack since we had done so much research. A lot of people wore bathing suits and crocks, but I preferred my dry fit clothing because it didn't weigh me down and the water shoes came in handy because the rocks are slippery. We were accompanied by a local tour guide, which was awesome because they know these waterfalls like the back of their hands. As you go up the waterfalls, they warn you about rough patches and help you. In our backpack we had a water bottle, towels, an iPhone waterproof case, sunblock and a change of clothes. Once you arrive at the site, you can rent lockers for $10 to store your belongings in. However, my boyfriend and I did not use a locker because our backpack was waterproof. There are bathrooms and changing places on site. The tour guide starts you from the beach side with a group and then you begin at the foot of the waterfalls. At one point, I thought I had finished the waterfalls because there was an exit point, the tour guide said that if I wanted to stop at that point I could exit, but that there was still about another 20 minutes or so. I am so glad that I continued on because it was truly amazing to reach the final part of the waterfalls. I did see a lot of young children climbing the falls, so depending on your child you make the call for this activity. Don't miss this amazing experience in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, you won't regret it!
Written January 7, 2020
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.

Nicholas A
Southend-on-Sea, UK7 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020 • Family
Great adventure not to be missed if you are in Jamaica.

Mornings are best time to visit as Ocho Rios tends to cloud over most days after lunch.

My 6 year old Grandson made the climb from sea level to the top with the help of a guide and it was very satisfying to climb the whole falls.

Take $US far simpler when paying and expect traders to try and sell you there wares as you leave through a row of stalls.

Brilliant must visit.
Written March 1, 2020
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.

Mica P
Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina25 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
Well. I went there with my mother and my sister. The journey begins at the beach where you start climbing up the falls. You need to wear water shoes (or sneakers if you don't have those, I used a pair of old sneakers and it was okay) and I recommend you to have both hands free to grab the rocks and climb easier.
I had one hand free and the other one with a small camera (every camera/cellphone must be waterproof, cuz believe me, you'll get wet) and it was a bit unconfortable for me to climb.
Is not a hard thing to do. It's funny and both the guide and the photographer are entertaining and trying to help you climb. Yes, there's a paparazzi. He takes pictures and films everything so you can purchase it later.
I believe it was 40 dollars, and you get a documentary, many pictures and videos of you climbing the falls and I don't know what else.
When you finish, you can buy a picture too, that it actually looks cool and says "Dunn's River Falls" in it. The guide will ask for a tip, but that it's up to you.
It has toilets where you can change, and lockers where you can leave your stuff before starting the activity (you have to pay for it, of course)
It's really beautiful, I fully recommend it,
Written February 6, 2020
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.

peepff
Goshen, CT297 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
The Dunn's River Falls are crowded (even when they first open) and the attraction is full of guides and vendors who are intent on separating you from your cash. I am unsure if you can do the Falls without a guide, but, if you can, lag behind or try and lose the guide you are assigned and do the climb by yourself. It would be great if you were left alone. You do need water shoes and be prepared to get wet.
Our group of 25 people had to hold hands as we made our way up the falls and we were subjected to a lot of lame exercises and silly stuff for a video CD that costs $40. That's 40 bucks for a video of people you don't know yelling "Yah Mon!" and "Hot Hot Hot!" and "Wet Wet Wet!" over and over. And our Guide Sadler "Big Nose" and the videographer Kemar kept making you participate in this foolishness. It got annoying pretty quickly.
The Falls themselves have been contoured with concrete; at least 80% of the Falls looked fake. I felt like I was at a theme park, not a natural Jamaican wonder. I mean, you could see the footprints that were made and what had to be bags of cement that hardened. At some point the river must have been diverted to create this. It does serve to make the climb safer for those in poor physical shape but I was expecting a more natural experience.
At the conclusion Big Nose practically accosted me for his tip. Like most New Yorkers I always tip and I don't need a belligerent local demanding money. My first impulse was to shove him back down the Falls. So instead of $10 I gave him $5. Then you have to exit through the vendor section where aggressive locals pester you to buy crap you'll never display and need even less. We supported the bar in Vendor Hell by having a beer. I was nice to these folks and they did appreciate the respect, but I was having none of their goods.

While I would return to Jamaica because it is a fun island, I am relatively certain I would not return to Dunn's River Falls.

NOTE ***The Falls are impacted greatly by the cruise ships. If you are staying at a resort, try and go to the Falls when there are no cruise ships in the port of Ocho Rios. We were climbing the falls by 10:30 am and when we left the lines were huge and out past the gate as the cruise people arrived. IF you are doing the Falls as an on-shore cruise excursion, be prepared for a crowded venue.
Written January 3, 2020
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.

D S
Columbia, MO21 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
What a disappointing experience. Would not return. Went with my wife and paid the $25pp entrance fee plus $8 for a small locker--fine. We brought our own water shoes but you could buy some for $10. Entered the park and found out the splash pad and water slide were closed, so the only non-waterfall area was the Tranquility Garden, which was nothing remarkable. Climbing the waterfall was enjoyable but certainly not something that I would miss. Once you get done with the waterfall, leaving the park becomes a tourist gauntlet. First they hustle you into getting the picture/video DVD for $40 (plus $2 credit card surcharge that they don't tell you about at the beginning). Then you have to go through the "craft village" which is just a bunch of craft shops identical to those found all over the island; I got hustled by a guy who told me and my wife that he wasn't charging us anything (but then requested $25) for two completely forgettable black/red carvings that we dumped because they definitely did not spark joy. Next you pass by a picture booth where they have 2 printed out pictures of your group for $8. Lastly as you actually exit the park they hustle you for the DVD payment. I was very surprised that they would do so much hustling in a park that you already paid to enter. I would definitely not return here and would not recommend it to anyone. Blue Hole is much better!!
Written March 5, 2020
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.

Elaine E
Chicago, IL37 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Friends
This is an amazing attraction for adventitious, able bodied people. If you are coming from a resort, I’d recommend booking a day trip with Best Jamaica. They pick you up for a private tour at 8:45am and we beat all of the cruise ship crowds!

The falls are beautiful, but climbing up is not easy. Make sure to eat a big breakfast beforehand, because you’ll need the energy! I’d also recommend buying water shoes on Amazon beforehand for cheap, because you need them. You will also be completely soaked, so I would wear a swimsuit.
Written February 19, 2020
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.

Mark D
Corfe Mullen, UK393 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
We were off a cruise ship doing this as part of a best of Ocho Rios excursion. Our guides took us here first thing to beat some of the crowds, mainly generated by the ships. We were totally unprepared for this visit to the falls, we had not done our homework and the pre-excursion into from the cruise company was insufficient. We bought what they called river socks and a waterproof holder for a mobile phone prior to arriving at the falls. Fortunately we own a kayak and so will make use of these items, but at 10 dollars each i didn't think was too bad a price....and they all did the job at the falls. I would really recommend having a pair of the rubbery soled shoes for the falls, bare feet, flipflops and trainers will not do the job. You need to go in clothes that you accept you will get totally soaked in and so have a change of clothes and a towel for afterwards. We had none of this, we were wet for the rest of the day on our tour. But the falls themselves are lovely, very busy, full of lines of people holding hands, climbing up but by bit, guided by employees. The current is extremely fierce in places and the depth of water you wade through ranges from a couple of inches to waist high. I was holding hand with a lady, probably late 50's and she gave up at the first exit point, it was too difficult for her, so it's not easy but taken but by bit and steady most people could get up the falls. There are guys photographing and videoing the groups which you can buy after the climb. This is really great fun, but not a walk in the park, but a must do if in the area.
Written January 27, 2020
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.

Tivoqueen18
Cranberry Township, Pa59 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020
We visited on March 5th. The cost is $25 US per person to enter the park. The falls are beautiful. They provide each group with 2 guides to help you up the falls. They make you form a human chain going up which makes it more difficult in my opinion. We had 20 or so in our group and not everyone could climb at the same pace so we kept getting separated. The guides would yell at you to remain together. I would think smaller groups of people with the same ability level may be better. The guides do a good job of telling you where and where not to step. There are lots of holes you can't see, but they know where they are at. Some of it is challenging, but not too difficult. You must have water shoes to climb, they have them there to purchase, but I imagine they are not cheap. Some tips:

Check the cruise ship port schedule for Ocho and Falsmouth. The day we went there were no ships in port, the other days that week there were multiple ships in port and they said there were 10,000 plus people climbing the falls.

The vendors in the park are very pushy and in your face. They will grab you, carve your names in items and insist they are gifts then beg for a tip. They say give me whatever you want and then when you give them money they say it isn't enough. Pushiest vendors I have ever seen. They will totally rip you off. You need to stay strong and either don't stop or be able to walk away. My husband ended up with a bag of junk for $60 because he couldn't get away.

Be prepared to tip the guides at the end on top of the $25 per person entrance fee. They stand right at the exit of the falls and will not let you out until you tip them. We had to get our cash from a locker and they actually followed us to ensure they got their tip.

They do sell videos and photos, but we did not purchase so I don't know how much they cost.

Overall a very cool experience. The falls itself is beautiful and the fresh water is amazing.
Written March 9, 2020
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.

NH-Enigma1989
Keene, NH175 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
The only reason this review is getting a very good star is due to the beauty of these falls. Unfortunately this is a HUGE tourist attraction and wish I had thought this one out a little sooner. Perfect for the solo traveler as you are never alone in this excursion. I came here on a cruise and we landed port in Ochos Rios. The port itself was a disaster. Our bus stopped at a sideroad attraction to allow people to purchase water shoes as you are not allowed to climb these falls barefoot. These falls appear very daunting, but when you start to walk through comes to about waist high in most parts. There is a walking/observation path for those who don't want to climb. There is also a section before the difficult section to exit. However, once you enter there are tourist groups everywhere. On this particular February day, there was a snake of people hand in hand going up the side of the falls. One group leader thought we were with his group and started yelling at us. Our tour group leader was not in the falls with us and it was very confusing. You do have to wait for folks to climb ahead of you and there are people posing for pictures and just insane amounts of people. Once you climb, there is a sign that allows for pictures. I put my phone in a waterproof case and this proved helpful. Upon needing to exit the park, you have to snake down through a cluster of very aggressive and very pushy kiosks of jamaicaiin's trying to peddle their goods. Do not be fooled as they hand you souvenirs for free and then demand payment. We were thankfully warned about the aggressiveness of these folks and we pretended to be deep in conversation and avoided eye contact. This park does have free wifi to connect and bathrooms prior to entrance.
Written February 19, 2020
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.

Calvin Pete
Jefferson City, MO4 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2021
The falls are absolutely beautiful and a wonderful place to visit, but the pushy vendors ruined our experience. I understand Jamaicans are hurting and need tourists' dollars, but there is no excuse for their behavior. As we arrived, there were a couple of vendors that wanted to "welcome" us to Jamaica and they seemed to be very appreciative that we even came over to talk to them. They handed us a couple of small wood carvings and said it was a "gift" and then insisted they quickly carve a name and the year for us. After doing that, they pressured us to give them a donation to support their families. We were moved to do so, but they wanted $80 US dollars for two small wooden carvings. I gave them a $20 and tried to move on, but they tried to block us from going up to the falls. After we climbed up the falls, we were trying to get to the parking lot where our tour guide was waiting. Several vendors were obviously under the influence and some would not let you pass to get to the parking lot. To make matters worse, the Park's service workers funnel you through their shops to get out. Native residents are allowed to bypass and get to their vehicles without going through the "shops." One vendor even followed us out to intimidate us - when he saw us getting into our tour guide vehicle, he walked back to the shop area. We were very glad we used a guide service to get there as I suspect they may not have let us out without a "fee" - our guide said as much. This is not a place that is worth the intimidation you encounter. There are plenty of youtube videos to watch if you want to see the beauty of the falls.
Written January 20, 2021
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.

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Dunn's River Falls and Park - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)