Dunn's River Falls

Located near Ocho Rios, Dunn's River Falls is Jamaica's signature landmark.

Dunn's River Falls-Jamaica's Most Famous Attraction

Just 2 miles from Ocho Rios going to Mo Bay is the most famous waterfall in Jamaica, if not the entire Caribbean: Dunn's River Falls.

This scenic Jamaican landmark is used more than any other place to advertise and symbolize the island.

Dunn's River has 650 beautiful feet of waterfalls that can be climbed either on your own or with the assistance of a paid river guide (they're everywhere, don't worry about finding one).

Either way, you will pay an admission fee to enter the lushly landscaped park. Walking up the falls, the rocks are slick, and some routes definitely work better than others. Watch where the guides go.

However, one advantage of a having guide is that he can carry your camera and take pictures of you while you splash in the pools and stand under the falls.

Some river guides walk with so many cameras draped around them they look like they're photojournalists covering the arrival of the queen.

Considering this is cold mountain water, it's most comfortably climbed when the sun and temperatures are at their highest, in the middle of the day.

In afternoon, the main falls are fairly shaded. However, this also tends to be the least crowded period, a good time to walk up the rocks and enjoy the solitude.

Ironically, the name Ocho Rios may not derive from the Spanish term "eight rivers" as is popularly supposed. There are only 4 rivers.

Instead, it seems to be a very bad corruption of the word "chorreras," a Spanish term which describes the area streams and rivers plunging down the limestone rocks.

Dunn's River with its famous series of falls is just one of them.

Current admission fees. Open 8:30-4 daily, from 7-4 on cruise ship days.

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