Jamaica Tours, Guides and Vacations

No South Coast Jamaica trip is complete without at least driving through Black River and on this occasion we decided to stop and take a trip with J. Charles Swaby on his Black River Safari and Riverboat Cruise. It was an exceptionally hot day and the sun was shining as bright as ever so we decided that a ride on the boat was a great way to spend the day. We set out for Black River from Treasure Beach and arrived in the early afternoon while most of the towns people of Black River we’re off to lunch or whatever they do in the heat of the mid day sun.

This Jamaica attraction was rather slow on this day and we were able to get reservations on the very next boat leaving. We we’re glad to do so because sitting around in the sun and waiting was sucking the life out of me fast. It was really hot this day and I was hopeful that the clouds would blow over and we might end up with an overcast day because the sun was blazing. As it were I was in luck and the clouds came over us just after lunch and cooled the day off for us all. With all the shade it was still a hot sunny boat ride around a very beautiful river and wetlands area.

I really do love the natural beauty of Jamaica and Black River is one of the highlights of any nature or eco tour of the country. The Black River is home to some of the rarest and most unique of all Jamaican wildlife and there are all sorts of animals to see on this tour. The most popular of all wildlife on the Black River tour is the Jamaican Crocodile. There are no alligators in Jamaica and the only crocodile species is the American Crocodile found all over North America. The Jamaican crocs hang out in the brackish waters of South Coast rivers and Black River is a hot spot for croc activity. You can also find manatees in the river but we did not encounter any on this trip.

The Black River is also a birdwatchers dream with dozens of birds to be seen on any given day. I’ve become much more of a birdwatcher since our return and I was glad to be able to get some pictures of birds in Jamaica on this trip. The birds here in Jamaica scare easily but the ones on the Black River tour seem to be used to the boats and noise and they allowed us to approach them rather close. It was really cool to see the Egrets hanging out with the Crocodile in the shots above. I don’t think I could have asked for a better shot from them.

The Black River Safari runs about 1 1/2 hours and costs $15 per adult and half price for children. Resident pricing is available if you present a Jamaican ID or TRN card. I suggest you bring a lunch with you as there are limited choices in the area for dining and it is a bit out of the way. Travel time from Negril is just over one hour with good traffic conditions. There is no swimming area on the Black River and lots of folks head on to YS Falls and Bamboo avenue after spending a half day on the River.

Check out over 300 more pictures from the Black River Safari in our photo gallery here

Here are some of the flowers in bloom in the yard this week. Of course there are always some flowers in bloom here in Jamaica and even today in the mnth of January we have some lovely blooms.

We left Florida and arrived here in Negril on January 11th. It took a couple days for me to get online and some new pics posted but I will hopefully be back to blogging about Jamaica and our newest adventures again.

It’s so nice to be back in Jamaica and I am very excited about how glad our kids were upon our return home. Both of my sons are completely happy here in Negril and I was very worried that a month back in the States would mess with them but it worked out for the best. In the end they like Negril and our new place here at Devine Destiny more than all the vacation time and grandma gifts of the past few weeks. I was most impressed with my oldest son AJ who has been very vocal about “going home” and was the most excited about our plan travels and arrival in Montego Bay.

This trip was not quite as smooth as I had hoped for and we still need to sort out some post arrival planning so we can avoid things like an empty fridge on a Friday evening and some other things. I drove home and it was probably a mistake for me to drive so soon after a long flight. I got turned around in Mobay and kept chit chatting with our friend Kevin while driving lost in a rain storm and we lost about two hours because of it. Once we got to Negril and opened up the house everything was irie and everyone felt better. Better planning will avoid this on future trips.

We brought back lots of stuff and we’re prepared for lots of activities this go around. We have the van and now two bicycles plus a trailer we can haul the kids in which should allow us to travel just about anywhere in Jamaica by van or bike. Now we just need to get motivated on some more trips this time.

There is something about Jamaica that makes it very easy to spend lots of time doing much of nothing and taking long naps in the middle of the day has become the norm for us here in Negril. What should take me minutes to do may take me days to actually get around too here and I’m usually a bit slower on Jamaican time.

I do find myself spending more time observing nature and the beauty around us more so while I’m here. In just the past few days we’ve been here I have already seen and photographed so much Jamaican wildlife and tropical flora. I need a good book on identifying the numerous varieties of birds, butterflies and flowers around us. If not I’ll just have to name them all on my own and that will take too long.

View more pictures of our arrival in Negril in our Jamaica photo gallery here!!

Posted in the Jamaica forums for discussion under this topic!!

Royal Palm Reserve is one of those special places where one can appreciate the beauty and tranquility of nature and the wonders of Jamaica. The Reserve bills itself as one of Jamaica’s best eco attractions with over 300 acres of lush tropical jungle and Jamaican wildlife including over 300 species of animals such as birds, butterflies and reptiles and 114 documented species of plants and flowers. The Reserve was established in the mid 1980’s as part of a plan to protect the Great Morass Royal Palms which had undergone extensive harvesting and were nearly devastated by clearcutting.

The land was originally managed by the Petrolem Corporation of Jamaica but after a long series of hassles they released it to the Negril Environmental Protection Trust (NEPT) in 2001. The NEPT manages the Reserve with a goal to protecting the area and natural resources of the area under the following objectives from their website:

1. To protect and conserve the Negril Great Morass and its wetland flora and fauna, particularly the endemic Morass (Swamp) Royal Palm.

2. To raise the level of awareness, knowledge and understanding about the Negril Great Morass (and other wetland ecosystems) though an Interpretive Programme

3. To provide opportunities to citizens of neighboring communities, particularly Sheffield, for income generation through direct employment, concessions, training and the facilitation of sustainable livelihood projects in the community.

4. To increase scientific knowledge of the Negril Great Morass and related ecosystems in order to guide planning and management of the Negril Environmental Protection Area through the establishment of a Research Centre at the Reserve and the promotion of research at the Reserve.

5. To increase the financial independence and self-sustainability of NEPT and the Royal Palm Reserve by promoting the Reserve as an income-generating eco-tourism attraction.

The Royal Palm Reserve is without a doubt the best bird watching spot in all of Negril and one of the best choices for birdwatching in Jamaica. You can view dozens of exotic bird species from Negril Jamaica on the Nature Walk with over a half mile of boardwalk which leads you on a beautiful walk to a 30 foot tower in the middle of the Morass which offers the best views of all of Negril. The lovely sounds of birds singing and chirping can be heard all day long at Royal Palm Reserve and the birdwatching is great year round according to some local fans of the Reserve. The Reserve is home to the endangered and rare West Indian Whistling Ducks which you can see floating around in the stocked fish pond. They are scared of people so keep quiet while observing or they will fly off.

The Reserve keeps a pond stocked with Tilapia, or Red Jamaican Snapper as they are called in the local super markets, and they have a catch and release fishing program in effect right now. During peak months or when the pond is overstocked they allow some catch and keep fishing based on the amount of water in the pond and fish available. Fishing in a stocked pond is kinda unfair to the fish but loads of fun for the kids and family. We caught a few fish and let them go but my camera was left behind on that trip so no pictures of us fishing at the Royal Palm Reserve. Fishing equipment is available upon request but bring a loaf of bread for bait and to feed the Whistling Ducks with.

The Reserve has an alligator that lives within the confines of a caged pond. We have only ever caught a glimpse of him and he seems very shy. Could also be that it was hot as the sun and he was hiding in the waters of the swampy pond but we only ever saw him once in three trips. I figured he was trained to answer someone who feeds him so I banged on a pipe used to water him and as soon as I did he popped his head above the murky waters. I think we scared him as we maneuvered for a better picture and he split never to pop up again. Worth a look for sure but you may not get to see him every trip. The Royal Palm Reserve website advertises horseback riding but I never saw any signs of that on our trips, they may bring the horses in from someplace out of sight because the property requires advance booking for this special feature.

The best thing to do at Royal Palm Reserve is plan a picnic. The staff are well prepared to cook and feed groups up to 20 people with advance bookings or you can bring your own food and enjoy a nice day with friends or family and some good food and conversation. The natural beauty and awesome views will inspire some lively conversation on the wonders around you and maybe even make a difference in your day or your life.

The Royal Palm Reserve charges $10US per adult and $5 per child for access to the park all day long. You can spend some time walking the nature trails, fishing the stocked ponds or watching the wildlife and time pass by and enjoy a beautiful day of nature while supporting a beautiful public space. The museum on site offers a great educational opportunity and our kids had fun in the interactive attraction. Learn about the biodiversity and local fauna and wildlife in the colorful and entertaining activities room at the museum and teach the next generation to appreciate the natural world as much as they do the electronic one most of us live in.

If you are in the Negril area and don’t visit the Royal Palm Reserve you’ll miss out on some of the best views in Jamaica and upset me for not appreciating the natural beauty of the Negril Great Morass and the Royal Palms.

You can find 55 more pictures of Royal Palm Reserve at the Jamaica Photo Gallery