Jamaica Tours, Guides and Vacations

No matter how often I find myself on a Black River Safari it is a treat to me each and every time. I had the pleasure of taking Angus and Kelley on a tour of the South Coast of Jamaica with stops at Black River and YS Falls. Our trip to Black River from Negril was short and sweet and we were at the Black River tour location before lunch.

We got the full tour with tons of information about the local ecology and the Black River ecosystem. The big draw on the river are the Jamaican Crocodile which can only be found here in Black River in small numbers. These rare animals spend their days cruising the rivers in search of food which often comes in the form of chicken carcasses tossed out by the Black River safari guides and tour operators who keep the crocs well fed.

The crocodiles in Black River are so tame and predictable that tour guides will often jump in the water or at least hand feed them for your enjoyment. There are sections of the river that are crocodile free where visitors can take a swim in the cool clear waters of the Black River. The river is called black because of the peat settled on the bottom but the river water is actually pretty clear although they say you should filter it before drinking.

A Black River and YS Falls tour is a wonderful way to spend the day traveling the lesser developed section of the island and the South Coast of Jamaica on a full day tour with stops in Scotts Cove or Middle Quarters for fresh fried fish and bammy or delicious hot boiled "peppa shrimp" and a real taste of Jamaica.

Purple Cattleya Orchid at Black River Jamaica

Irie Pontoon Riverboat Tours on Black River Jamaica

White Egret birds and Jamaican Wildlife at Black River Safari

Santa Cruz Mountains from Black River Safari Tour

Red mangrove at Black River Safari Tour Guides

Black River Dread Locks in Red Mangrove Tree

Jamaican Water Lily on Black River Safari

Black River Basin

Jamaican Crocodile with mouth wide

Angus and Kelley with JamaicaMAX Tours

Two people stand in the YS Falls at the Tallest Zip Line Ride

Close up view of YS Falls Zip Lines Tour Guide

Zip Line Rider screaming over the YS River extreme adventure zip lines

Wide view of the YS Falls river gorge where you go for fast Zip Line Rides

Are ready for an extreme vacation in Jamaica? Would you like to take a zip line tour in Negril to YS Falls and enjoy the rush of flying over the roaring river from 100 feet above the gorge? It's a pure rush and a must do for any adrenaline junkies out there who look for something more out of an adventure vacation.

The day starts from Negril with a ride down the south coast of Jamaica for a relaxing and scenic drive through primarily undeveloped territory along the coastline facing the Caribbean Sea. This trip comes with many different options and can begin with a stop at the Black River Safari where you will take a boat ride down the historic river to experience the wonderful Jamaican wildlife including the Jamaican crocodile and many different endemic bird species. The boat safari takes between one to two hours and takes you through the scenic wetlands where you will feed the crocodiles and even take a dip in the water if you wish to. Don't worry it's very safe and you actually swim in a part of the river where you rarely find crocodiles. So we have been told.

After our tour of the Black River we will head over to the YS Falls passing through Middle Quarters and the fishing village of Scotts Cove where we can stop to sample the many wonderful delicacies served by the local Jamaicans in their roadside stands. Fried fish and bammy is a popular Jamaican meal or you can sample the conch soup, fresh vegetables and other local treats being offered in roadside marketplace with as much flavor as your spciy food. Middle Quarters is a low land area where you will find roadside vendors offering pepper shrimp caught in the local wetlands. The shrimp are actually more like a crayfish and a delicious treat when boiled in the flavorful Jamaican spices.

Once we were each YS Falls it is time to relax and enjoy the natural beauty of the surrounding tropical rainforest and the lush Jamaican jungle where you can enjoy the large lawns of rich green grass for a picnic or jump right into the activities and climbed the staircase to the top of the river where you can see some of the most magnificent waterfalls in all of Jamaica. YS Falls is a spectacular property with many wonderful views and waterfalls which are of course the highlight of this expansive piece of land. The waterfalls are actually located on the YS Farm and horse stable which is a renowned breeder of thoroughbred racing horses used at the racetrack in Kingston or also exported around the world.

At the top of the waterfall you will reach a platform where the zip line tours begin. After some instruction by the certified support professional you will suit up in your harness and drop into the first of three zip line adventure's. Your ride will have you zigzag across the river as you travel down their gorge flying high above the river and your friends below. It is an exhilarating ride and lasts quite a long time when you are screaming from the mad rush of adrenaline and fear that almost every rider faces.

For those less adventurous you can enjoy a swim in the river or simply walk back down the river trail on a safe and stable wooden walkway that runs the full length of the riverwalk. Zip Line rides at YS Falls are $35 each with group rates and multiple ride discounts available. You can also count on one of the tour guides asking for a tip and if you feel he was worth it than $5 goes a long way in Jamaica. If you are ready to book a zip line tour reservation with the coolest tour guides in Negril by checking out the contact us page listed above.

We had the 1st Annual Negril Seafood Festival here on Easter Sunday and it was a huge success with loads of great food and presentations from local resorts and top restaurants. The seafood festival was a great idea and well executed by the team at WoWNegril.com and it seems sure we'll see many more of these in the years to come.

The idea was to have a number of top resorts and restaurants to have a cook off and other competitions thoughout the day as they displayed their talents and services for all to see. The event had a number of great display booths featuring the wide range of seafood delicacies available in Negril Jamaica and there was enough food and drink to go around for everyone.

I had a wonderful time walking around and tasting the many wonderful treats being prepared on site by the master chefs of Negril and it was an awesome experience just to see and smell everything. By the days end I had my share of seafood and drink and I certainluy look forward to the next event. Too bad you can't have these like once a month because it was really nice to see so much on display.

Entry to Negril Seafood Festival

Negril Seafood Festival at Wayz Beach

Push Cart Display at Negril Seafood Festival

Peppa Shrimp by Push Cart Restaurant at Negril Seafood Festival

Ice Carvings at Negril Seafood Festival

More ice carving at the Negril Seafood Festival

Serving up the fish at Negril Seafood Festival

Jamaican Style Fish Fry

Jamaica has a number of large and grand estates but few compare to the size and grandeur of Green Castle Estates in Robins Bay, St Marys Parish on the North Coast. Green Castle is 1600 acres of all the best that Jamaica has to offer in natural beauty and landscapes. The estate dates back to the 1600's with deposits from Taino Indians in select locations that date back another 1000 years.

Green Castle Estate carries a lot of the history and culture of Jamaica and is a wonderful location for a number of eco tours and natural attractions.  The property is now managed as Greencastle Tropical Study Center (GTSC), a not-for-profit organization formed to provide learning opportunities to students and visitors and economic and social benefits to rural Jamaican communities, through the integration of conservation, ecotourism, education and community development.

The property owners have developed partnerships with locals who now run a number of businesses on the estate. We found one of the largest orchid exporters in Jamaica with a huge selection of the most beautiful flowers. They also have a large plantation of coconut palms that are used in the production of coconut oils. There were numerous fruit and vegetable farms and also a large cattle producer on site.

The large open green spaces and lush tropical foliage make for some of the best birdwatching in Jamaica and the property is home to many of the endemic species on the island. The study group has confirmed most of the rare local birds have been seen on the property and we had the pleasure of seeing quite a few in our short time there.

The Green Castle home is available for rent and tours are available of the various businesses being run. We spent a day checking things out and were left wanting so much more. We'll have to get back to Green Castle for a longer more thorough review of the place. If you're looking for a unique vacation in Jamaica then do contact Green Castle Estates for a chance to visit a great

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Rafting on the Martha Brae River is one of the original Jamaica tours and river rafting is one of the most popular attractions in all of Jamaica. With the number of scenic river trips in Jamaica it's pretty easy to find an eco adventure in the rivers and waterfalls of both the North Coast and South Coast Jamaica.

With the popularity of the North Coast as a major tourist attraction in Jamaica the northern attractions are more popular with the majority of tourists to this Caribbean country. The Martha Brae is one of the most beautiful and popular rivers for rafting in Jamaica and it's proximity to Montego Bay have been apart of that but the river itself holds 100's or years worth of good memories from travelers all over the globe.

The tranquil waters of the Martha Brae River received its name from an Indian legend, Martha Brae. The story is that she took the secret of a gold mine location to her grave, instead of offering it to the Spanish. After leading them to this river, legend claims she used magic to change the weather, causing her and her Spanish captors to drown.

River rafting tours are available from Negril, Mobay and Ocho Rios with average drivetimes around 1.5 hours and river rides lasting about 1.5 hours. Enjoy a relaxing ride or swim in the refreshing spring fed river for an exhilarating experience. Trips run all day from about 9am until 5pm with afterrnoon beig the busy time of day. The rafters village is built to handle large crowds and to find 10 or 15 full tour buses in the lot is a common site.

Contact Jamaica MAX for more details on river rafting tours.

Tarrus Riley and Gumption Band put on a great show at Negril Escape for their weekly Sunset Show which features some of Jamaica's musical history in a live reggae performance every Tuesday as the sun sets.

The Sunset Show at Negril Escape starts as the sun sets and runs through the reggae history timeline and includes performances by local musicians of classic reggae favorites from everyone from Bob Marley and Peter Tosh to Coco Tea and Jimmy Cliff.

Not only do you get to watch the sunset over the beautiful Negril cliffs but you can enjoy some of the best reggae in town while you dine at the all you can eat buffet loaded down with Jamaican food favorites like brown stew and jerked chicken as well as a selection of the islands fresh fruits a baked goodies and treats or you can sip a drink seaside under the stars with a great mix of resort guests and local patrons all enjoying the live music and great atmosphere.

Tarrus had his sax player Dean Fraser and the Gumption Band backing him up and put on an energetic high energy performance in the early morning hours of the last day of the year. Tarrus and Dean had a short harmony shootout with Riley chanting a sweet tune for Fraser to copy on the sax. The battle was fun and got the crowd excited about a show that ran a bit late due to the ever present technical difficulties.

It was a small setting with a limited crowd and Tarrus took the time to pose for dozens of photographs with many of his foreign fans and guests of the West End's premier seaside resort. Tarrus is coming off the best year in his career after being awarded Top Reggae Performer for 2008 and his album Parables is a local favorite with everyone from the teenage girls to the grandparents singing along word for word to each and every on of his popular songs.

This was my second chance to see Tarrus Riley after his performance at Reggae Sumfest 2008 and it was a much better show with less tension, no rain and a much better vibe then the massive crowds and muddy fields of the Sumfest arena. This show was much smaller and much more personal and Tarrus seems to appreciate the setting. he made a point of touching hands and meeting everyone in the crowd and made it more like a meet and greet experience than another reggae show.

The Sunset Show at Negril Escape runs every Tuesday evening and features some of Negrils favorite local musicians having fun with the history of reggae in Jamaica. Stop by and check them out on your next Tuesday evening in Negril.

Nikki Royal is having a birthday party and it's going to be one helluva birthday party for one helluva lady with performances by Peter and Gramps of Morgan Heritage as well as Dexta Daps and my boy Ras Slick and others. It should be a great reggae concert at The Jungle Negril on Friday November 14th 2008. Give us a call if you want VIP tickets in advance.

Jamaica offers some unique travel adventures and scuba diving the Caribbean Sea is one of the more popular sports vacations in Jamaica.

The Caribbean is well known as a dive destination with hotspots like the Cayman Islands and Cozumel Mexico just a short distance away. Jamaica's waters are not quite as nice as many of our neighbors but the diving is considered well worth the effort by those who venture out with a Jamaican dive shop on a proper trip to one of the many scuba dive attractions in the country.

Jamaica has a number of popular dive locations on the North Coast with both Montego Bay and Ocho Rios offering a wide range of great dive vacations. The Widows Maker Cave is the most popular dive in Mobay. The cave starts in about 35 feet of water and goes down to about 80 feet. Most people enter the cave at 80 feet and slowly rise through the cave to exit through a chimney 10 feet wide at the 35 foot mark and you can also go in the opposite direction by entering through the chimney and swimming down to the 80 foot depth. Ocho Rios has the wreck of the Kathryn which is a 140 foot Canadian mine sweeper from World War II which was sunk in 1991 by a Jamaican dive company as an artificial reef and dive attraction. Its a popular dive spot for first time wreck dives and intermediate divers looking for a new adventure.

Negril is the laid back side of the island but don't let the image of beaches and bars fool you, there are a number of extreme adventures in and around Negril which is known for the best diving in Jamaica. Scuba diving is a dangerous activity which requires certification on specialized equipment before any reputable dive operation will take you out. There are different types of certification and even different organizations and standards that you can be certified with. PADI is one of the most popular diving certification programs and the standard here in Jamaica. Much of the diving in Negril is run from scuba shops at local resorts but the best diving in Negril is with a professional dive shop that caters to certified divers.

If you already have your dive certification you won't want to tag along with the resort divers because they usually spend their time on easy dives. You'll appreciate contacting an independent scuba dive operator like Negril Scuba which will be able to build a custom itinerary around your certification level and personalize your dive vacation.

Negril Scuba began as a small resort shop but has grown into a professional dive shop with three locations in Negril offering the best scuba diving in Jamaica. Owner David Wallace started running dives from his fathers resort, known in those days as Mariners Inn, after a guest told him that the diving in front of the property was "better than sex". Today the property is known as Negril Escape but David still has his dive shop and they still run daily dives from the convenience of the resort for guests who book dive vacations.

Negril Scuba also offers two beach locations with boats taking dive trips to the best dive spots off Negril Beach including reef diving and night dives. Advanced divers usually opt for dives at locations such as "The Arches" and "The Throne Room" or one of the many wrecks in the area including an airplane and shipwreck. You can visit their website for a list of all the dive sites in Negril or just give them a call and book a dive vacation in Negril for your next adventure.

It could only be more perfect if the name were Alfie's Paradise instead of Benjii's Paradise but sadly Benjii got there first and made it his place before the rest of us found out about the river head of the Roaring River and one of the most peaceful places I've ever been.

It's a perfect place to be by yourself and appreciate the natural world around you. The sound of gushing water as the river comes bursting out of the ground is as relaxing as the cool crisp waters where you can get a fresh drink while you swim.

There is not much to say about the place except that it is a place where you can spend a day loving the beauty of nature and the sounds of birds and the mountain breeze blowing through the palm trees. Benjiis is past the Roaring River attraction and well beyond where the tour bus stops. It's a tough steep drive that on a pretty bad Jamaican road but it is well worth the 45 minute drive from Negril and a great way to spend an afternoon alone if possible or at least with close friends or family.

Thursday night was Dancehall Night for Reggae SumFest 2008 and it was a great show with some of the biggest names in Jamaican music on hand for a show which proved to be an arresting experience for Bounty Killer and lots of fun for me and a few thousand others. It was my first backstage experience with permission to interview artists and straight up I was out gunned. Me and my little JVC handheld camera could not compete with the professional level equipment and setups that the big players had. These guys came prepared to interview and they got all the interviews they wanted. I was able to get some great pictures and hang out with lots of the artists but the few interviews I did do were horrible as the lighting was crap and the noise in the room made it almost impossible to hear anything beyond the crowds of people. My mission over the next year is to invest in a better video camera and audio microphone for interviewing people properly. I'll be better prepared for next year presspass access.

I spent much of the evening in the press tent and missed much of the show hanging out backstage with other press people and lesser known artists like Jamaican culture artist Nature and more popular stars like Anthony B and Macka Diamond to name a few. I spent more time with the press people and the event turned more into a networking opportunity as I met many of the top people in the Jamaican music business. I discussed working with a number of artists in developing and promoting their music online and I think the evening went well for me in that regards. I already have lots of work to do from this show and I'll probably be busy until next years event.

I got some decent photos from the show with lots more to write about in the coming days and weeks but here are some pics from Thursday Night Dancehall night at Sumfest 2008.

Sun sets before the first evening of Reggae Sumfest 2008

Nature interviewed by BBC Radio

Shane-O Backstage SumFest 2008

Hype TV Interviews Serani

Danielle D at Reggae Sumfest 2008

Voice Mail at Reggae Sumfest 2008

Harry Toddler at Reggae SumFest 2008

Jamaican Musician Spice at Reggae SumFest 2008

Macka Diamond at Reggae Sumfest 2008

Anthony B interviewed at Reggae SumFest

Elephant Man at Reggae SumFest 2008

The Crowd at Reggae SumFest 2008