Jamaica Tours, Guides and Vacations

I’ll start by saying don’t listen to this guy, he’s a sucker and him and his type are made to pay these kind of people. They prey on him and his type because they can and they let them. Don’t let them and they won’t bother. His experience is very similar in fact to mine but I’ll explain how things can go differently. I too was approached by a man on a motorcycle as I pulled into the local gas station for a refuel. I had actually just driven past the station and was on my way to the Roaring Rivers Park when I realized I was about to run out of fuel and it was best to turn around rather then risk it. I went inside as the attendant pumped some gas and I purchased a cold drink. While taking a sip outside the guy on the motorbike asked me, wa’ gwan?

I told him I was on my way to the river with my kids, generally a likkle more information than most will need or I ever give out but I was feeling talkative that day. He said he lived near the river and was one of the best guides in the area. He claimed to have been born there and a lifelong resident. I’m still uncertain about that part but he does know the area and was a decent enough guide. Does a person or family even need a guide at Roaring Rivers? Not really but it’s kinda nice the first time to learn about the place and it’s history as well as the natural flora and details about the river and its workings. They lay claim to being one of the first and most natural attractions in Jamaica with little to no development of the park. The Roaring River is actually the meeting of an underground spring which is a no swim area and used solely for drinking purposes or the river which is fed from the surrounding mountains and tropical rain fall. The summer months are the rainy season and the river peaks in October when the banks nearly overflow with the freshest, coolest and cleanest drinking water on earth. It’s a very nice place and the surrounding mountains and lush tropical setting is enough for a visit. The river and underground mineral springs cave bath are a plus.

Roaring rivers cave is a nice place for a cool swim in the healing mineral waters of Jamaica in the Westmoreland Parish. The cave is simple underground cavern with built in steps and some added lighting so you can truly enjoy the beautiful walk down into earth. The cave walls and ceilings are covered in shiny crystallized minerals which are awash in the waters at the base of the cave. The mineral springs inside the cave are said to offer the most healing of all mineral springs in Jamaica.

The Roaring Rivers park wiki says the park is on the site of the Roaring River Estate which belonged to the Beckford family: Peter Beckford, William Beckford. The river and cave are now manage by the Roaring River Citizens Association, a local community group that charges a small fee for park entry and use of the cave and mineral springs.

If you love swimming in the natural mineral springs as much as I do then you may spend quite a bit of time at Roaring Rivers. Thus far it’s the best choice near Negril for a relaxing dip in the cool refreshing waters and a great half day trip for just about anyone.

Take a look at 94 total pictures from Roaring Rivers Park and Underground Cave

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We decided to take a day trip down the South Coast of Jamaica from here in Negril and visit the YS Falls Nature Attraction and the surrounding area. We have taken numerous tours down the South Coast of Jamaica from Negril since we bought the van and have seen a number of places we would like to stop in but YS Falls comes highly recommended as one of the nicer waterfalls in Jamaica and we thought it would be nice to see the difference between this and Mayfield Falls.

We took a long drive and stopped a few places so it took almost 2 hours to get there when it should be more like 1 1/2 I would think. It did seem a bit farther than Mayfield but if waterfalls are your thing then it’s well worth the trip. YS Falls has a total of 7 much larger and more majestic looking waterfalls when compared to Mayfield. The height of some of the waterfalls must be over 30 feet or more and the water moves with much more force here than it did at Mayfield. The YS Falls trip was more for the kids and they were very excited about spending time in the river again like we did at Mayfield but YS Falls is a little different. There are only but a few places to actually get off the trail and into the river. There is no riverwalk like at Mayfield and the only time spent will be in the few large pools and swimming holes. I also found that most of these pools were more tailored to adults as the water was turbulent and too deep in many places and the rocks were precarious and no fun to stand on in the two pools we did try out.

There was one pool with the rope swing that seemed the more popular swimming hole but this spot is definitely not cut for young ones as the water moves to swiftly and the drop off from the next waterfall is right there. They actually keep a guide posted to watch no one slips over but he’s got a lot of people to watch and a lot of ground to cover if one does slip. I wasn’t very excited about having the kids in this pool alone and we ended up taking a trip further up to see how those were. Of course the water is pretty cold at all the spring fed rivers but there is a much denser treetop canopy at YS Falls and little to no sunlight in many places. The damp dark feeling is nice but very cold for young ones and they could not handle the water for more than 10 minutes without need for a sun break which was hard to come by.

In the end all of the pools were nice but not exactly what we were looking for. We truly enjoyed the beautiful scenery and the waterfalls are much nicer but for a day swimming in the mineral waters from Negril I think Mayfield is a better choice. The fact you can easily rest in many arts of the river and truly enjoy the rushing waters plus the ability to walk directly up the river to the top is much nicer a day overall. We ended up spending most of our time in the man made pool with water recirculated in from the river. It’s very nice to sit in the calm mineral waters under the lush vegetation but I think we would have much preferred actually being in the river.

YS Falls also offers a unique “Canopy Tour” of the area with zip lines tied high up in the trees. You can ride the zip line from the top of the falls down to the bottom for what must be an exhilarating tide. The cost was a bit more than dad was willing to spend for himself and the kids of course are too young. I would say that YS Falls is much better suited to adults and older kids interested in swinging from the ropes and zip lines available. If you’re looking for a relaxing day in the mineral springs I would suggest you try Mayfield Falls instead.

Click here for more pictures of our YS Falls Adventures

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We had the chance to take a trip to Mayfield Falls with a group of local children and some guest from Heartbeat Resort courtesy of one of the guests named John. It was his last full day in Jamaica after 4 beautiful weeks and he wanted to give something back to some of the neighborhood children that had brought him so much joy in his last days here.

With a little planning we decided that it would be 5 adults and 5 children piling into our van for the 1 1/2 hour drive to Mayfield Falls via Sav La Mar. We booked a tour guide and lunch package with the Original Mayfield Falls and headed off for the park early that morning. We were given directions to Mayfield Falls by the office staff when we purchased our tour package but we missed a turn and ended up taking an alternative route which ended up being a pretty bad road. There are some potholes on most of the roads in Jamaica but on this trip much of the road was gone and I certainly advise you to take this trip with an experienced guide of some sort because getting stuck or lost out there would be no fun. Eventually our bad road meets up with the road we missed or the good road but then both f them get horrible, the entry road to Mayfield Falls is in horrible condition and extreme caution is advised. I could not understand how they could let the road deteriorate to such poor conditions for one of the nicer natural attractions in the Negril area but things became a bit more clear once we arrived on scene.

There are now two attractions on the Mayfield River. The Original Mayfield Falls is where we chose to go based on local advice that the falls and river are much nicer here. The newer attraction is named Riverwalk at Mayfield Falls and they have strategically placed themselves on the roadway before Mayfield and overwhelmed the place with signage to make it seem they are they one and only attraction and the one everyone has come to see. You can see this is having an effect on the Original Mayfield Falls and is certainly costing them a lot in lost business and revenue. I have not decided whether we’ll stop by the other one next time or not. I think it’s kinda wrong whats being done and its apparent to me anyway that they are stealing their business by being somewhat deceptive in using the name Mayfield Falls instead of Mayfield Riverwalk or something and the signs are misleading.I think the staff and management needs to clear things up by creating some nice new signage of their own letting everyone know there are two places to see. I understand that Riverwalk is a newer and nicer facility but somewhat overpriced when compared to the Original. I cannot of course confirm this yet so I guess I should then huh? Settled then, I’ll go to Riverwalk next and compare them for you. Hows that?

Anyway the Original Mayfield Falls has some very beautiful scenery and we ended up having an incredible day hiking up the river to the main falls. I have to say here that without the wonderful services of Gary the Wonder Guide who with three kids hanging from his arms and neck was still able to skip up the river like a stone over the water it would not have been so nice a trip. If you go you simply must have a guide to help you navigate your way to the top or you’ll simply never make. The trip up is about an hour hike over some pretty tough terrain but well worth the effort. It’s an awesome nature walk through towering forests up the river with tons of great spots to swim in the cool mineral waters. You can drink the water direct from the river and it’s like drinking bottled water before they bottle it. It’s very refreshing and cold. The kids were good in the water but a few of us adults took a minute getting used to it. It’s definitely invigorating and according to many locals the mineral waters have healing powers and can aid in all sorts of ailments.

The goal of our hike was to reach the largest waterfalls at the top of the trail where we were able to slide behind the waterfall for a cool pic with Mathis, one of the local youths we took for the trip. It was a great accomplishment for us as a family to make it up there together and we all had a great time hiking the river. Both my kids and the local kids had fun and a new experience and there have been almost daily requests to return ever since we got back. We’ll certainly be taking more trips to Mayfield and for sure we’ll got to Riverwalk at Mayfield next so we can compare.

Our tour package included lunch at the on site restaurant and we were served a delicious meal of Jerk Chicken, Rice and Peas and Veggies along with a cool glass of fresh squeezed mango juice which was perfect. You certainly have the option of bringing your own lunch if you prefer but it’s not worth it. For the price paid the local food was awesome and not having to worry about was even better. We enjoyed our time at the river and left the work up to the very capable and friendly staff for the day. If you’re interested in more information on tours to Mayfield Falls please contact us for more details.

More pics from Mayfield Falls in the Jamaica photo gallery

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Start your day in Negril Jamaica with Selinas Coffee and Eatery

We stopped it for the Sunday Brunch and Webcast at Selinas Coffee Bar on Negril Beach recently and had a great start to a fabulous day with Big Roys pancakes and some fresh roasted Blue Mountain coffee. The food is always great at Selinas and we ate so fast I never even took a pic of the beautiful spread before us. I’ll have to go back again soon for some better pics of the delicious pancakes.

We we’re still on US time and arrived when things we’re supposed to start at 10AM but found the band still pulling together after 11:30AM. The kids we’re ready for the beach and so we’re we so we missed the live show but we’re glad to catch up with the crew from RealNegril.com and be a part of the show there.

If you’re on your way to Negril beach and need a bite to eat or a cup of coffee and the best hand squeezed orange juice in the world then stop by Selinas for breakfast.

Selinas is at Norman Manley Blvd on Negril Beach

Join the Live Webcast and Chat each Sunday Brunch

Enjoy local Jamaican food and the best cup of Blue Mountain Coffee in Jamaica

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