Our second time to the Falls. First time in 95 we paid for the excursion but decided we'd rather snorkel than climb a bunch of rocks. This time I went along "for the family". Glad I did. I had a great time. The cool water felt great on a scorcher of a day. And the scenery was breathtaking. All in all, a very worthwhile and memorable time.

A couple tips: You're going to get wet (soaked) so plan for it. Wear a bathing suit and water shoes. The rocks are slippery in parts where the moss or algae is on them. But we had no falls. Not that difficult to climb. Everyone helps out each other on the tricky spots. Bring a waterproof camera if you can. I didn't listen to the tour guide and brought my good Canon. As soon as the guide saw it he snatched it from me. I was constantly keeping one eye on him to make sure he didn't drop it or get it wet. Took some of the fun out of it. But somehow he kept it dry and took some really great pictures of the family at various stops up the falls. Of course the guides and "camera" man expect tips so bring some "waterproof" money with you. I only had $10 so that's all I could give. They weren't very happy but I have a feeling I could've given them $20 and I would've gotten the same disgusted look. Seems to be a Jamaican thing. One of the guides videotapes the trip up the falls. The dvd is available for I think $29 or so. I read somewhere that this was a ripoff but several people on our tour got their dvds okay.

One other thing, at all costs avoid the market coming in and going out. That is unless you like extremely rude and high pressure salepeople who use all sorts of tricks to force you to buy their wares. Our tour guide took us through a black gate which bypassed the market on the way in. And on the way out we took the same gate. Don't listen to those who yell at you to take this or that path.

Have fun,
Jerseyjimmers

My experience at Dunn's Falls was wonderful!!

We were staying at Iberostar Rose Hall in MoBay. We had a private driver who gave us alot of wonderful and interesting info about Jamaica on the ride to Ochi. Very nice ride in a fairly new Camry, beautiful scenery, and didn't seem like 1.5 hours at all because we talked and laughed the whole way. The new highway is awesome and makes for a smooth ride...

Our driver, Ron, who works for JTL, also gave us alot of advice on how to handle the guides at the Falls. We didn't have to rent a locker, and he locked our belongings safely in his car. He told us to ignore any guides that yell at us, tell them that we weren't buying the video or any pictures, told us to just say "no thanks" to the vendors and keep walking... For those interested in the video, I've heard that it's nice if you're actually in it. Some have bought the video and found that they weren't in the video very much. Our driver, Ron, escorted us to the guides' hut and was waiting for us at the top of the falls when we finished. The vendors really didn't even bother us because we were with him. So, in knowing what to expect and listening to Ron's advice, I told the video guy right up front that I would not buy the video and he turned his focus to others in hopes of getting their money. I didn't listen to the guides' commands on what to do. If I wanted to take a picture, I did. If not, I went around the crowd waiting to get their pic taken.

I was uncertain about the human chain deal when climbing, but our group held hands on the challenging parts of the climb and climbed independently the rest of the way. The other tourists that I climbed with were very helpful and would give you a hand whenever you needed it. No one in our group fell or got hurt. I still think that if someone in front of you or behind you falls, then it will bring you down and possibly cause injury. Fortunately, that didn't happen when I was climbing. I did witness a little girl fall and she brought her dad down with her. They seemed to be okay though.

The falls are awesome and I'm so glad that I went. In reading the forums, I had my own water shoes and waterproof camera with me. The formus are great and you can learn so much helpful info before your trip. I'm physically active and had no problem. You need to have upper body strength as well as strong legs. It could be difficult to climb if you're not used to such intense activity.

All in all, it was great...

bb

We recently stopped in Ocho Rios while on a Royal Caribbean cruise. We decided to take the Dunns River tour through the ship. It was a great experience. First, you must buy water shoes before you go unless you want to rent ones that everyone else has worn for $5. We took our kids 13 and 15 with us and they also had a good time. This climb is not an easy one but with a little effort you can do it. The hardest part was having to hold hands with your group but it was fun and everyone helped each other. We did not buy any videos because we were afraid of getting ripped off and we also did not go out through the craft market just because I had read previous reviews telling us to avoid it. The locals are very intimidating regarding the way you leave but stand your ground and go out the way you came. It is a beautiful area and I would not miss it.

The falls themselves were absolutely wonderful. Our guide was great!! The negatives to this are the locals trying to sell you everything under the sun. It was very uncomfortable to be approached to buy marijuana and other stuff. I enjoyed Dolphin Cove so much more. I was on an exscursion with Carnival Cruises.