Salt River, Clarendon

Posted on

by Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle

Salt River is a free public mineral bath located in a community by the same name near the coast of Clarendon, one of Jamaica’s south central parishes. Jamaica’s south coast isn’t popular with tourists because this part of the country isn’t marketed nor developed for tourism. Nonetheless, there are several gems here worth visiting and I aim to visit and write about as many as I can. Here’s how my recent family trip to Salt River went.

Advertisements

Before we get started, subscribe for new articles + adventures!

Also, shop Elle’s books and Jamaican wall art (Discount Code: ELLE5).

Directions To Salt River Mineral Bath

Traveling from Kingston, I took the south coast toll (T1) and exited at Free Town. From there, Google Maps will accurately direct you onto the Salt River main road which passes close to the JAMALCO bauxite company and Port Esquivel. However, there are two map markers for Salt River so be careful. I accidentally chose the incorrect one which led me down a right turn from the Salt River road and took me to a quarry. It’s obvious that people make this mistake almost daily because the security guard by the quarry took one look at us and told us we took a wrong turn then offered correct directions before we could even utter a word.

Welcome to Salt River Mineral Spa

Anyway, after taking the Salt River main road from Free Town, it’s a straight road until you get to the sign pictured above. No turn offs. Next to this sign on the left is a short access road to the spacious Salt River car park. The road surface to get here was surprisingly good, save for the occasional pothole not unlike roads in the capital city of Kingston. There is no entrance fee to visit Salt River. Restrooms were added in 2020 using funds provided by the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) Ltd. There are also a few rustic restaurants on-site which sell mainly seafood and beers. I recommend visiting on a weekday like I did and as early as possible. On weekends, Salt River gets very crowded and the water may appear brown from the foot traffic which stirs up silt from the river’s floor.

Advertisements

Salt River Mineral Bath

The word “spa” was used very loosely on that sign because there’s nothing spa-like about Salt River. Nonetheless, the water was a lovely shade of blue and very mesmerizing to watch! The water was slightly salty and is said to have high mineral content which comes from the surrounding rocks and mangroves. The mineral waters at Salt River are reputed to prevent and cure many ailments if you soak in it long or often enough. The locals swear by it, and it’s a popular community spot for recreation. The water’s temperature alternates between warm and cool every few steps.

Balneotherapy (n.): the use of natural thermal mineral waters, additive baths, and other natural substances for the prevention and treatment of disease.

Advertisements

After frolicking for several hours, we worked up quite an appetite and chose to dine at Jahlena’s, a restaurant on the river’s banks which I noticed while in the water. Jahlena’s Restaurant and Bar is a woman-owned business which has been in operation at Salt River for more than 20 years. Fried fish and festival, and fried chicken are always ready but other dishes like steamed fish are done to order. That plate pictured below only costed $700 ($4.53USD)! It also tasted very delicious.

  • Jahlena’s Restaurant at Salt River
  • Fried snapper and festivals
Advertisements

Crocodile Sightings at Salt River

It’s important to note that Salt River is home to the American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus), Jamaica’s most feared native reptile. There are signs everywhere in Salt River reminding the public of this. Crocodile sightings have happened at this mineral bath before, the most recent of which (up to the time of publishing) occurred in April 2023 and went viral on social media. It is illegal to capture, harm or kill crocodiles in Jamaica. Yes, Jamaican crocs are protected by law since 1971 to aid in their conservation efforts since crocodiles are an endangered species worldwide. Crocodiles are one of the oldest living creatures in the world and scientists believe that they have changed very little in body shape since the time of the dinosaurs about 160 million years ago.

Contrary to popular belief, Jamaican crocodiles are shy animals that are active at nights and prefer to be left alone. They will only attack once threatened and the females are more aggressive during breeding + nesting season (March to August). NEPA is responsible for managing the crocodile population in Jamaica and will remove and relocate nuisance crocs, as they did for that Salt River crocodile sighting in April 2023. Thus, if you’re lucky (or unlucky) enough to see a crocodile in Salt River, contact NEPA right away. I’m glad I didn’t see one but I’m not as scared of them anymore since touring the Black River Safari twice.

Advertisements

Wrap Up

The only negative for me of this trip was the litter, a problem which plagues most of Jamaica’s outdoor attractions. Here, rubbish like plastic bottles and snack wrappers could be seen trapped between the mangrove roots which is such a shame. Other than that, I quite enjoyed Salt River and it’s a spot I would revisit. I hope to see further enhancement done to this attraction over the years without compromising on its authenticity and free status. Some gems deserve to be left free for public enjoyment. Most Jamaicans cannot afford to regularly visit Dunn’s River and those other commercialized gems, even with a subsidized rate for locals. I believe in community tourism because locals matter. Tourism dollars should benefit Jamaicans too. Share your thoughts with me below.

If you liked this post, you would also enjoy:

Before you go, don’t forget to subscribe. ‘Til next time.

Find Elle on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube and Amazon.

Published by

Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle

Adventures from Elle is a travel blog for locals & visitors who want to experience the best of Jamaica, one adventure at a time. The blog is curated by Rochelle Knight, a resident (M.D.) in internal medicine and published author. She began the blog in 2016 as a medical student & wants to see the world, starting with her home country. Purchase her book 'SIGHTSEE JAMAICA' on Amazon and join her in Jamaica!

41 thoughts on “Salt River, Clarendon”

  2. What an off-the-beaten-path site! Salt River looks gorgeous and despite it being a bit tricky to get there, it’s well-worth the effort! I had no idea that there are American crocodiles there, but certainly a fascinating wildlife to be had. Sounds like a fun trip for you and your family!

    Liked by 1 person

  4. I didn’t know that there were crocs in Jamaica. Looks like a cool spot though. The trash thing, I can relate, we have the same problem here in Barbados and it really bothers me. Every so often, communities and businesses organize clean up days for the beaches and gullies, but it never seems to matter.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. There sure are. Our crocs live along the south coast and are unfortunately considered endangered now. I read that there are only about 700 in the wild, and that’s because people kill them when they become a ‘nuisance’ (i.e. when they build homes in the crocs’ habitat) or even for food. I’ve heard that the meat is delicious, and even though killing them is illegal, there’s a black market croc meat trade in Jamaica as it’s considered an aphrodisiac and a delicacy by some. Sounds gross if you ask me!

      As for the trash, it’s horrible isn’t it?! We have the cleanups too, especially in September for international coastal cleanup day, but the effects are usually shortlived. Within a week, it looks as if no one cleaned at all. What a sad state of affairs.

      Thanks for reading! I hope we can eventually become more environmentally conscious as a region.

      Liked by 1 person

  6. As someone who grew up in Clarendon I can tell you that Salt River has come a far way and I’m happy to see that. Haven’t been there since I was small though. What I do remember is that I had some of the best festivals ever at Salt River. Thanks for sharing!

    Liked by 1 person

  8. I enjoyed this as always! Had a few chuckles here and there and it’s interesting to see you playing around crocodiles, Rochelle. What next? Maybe lions

    And you know what? NEPA is actually (or was) the name of our national electricity supplier in Nigeria. Ha! I also like how you said Google will direct you accurately. That emphasis was needed.

    You know, I think the level of saltiness here may be more than regular oceans. Thanks for sharing

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you! And lol, no playing around with crocs thankfully 🤣
      The emphasis on Google Maps was definitely needed because I don’t think it works very well in the Caribbean. Google Maps is notorious for saying “you have arrived” and then leaving you in the middle of nowhere in Jamaica.
      The water wasn’t as salty as the ocean, and I’m glad. I prefer fresh water which is why I’m fond of rivers, and not so much the beach. I also find that rivers are a lot cooler with tree cover, as opposed to the beach where you’ll be sunburnt if you’re not careful.

      Thanks for reading! I’m glad you enjoyed 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  10. Happy you enjoyed it. When I went there was garbage all along the entrance and old tires yet people waded past and went in to swim . It was such a turn off . I couldn’t even wet my toes. Donna

    Get Outlook for Androidhttps://aka.ms/AAb9ysg ________________________________

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Wow! The garbage is certainly a turn off. I’m glad it wasn’t a bad day when I’d visited. The water was clean, just a few bottles and other food packaging seen trapped between mangrove roots. If I’d seen that much garbage, I wouldn’t have gone in the water either. Give it a second chance one of these days. Thanks for reading!

      Like

Enjoyed this post? Add your thoughts.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.