Jamaica is home to numerous waterfalls cascading from its meandering rivers and lush mountainous interior. They range from the easternmost Reach Falls, world-renowned Dunns’ River Falls and lesser known ones such as the Falling Edge Falls and Reggae Fall. As waterfalls are my favourite natural feature, seeing all of Jamaica’s falls is not a question of if, but when.
Sorry TLC, but “Don’t go chasing waterfalls” is advice I’ll never take! I’m fascinated by waterfalls, and am pleased to report that I’ve now visited 30 of Jamaica’s 50+ waterfalls. My thirtieth Jamaican waterfall was another hidden gem: the Crescent Falls in Geddes Town, St. Mary. Here’s how my amusing adventure to Crescent Falls went and what to expect at this off-the-beaten-path treasure.
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Nestled in the charming mountains overlooking Kingston lies the Rafjam Bed and Breakfast. My first visit to Rafjam happened by chance. Earlier this month, I visited the C-Pond Waterfall in Gordon Town and since that trail took less time than anticipated, we made the spontaneous decision to add this delightful B&B and its waterfall to the itinerary. Rafjam is located in Irish Town, a town that was originally inhabited by Irish settlers who came to work on Jamaica’s Blue mountain coffee farms in the 1700s– hence the name. Perfect for nature-loving friends and families, here’s my review and why you should take a day trip– or spend the night– at the Rafjam Bed and Breakfast.
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It gets clearer to me with each adventure why Jamaica’s first inhabitants named the island Xaymaca which translates to Land of Wood and Water. Much of Jamaica is comprised of mountains and karst topography, giving rise to numerous caves, springs, sinkholes and rivers. It’s no wonder then that after eight years of intentionally exploring Jamaica, I still discover new hidden gems fairly often. After hearing about the C-Pond Waterfall in Gordon Town, St. Andrew for the first time last year, it went on my local bucket list. Now that I’ve finally visited, today I can tell you all about it!
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Nestled in the highlands of Portland, eastern Jamaica lies the beautiful Nanny Falls. Nanny Falls is located in the historic community of Moore Town, one of Jamaica’s four remaining maroon communities. Formerly known as New Nanny Town, Moore Town was founded in 1740 after the signing of a Peace Treaty between British colonial authorities and the Windward Maroons following the First Maroon War. This treaty granted the Windward Maroons 500 acres of land on which they currently reside. Today, Moore Town is a quiet village and its residents enjoy self governance and a self-sufficient way of life in harmony with nature and ancestral ties. Despite this, Moore Town faces modern challenges such as a dwindling community and aging population, as many of its young people migrate to urban centres or overseas in search of greater opportunities. That being said, here’s how to plan a trip to Nanny Falls and enjoy a slice of Jamaica’s rich maroon heritage.
Continue reading “Nanny Falls in Portland, Jamaica: Explore its History & Beauty”
A few weeks ago, I visited the Cinchona Botanical Garden on a hike with Trekkers Adventures JA which began at Newcastle, a JDF soldier camp and training ground in the beautiful Jamaican Blue Mountains. Cinchona had been on my bucket list for years and I had a blast. My only regret was not having had enough time to visit this beautiful nameless waterfall in St. Peters which I had heard and spotted along the way. As such, I vowed to return on my own to visit this hidden gem before I forgot the directions– or the trail grew too overgrown as it is scarcely used. So said, so done! The tiny community of St. Peters in east rural St. Andrew is home to Blue Mountain coffee farms and one of the most breathtaking waterfalls I have ever witnessed. Here’s how this adventure went.
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I had the blessing of visiting Niagara Falls in Ontario, Canada days before its largest crowd in history as it welcomed visitors for one of Earth’s most incredible celestial events– a total solar eclipse. Niagara Falls is a city in southern Ontario on the western banks of the Niagara River which creates a stunning waterfall by the same name. Niagara Falls is Canada’s # 1 tourist attraction, hosting approximately 12 million visitors per year which is astounding given that the city has a population of under 90,000 residents. High season for Niagara Falls lies within the summer months of June to August. I visited in late March during off season where daytime temperatures are in the single digits (°C) and several attractions such as the boat cruises are still closed. However, I enjoyed the luxury of no wait times which is the usual complaint of tourists to Niagara Falls, so this may be the best time to visit. Feel free to steal my 2-day Niagara Falls itinerary.
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If at first you don’t succeed, try again, right? I tried visiting this waterfall one lazy afternoon in November 2022, but my travel partner and I were warned by three different residents in Cudjoe Hill that the river “come down” (was swollen) after recent heavy rainfall so that wouldn’t be a good idea. We heeded their warning and went home feeling despondent that we didn’t get to cross this one off the list. One month later we returned mid-morning and achieved success! Thus, now I can tell you all about the Mountain River Cave and Cudjoe Falls in St. Catherine. There’s some interesting Taino (Amerindian) history behind this one.
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There’s this waterfall hidden in Palmetto Grove, St. Mary called Johnny Falls which I heard of years ago on Facebook. There were no directions on how to find it anywhere, so I added it to my list of Jamaican waterfalls to visit and moved on. Last year my interest in visiting Johnny Falls piqued again with Grove Swimmers, a fearless group of youngsters who perform admirable dives into the river which runs through their district, headed by 17-year-old Nathan Douglas. They have taken to Instagram and YouTube to showcase their talent, and have even been featured in national newspapers. Thus, I happily tagged along with a group of avid explorers and friends to cross this enigmatic and twenty-second Jamaican waterfall from my list with Nathan as my unofficial tour guide.
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Clarendon is not a parish which comes to mind when one thinks of a Jamaican adventure, but it’s a parish which has been on my mind to explore for a bit. Clarendon is located on Jamaica’s south coast in the centre of the island with a population of 246,000 people, most of whom reside in and around May Pen on the Vere Plains. Clarendon is bordered by St. Catherine to the east, Manchester to the west and St. Ann to the north. The parish, like all 14 parishes of Jamaica, is washed by the Caribbean Sea and has attractions like Milk River Bath and the recently crash-landed plane at Rocky Point on its south coast. Up north is mountainous with rivers, a nature reserve and the geographic centre of Jamaica at Bull Head Mountain Peak. It’s surprising that the area isn’t marketed for ecotourism, but again Jamaica is a country which is full of unmarketed potential. The waterfalls in Brae Head are often listed as being located in the neighbouring communities of Crooked River or Trout Hall, just because Brae Head isn’t on the map of Jamaica! Here’s how to find this remote corner of Jamaica.
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By some stroke of luck, my favourite parish of Portland in the northeastern side of Jamaica remains lush, green and untouched by mass tourism. Portland is home to the Jamaican Blue and John Crow Mountains which has species not seen in other parts of the island, let alone the entire world. It houses the Windward Maroons, an indigenous group of Jamaicans who are direct descendants of runaway Africans and Amerindians. The Jamaican Maroons are a proud people and have called the rugged inhospitable mountains home for over three centuries. Their governance is largely independent of mainstream Jamaica, they live off of and respect the land, and have managed to preserve their rich heritage and traditions to this day. It’s in this region of Jamaica that Millbank and its majestic waterfalls are located: the Upper Rio Grande Valley which is Windward Maroon country. Here’s how that adventure went.
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Adventures from Elle 