Dunn's River Falls & Luminous Lagoon Guided Tour with Admission from Falmouth

The town of Discovery Bay is where you will find Columbus Park. It was originally named Puerto Seco “Dry Harbour” by Christopher Columbus in 1494 when he and his men landed on the Island. It is said that could not find fresh water to drink. They later found fresh water in another area about 5 miles west of the town. The water was so good that they named the location where it was found Rio Bueno (“Good River”). However, the town of Puerto Seco was later renamed in 1947 to Discovery Bay because Discovery Bay is where the Spanish, lead by Christopher Columbus landed when they invaded the Island on May 4, 1494. There is a park with several old relics and artifacts on display. There will be a brief stop to take photos and capture the rich history of this historic town.

This tour takes you through one of the most popular towns on the Island. Runaway Bay is naturally beautiful and is certainly one of the most scenic areas in Jamaica. It sits between the beautiful, crisp coastline to one side and the lush green mountains to the other. There is much debate as to how the town of Runaway Bay got its name. some people believe it got the name because that is where the last batch of Spanish soldiers ran away from when they were retreating from the attacking British Troops lead by Governor Ysassi right after the 1655 British invasion of Jamaica, while other argue that it was the point from which the Slaves from inland plantations used as an escape route to runaway to Cuba. Get your cameras ready to go as you make your way through this area.

The heartbeat of the garden parish of St. Ann, the resort area of Ocho Rios is the nature lover’s paradise. As previously thought to be watered by eight rivers (as its name suggests) Ocho Rios provides a lush landscape of caves, gardens, rivers and white sand beaches. The name Ocho Rios actually derives from “Las Choreras” meaning “waterfalls” and may be a reflection of the many waterfalls in the area. From the Fern Gully located in the remains of an old river bed to the tiered waterfalls of Dunn’s River, Blue Hole and the Secret Falls, arguably, Jamaica’s most popular attractions, Ocho Rios draws thousands of visitors back to arguably the island’s most romantic, picturesque resort area.

Ocho Rios is a small “Colonial Styled Town” with a population of approximately 25 thousand. “The Centerpiece of Jamaica”, Ocho Rios provides a range of activities from golf to watersports to equestrian and soft adventure activities. The area is approximately equidistant between the island’s two cities – Kingston and Montego Bay, providing excellent access from both international airports. The birthplace of Bob Marley and Marcus Garvey, Ocho Rios offers a variety of cultural experiences – Marley’s mausoleum at Nine Miles, Reggae Xplosion and Seville Heritage Park all help to chronicle Jamaica’s experience in story and song.

A rare experience awaits you as your tour guide take you to the world famous Dunns River Falls. By now, you should be wearing your swimsuits so all you have to do is to meet with your resident guide, go through the briefing, sign the waiver form and get on with the fun at hand. Your friendly resident guide will walk you do to the beach where the tour starts. The total climb from the beach to the top is approximately 600ft (183 meters). There are pools along the way where you will stop for photo shoots. If you are unable to complete the climb it's no problem - there are exit points along the way. Your total time at Dunns River Falls will be approx. 1 hour 45 minutes. Feel free to ask your tour guide just to point out the areas of the falls that featured in the James Bond movie (Doctor No).

Glistening Waters in Falmouth is home to the rare wonder, the Luminous Lagoon adventure. As you get on the terrace you will be greeted by a Glistening Waters Representative who welcomes you and take you directly to the bar where you are served a healthy drink of rum punch or fruit punch (take your pick). You will also be feted briefly with age old Jamaican dance moves - a mix of the African and British dance cultures. At the end of the entertainment which is about 6:45pm you will board your glass bottom boat or similar and set out for a one hour adventure. Jamaica’s luminous lagoon being the brightest of them all amazes scientists and visitors worldwide. The lagoon is the best place to see the microscopic organisms called dinoflagellates. The lagoon is home to millions of these organisms that thrive where the salt water meets the fresh water. Get your cameras ready to take photos of the fishes as they pass by with a glow! Flash will prevent you from getting beautiful photos so your camera must have the capability to take photos in the dark. The Luminous Lagoon is 100 percent natural and is controlled totally by nature so there are times when the glow is not at its best however, there will always be some glow for you to experience. Word has it that if you swim in the water it makes you look 10 years younger! The water is not very deep, only about 4 or 6 feet and life jackets are available for those who need them. Be sure to take your swimsuits and towels along with you in case you wish to take a short swim. If you choose to swim, once you get out of the water you will see your swimsuit and body light up as you move around. Don’t worry, you will not miss out if you choose not to swim – your tour guide will more than likely fill a bucket of water for you to play with. Make sure you bring an empty bottle so you can take a sample of this marvelous water back with you. It will continue to glow for a couple of hours. Your captain is very knowledgeable and will give you all the history - feel free to check out the gift shop for memorabilia.